El Paso, Texas, April 27, 2026 – El Paso Community College (EPCC) and The University of Texas at El Paso continued their mission to increase access to higher education on Monday, April 27 with Operation College Bound (OCB) at Parkland High School in Northeast El Paso.
The OCB program is an annual series of events that brings representatives from UTEP and EPCC to high schools in all local school districts in the region. Seniors who have been accepted to UTEP or EPCC are invited to register for their first classes, sign up for priority orientation and ask about the process of transitioning to college life.
Presidents of both institutions, Heather Wilson of UTEP and Dr. William Serrata of EPCC, were greeted by Parkland Principal Mr. Javier Salgado and Ysleta Independent School District Superintendent of Schools Dr. Xavier De La Torre, the Parkland Matador marching band, dance, and cheer teams. Both presidents spoke about the longstanding partnership between UTEP and EPCC, before meeting students at the Operation College bound facilities at Parkland High School.
“We’re grateful to Parkland High School, YISD, and all the participating schools and districts for hosting us,” UTEP President Dr. Heather Wilson said. “We’re lucky to have partners like them and EPCC to help ease the path to higher education for students in our region.”
“Through our partnership with the University of Texas at El Paso and the Operation College Bound initiative, we are demonstrating what is possible when higher education and our local school districts unite around a shared purpose,” Dr. William Serrata, EPCC President, said. “By stepping directly into our high schools, we are not only encouraging students to envision themselves in college—we are actively helping them take that first step toward enrollment. Together, we are expanding opportunity and strengthening the future of our region by increasing college access and supporting students to become college graduates.”
EPCC and UTEP started the partnership in 2018. This year, recruitment services for the two institutions collaborated to visit 26 high schools, servicing 39 schools overall, across the Paso del Norte region.
“The Ysleta Independent School District is grateful for the ongoing partnership and investment of UTEP and EPCC in bringing Operation College Bound directly to our high schools,” YISD Superintendent of Schools Dr. Xavier De La Torre said. “Bringing these resources to our campuses helps simplify what can often feel like an overwhelming process for our graduating seniors — and for those still exploring their post-graduation plans, it opens the door to new opportunities and empowers them to take meaningful, immediate steps toward their future.”
“I think it’s great, because not many students know all of the different programs and what’s available to them at both UTEP and EPCC,” Parkland senior Natalie Gonzalez said. “It’s great to have them come here and show us the different options, and eases our mind about what we’re doing and where we are going.”
While the percentage of adults with college degrees is on the increase, OCB helps ensure that this trend continues, which is especially critical since most jobs will require some sort of postsecondary degree or certificate by 2030.
Operation College Bound will finalize the 2026 schedule with their last stop, Thursday May 7, 2026, at Mountain View High School.
