September 2008

Volume 2 - Issue 1

September 2008

Welcome Back Students, Faculty & Staff

Fall Semester

2008

OPINION

Raver - Page 2

September 2008

Letter from the Editors Letter from the SDSM&T President Goodbye golden tan and Hello pasty whiteness! It is once again time for students to cuddle up with their textbooks as they begin four months of homework that can seem so unending that it makes infinity look short.

Did you forget how to write while hunting grizzly bears with a Nerf gun this past summer? Sounds like you should join our staff! We recently put together a journalistic writing handbook, an advertising handbook and a layout/design handbook. We will also be hosting workshops throughout the course of the year so you can improve your technique and enter in competitions to win money and fame and glory.

The Raver has undergone a lot of changes over the past semester, and there are still a lot of things that we want improved. If you think your laptops have issues, you should see the desktops that we are stuck with for layout. You know that build-up of anger that makes you want to jab

your stylus into the screen?

Now multiply that anger times 10^9, subtract a stylus to drive into the monitor and that equals our frustration when we use these decrepit machines. The printer is broken and rudely belches crunching noises as it literally eats our paper. Our design software is a few versions behind and we currently have a staff of two.

We need writers, photographers, website programmers, graphic designers and salespeople (aka we need YOU).

We always welcome any story ideas you may have. That random article about the pains of toe fungus you contracted in the Connolly shower? We may have space for that. You just never know...

Send articles, news scoops, complaints, questions, praise, chocolate and flowers to raver. sdsmt@gmail.com. Now get out that pen (or keyboard or typewriter) and start writing...

Dr. Robert A. Wharton SDSM&T President

dent, I am enthusiastic about leading this elite, world-class university and continuing our proud heritage of excellence in preparing the best and the Katie Aurand brightest students to serve in Erica Kjar the years ahead as leaders in Raver Editors the professions of engineering and science.

Over the past two months, my wife Carolyn and I have en-

Intellectual Honesty

By Mark Northrup We all know the importance of “academic honesty” because even the inadvertent appearance of impropriety could kill a career and reputation in the real world and it is good to get in the habit of avoiding making mistakes.

There is another kind of honesty that is all too often lacking in today’s society: in politics, the media, churches, pubs and in classrooms. This second kind of honesty is intellectual honesty.

Our courts go to great lengths to ensure that trials are as fair as possible. They carefully screen potential jurors, excluding those that have either already made up their mind as to the guilt or innocence of a defendant or those that have even a subtle bias that would prevent them from dispassionately evaluating the evidence and testimony presented in court. Just as sitting on a jury when you think you already know who is guilty or not is dishonest, so is walking into a classroom or entering into a discussion with a classmate or professor with ideas or beliefs about the subject at hand that you are not willing

Dear Students, Welcome to the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology! I hope you had a wonderful summer. As I embark on my first year as presi-

to change or modify based on new evidence or arguments.

Honest discussions, whether they are between students and professors, family members, friends, or co-workers, cannot take place if any party to the discussion is not open to modifying or revising their views during the course of the dialog. To attempt to engage someone in what is presented as an “honest” discussion when ones own views on the subject at hand are offlimits to revision or modification is to misrepresent oneself, to lie.

If there is one place where there should be no sacred cows, where every idea or opinion ought to be open to logical dissection, questioning, and revision in the full light of reason, it is in the classrooms and on the campuses of institutions of higher learning, following in the best tradition of Aristotle’s Lyceum. Anytime an institution, its faculty, or its students allow certain opinions or beliefs to be deemed off-limits to questioning or revision, true education stops and one is left with nothing more than a fancy four-year trade school.

joyed the opportunity to meet and visit with many members of the campus community including faculty, staff, alumni, Foundation Board trustees, community members, and students. We are incredibly impressed with the enthusiasm, dedication, and professionalism of all those whom we have met and appreciate everyone’s tremendous commitment to the School of Mines. We thank you all for your kindness and warm welcome and we look forward to meeting more students over the course of the year.

During the 2008-2009 academic year, you will begin to see a transformation of campus facilities: ground breaking will occur for the Chemistry / Chemical and Biological Engineering Building and the Paleontology Research Building; a Ropes Course will replace the rappelling tower on the west end of campus; and renovations will also commence in the Surbeck Center and Palmerton and Connelly Halls later in the year. I commend you and your student leadership for help in securing funding for these projects.

As a student you serve an important role in shaping the future of the university and I look forward to working with you during the coming year as we address a variety of challenges and opportunities. Also, please join me in congratulating one of our distinguished student leaders, Melanie Satchell, 2007-2008 Student Association President, on her recent appointment to the South Dakota Board of Regents by Governor Michael Rounds.

As members of the School of Mines family, our every action is critical to advancing the university’s position as an educational leader in the 21st century. Our faculty and staff are committed to their incredibly important responsibility of helping you succeed in your educational pursuits and preparing you for leadership roles in engineering, science, and technology. I invite you to fully collaborate in this enterprise – together with our faculty and staff we will invent tomorrow.

Very best regards, Robert A. Wharton, Ph.D. President

Notes from the Dean of Students Welcome to the 2008 – 2009 school year at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology! As with the start of every new school year it is a time of renewed energy as you embark on your course work and out of classroom activities. I wish you the best from day one.

This next year many changes will unfold as the Paleontology Center and Chemical and Biological Engineering/Chemistry Building and a Leadership Challenge Course are constructed and the Surbeck Center, Palmerton Hall and Connolly Hall are renovated. With this progress there will also be lots of noise, dust and disruption in the parking lots! All of the projects will be well on their way to completion by the start of school in 2009. Thank you in advance for your patience. Most importantly, thank you for your commitment to the improvements that will occur in the Surbeck Center funded from the General Activity Fees you pay. These improvements will benefit students for several decades into the future.

In order to maximize your professional development I encourage you to get involved in

the STEPS (Students Emerging as ProfessionalS) initiatives that best meet your interests throughout your years at the School of Mines. Activities include self assessment, fun programs, leadership opportunities, membership in professional societies, volunteer service, spiritual involvement, intramurals, outdoor activities and Greek life. There are many benefits to developing the STEPS characteristics outlined in the diagram below: Over time, the STEPS program will assist you in understanding the integration of course work and out of class activities as you develop the eight characteristics identified in the diagram. Also online is a 360 degree assessment that you can send to friends, faculty and supervisors for candid confidential feedback on their perceptions of your professional development. STEPS is available on the web: http://sdmines.sdsmt.edu/studentlife/ steps.

As you become acclimated to our campus environment, there are a couple things in particular I would like to emphasize in this letter: 1. Your safety and security are our top priorities. Please

pay particular attention to the article regarding the campus alert notification system for all students, faculty and staff. This system will send you critical emergency and weather-related alerts via your cell phone or computer. If you have not signed up, PLEASE REGISTER TODAY! Instructions are available through your School of Mines e-mail account.

2. Your health is also of concern. Please know that through your student activity fees you pay for services at Student Health located in Surbeck. Hours are: Monday and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon; Tuesday from noon-3 p.m. and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Additionally, there is a student insurance plan that may be of interest to you.

Information is available at: https://myhealth.sdbor.edu/index.cfm.

Please let me know when I can be of assistance and I look forward to seeing you on campus. Marie Romano, Senior Secretary, is also happy to assist.

Sincerely, Patricia G. Mahon, Ph.D. Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students

FEATURE

September 2008

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Delicate sculptures on display in APEX Tillamonk... and a book

By Raver Staff Delicate: Sculpture and Pinhole Photography” by Kim Henkel is the featured exhibit at the APEX Gallery in the Classroom building through Friday, Sept. 12. Her time spent as a student and later as an instructor in New Mexico and Arizona visibly influences her work.

Currently a Sculptor in Residence at Mt. Rushmore National Memorial, Henkel hopes that many students will stop by the gallery and check out her exhibit. She has been exhibiting her sculptures and pinhole photography professionally for 18 years in over 50 fine arts galleries and museums.

From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 5, the community has a chance to attend a reception at the APEX Gallery, where Henkel will give a talk about her work.

For more information on Henkel’s work, visit www. kimhenkelsculpture.com.

By Kim Henkel

Featured APEX Gallery artist

My sculpture is a result of a physical process of spontaneous digging and marking in clay with my hands – a blind act of faith. As I work, I create the negative void that is ever present in this life full of ambiguity. Removing my hands, I fill the dark, cold space with materials. Then I painstakingly peel away the soft layers of clay on the outside until the solid form is exposed - like an excavation. The result is an expressive object like a fossil manifestation of the complexity of my desires, fears and expectations. The layers of clay are recycled over and over again as a foundation for more digging and building more sculpture. When my will tries to control the negative space, the outcome takes the form of fierce substances. But when I push with spontaneous marks of bold confidence, a wonderful evolution of probity and consciousness appears. The pinhole photographs are a documentation of the moment of discovering the sculptures in the Arizona landscape.

Suceeding at School of Mines

By Dr. Pat Beu Director of Retention and Testing • Go to class. Always. Don’t skip class. Be on time for class and inform the professor if you can’t be there when expected.

• Note tests and assignments from your syllabus into your “day-timer” or other schedule.

• Determine daily priorities, especially study time. Live those priorities every day.

• Go meet your professors and advisor and establish a relationship with them.

• Study with friends. Hold each other accountable to what you are studying by quizzing each other.

• Make sample test questions out of lecture notes. Quiz yourself.

• Make a sample test when reading the textbook. Find the questions that will be on the test and memorize the answers.

• Participate once or twice daily in class by making a comment or asking a question. It shows the professor you’re interested and keeps you awake.

• Eat healthy meals, exercise every day and get a good night’s sleep.

• Visit with an advisor or professor about doing an internship or COOP. • Review your notes and textbook frequently; don’t expect cramming before the test to help you remember.

• Utilize tutoring and other help services before it is too late.

• Discuss the ramifications of dropping a course with the financial aide office if you know you are going to get an F in it.

• Use your advisor to help you develop an academic plan. Know what courses you need to take next semester and what it will take to graduate.

• Find out how you’re doing in class by asking the professor. Don’t wait to be surprised.

• Never drop a course without checking first with the financial aid office, the professor or advisor and Academic and Enrollment Services. Never.

By Evan Waddell The avid student often wishes to partake of the delicacy that is studying. This being said, there are many considerations when settling into the correct study spot. Here I try to help interested persons by giving a brief overview of the variety out there.

First, consider the unique piquancy of the Surbeck South Lounge. With its broad area and variable appeal, your study senses can experience something new every time you sit down. This spot can be savored late into the night, and is especially desirable before major exams.

If you are less adventurous, the rich yet regular library may be of interest. Those who love the unadorned flavor of studying often prefer this location due to its lack of aural and visual distraction. Be warned, though; as you make your way to the top, the bland yet heated taste of the library increases.

Only the most thorough studiers can stand the small study rooms available for rent on the library third floor.

Or, if regional flavor is more to your liking, consider the highly specified study locations on campus – namely, departmental lounges. Chemical engineers find that the war room behind their process lab gives a quiet foretaste, often followed by a surprising jolt of hard rock. Other lounges offer the convenience of reference books or reference students (upperclassmen).

Another option, becoming increasingly popular today among the study crowd, is that of the organic feel. Not for everyone, but certainly worth a taste, these study spots feature earthy aromas, richness of color, and the quiet grandeur of the South Dakota terrain. March-Dake plaza is centrally located and features the smoky aroma (and taste) of the grill. The quad affords a stereoscopic campus backdrop during sit-down studies, and usually has a strong signal strength from the campus wireless network.

Finally, if these exotic flavors do not pique your interests, you may be just as well off with the most traditional of study environs, the residence halls. With the solitude (and spontaneity) that only a home-aged study can offer, the halls stand proud in their heritage. Palmerton is speckled with central study hubs on every floor, while Connolly has a rich and subdued ground floor lounge (with an occasional classic video game break, if desired). Peterson’s second floor lounge is ideal for first-time connoisseurs of the studying art, and is often frequented by First program mentors. And of course, you can create your own unique study taste by clearing out a space in your room and having at it.

This concludes our introductory study menu; which shall you sample first?

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Q & A: Orientation Week

By Raver Staff School of Mines senior Brian Zuroff is a co-chair for Orientation Week.

Why should frosh participate in the orientation activities?

It gets them socially involved in school. They aren’t living at home anymore and most are a couple, if not several, hours away from home, so it’s never too soon to meet really great friends and get out of your room. Also, it gives them a chance to meet upper classmen... and just a hint... upper classmen have already taken the classes that you are or will be taking... and more than likely passed.... and have notes and/or files for those classes.... so - hint hint – get to know the upperclassmen!

What is the best part about orientation week?

All of the free nightly activities. To go to a movie, see a comedian, do mini golf, etc., you would normally spend a minimum of $12 per activity. Why not take advantage of all the stuff you would normally do to have fun for free?

What did you learn at orientation week that helped you later on in college?

Schedule schedule schedule!!! Set a personal schedule for yourself. If you tell yourself when you wake up in the morning that you are going to do homework during that two hour break you have between classes, do it! Don’t just go back to your room and sit behind the computer or on the couch/futon watching TV. What are you doing differently this year for orientation?

Every year is a learning experience. This year we tried to schedule things way in advance to smooth things out. We also stuck to a number of orientation leaders that we were allowing to make sure the frosh got the “best of the best” as far as orientation leaders and co-chairs are concerned.

What is the most important part of orientation?

Two words - Getting Involved. If the frosh, and yes, even upper classmen, did not get involved, go to these activities and have fun and meet people, there would be no reason for orientation to exist.

What should every frosh know about the School of Mines?

Everything.... Haha, just kidding.... On a serious note though, I think it is very important for every frosh to know that the professors don’t bite. They won’t be pushed to the side like all of their other friends going to SDSU or USD will be.

The professors are here to aid them in their learning experience, so don’t be afraid to go and talk to them. It is a very good idea for them to go to their professors’ offices or catch them after class and introduce themselves to their professors within the first week of class as well.

How do you become an orientation leader and when do you apply?

At the end of the first semester or beginning of the second semester, we will be advertising the need for Freshman Orientation Leaders. As soon as you see the advertisements, go to SALC and pick up an application from Michael Keegan (Director of SALC), fill it out, turn it back in and sign up for an interview. After the interview process we will let you know if you have been chosen as an Orientation Leader. Just to note as well: You do not need to have experience as an Orientation Leader to be considered for the Orientation Co-Chair position; the most important thing for these positions is Leadership Experience. This can be at work, in a school activity, etc.

Why should students apply to be orientation leaders?

It is a great way to meet the incoming frosh and new friends as well.

What skills/insight have you gained from being an orientation leader?

Don’t worry or fret over the little things. Everything always works itself out.

FEATURE

September 2008

Orientation Week Schedule Saturday, August 30th 8 am - 2 pm Move-In for FIRST Participants 2 pm - 4:30 pm Mini-Orientation (for those who were not able to attend earlier in the summer)

5 pm Tailgate Dinner (Before Football game) 6 pm Football vs. Haskell University @ O’Harra Stadium

Sunday, August 31st First Adventure Weekends Begin

Monday, September 1st Return from First Adventure Weekends 4 pm - 5pm Registration 4:30 pm All Hall Meeting (ballroom) 5 pm Fried Chicken Dinner (cafeteria) 6:30 pm The Ultimate Road Trip (ballroom) 7:30 pm Skits (ballroom)

Tuesday, September 2nd 9 - 10 am Welcome Convocation (ballroom) 12 - 3 pm Out on the Town Activities 5 pm Luau dinner (Quad) 7 pm Hypnotist JayDee (ballroom)

Wednesday, September 3rd 5 pm Presidents Picnic (Quad) 9 pm Dance on the Quad

Thursday, September 4th 11 - 2 pm Student Organization Fair (Quad) 5 pm All Greek Picnic 7 pm John Bush, Comedian (ballroom)

Friday, September 5th 9 pm Movie Night (Elks Theater)

HEALTH

September 2008

Fight Freshman Fifteen Folleys

By Scotty Nelson Oh, the joys of your freshman year: a new school, new faces, new friends, new classes, and a few unfortunate new inches around your waist known as the freshman 15.

This not-so-uncommon phenomenon has been plaguing college freshman for generations. The freshmen 15 is bad news that comes from a lethal combination of sources that are introduced to students during their first year away from home such as: homework induced stress, lack of exercise, irregular eating habits and a nearly endless supply of unhealthy cafeteria food.

Fortunately the few ex-

tra unfriendly pounds can be avoided with relative ease.

Here are some simple solutions for the age-old problem: To fight stress from homework, do not procrastinate.

Knowing that you have your homework done ahead of time is a lot less stressful than staying up all night to get it done.

If you are not the type of person that likes to get up every morning at 5 a.m. to go running, you can simply just trick your body into exercising. The School of Mines has a variety of clubs and organizations that make exercising fun, such as the Climbing Club, the Cycling Club and the

Ski and Snowboard Club.

To straighten any irregular eating patterns, plan to take a break from homework to eat at the same time every day and also try not to eat after supper.

Avoiding unhealthy cafeteria food may seem difficult, but it is not impossible. For example, instead of choosing a hamburger and fries opt for a sub sandwich instead.

Some sources behind the few extra pounds may seem hard to avoid, but keep conscious of your health and you will find yourself free from the shackles of the freshman fifteen.

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Peanut Butter Banana Shake 1 Banana 1 cup Milk 2-3 cups ice 2 Tbsp Peanut Butter 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract (optional)

Blend, adding ice untill desired consistency is reached

Break the fast Student Organization Fair with breakfast

By Megan Mallett Being shy or quiet should not be a considered a curse throughout one’s destiny. Being bored at school should not be a problem either. Fortunately, because the School of Mines is a hands-on learning type of school, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 4 , in the Quad, the Student Organization Fair will be put on by many of the organizations on campus to not only help students find similar areas of interests with other students, but to also learn how the dynamics of each group works.

Mike Keegan, coordinator of Student Activities and Leadership Center (SALC), says that the Student Organization

Fair helps new students “get familiar with the vast number of student organizations and the diverse opportunities to get involved on campus.”

There is a variety of groups, ranging from Society of Explosive Engineers to the Ski and Snowboard Club, Circle K to Student Senate, and Drama Club to intramurals. Military sciences and student media are also available to students on campus.

“The student organization fair is the best way to find out what groups our campus has to offer,” said Gretchen Berg, an atmospheric science major.

“It allows you to see what organizations fit your interests,

and to talk to current members about what they do.”

The Student Organization Fair provides the best means of accessing information about most opportunities on camp. The representatives of each group will be able to provide the best and most efficient means of telling about their team.

The Student Organization Fair is also set up to help students find where they fit in best. Student Senate President Marcus Bartlett encourages “students to find a few groups they may be interested in and check them out...(because) not every student org is for everyone.”

Men’s & Women’s

Flag Football Sign-Up Deadline: Friday, September 5th Start Date: Tuesday, September 9th There will be a MANDATORY meeting for flag football captains on September 9th at 7pm. Teams will not be able to play unless represented at that meeting

Registration for flag football will begin on the first day of classes in the fall For More Information: http://sdmines.sdsmt.edu/sdsmt/intramurals#x

By Raver Staff Two minutes before your 8 a.m. chemistry lab, you pull on your shoes, grab your goggles and lab book and drowsily dally across campus.

Then you realize you have forgotten something very important. Something that, if continuously forgotten, may eventually kill you.

Research suggests that breakfast eaters are leaner than those who skip breakfast.

According to the February issue of Harvard Men’s Health Watch, missing breakfast results in a fourfold increase in the risk of obesity.

Now this does not mean that every morning, you should eat a bowl of grits, three biscuits with gravy, four pieces of French toast with powdered sugar, two chocolate-chip pancakes and nine

strips of bacon… unless you are swimming as much as Michael Phelps and need to eat about 10,000 calories a day.

Research says that the best breakfast is a balanced breakfast. Doctors recommend pairing cereals high in fiber with fresh fruit slices. If you prepare breakfast the night before, you can still grab it and go in the morning. Some healthy ideas are: a granola bar with peanut butter, a Ziploc bag of Cheerios and a banana, cream cheese and strawberries rolled in a tortilla wrap or a healthy shake.

If you eat a balanced breakfast with complex carbohydrates, you are less likely to overeat later in the day. Studies also show that people who eat breakfast are less likely to eat after supper, therefore gaining less weight.

INTERNATIONAL

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September 2008

Istanbul to Ankara: My Experience in the Turkish Countryside S

By Eric Hoffnagle When I learned that I could travel to Turkey to fulfill my credits for geology field camp, I knew I had to go.

That decision was made a year and a half ago, and this summer I spent six weeks studying abroad in Turkey.

After finishing my junior year at the School of Mines, I knew I was ready for the demanding camp which is part of nearly every geology program’s curriculum. While in Turkey, I spent five weeks mapping five different areas which would give students a wide range of geological settings to interpret.

Having chosen to par-

ticipate in this geology field camp, I took a chance that many students in the field do not regularly take. For many people here in the U.S., their image of the Middle-East is biased because of the focus of mainstream media. While in Turkey, I experienced an overwhelming amount of hospitality from the locals in the rural areas surrounding Istanbul and Ankara.

During the five weeks that I spent with sixteen other students from the U.S., we mapped areas near the small towns of Taskesti and Cayirhan and the city of Nallihan.

In these areas, students learned how to apply their knowledge

Mines professor named to leadership forum

UPR Dr. Jennifer Karlin, assistant professor, industrial engineering, has been selected to the Texas Leadership Forum, to be held Oct. 8-10 at Baylor University.

Two Regional forums are held each year with only 25 higher education faculty selected for each forum. Participation in the Leadership Forums is highly competitive with final selection made by

the American Council on Education.

“Forum selection is normally reserved for chairs, directors or deans, so selection speaks well not only of Dr. Karlin’s recognized leadership qualities but of the quality and high level of professionalism of the School of Mines in general,” Dr. Stuart Kellogg, industrial engineering chair, said.

from the classroom to actual geologic settings. Although each week’s goal was to map a specific area, students also needed to write reports focusing on the petrology, structure and historical geology of the terrains.

The five weeks of intense mapping really opened my eyes to what rocks on our earth are capable of doing. I couldn’t have imagined some of the areas we mapped, and staying in the U.S. for field camp would not have given me the same geological experience.

The people and culture in Turkey were two aspects of the trip that I did not have much knowledge of prior to traveling. When first arriving in Istanbul, I found out quickly that many of the people speak English. For me and others who I traveled with, having English spoken around you helped ease the culture shock of being in the Middle-East.

With a week spent in Istanbul, I started to get a feel for the city and its Western aspects.

The field station that was my home for three weeks was in Taskesti, located 340 km east of Istanbul. The people in this small town of 1,200 treated us very well. While mapping in the area, several of the students were invited in for tea by the locals and given handfuls of freshly picked cherries, plums, apricots and hazelnuts from their orchards. As part of

the Muslim tradition, looking after travelers has been engrained in their culture. In the rural areas of Turkey, the people rarely have any exposure to Westerners and little English is spoken. Any English heard was usually from children or educated people such as the town doctor or banker.

At the end of my six weeks, I did not want to leave this beautiful place behind.

Traveling to Turkey will be a trip I will never forget and I plan to visit again. The culture, the geology, the friends and even the food are already being missed. After coming back and thinking about the whole experience, I could not have asked for anything different.

INTERNATIONAL

September 2008

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Students travel to Chile, Mongolia and Suriname

Brandon Lampe, Jason Lambert and Philipp Braun lay in pipe for an earthern dam in Chile.

ESA Public Relations This past summer, four students traveled to Chile and one trekked to Mongolia to do work for Engineers and Scientists Abroad (ESA).

ESA is a student organization at School of Mines where students can apply their engineering and science knowledge on an international scale through humanitarian efforts.

This baby organization, founded in the fall of 2006, has now seen the birth of international projects in three countries: Chile, Suriname and Mongolia.

“ESA’s purpose is to promote the welfare of underdeveloped organizations on a global scale,” said ESA President Eric Hoffnagle. “We use engineering and science application to benefit these organizations so they can get a better start in the world that we live in today.”

Last May, nine ESA members and their faculty advisor, Dr. M.R. Hansen, went to Vicuna, Chile. ESA partnered with Vocations for Orphans (VFO), a non-profit organization based in the Black Hills that is building a vocational school in the Andes Mountains for orphans to learn a trade after leaving the orphanage. ESA members helped plot the site and construct the buildings. They took samples of the water and concrete, monitored wind speeds, and surveyed most of the site. ESA members are currently working on projects involving site design, concrete stability, water conservation and a senior design team addressing power storage.

Four students, Brandon Lampe, Jason Lambert, Philipp Braun and Katie Aurand, went to Chile last May to conduct a water quality

and sustainability assessment.

They built a small earth dam that increased the water flow to the adobe and decreased the amount of suspended solids.

ESA takes on challenges that are present all around the world, resulting in the added complication of applying their solutions in under-developed countries.

With ESA, international travel is not needed to experience other cultures, even though the opportunity to travel abroad is available. Last year, members of ESA were able to meet, and sometimes even have one-on-one conversation time, with distinguished dignitaries who were visiting the region. Among them were: the U.S. Ambassador to Suriname, Suriname’s Ambassador to the U.N., Iraq’s Ambassador to the U.N. and Dr. Mark Plotkin, a renowned ethnobotanist who is the president of the Amazon Conservation Team.

“Being a part of this group, I never thought I would be meeting foreign ambassadors,” said Hoffnagle. “And here I am doing just that.

Within two weeks, I met two ambassadors, one from Iraq and one from Suriname. ESA gives students opportunities that they wouldn’t have had just by staying in the classroom or just by getting some internship. There’s much more than that.”

Wherever they go, ESA students promote the School of Mines.

“We do an excellent job of promoting the school both locally and internationally,” said ESA Secretary Andrew Muxon. “When I was down in Suriname, Dr. Hansen and I met with some of the University of Suriname’s faculty and students and tried to set up a

partnership- not just for ESA work, but for studying abroad so that their students could come here, and our students could go down there. Everywhere we go around the world, we talk about the school we came from and give them that kind of exposure. We also provide students at SDSM&T with opportunities they would not have without our organization. Especially with international travel.”

Being a young organization, ESA is still working on securing monetary funds.

“ESA is able to bring in more money [than individual fundraising] to help minimize the students’ cost in traveling,” said Hoffnagle. “As time goes on and ESA gets more recognized and established, fundraising and finances will be less of a hardship for the individual student so they can travel.”

Dr. Hansen encourages students at the School of Mines to join ESA because he believes that the experience students receive while working with ESA will help prepare them for their future.

“They know that in their professional life, the chances that they will be working overseas one way or another, either going over there or working for companies that have branches overseas, are very high,” said Dr. Hansen. “ESA helps prepare our students to work in a multi-cultural environment.

They will have a chance to go to a foreign country to work.

The only way they will get on a team is to join ESA and participate and select a project and work on it, and then they will be qualified to travel.”

“ESA gives students an opportunity to use their abilities to soak in a new culture that is different and makes them a well-rounded individual, ready for their next step in life,” said Hoffnagle.

If students have new ideas for a project that they want to take on, ESA encourages them to share it.

“If someone really wanted to get involved, the possibilities are really endless,” said Hoffnagle. “You can do your own thing with the group, or you can get involved with a committee in the group and lead from there. A lot of it is up to you: you choose your level of involvement. The more involved you are, the more rewarding this organization will be.”

According to members, the future of ESA looks very promising.

“For the future of ESA, the doors are wide open for what we can accomplish,” said Muxon. “I could see ESA becoming a national or an international organization, quite possibly, which would be amazing. Right now, we’re a very young organization, but we are growing very rapidly.

But we would like more student involvement. It is pretty difficult right now because there is a lot of work that needs to be done before this organization sees its full potential.

I think that this organization definitely has the potential to be a very strong organization at the School of Mines.”

ESA also hopes to eventually be a drawing point for incoming students.

“If we keep getting students who are interested in what we are doing right now and they become dedicated to ESA and what it stands for, ESA could really take off to a higher level,” said Hoffnagle.

“And also through the school there is a lot more potential that the school could benefit through ESA, and ESA ben-

efit through the school. Hopefully within the next year, the school could start advertising ESA in the literature that they print out, just like they do with CAMP.” ESA is also hoping to develop partnerships with students from other countries to increase the international flavor at the School of Mines.

“When I went down to Suriname, the students I talked to down there were very interested in what we are doing with our program and they even asked about what programs they could do here in South Dakota,” said Muxon.

“And I think that we could then open up to more of an international community so our students would actually be working with students from another country. That kind of an experience would be very valuable.”

ESA encourages any students interested to look for posters advertising their meetings and to come and see what ESA is all about.

“There isn’t another organization on campus that offers the types of opportunities that we do,” said Muxon.

Above: A goat herder’s pen in Chile. Below: Jason Lambert and Brandon Lampe talk to Dale Boe before heading out to work for the day.

NEWS

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September 2008

Mines 2008 Fall career fair Career Center Workshops - Fall 2008

By Darrell Sawyer Career Center The School of Mines Fall 2008 Career Fair will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 30, in the King Center Gymnasium. A capacity-size group of 121 employers from 24 states are registered to participate in this important event for students. The fact that all of the booths have been reserved and there is now a waiting list for booth space demonstrates that industry demand for Mines students remains very strong, despite news reports of a slowdown in the economy.

The online career fair directory at www.hpcnet.org/careerfairdirectory lists the participating employers and the majors they are recruiting.

These career fairs offer all Mines students - from freshman to graduate level - excellent opportunities to gain first-hand knowledge from employers about full-time job openings, internships and coop opportunities. Employers come to campus to meet prospective new hires, whether now or down the road. The networking experiences and information available at the Career Fairs provide valuable assistance to students in furthering their career goals and in securing the job that could lead to a rewarding career.

These events are free to all Mines students, alumni, faculty and staff.

To help maximize your career fair experience, here are a few tips: PREPARE: • Find out which employers will be attending.

• Research the employers that interest you.

• Update and PROOF your resume.

• Develop a 30-second introduction of yourself and practice saying it!

• Think of 1-2 questions to ask employers.

COMMUNICATE: • Organize a plan on which employers you want to talk to.

• Dress appropriately and bring numerous copies of your resume.

• Make a good first impression—smile, make eye contact, use a firm handshake, and introduce yourself in a positive, friendly manner.

• Ask questions and take notes to keep track of pertinent information.

• Request a business card from the recruiter.

FOLLOW UP: • Send a follow-up letter or email to the employers that especially interest you.

• Reinforce your enthusiasm in working for that employer and reiterate why you are a “good fit”.

• Submit any applications or resumes online that recruiters recommended you do.

Tips for the interview

- Assess yourself and know your goals.

- Identify your top 2-3 strengths.

- Practice 2-3 minute responses.

- Research the company in advance.

- Dress and conduct yourself professionally.

- Make a good first impression.

- Keep good eye contact.

- Back up your statements with examples.

- Focus on what you can do for the employer.

- Prepare 2-3 good questions.

Avoid these mistakes - Arriving late – ask directions; arrive 10 minutes early; call ahead if you get delayed in traffic - Playing zombie – smile; sit up straight; make eye contact - Winging the interview – practice in advance - Bad-mouthing anyone – not your present employer, former supervisors, anyone—even if they deserve it!

- Asking about salary and vacation — wait for interviewer to raise these topics or until you receive a job offer - Being dishonest or overly exaggerating your accomplishments - Showing little enthusiasm - Giving rambling, unfocused responses - Having unclear career goals - Responding with “yes/no” answers - Failing to project self-confidence and poise - Not asking the interviewer any questions Project Solutions Inc 3022 W. Saint Louis St., Rapid City, SD 57702

Thurs, Sept. 11 from 4:00-5:00 in McKeel Effective Résumés & Cover Letters Mon, Sept. 15 from Noon-1:00 in the Career Center Drop-in Résumé Reviews Tues, Sept. 16 from Noon-1:00 in Bump East Seniors: Jumpstart Your Job Search Tues, Sept. 16 from 3:00-4:00 in the Career Center Drop-in Résumé Reviews Wed, Sept. 17 from 3:00-4:00 in the Career Center Drop-in Résumé Reviews Thurs, Sept. 18 from 4:00-5:00 in the Career Center Drop-in Résumé Reviews Tues, Sept. 23 from 3:00-4:00 in McKeel Career Fair Tips Thurs, Sept. 25 from 5:00-6:00 in McKeel Behavior Based Interviews Tues, Sept. 30 from 11:00-5:00 in the King Center Fall Career Fair Thurs, Oct. 16 from 6:00-7:00 in McKeel Tips for Plant Trips Thurs, Nov. 6 from 3:30-4:30 in McKeel Evaluating Job Offers and Benefits Tues, Nov. 18 from 11:30-1:00 in Bump West Business Etiquette Luncheon Thurs, Nov. 20 from 4:00-5:00 in McKeel Job Search Strategies Tues, Dec. 2 from noon-1:00 in McKeel Still Deciding on Switching Majors?

Wed, Dec. 10 from noon-1:00 in McKeel Job Search Tips for International Students

NEWS

September 2008

Formula SAE Aaron Guliuzza

Formula SAE Project Manager

Formula SAE is a team of high performance individuals who design, manufacture and race open wheel Autocross cars.

Last year’s car, FHR08, performs 0 to 60 mph under 4 seconds and out handles Mclaren, Ferrari and Porsche at 1.93 lateral Gs. FSAE cars are less than 500 pounds, typically run on motorcycle engines and are manufactured with the latest techniques in composite materials and titanium laser deposition.

The Hardrocker team must design a new car every year, and they are currently looking for creative and passionate students who want to enhance their education. Student members have the opportunity to learn advanced teaming concepts, develop

models in Solidworks , learn standard and CNC machining manufacturing, participate in composites manufacturing at the CAPE lab and race!

The team primarily focuses on personal development and team thinking. This team philosophy is why all of the members express an unmatched amount of satisfaction. The team also believes this philosophy has consistently brought them success.

Formula Hardrocker Racing is similar to a professional race team. The team must design, manufacture and test a new car every year. They develop high level sponsor relationships, complete numerous public relations events every year, have a mentoring program and have a driver training program. In the last three years the team has annually competed at events in

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California, Texas, Kansas and locally.

For 12 years, Formula Hardrocker Racing has competed with hundreds of the world’s elite universities. In the last two years, Formula Hardrocker Racing has placed 6th overall in a field of 80 teams. They have also finished 3rd place in the international Autocross race event, 4th in Design, 3rd in Sales and 5th in Skidpad in a field of 90 teams.

CAMP is the umbrella organization that Formula SAE functions under. It is the Center of excellence for Advanced Manufacturing and Production. CAMP has started many student project teams and helps student project teams secure organizational help.

SAE is the Society of Automotive Engineers, a professional organization that members can belong to. SAE also oversees the international collegiate competitions.

You can find pictures and

The Forumla SAE car poses in front of Mt. Rushmore for a classy picture. develop the best team and an internationally competitive race car. We hope to meet you at one of our weekly meetings on Wednesdays at p.m. in CB204. We also invite you to tour the CAT lab and student projects on the 2nd floor of the CM building.

more information at Formula Hardrocker Racing’s Website: fsae.sdsmt.edu.

You can also find SAE’s information and a forum for FSAE at students.sae.org and fsae.com.

This year’s team has high expectations. They hope to

Surbeck Center renovation makes progress Surbeck Center Phase II Renovation

Surbeck Center Phase II Renovation STAIR

PROJECT LIMIT

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OFFICE

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OFFICE

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LOADING LOADING

MECH.

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SERVICE HALL

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100 STORAGE

POT WASH POT WASH DISPOSER

CATERING KITCHEN 100 CATERING

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BEVERAGES

REF. COLD PANS

WAFFLE MAKER

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PLATE SHELF BELOW

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WAFFLES

BULK CEREAL DISPENSER

PLATE SHELF BELOW

CEREAL

TWO TIER FOOD SHIELD

PLATE SHELF BELOW

DESSERTS

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HEATED DECK

SOUP

100 TRASH

DRY STORAGE

100

BOWL SHELF BELOW

PIZZA MAKE-UP

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DRY STORAGE

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DISPLAY TABLE

COLD PREP

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EQUIP.

19

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FRUIT

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CATERING STORAGE CATERING STORAGE INDUCTION WARMERS

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BAKERY

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FOUR BURNER RANGE SHELVING

35

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CONVECTION OVEN

100

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WORK

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MULTI-CULTURAL AFFAIRS

ACTIVITY DIR.

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VAULT E40

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STAIR 29

PROJECT LIMIT

First Floor

New West Entry and Ramp

New Loading Dock and Screen Wall

Second Floor Architecture

Funded by the students of SDSM&T Rapid City, South Dakota To be completed August 2009

Architecture

Funded by the students of SDSM&T Rapid City, South Dakota To be completed August 2009

Incorporated

Incorporated

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SPORTS

September 2008

School of Mines Football August/September Schedule

Members of the SD Mines 2008 coaching staff, from the left, are: Rich Lutes (equipment manager), Joe Zogg (defenive and offensive line), head coach Dan Kratzer (quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers), Cartier Walker (defensive coordinator) Lonnie Messick (special teams, defensive backs).

Photo by Brad Blume

August 30

Mines vs. Haskell Universit Home at 6:00 p.m.

September 13

Mines vs. Trinity Bible College At Trinity Bible College 1:00 p.m.

Members of the SDM defenisive back unit, front row, from the left, are: Adam Snyder, Dustin Meneley, Chad Westendorf and Zach Grapentine. Back row, from the left, are: Tom Lunzman, Dana Mellage, assistant coach Lonnie Messick, Ian Prichard, Matt Fisher and Matt Burgoz. Photo by Brad Blume

September 20

Mines vs. Black Hills State (non-conference) At Black Hills State 1:00 p.m.

September 27

Mines vs. Dakota State At Dakota State 1:30 p.m.

Members of the SDM linebacker corp., front row, from the left, are: Zachary McMahon, Seth Adams, Everett Brill, Eric Yeash and Matt Kuske. Back row, from the left, are Jarrod Luze, Tyrell Anderson, assistant coach Cartier Walker, Tim Luchini and Marc Baue. Photo by Brad Blume

Members of the SDM offensive line, front row, from the left, are: Jared Weischedel, Clint Kling, Colin Williamson, Jace Lemmon, Todd Sherman and Cliff Kling. Back row, from the left, are Dave Randall, Kayne Ree, Mark Olson, Eric Westwang, assistant coach Joe Zogg, Justin Griesinger, Matt Deardoff and Logan Wyley. Photo by Brad Blume

Seniors on the SDM 2008 football team, front row, from the left, are: Chad Westendorf, Jordan Anderson, Matt Fisher and Joshua Jones. Back row, from the left, are Matt Deardoff, Michael Kennedy, Members of the SDM running back group, Colton Clark, Justin Griesinger and Jarrod Luze. front row, from the left, are: Trent Jungwirth, Ethan Photo by Brad Blume Jacobs, Jamie Dale and Dustin Rougeau. Back row, from the left, are: Zachary McMahon, Colen Kling, head coach Dan Kratzer, Tyler Barth and Joshua Jones. Photo by Brad Blume

Members of the SDM special teams unit, from the left are: Bernis Berber, Zach Grapenitine, Matt Fisher, Nick Russell, Joe Berke, assistant coach Lonnie Messick, Joradn Anderson, Everett Brill, Justin Whalin and Trevor Roberts. Photo by Brad Blume

Members of the SDM quarterback group, front row is: Nick Russell. Back row, from the left, are: Michael Lacher, head coach Dan Kratzer and Trevor Roberts. Photo by Brad Blume

Members of the SDM receiving unit, front row, from the left, are: Logan Smidt, Andy Rogers, Kyle Zorz and Derek Helmich, back row, from the left, are: Jonathan Tristau, Jason Beilstein, Austin Wilbanks, Edward Waliczek, Tony Ostheimer, Bernis Berber and head coach Dan Kratzer. Photo by Brad Blume

Members of 2008 Hardrocker defensive line, front row, from the left, are: Brett Brewer, Jordan Anderson, Joe Berke, David Junhke, Aaron Sevigny and Cameron Howard. Back row from the left, are: assistant coach Joe Zogg, Tommy Jeffery, Bruce Struckman, Zach Marcus, Michael Kennedy, Colton Clark, Wyatt Stangohr, Austin Norberg, Brian Kemnitz and assistant coach Cartier Walker. Photo by Brad Blume

SPORTS

September 2008

School of Mines Volleyball

August/September Schedule August 22

at DAC/Frontier Tournament (Dickinson) Mines vs. UM Western - 12 p.m.

Mines vs. MSU Northern - 4 p.m.

August 23

at DAC/Frontier Tournament (Dickinson) Mines vs. Montana Tech - 9 a.m.

Mines vs. Carroll College - 3 p.m.

September 5

Members of the 2008 SD School of Mines women’s volleyball team, front row, from the left, are: Paige Corcoran, Renae Keppen and Madi Lane. Middle row, from the left, are: Karina Garber, Amanda Cammack, Ashley Kemnitz, assistant coach Luciana Camargo, head coach Beth Honaker, athletics trainer Jen Rannum, Alena Ori, Katherine Hanson and Reanna Roberson. Back row, from the left, are: Ashley Kauffman, Dani Walraven, Jenny Hiykel, Becky Keilholtz and Stephanie Carpion. Photo by Brad Blume

e , e , r -

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South Dakota School of Mines and Technology 2008-2009 Intramural Activities Calendar

USF Tourney in Sioux Falls, S.D. Mines vs. Dickinson State - 4 p.m.

Mines vs. Dana College - 8 p.m.

September 6

USF Tourney in Sioux Falls, S.D. Mines vs. USF - 9 a.m.

Mines vs. Mt. Marty - 1 p.m.

September 12

Graceland Tournament in Iowa TBA

September 13

FALL SPORTS

SIGN UP DEADLINE

START DATE

Friday, September 5th

Tuesday, September 9th

Kickball (Co-Ed)

Thursday, October 2nd

Monday, October 6th

3 on 3 Basketball

Thursday, October 9th

Tuesday, October 14th

Volleyball (Co-Ed)

Thursday, October 30th

Monday, November 3rd

SPRING SPORTS

SIGN UP DEADLINE

START DATE

Monday, January 19th

Wednesday, January 21st

5 on 5 Basketball

Wednesday, February 11th

Tuesday, February 17th

Water Polo (Co-Ed)

Monday, March 16th

Monday, March 23rd

Dodgeball (Co-Ed)

Thursday, April 2nd

Tuesday, April 14th

Flag Football

Indoor Soccer (Co-Ed)

Graceland Tournament in Iowa TBA

September 19

at Minot State - 7 p.m. (CST)

September 20

at Dickinson State - 7 p.m.

September 23

Chadron State - 7 p.m.

September 26

vs. Valley City State - 7 p.m.

September 27

vs. Jamestown College - 3 p.m.

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COMICS

September 2008

NEWS

September 2008

Raver - Page 13

CAMPUS ALERT

Notification system Be aware. Be safe.

Your safety and security is our top priority.

That’s why the School of Mines is implementing a Campus Alert Notification System for all students, faculty, and staff.

This service means that we will send critical weather-related and emergency alerts to your cell phone or computer.

REGISTER TODAY!

See your School of Mines e-mail account for access information.

Questions?

Visit <http://sdmines.sdsmt.edu/campusalert> or call (605) 394-6729.

You choose: text message email voice message instant message

Raver - Page 14

NEWS

September 2008

NOW HIRING! STUDENT TELECOUNSELING ADMISSIONS REPRESENTATIVES PAY: $7.50 PER HOUR WORK HOURS: TUESDAY EVENING FROM 4:30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 8:30

There will be some Sunday work opportunities as well.

DUTIES: Telecounselors will contact incoming

freshman and prospective students to provide information and answer questions about The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

SKILLS NEEDED: Telephone manners, basic

computer skills, knowledge of The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, dependability and a friendly attitude.

Please Contact Natalie Honey in the Admissions Office 394-5236 natalie.honey@sdsmt.edu

FREE FOOD PROVIDED DURING EVERY WORK SHIFT! PAID ADVERTISEMENT

September 2008

NEWS

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Team receives four awards at unmanned aerial vehicle competition in Georgia

Mason Pluimer and Jason Howe examining Search and Entry Reconnaissance Vehicle

By UPR and UAV PR The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) team received four awards at the 2008 International Aerial Robotics Competition held at Fort Benning, Ga. The team took first place in the 2006 and second in the 2007 competition.

The competition, sponsored by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, challenges students to launch an aerial vehicle, navigate a series of global positioning system waypoints and fly three kilometers to a complex of buildings where the vehicle must search the perimeter of each building for a specified symbol. The vehicle then must launch a second ve-

hicle that enters the building, captures video or photos of a specified type of data and transmits that data back to the starting point. The entire operation must be fully automated.

The team received the Best Technical Paper Award, Best T-shirt Design Award and tied with Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech for the Best System Design Award. The team made two fully autonomous flights but did not complete any of the stages. They received more than $8,000 in prize money for their efforts.

“The competition didn’t go as we had hoped but it still worked out to where we could demonstrate the capabilities of our system,” said Chief Engineer Justin Williamson, who

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thought the competition was a success. “The team not only made great friends from different schools, but we showed that the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is a professional competitor in the world of unmanned systems.”

Team member Mark Sauder (IE ‘04), and team guest, Reed Christiansen (Procerus Technologies), received a special award for Sportsmanship for helping the California State University at Northridge (CSUN) team bring their helicopter down from a very unsafe altitude to a lower altitude where their pilot could take over and land it successfully. The CSUN team was having technical difficulties and Sauder and Christiansen shared their knowledge of controls and understanding of VTOL vehicles to save their helicopter. John Heiberger was also involved in the heroic act but was unrecognized.

In announcing the award, the judges stated the award was for actions far beyond the call of duty.

The UAV team is part of the Center of Excellence for Advanced Manufacturing and Production, also known as CAMP, at the School of Mines.

CAMP is a program that uses teams to offer an innovative engineering and science education and teach team-building and other skills students need and future employers want.

Team members: Tyler Batt, mechanical engineering, Spearfish; Raunaq Bhushan, industrial engineering, India; Alex Brech, computer engineering, Currie, Minn.; Roderick Carroll, computer science, Rapid City; John Heiberger, mechanical engineering, Rapid City; Adam Helmers, electrical engineering, Rapid City; Brian Jensen, industrial engineering, Watertown; Erik Kaitfors, mechanical engineering, Spearfish; Scott Nelson, computer engineering, Rapid City; Jacob Oursland, mathematics and computer science, Rapid City; Mason Pluimer, electrical engineering, Rapid City; Thomas Simpson, computer engineering, Box Elder; Justin Williamson, M.S. mechanical engineering, Vermillion. Visiting alumni: Ray Burg, Mark Sauder and Jason and Valerie Howe. Competition Guest: Reed Christiansen, Procerus Technologies.

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NEWS

September 2008

Campus changes abound while Campus traditions students were out

Unshackled: Now students can cruise through campus.

A new sidewalk and retaining wall cover the old mudhole.

Check out the blinding green of second floor Peterson Hall.

By Katie Aurand Raver Editor While students were out for the summer, parts of campus received facelifts. The second floor of Peterson Hall is now “country meadow” green with chunky brown stripes, a new sidewalk appeared outside of Peterson Hall and the King Center gym obtained a new floor.

In the Surbeck Center, the Campus Ministries was relocated. ResLife summer crew did some minor cleaning in this area.

The Civil/Mechanical building is being re-roofed and the daycare exterior is being revamped.

According to Dean Walleen, Director of Facilities Services, they are also in the planning stages of renovating some of the HVAC for O’Harra. They are also finalizing plans for the renovation of the Surbeck Center and the dorms.

“We’re quoting adding a parking lot by the existing Paleontology Laboratories,” said Walleen. “We’re also going to bring a road on through parallel to the March Dake Plaza.”

The ResLife Summer Crew, a group of about 20 high school and college students, made many changes around the dorms. They re-glued baseboard, fixed desk drawers, installed new blinds and painted rooms.

In Peterson Hall, more than 80 dorm rooms were repainted to a standard color to allow students to more readily touch-up paint at the time of check-out rather than having to repaint the whole room.

The hallway on the second floor was painted an alien-lime green with horizontal brown stripes.

“Color choice was just something a little different – we’ll see what students think,” said Reeny Wilson, Director of Residence Life and Surbeck Center.

The muddy slop outside of Peterson Hall was replaced with a sidewalk. “(We added a) new sidewalk and retaining wall to lessen the mud-hole that developed when people cut across rather than using the stairs,” said Wilson. “We hope to also include low maintenance plantings to be more eco-friendly, while also adding some landscaping color.”

“I think partaking in the traditions has a huge benefit to the college experience, connecting you to current students and alumni that come back,” said senior Mike Grave. “Several of these connections have helped students land jobs out of school.”

Beanie Hats

the freshman who have been outgoing, by taking them out to breakfast and help clean MHill.

Senior Frosh Picnic

Seniors and Freshman have a picnic at Dinosaur hill to celebrate the start of MWeek.

These help seniors pick out M-Hill the freshman, allowing upper Students hike to M-Hill, classman to get to know, and singing school songs and help the freshman. enjoying the experience of homecoming.

Beanie Raids Sliding down the M, beSeniors and Frosh go up sides being fun it whitens our the hill behind the football M and portrays to the city that field to sing songs and teach we are proud of where we go the frosh Tech traditions. to school.

Senior Hats

M-Plaque

Seniors wear old miners Seniors get their name on hats to symbolize how our a senior plaque that goes on school started, and is also a M-Hill. way for seniors to express their excitement of finally graduat- Frosh at homecoming ing.

Frosh run around the track at homecoming to show their Black List day graduation to being full school A way for seniors to thank of mines students.

School of Mines Salaries Among Best in Engineering Colleges and Midwest UPR South Dakota School of Mines and Technology graduates have some of the highest starting salaries in the Midwest and are among the bestpaid in the nation, according to a recent report by Payscale Inc., a Seattle-based research firm.

The PayScale 2008 Education and Salary Report, released July 30, puts the School of Mines fifth among Midwestern universities in terms of starting median salary for graduates. According to the report, the starting median salary for School of Mines graduates is $55,800. Rounding out the top five is Missouri University of Science and Technology, Notre Dame, Case Western and Illinois Institute of Technology. The report also ranked the School of Mines 15th in the nation for Best Engineering Colleges by Salary Potential.

“This report shows that a School of Mines education is truly an investment in a student’s future,” Dr. Robert Wharton, School of Mines president, said. “By choosing a career in engineering or science, students have not only the opportunity to change the

world, but will also be wellcompensated for doing so.”

Last year, 218 different employers from 26 states recruited School of Mines students. In addition, employers conducted 1,730 interviews on campus. Graduates of the 2006-07 class have achieved 99 percent placement, and the 2008 class has already achieved 85 percent placement, less than three months after graduation.

All undergraduate programs emphasize advanced science and math, and all combine classroom instruction with hands-on laboratory work. In addition, 75 percent of graduates have relevant work experience through coops and internships. That increases their marketability to employers. For more information, visit http://sdmines. sdsmt.edu/career.

“This combination sets up our graduates for success.

They leave the School of Mines with the theoretical and practical knowledge and the experience they need, and employers recognize this,” Darrell Sawyer, career planning director,

See ENGINEERS Con’t on Page 17

NEWS

September 2008

Raver - Page 17

Baja SAE Team Takes First in Endurance Race UPR The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology’s underclass Baja SAE team finished in first place in the endurance event held during the recent 2008 Baja SAE competition, held at the Caterpillar Edwards Proving Grounds in Peoria, Illinois.

The contest pitted the School of Mines against nearly 100 teams from across the country and around the world and tested the team’s ability to design, fabricate and race an off-road vehicle.

The School of Mines raced two cars. Car number 7, a new car designed and built by the senior students this year (with assistance from underclassmen), and car number 117, the car built last year and managed by the underclassmen this year. Car number 117 won the endurance event. Car number 117 also won the sales presentation event. Car number 7 was in the design finals and placed in fourth place overall in the design event.

In the overall competition, car number 117 finished in fourth place and car number 7 fin-

ished in sixth place.

Also, car number 117 scored the highest design report score with 49 out of 50. Car number 7 scored 48 and tied for third place.

Baja SAE simulates real-world engineering design projects and their related challenges.

Engineering students are tasked to design and build an off-road vehicle that will survive the severe punishment of rough terrain. The object of the competition is to provide students with a challenging project that involves the planning and manufacturing tasks found when introducing a new product to the consumer industrial market.

The students competing: Ayla Brausen (chemical engineering, Ipswich), Amanda Bumann (mechanical engineering, Sioux Falls), Cody Egle (mechanical engineering, McCook, Neb.), Jason Fields (mechanical engineering, Milbank), Ben Franchuk (mechanical engineering, Dickinson, N.D.), Pat Fraser (mechanical engineering, Huron), Chris George (mechanical engineering, Huron), Ben Gras-

Engineers in high demand ENGINEERS Con’t from Page 16

Go Big or Go Home: the Baja SAE car gets some major air. sel (mechanical engineering, Spearfish), Craig Grunenfelder (M.S. biomedical engineering, Billings, Mont.), Jesse Heaton (mechanical engineering, Midland), Wade Heidecker (mechanical engineering, Belle Fourche) , Stephanie Johnson (mechanical engineering, Rapid City), Trevor Krugman (mechanical engineering,

Wayne. Neb.), Amery Kuhl (mechanical engineering/ physics, Worthington, Minn.), Kris Olson (mechanical engineering, Snohomish, Wash.), Jason Williams (mechanical engineering, Piedmont), and Travis Zelfer (metallurgical engineering/mechanical engineering, Black Hawk).

said. “This is reflected in the numbers for our biannual Career Fairs, which have steadily risen over the past few years.

The 2008 Fall Career Fair is the largest in campus history, and has already reached maximum capacity for employer registrations.”

The high salaries reported demonstrate the overall demand for engineers, making the career path a good choice for high school students towards their academic future.

For more information on planning a career in engineering, visit http://www.engineeringk12.org/.

The PayScale report includes more than 2,000 data points, including salary data for 40 majors, from more than 300 U.S. based undergraduate colleges and universities. The report is available online at www.payscale.com/best-colleges.

Are you friendly, outgoing, like people, not afraid to speak in groups? Then you are invited to join an elite group of students on the School of Mines Campus….become a Student Ambassador.

Duties Include: • Give campus tours to prospective students • Host events at the presidents home • Attend monthly meetings • Attend orientation and training sessions • Give tours and attend Mines Visits Days such as Visit Mines and Jr. Preview Day • Represent the School of Mines in a professional, welcoming, and knowledgeable manner For further information, please call Barbara Hansen in the Admissions Department at

NEWS

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September 2008

IMPORTANT! A NEW REGISTRATION CONFIRMATION FORM Replaces the “IamHere” Survey this Fall.

It’s accessible through the

Student Menu on WebAdvisor The new registration confirmation process being unveiled

statewide this fall consists of 4 all four steps:

STEP 1:

STEPS and you must complete

Registration Confirmation – This form asks you to

confirm or cancel your attendance. If you cancel your attendance, you are given a second chance to confirm that you really intended to cancel your registration.

If you confirm your attendance, you must go to Step 2.

STEP 2:

STEP 3:

STEP 4:

This registration confirmation is mandatory and if not completed, courses may be dropped.

Arrangements for Payment of Your Bill – This step consists of several forms. x The first form collects ethnicity/race information for SDSM&T’s federal reporting requirements. x The second form allows you to indicate how you intend to pay for your charges. x The third form allows you to choose how you would like refunds delivered to you. x The fourth form is informational only. It tells you about direct deposit.

Updating Address Information – This step also

consists of several forms. The first form displays the address you currently have on file and subsequent forms allow you to add/ update your address and phone information.

Final Confirmation Page – If you complete this process

in the affirmative, you are certifying your acceptance of financial responsibility for charges on your student account and confirming your 2008 Fall registration.

Regi Conf stration irma tion on-g is oi

Sept ng until emb midn er 4 at ight.

NEWS

September 2008

Integrity matters to future employers

By Darrell Sawyer Career Center Ethics and integrity are topics that are given a lot of attention by business and industry today. Recent scandals such as Enron, Arthur Andersen, and WorldCom have prompted some of this increased emphasis on integrity. However, the interest in ethics transcends those scandals. It also reflects an awareness that the values guiding an individual’s decisions in one’s personal life also will often affect that individual’s actions and decisions as a career professional.

Many employers have identified a set of core values that are designated to guide the decisions and operations of the company and that their employees are expected to follow. A review of the web sites of some companies that recruit at the School of Mines

underscores the importance ascribed to ethics in today’s corporate world. Ethics or integrity frequently are listed among the company’s core values. Following are a few examples from these company web sites: • Caterpillar – Values in Action: Integrity, Excellence, Teamwork and Commitment • Cargill – Business Conduct: “We believe that good ethics is good business.”

• Dow Chemical: Values - Who We Are: Integrity and Respect for People • Microsoft: Great People with Great Values: Integrity and Honesty Integrity has been defined as “doing the right thing, even if nobody is watching”. This definition offers a useful philosophy to apply to one’s personal life, college, and career.

However, it is much easier to give this advice than to fol-

low it on a daily basis. Ethical scandals such as Enron seem far removed from our daily lives. In hindsight, it’s easy to criticize a company’s employees who succumbed to the excuse of “everyone else does it” or the pressures of the profit motive that drive many stockholders.

All of us make choices and ethical decisions every day, regardless of whether we realize them as such. These decisions are affected by our individual personal standards, combined with other influences in our lives such as pressures to succeed or to be accepted by others. Doing the right thing –whether at home, in class, or at work—often isn’t easy.

As former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson from Wyoming once said, “If you have integrity, it’s all that matters. If you don’t have integrity, it’s all that matters.”

Do your values guide your life?

OR …

Do you pretend to be someone you’re not?

A message from the Student Affairs Division.

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Student Association News

By Marcus Bartlett

Student Association President

Welcome back on behalf of the Student Association! This is going to be an exciting year with many changes around campus. First of all, the renovation of Surbeck Center will soon be underway. This will also be Dr. Wharton’s first year on campus and we at Student Association look forward to working with him to make

sure students’ time here is as enjoyable as possible. Lastly, I would like to let everyone know there are still a few open spots on Student Association and we would like your help in filling them. If you have any questions about Student Association feel free to stop by our office in SALC. It’s always open and we like meeting new people.

School of Mines’ Satchell appointed to Board of Regents

By Katie Aurand Raver Editor Senior Melanie Satchell added another leadership position to her resume this summer as Gov. Mike Rounds appointed her student representative to the Board of Regents.

For the past 11 years, the student representative to the Board of Regents has been from either SDSU or USD, and the same student has been the student representative for the past five years. Satchell may be the first female representative from the School of Mines.

“There is no application per se, but once there is an indication that a position is going to be open, people send letters to the governor announcing their interest in the position,” said Satchell.

That position became open last spring, and with Satchell’s experience from being student body president at the School of Mines, she decided to apply.

She sent in letters of recommendation and then the governor’s staff did a preliminary phone interview.

About one week before the announcement was made, Gov. Rounds called Satchell for a final phone interview.

“I probably didn’t even spend ten minutes talking to him on the phone,” said Satchell. “He asked what I hoped to accomplish if I was the student representative… It was just a couple days later that he called me and said he was appointing me.”

There are no written laws or statues on how to select the student representative, but generally the student has served in student government positions.

“I think it is definitely very beneficial that I have the past experience as student body president,” said Satchell. “Because in my capacity as president, I definitely did a lot with the Regents and the

state legislature. The issues are very familiar for me so there isn’t as stiff as a learning curve. But now, instead of competing for resources at one institution, you are looking for resources for the state as a whole. It’s a lot different, but it’s a lot of fun to learn all of the things that are going on.”

Satchell said that her experience at the School of Mines has definitely inspired her to work towards sustaining the high level of academic integrity and performance for higher education in South Dakota.

Satchell must attend all of the monthly Board of Regents meetings and she is encouraged to participate across all of the campuses as a Regent.

Over the next two months, Satchell plans to visit each campus and take tours and have meetings with students, faculty and staff.

“I am really excited about that,” said Satchell. “It will take a little bit of time, but it will be very important to how I believe I will serve the students and tax payers of the state of South Dakota.”

The mobile computing initiative will be one of the big items on the plate this year.

“I really want to make sure that implementation of that across the state has a very positive impact across the state,” said SAtchell. “I want to try to eliminate the sort of turmoil we had at Mines. We have excellent faculty and very competitive salaries, but to be a leader in the nation in terms of science, math and technology, we really need to make a commitment in a way we revolutionize this technology.”

The DUSEL project in Lead is another project that Satchell hopes the Board of Regents really pursues.

“Just making sure that we stake our claim with the project is very important,” said Satchell.

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NEWS

NEWS

September 2008

May 2008