| Graduation Year | Class of 1969 |
| Date of Passing | Jun 29, 2021 |
| About | Sadly, Dr. Rocha passed away on June 29. Born in Des Moines, Iowa, he was one of four brothers, the eldest Stephen (deceased), Mario and Matt, and two nephews Dan and Scott, all of whom live in other parts of the U.S. After earning his B.A. from the University of Iowa, he achieved his M.A. in political science from UTEP, and was awarded the PhD in Government from the University of Texas in Austin. Dr. Rocha joined the UTEP Department of Political Science in 1990 and quickly became the research methods professor and go-to political scientist for local print and TV media on local government and voter turnout. He taught his students through experience: survey design, exit polling, data entry, and predictions of results, sometimes appearing with students on local TV stations. Dr. Rocha was a regular expert guest on KTEP programs and in its fundraisers. Students remember him as a fine mentor; many work professionally in public service and leadership positions in the region and elsewhere. Upon his retirement in 2015, the City Council declared December 8th to be "Dr. Gregory Rocha Day." Greg will be sorely missed by his former students, relatives, and close friends. Friends can share their memories with the family by emailing ingregsmemory62921@gmail.com |
