Six educators from the Paso del Norte region have been recognized by the Hopper-Dean Center of Excellence for K-12 Computer Science Education at The University of Texas at El Paso’s College of Education. The announcement, made on December 10, 2025, named these individuals as the 2025-26 Hopper-Dean K-12 Fellows and Scholars.
The annual fellowship program is in its fourth year and highlights teachers who are committed to advancing computer science education and computational thinking in local schools. This year, a new scholars award was introduced for students enrolled in UTEP’s fully online Master of Arts in Education with an emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI). This degree aims to provide educators with skills to use AI in educational settings.
Dean Clifton Tanabe, Ph.D., commented on the importance of such initiatives: “The K-12 education landscape is changing drastically, but the UTEP College of Education is staying ahead of the game. Higher education has an important role to play in training up the next generation, and with programs like these, we are making sure to reward and encourage the best computer science educators around so that they can positively impact on our children.”
The three recipients named as 2025-26 Hopper-Dean K-12 Fellows are Michelle Buraczyk from Franklin High School (El Paso ISD), Melanie Dozal-Enriquez from Eastlake High School (Socorro ISD), and Kirsten M. Wieseman from Northwest Early College High School (Canutillo ISD).
Additionally, three students were recognized as 2025-26 Scholars: Valeria Lopez from Ysleta Elementary School (Ysleta ISD), Jillian Ozuna-McCain from St. Mary’s University Upward Bound Program, and Vanessa Rivera from Mountain View High School (Clint ISD).
Established in 2021 through a $5 million endowment from the Hopper-Dean Foundation, the Center supports efforts to integrate computer science into K-12 classrooms. Its mission includes promoting teacher certification and sharing effective teaching practices for diverse student populations.
Fellows will serve as advisors working alongside UTEP’s College of Education and the Hopper-Dean Center to develop innovative teaching strategies and advocate for computer science inclusion across regional school curriculums. Each fellow receives a $2,500 stipend and helps shape future approaches for supporting Hispanic and other underrepresented students’ participation in computing fields.
