t, social injustice locally and nationally, baby boomer awakening, low resources and economically bleak futures for students. At UTEP, Hispanic professors and administrators were few in numbers. In 1967, the drinking age 18 yrs old. It was lowered because not only could you vote at 18, but you could also be sent to go fight and die in Vietnam. In 1967, independent UTEP students, mainly Hispanics, were faced with exclusivity in memberships to various clubs and fraternities at UTEP. A group of diverse students, alumni from local El Paso Austin High School, formed a club from which to participate in UTEP activities as a group. Facing an era of conflicts to understand, cope with, and prepare for future successes as well as recognition at UTEP from established elites, this group of students made their mission to be dominant in all engaged activities it got itself involved with at UTEP, including service and speak outs and sports. The group transformed the club into a fraternity valuing diversity, inclusivity, service, and academics and got recognized as an entity at UTEP. Soon thereafter, students from other El Paso county high schools joined Alpha Beta embracing its core values. Membership rose to over 100 members and associate members and Alpha Beta participation at UTEP activities rose. In 1968, we were recognized by the international Lions Service Club as a LEO Club. In 1970, A sister sorority embracing the same core values was established at UTEP and functioned alongside Alpha Beta. A very unique characteristic of Alpha Beta was that at every social event/party, the whole campus was invited via word of mouth and by public invite in the prospector. Students could attend( and they did) our socials without being a member for $1( one dollar at the door). Socials included drinks and food and were held at public park pavilions which we rented out and at the Lions Den
Fundraisers were held to raise funds to pay expenses for our various service projects, events, and recognition banquets which were held both in Juarez and in El Paso banquet halls. They included, amongst others, car washes( a member could pay $5 and be excused ), Xmas tree sales( members went to Ruidoso,N.M. for trees), picking cotton in the lower valley, and selling trinkets at San Jacinto Plaza downtown El Paso. Our weekly socials and networking parties paid for themselves, as we soon learned, because they were open to all students, and many UTEP non members came to meet and rub elbows with Alpha Beta and enjoy good friendships for an entry fee of $1 which paid for the party drinks and food and venue. we were engineers,
we were scholars:
• we were men of mines,
• we were Alpha Chi...National Scholastic Honor Society
• we were Sigma Pi Sigma …national honor society of physics students,
• we were Pi Sigma Alpha …national political science honor society,
• we were Tau Beta Pi...national engineering honor society,
• we were IEEE..national society of electrical engineers
• we were orange key,
we were business majors,
we were physics majors,
we were P.E. majors,
we were UTEP Baseball players,
we were political science majors,
we were a speak out voice against in-equality and racial prejudice,
we were MECHA,
we were Advocates for social issues and change in the community,
we were Inclusive in membership,
we were Diverse in membership,
we were a non-economically exclusive club
we were Social with events in El Paso and Juarez,
we were Service,
• we were Ushers at UTEP concerts and special events,
• we were painters of the “ M “ at the mountain,
• we were helpmates at homecoming and sun bowl parades and activities
• we were organizers for Easter Egg Hunts in South and West El Paso,
• we were read sessions for elementary school children at their schools,
• we were home repair for elderly homesteads in South El Paso,
• We were Project Bravo,
we were chess players
we were friends,
we were fun,
we were affiliative Humor,
we were athletes,
we were ROTC,
we were Math majors,
we were Education majors,
we were Special Education teachers
we were Biology majors,
we were teaching assistants,
we were lab instructors,
we were graders,
we were tutors,
we were work study with White Sands missile range,
we were Vietnam Vets,
we were participants in UTEP Activities,
we were champions in UTEP intramural sports,
we were intramural coaches and referees,
we were athletic,
we were golfers,
we were racquetball players,
we were wrestlers,
we were cross country runners,
we were basketball players,
we were flag football players,
we were softball players,
we were G.E. college bowl champions,
we were local El Paso:
• we were Irvin High School
• we were Austin High School
• we were El Paso High School,
• we were Burges High School,
• we were Cathedral High School,
• we were Coronado High School,
• we were Bowie High School
• we were Bel Air High School
• we were Ysleta High School,
• we were Jefferson High School,
we were UTEP Student government,
• we were student council,
• we were student Association…President and exec V.P.,
• we were student senate
• we were student supreme court,
• we were Student Union spirit committee,
we were UTEP loyal fans,
we were UTEP citizens,
• we were UTEP Chessmen club
• we were UTEP Karate club
• we were KTEP radio,
• we were UTEP Prospector
• we were UTEP Flowsheet Yearbook
• we were UTEP El Burro
• we were dominant in all UTEP intramural competitions
we were intellectuals,
we were low resource,
we were high achievers,
we were competitive,
we were united with UTEP Alpha Beta Gamma sorority
we were a Leo Club….Lions club supported
Officers and members:
Presidents:
Jose A Medina 1967
Bernie Del Hierro 1968
Manny Alvarez 1969
Tony Marmolejo 1970
Rai Sarabia 1971
Robert Tati Lopez 1972-73
01/27/2025
