THE CAMPAIGN FOR MINES@150
The aspirations of the MINES@150 strategic plan launched the Campaign for MINES@150. Since October 2016, individuals, foundations and companies have invested more than $520 million. As we wrap up Mines’ 150th anniversary year and head into the final months of this campaign, we are celebrating this significant accomplishment by telling stories about the impact made possible by generous investments.
CAMPAIGN PRIORITIES ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION AND BUSINESS PROGRAMS
Mines is ensuring all graduates have the business acumen they need to succeed and are prepared to advance their ideas and innovations at existing companies and ones they create. Investments support the thriving Mines Entrepreneurship & Innovation Ecosystem—which includes state-of-the-art facilities, new programs and curriculum—as well as expanded business curriculum and degrees.
INVESTMENT IN STUDENTS
Mines aims to ensure that promising students from all backgrounds can receive a distinctive Mines education and develop their great potential for successful and wide-ranging careers. Investments made through scholarships, community building or connecting with our future students at a young age will continue to attract and support the best and brightest to Mines for years to come.
THE MINES SIGNATURE STUDENT EXPERIENCE
Mines students learn to be leaders through a combination of challenging academics and participation in clubs, organizations, competition teams, professional development and internships. Investments help ensure students have opportunities to turn ideas into reality, build supportive relationships and become distinctive graduates who are known for their technical skills, work ethic, resilience and creativity.
THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE AND DISTINCTION
Mines, an R1 research university, holds a unique position of leadership and transdisciplinary expertise across applied science and engineering. Investments support continuous pursuit of excellence and international recognition in all that happens at Mines, from academic programs, research and creative endeavors to athletics teams and other extracurricular activities.
THE LABRIOLA INNOVATION DISTRICT
The Labriola Innovation District reflects Mines’ deep commitment to project-based, hands-on learning at a level not seen at other universities. The district includes the Labriola Innovation Hub, Aramco xWorks Innovation Space and McNeil Hall. It’s named for lead donors Frank Labriola ’52 and his late wife, Mary. Frank’s generosity is driven by his passion for the entrepreneurial spirit and inspiring the next generation of technically trained business leaders—all to fuel the economy and advance prosperity.
LEARN
Entrepreneurship and innovation are embedded in the Mines curriculum and extracurricular activities, including first-year design courses, Innov8x design challenges, national technical and business plan competitions, student clubs and organizations, field sessions and senior capstone projects. The McNeil Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation supports all of these. First-year design classes meet in McNeil Hall’s unique classrooms, designed to facilitate team-based innovation.
The program and classroom building are named for Colorado entrepreneur Charles “Charlie” McNeil ’71 and his wife Judy, who made a transformational gift to support E&I learning and experiences. McNeil Hall opened in September 2020—the first in the Labriola Innovation District.
MAKE
The Labriola Innovation Hub makerspace and adjacent Aramco xWorks Innovation Space are the crown jewels of making and team-based innovation at Mines. The facilities have been buzzing with activity in the 40,000+ square feet of resource-rich facilities since they opened in February 2024. This is where every Mines student will learn how to unleash their creativity to turn their ideas into reality.
All students will use the Labriola Innovation Hub to complete their firstyear Cornerstone Design and senior Capstone Design projects, and it is also available for extracurricular projects as well. The building integrates spaces stacked with the latest tools and technologies for project-building—think a 3D-printing rapid prototyping lab, a software makerspace, composites and electronics labs, and wood and metal shops— with much-needed project team meeting spaces. The Labriola Innovation Hub also houses the McNeil Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation headquarters.
Aramco xWorks gives longer-term and large-scale project teams the large project bays they need. It includes 12 bays and a state-of-the-art Engines & Testing Lab for traditional and alternative engines research.
LABRIOLA INNOHUB
Orediggers are incredibly bright and creative, and they love discovery and innovation. They are great candidates to be entrepreneurs—both inside existing companies and in ones they create.
Recognizing this, a key focus of the MINES@150 strategic plan was to build a comprehensive network of programs and facilities that support innovation and teach what’s needed to be a successful entrepreneur and business leader. With transformative donor investments, Mines has created an Entrepreneurship & Innovation Ecosystem that is unparalleled at any other university.
LAUNCH
LEARN
MCNEIL CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION
E & I ECOSYSTEM
For students who want to take their entrepreneurial ideas beyond concept and prototype to create a startup, the Beck Venture Center provides the resources for launching a business. Beck enriches the E&I Ecosystem with facilities, programming and support services for emerging companies with 31,000 square feet of creative spaces to collaborate and innovate.
LAUNCH
Students, alumni, entrepreneurs, investors and mentors have a holistic support system of access to the Beck Venture Program training and coaching, industry partnerships, networking events and a collaborative community that teaches startup concepts. It also offers funding opportunities via grants and investment capital. The center fills the gap between innovation and commercialization.
The building, named for Mike and Kelly Beck, parents of two Mines graduates, and the center’s lead donors, opened in April 2024.
INVEST
Startups need more than a plan. They need capital to grow and develop. Mines Venture Fund 1 is housed in the Venture Center and gives companies led by faculty, staff, alumni, students and Minesaligned partners access to seed funding. The fund is entirely dedicated to Mines-related projects, offering a unique advantage to our community. All of the pieces for a successful venture are available to the enterprising minds of Mines.
Colorado-based biomaterials company GelSana Therapeutics was the first to receive Mines Venture Fund 1 funding. Melissa Krebs, associate professor in chemical and biological engineering at Mines, founded the company in 2020. Its first product is a novel polymerbased gel called Cleragel that improves wound healing by reducing inflammation. Krebs said the company will use the seed funding to push Cleragel to FDA registration and the clinical market.
E&I AND BUSINESS PROGRAMS
INNOVATION TAKES OFF
AT MINES
On Aug. 16, 2022, two Mines Space Resources master’s degree students learned they won NASA’s Watts on the Moon Challenge for their technology that allows power equipment to survive the Moon’s brutal environment. The win came with $200,000 to build a prototype.
Nine days later, Chris Tolton MS ’24 and Ken Liang MS ’24 received incorporation papers for their startup company, Orbital Mining Corp. And in July 2024, the co-founders delivered that prototype to NASA.
The Orbital Mining co-founders have used almost every aspect of Mines’ E&I Ecosystem in their startup journey, from education to office space to industry connections and alumni mentorship.
“We’re building two things at once—a company and a power grid for the moon,” Liang said. “Both of those are really hard. I don’t think this would have happened as fast, or maybe at all, without the resources we’ve had at Mines.”
One such resource: a stipend for project materials and supplies from the Wescott-Kenney Fund, which supports Innov8x, a Mines E&I program.
Andrea Wescott Passman ‘98, an oil and gas executive and longtime Mines supporter, is deeply passionate about innovation. She said she is particularly excited about Innov8x’s potential for preparing Mines students as creative thinkers who can change the world. She created
We’re building t W o things at once—a company and a po W er grid for the moon.
i don’t think this W ould have happened as fast, or maybe at all, W ithout the resources W e’ve had at m ines.”
Ken Liang MS ‘24
the Wescott-Kenney Fund to support the growing number of industry-supported innovation challenges that are open to all students, as well as classes like Innov8x Create, a one-semester course where students work on real-world projects submitted by organizations.
A chance meeting in Innov8x Create kickstarted Orbital Mining’s success. Rather than working on a submitted challenge, Tolton chose to recruit a team for his lunar power project. Liang, who worked on a different project, was so impressed by Tolton’s plan that he teamed up with him when the class ended. They set their sights on a startup.
In Innov8x Create, students pursue rigorous market validation to make sure they’re solving the right problem. So, Tolton and Liang sent their project to NASA. NASA responded with good news and bad news: Their idea was great, but their approach was wrong.
With new direction and advice from Mines professors, they began reconfiguring their technology in Mines’ Space Resources labs. Liang prepared their proposal to the Watts on the Moon Challenge, which fit their project perfectly. The rest is history.
“We’ve had to make every decision from zero,” Liang said. “Mines E&I advisors have not only walked us through how to handle specific business problems, they’ve also taught us how to figure out the solutions. Mines alumni have been great in this aspect.”
BUILDING BUSINESS LITERACY
“There is an enormous need for bright engineers and scientists with business acumen to help companies succeed in the white-hot competition that has evolved in this century,” said Andy Swiger ’78, a retired Exxon Mobil Corporation executive. “Employers are challenging Mines to grow these skills in students to complement the leading engineering and science education a Mines degree represents.”
In 2023, Swiger and his wife established the Andy & Sherry Swiger Professorship Program for Business Excellence with a $1 million endowed gift to support innovation in the university’s growing business education programming.
“We are supporting faculty who represent the cutting edge of business education with ideas to provide all Mines students the business acumen that’s necessary from day one of their first jobs,” Swiger said.
Business education isn’t new at Mines: Students have come to Golden from around the globe for the world-renowned Mineral and Energy Economics master’s and PhD degree programs since 1969. Mines also extended engineering-focused business education with the popular MBA-alternative Engineering and Technology Management master’s degree.
Today, Mines aims to ensure that every student graduates with business literacy. To start, all students take Principles of Economics—known to some alumni as the Stermole Class—to learn basic business concepts.
Students who want to lead in an increasingly data-driven business world can pursue a Bachelor of Science in Business Engineering and Management Science. Students start with math and engineering fundamentals then take accounting, finance, marketing, communication, strategy and project management courses. They also train in the latest quantitative business tools including data science, optimization modeling, artificial intelligence and machine learning. These “business engineers” will stand far apart from traditional business program graduates.
“These new business-related additions at Mines were encouraged by our alumni and by companies that hire our graduates,” said Paul C. Johnson, Mines president. “We know they will make our graduates more distinctive, more valuable and more successful. I’m looking forward to seeing the impact these changes have on all of our graduates’ careers.”
& I and Business ProgramsAT A
$32M
Total Raised*
100K Square Feet of New Facilities
100% of Students Will Use InnoHub Resources
130 Business and Engineering Management Majors in 2024
10/1/2016–9/30/2024.
LEAVING A LEGACY THROUGH SCHOLARSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS
During the Campaign for MINES@150, supporters have made an unprecedented Investment in Students. Some came from individuals or families. Others were built through crowdfunding small donations. Together, these investments have helped hundreds of students come to Mines and will continue to do so well into the future.
CROWDFUNDED SCHOLARSHIP CELEBRATES THE LIFE OF BEN COLE ‘22
Ben Cole ’22 was happy-go-lucky and a friend to everyone. He played tight end on the Oredigger football team and received academic awards as a mechanical engineering major. After graduation, he took a job at Northrop Grumman.
“Ben flourished under the challenge of keeping up with his academics and succeeding on the team,” said his dad, Jason. “He loved Mines.”
On April 12, 2023—less than a year after graduating—Ben was killed in a car crash. He was 23.
As his family navigated their crushing loss, people asked to help. The family started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for Mines in Ben’s memory and to honor the impact Mines had on their son’s life.
“It felt wonderful to see so many people step up and participate,” Jason said. “People gave gifts that we knew were a big deal to them. It made us feel so supported and loved.”
By September 2024, the Ben Cole Memorial Endowed Scholarship had received more than $55,000 in support. A student-athlete with financial need will receive a $2,500 scholarship in Ben’s name every year in perpetuity.
Orediggers tight end Brayden Duerksen from Cedar Rapids, Iowa is the first recipient.
“Being the first awardee holds serious weight,” he said. “It says the Coles believe in me, and they think Ben would have, too. I feel really honored and really blessed.”
Jason and Rachel loved cheering Ben on at Marv Kay Stadium. They said they look forward to watching Brayden play with joy and passion this fall—always remembering Ben.
“Each life has an infinite collection of possibilities, collapsing into fact with each moment that passes, a shining thread that is the story of our lives,” Jason wrote on their GoFundMe page. “Rather than saying, ‘He was too young,’ we’re choosing to celebrate the time we had together: the 23 years of joy, energy and adventure that Ben brought to life.”
YOUNG ALUM AND MOM HONOR GRANDPA WITH NAMED SCHOLARSHIP
Frank Zurey PhD ‘77 came to Mines for its outstanding materials and metallurgical engineering graduate program and its proximity to the mountains. He passed on his passions for Mines and the outdoors to his granddaughter, Emily Harrington ‘22, MS ‘22.
Emily grew up hiking and camping with her family. At Mines, she escaped from the rigors of her math and applied statistics classes by heading outdoors with her friends— including students in the Harvey Scholars program, which gives students a scholarship and opportunities to build community and leadership skills. Her experiences as a Harvey Scholar created a deep desire to give back. She also wanted to honor her biggest fan— Grandpa Frank.
Ben Cole with his parents
Helping to relieve the financial barrier that many Mines prospects face is gratifying, especially when donors create an endowed fund that leaves a legacy and supports students in perpetuity, or when that scholarship or fellowship is the deciding factor in a promising student’s decision to attend or stay at Mines. Financial support can help students take full advantage of student success support and extracurricular activities because they can work fewer hours. In other words, these investments allow more exceptional students to say yes to Mines.
GEOPHYSICS FELLOWSHIP CELEBRATES ALUMNI AND THE PROFESSOR WHO TRANSFORMED THEIR LIVES
It’s the ideal immigrant story:
Jeng-Yih and Cindy Kuei-Ding Guu met at university in Taipei, Taiwan, then immigrated to the United States in the late 1960s to make a better life. They found jobs at a Denver cardboard factory and hustled for tips drying off cars at local car washes.
Then came a trajectory-changing twist. Jeng-Yih got a job assisting Mines geophysics professor Maurice W. Major. Unbeknownst to him, Major was known for transforming students’ lives. He asked Jeng-Yih if he would like to get his master’s and PhD at Mines.
“Dad told him he had no money, and Professor Major said ‘Well, I do,’” said their daughter, Yvonne Guu. “He covered my mom’s education, too.”
Jeng-Yih completed his PhD in 1975, and Cindy completed her master’s degree in 1982.
“Professor Major gave my parents such an incredible opportunity that opened the door for both of them,” she said. “They came to this country with maybe $100. They went from making cardboard to being grad students at one of the most prestigious technical universities in the United States, and then to successful careers, all because of him.”
In 2022, Guu and her brother Jason established the Guu Major Opportunity Endowed Graduate Fellowship Fund to honor their parents and the professor who changed their lives. The fellowship will support a geophysics graduate student for up to four years.
“Professor Major planted a seed that was multiplied in Jeng-Yih and Cindy’s children,” said Paul Sava, geophysics department head. “With this gift, that seed will multiply by providing opportunities to other talented students who might never be able to come to Mines for their graduate studies.”
Guu said her parents would be thrilled by the fellowship because they loved the Majors and understood the idea of paying it forward.
“The opportunities that come from a Mines education are no joke,” she said. “I believe the impact of the fellowship is going to be bigger than you think.”
p rofessor m ajor gave my parents such an incredible opportunity that opened the door for both of them. ”
In 2022, Emily and her mom, Deanna, established the Zurey Family Endowed Scholarship Fund through a $25,000, five-year pledge. Underrepresented students who demonstrate their love for the outdoors through extracurriculars are eligible.
“There is no way that anyone can make it through Mines on their own,” Emily said. “I want to give resources, time and energy to allow people who come behind me to have even more than I did.”
Early on, Emily lived with students in Mines’ Summer Multicultural Engineering Training program, which brings high school juniors and seniors from underrepresented communities to campus to
get a taste the college experience. She saw what “the real world looks like outside the privileged bubble,” which inspired the focus for scholarship recipients.
“I met a lot of people who didn’t have the resources or support I had,” she said. “I want students like them to have someone who is rooting for them and to give them financial and emotional support like the Harveys did for me.”
In the future, Emily hopes to share Colorado’s beauty with Zurey Scholarship recipients while instilling the importance of paying it forward, much like the Harveys did with her.
Jeng-Yih and Cindy Guu
Yvonne Guu
INVESTMENT IN STUDENTS
FIRST-GENERATION STUDENT THRIVES WITH SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT
Getting into Mines was a dream come true for firstgeneration student Angel Armenta.
Despite receiving scholarships and other financial aid, the Commerce City native struggled to afford Mines’ approximate $40,000 in-state annual cost. During his first year, he worked two jobs, balanced academics with activities in the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and cared for parents in poor health.
Fortuitously, in April 2023 he received a Entegris STEM Scholarship, which is renewable up to three years.
“I got overwhelmed with emotion when I saw the amount,” said Armenta, who is majoring in mechanical engineering with a minor in robotics and intelligent systems. “I couldn’t believe it. Did they add an extra zero or something? I asked an advisor if the scholarship was real. She said yes, and I started crying.”
Entegris, a global advanced materials science company that supplies the leading semiconductor manufacturers, also funded two $12,500 scholarships at Mines, renewable for up to three years. Besides demonstrating financial need, eligible students pursue specific majors, engage in community leadership and participate in campus organizations for underrepresented students.
Entegris’ gift is part of the company’s $13.5 million investment in STEM scholarships for high-achieving students from underrepresented communities in the United States and Asia. The scholarships are the brainchild of Entegris’ Corporate
i appreciate these opportunities to help students like me to pursue my dreams and support my career goals. i t’s really amazing”
Angel Armenta Class of 2027
Social Responsibility Program, which emphasizes innovation, safety, sustainability, personal development and inclusion. Scholarship recipients also have the opportunity to do an internship with the company, where they’re assigned to company leaders. Entegris provides mentoring, training and networking opportunities. At the end of their internships, students present on their intern project work to senior leaders and managers across the organization.
In recent years, Entegris has hired four Mines graduates, and they hope to hire more.
Next year, they’ll open a 130,000-square-foot manufacturing center of excellence in Colorado Springs. Entegris will invest approximately $600 million in the new facility. The company also expects to create 600 new jobs in Colorado Springs over the next several years. Hiring for the facility is already underway.
The Entegris Scholarship has been game-changing for Armenta, allowing him to strive for academic achievement while having a well-rounded Mines experience that includes serving his community as a leader.
Because of the financial support, he traded one job for a student-researcher position in the Mines Interactive Robotics Design Lab (MIRRORLab)—he envisions a future working in robotics and manufacturing.
Angel Armenta
He has time to participate as SHPE’s academic chair and with the Theme Park Engineering and Design Club. He is also a Starzer Service Scholar, which cultivates humble, missiondriven servant leaders, one of his core values.
Today, he helps inspire underrepresented students in metro Denver to consider STEM and Mines through the Mines Mirror Mentors program.
“The characteristics of the students we meet—and the training that Mines provides—align with our values,” said Sue Rice, Entegris senior vice president of Global Human Resources. “I’m so impressed by their drive, energy, intellect and curiosity. Students like Angel really are rising stars—it’s moving and quite impressive.”
Armenta is already looking to the future. After graduation three years from now, he’ll pursue an accelerated master’s degree in Engineering and Technology Management at Mines.
“I’m very thankful to Entegris for their support,” he said. “I appreciate these opportunities to help students like me to pursue my dreams and support my career goals. It’s really amazing.”
Investment in StudentsAT A GLANCE
Graduate Fellowships
*10/1/2016–9/30/2024. Numbers may be rounded.
THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE AND DISTINCTION
FUTURE ENERGY SCHOLARS PROGRAM GETS A BOOST FROM MINES ALUM
Energy—sustaining and transforming it—is one of the most complex challenges the world has ever faced. Engineers in all fields must address its complexities and tradeoffs and engage in the big-picture social issues alongside the technical and engineering challenges that are in play.
In 2024, Mines launched the Future Energy Scholars Program to prepare energy-focused students in a systemsthinking approach to energy action. It’s drawing students from across majors who want to understand more about how energy underpins everything in our world through global energy courses, internships, leadership development and research projects. Students who complete the program will graduate with distinction.
“Mines’ expertise across the full spectrum of energy disciplines is unparalleled,” said Toni Lefton, assistant
provost for Signature Student Experience and executive director, University Honors & Scholars Programs. “Our Future Energy Scholars will get beyond the media noise by identifying solutions that connect the broad technical expertise of Mines with the nuance of social and community issues that impact the future of energy at all levels.”
Carey Kling
The program started with significant financial boosts from Mines alumni, including Carey Kling MS ’96, an executive in new energy business development. She established the Sustainability Scholarship Fund to provide stipends for tuition and expenses like research and travel.
“We need young people coming into the field with the tools to do this cross-disciplinary work as soon as possible,” she said. “These students will learn and experience the big picture of what it takes to build out a
$7.5M INVESTMENT IN MINING ENGINEERING
Industry has turned to Mines, the world’s No. 1-ranked mining engineering program, since the university was founded in 1874 to support Colorado’s mining industry.
“Companies know our students are serious about a career in mining,” said Bill Zisch ’79, the J. Steven Whisler Head of Mining Engineering. “They graduate to become leaders.”
But there aren’t enough mining engineering graduates to meet the rapidly escalating demand for minerals and to replace a retiring workforce.
The 14 U.S. mining engineering programs awarded about 300 undergraduate degrees in 2023, with about 500 new jobs expected each year.
With the help of incredible supporters, Mines is contributing to a workforce turnaround. In 2023, J. Steven Whisler MS ’84 and his wife Ardyce made a historic $7.5 million investment into the Mining Engineering Department to hire visionary leaders, including Zisch, and to fund crucial undergraduate scholarships.
Zisch, a former 40-year mining executive, is part of a growing cohort of teaching professors and professors of practice who bring their rich industry experience to campus.
He’s set bold five-year goals, including increasing mining majors by 50 percent. With insight from faculty, university leadership, alumni and industry, the department is positioning mining engineering as an exciting career from the moment students set foot on campus, among other strategies.
In 2024, undergrad enrollment grew by about 20 percent, to 120 from 102 in 2023.
“Students are learning that we can’t meet future energy needs without critical minerals, and that mining is needed for humanity to sustain itself,” Zisch said. “It’s our job to show them the impact they can make, not only in environmental and social responsibility areas, but also in applying new technologies.”
green energy economy. They’ll see the full stream from planning to working with communities to make sure any buildout is developed in a sustainable way.”
The program named its first 12 scholars in fall 2024. They’ll mentor next year’s scholars, reflecting the vertical integration that is key to the Mines Signature Student Experience.
“They’re going to be learning a lot from each other,” Lefton said. “I’m excited to watch them develop their own forums, engage in these critical discussions, lead student organizations and connect their passions to their work.”
Lefton said that Kling’s gift is instrumental to how much the scholars can accomplish.
“Carey’s generosity will allow them take part in activities that are incredibly important to becoming a well-rounded engineer and leader, but that might be cost-prohibitive,” she said.
CIVIL ENGINEERING ALUM’S GIFT HONORS HIS PARENTS’ LOVE AND TENACITY
Erik Ressel’s parents taught him early that there’s no going back, so you might as well work hard and succeed. Attending Mines for his bachelor’s degree in civil and environmental engineering cemented that lesson.
In 2023, Erik ’96 and his wife Kim made a gift to Mines to honor his parents, Josef and Ina Ressel. A tribute to the couple now hangs outside the Josef and Ina Ressel Civil and Environmental Engineering Office in Coolbaugh Hall, supporting the department’s operations.
Ressel’s admiration for his dad, Josef, runs deep. By the time he was 21, Josef had lived through a war, lost both parents, survived starvation, escaped communism by crawling under barbed wire and learned a trade that would serve him for life.
Josef persevered amid the turmoil. In 1954, he immigrated to Canada, then settled in Alaska, where he met Ina. They married in 1974 and raised their children, Erik and Monika, instilling in them values of hard work, family and adventure.
Josef’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to start construction and real estate businesses in Anchorage. Ressel called him “the Great American Dream.”
“He was a tremendous provider for our family,” Ressel said. “He accomplished more than anyone else I’ve ever known.”
Ressel emphasized his parents’ legacy of diligence and dedication. He excelled at Mines and has had a successful career in construction. Today, he lives in Golden with his family, continuing the legacy of hard work and success.
“Mines laid a very good foundation for my future,” he said. “I learned to buckle down, study really hard and not get overwhelmed when I had a lot on my plate. I’ve been able to pass that perseverance on to my son.”
2024 Future Energy Scholars
THE MINES SIGNATURE STUDENT EXPERIENCE
PREPARING GRADUATES BEYOND THE TECHNICAL: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AT MINES
At the 2024 Oredigger Camp, the Vallejo Irvine Program for Professional Development , or VIP, team led incoming Mines students in an exercise designed to help them with public speaking: inventing and telling a campfire story. It was a hit.
The fun activity is just one example of how VIP interns have helped lead and develop programming—core to the vision of its creators, Fran Vallejo ‘87 and Scott Irvine ‘87. The couple made a $1 million gift in 2020 to level-up professional development offerings and prepare students for successful careers and life beyond college. It’s part of the Mines Signature Student Experience.
“Professional development education can be so impactful for success in the workplace,” said Vallejo, a retired ConocoPhillips executive. “Knowing how to have a goal-setting conversation
SANDUSKY TRAVEL AWARD ENRICHES STUDENT EXPERIENCES IN HUMANITARIAN ENGINEERING
During his 37-year petroleum engineering career, Samuel C. Sandusky ’48 took about 30 trips to Japan, learning valuable lessons in intercultural communication.
“My dad told us stories about the complex cultural practices that had to be observed before they could get down to business,” said his son Tim. “It’s important to take culture into account, especially as engineers, when you’re going to affect peoples’ lives in a very direct way.”
After learning that their parents made a gift to Mines through their will at their passing, Tim and his sister Sue Ann were inspired to honor their father at Mines. They created the Samuel C. Sandusky Award for Humanitarian Student Travel Endowed Fund
Humanitarian Engineering teaches engineers and scientists to work as partners with communities seeking to enhance their social, environmental and economic sustainability. Mines launched the first Humanitarian Engineering minor in the
with your supervisor, how to handle interpersonal conflict, how to give a professional presentation and even how to make small talk at a networking event—it’s all important. We wish someone had taught us these things.”
Vallejo and Irvine set out a vision and strategy alongside the resources to put boots on the ground, but they’ve counted on creative and skilled Mines staff to bring the program to life.
“We’ve been so impressed,” Vallejo said. “They’ve owned it, and the program has had a steady improvement every year. We’re proud of our alma mater for making this happen.”
They insisted that paid summer internships were part of VIP. And interns have been behind pitching and developing
United States in 2003 and expanded into master’s degrees and graduate certificates in 2020.
Support from the Sandusky Fund helped Jaime Styer MS ’23 travel to Colombia for fieldwork to support her master’s thesis on sustainability. She said the experience profoundly influenced her perspective on engineering.
“It reinforced my belief in the value of centering local knowledge and perspectives to develop sustainable, just and responsible engineering solutions,” she said.
Cassidy Grady ’20, MS ’23 attended her first professional conference and conducted community engagement with artisanal gold miners in Colombia with support from the Sandusky Fund. She said she learned how to consider culture and the human element in solving engineering problems.
“These travel experiences are what I’ll talk about when people ask me about my time at Mines,” she said.
Juan Lucena, director of the Humanitarian Engineering undergraduate program, said travel support gifts have a scaffolding effect.
“Even a little bit of help with travel insurance or a flight can get students out of the United States for the first time,” he said. “They see the world and what engineering can do for communities. They get energized and shoot for the next things.”
Scott Irvine and Fran Vallejo
Jaime Styer with a Colombian client
some of the programs’ cleverest offerings, like the Oredigger Campfire Stories, the annual Etiquette Dinner, and an online resource center.
Now in its fourth year, the program has both honed its offerings and expanded them to prioritize applied, applicable learning.
“We’ve become more strategic about the number of events we offer and making sure they are balanced between teaching skills that what we know employers want and the skills we know students want,” said Luis Sandoval, director of the PASCAL Center, which runs Mines’ scholarship communities and professional development programs. “We’re proud that there’s always a student voice in what we do.”
Vallejo said she hopes that other Mines alumni and industry partners will learn about the program’s value and decide to invest like she and Irvine did.
$6.5M GIFT TO MINES ATHLETICS FUNDS SCHOLARSHIPS, IMPROVES FACILITIES
Mines received an anonymous $6.5 million gift to fund scholarships for student-athletes in Olympic sports and improve track and field and cross-country facilities, marking one of the largest athletic donations in university history.
The gift includes a $5 million scholarship fund, providing about $440,000 annually for the next 20 years for athletes in cross country, soccer, swimming, track and field, women’s basketball, volleyball, men’s wrestling and golf.
“A single donation of this size is unusual at any level of college athletics, and the magnitude of its impact here at Mines will be unbelievable,” said Mines athletics director David Hansburg. “This kind of philanthropy increases the odds of Mines sustaining our current success and continuing to grow.”
“We’re empowering students to be successful beyond being an engineer,” she said. “Mines went above and beyond to prepare me for my career. With even more investment from others, we can make an even bigger impact.”
Part of the gift—$1.2 million—allowed Mines to update the outdoor track and field facility and build one of the country’s only collegiate cross country training courses. The course will give Mines’ nationally ranked men’s and women’s teams a competitive edge, allowing more frequent and convenient training.
Swimming coach Claire McDaniel said the new resources will help attract and retain talented swimmers who might otherwise choose Division I schools with more scholarship funds. Wrestling coach Austin DeVoe said the funding will help recruit first-year and transfer students, especially those seeking a combination of athletic and academic excellence.
The Orediggers have won seven consecutive RMAC All-Sports Cup competitions since 2016 and achieved a top-five Learfield Director’s Cup finish for the first time in 2023. Mines also holds the record for the most Academic All-American scholarathletes in NCAA Division II—161 since 1952.
VIP Interns Bella Lettiere and Nevan Orozco-Detienne
SMALL GIFTS, BIG IMPACT
17,000 SCHOLARSHIPS AND COUNTING
Mines’ academic excellence, hands-on education and industry connections make it a dream school for the best and brightest students from across the country and around the world. But college is expensive. Students often need privately funded scholarships to turn their dream school into an alma mater.
The Mines Fund is a powerful example of collective giving, allowing Mines supporters at any level to make a sustained impact on our students. Every dollar they give goes to scholarships for promising undergraduate and graduate students who meet Mines’ rigorous criteria—students like Natalia and Michael.
Mines was my top choice because of its strong reputation in industry, welcoming atmosphere and lively student community. My scholarship from The Mines Fund allows me to carve out time to become a leader by becoming a Peer Educator. I’ve learned valuable soft skills like communication, planning and collaboration, which I can combine with the hard skills I’m learning in class and be successful wherever I go.”
The
Natalia McEvoy Class of 2025
I was so excited when I found out I was accepted to Mines because of its high academic ranking and the fun, competitive and dominant sports teams. Thanks to my scholarship from The Mines Fund, I have been able to make Mines my home by being part of the combat robotics team, men’s club volleyball team and the rock-climbing team. I hope to one day become a Boston Dynamics Roboticist and make robots that have endless exploration capabilities.”
Mines Fund AT A GLANCE *
Michael Tun Zan Class of 2026
GOLD MINE HELPS STUDENTS INNOVATE, BUILD AND WIN
Eight years ago, the Mines Foundation launched a crowdfunding platform called the Gold Mine to help raise funds for student organizations and clubs, research initiatives, faculty and staff projects, and campus-based programs. Fast-forward to 2024, and Gold Mine fundraising for these Signature Student Experience activities has surpassed $1 million. It’s a remarkable feat, especially considering the average gift size since 2016 is $150.
Gold Mine projects fund any need, like supplies, student travel, scholarships and conference registration fees. The platform does more than garner financial support. It also helps project organizers—usually students—build soft skills they can take into their careers. They experience coordinating everything from marketing plans and community outreach strategies to goal setting and donor relations. What’s more, it gives students and programs a place to tell their stories, to reach a wide audience and build community.
Mines’ chapter of American Society of Civil Engineers, or ASCE, has successfully leveraged Gold Mine funding for three of its ASCE Civil Engineering Student Competition teams: Concrete Canoe, Steel Bridge and Timber Strong.
“Without a doubt, valuable support from our Gold Mine campaign donors has elevated our teams and put them in a position to succeed,” said Jeff Holley, ASCE chapter advisor. “Our bright students have showcased their skills and training to bring pride to our school. They have demonstrated they are indeed among the strongest competitors in our region and the nation. Because of generous financial support over the years, they’ve had the tools, materials and critical resources needed to innovate, build and win.”
A GLANCE
ASCE COMPETITION WINS
ASCE REGIONAL STUDENT SYMPOSIUM CHAMPIONS 2022, 2024
REGION 7 OUTSTANDING FACULTY ADVISOR: JEFF HOLLEY 2017, 2022
CONCRETE CANOE REGIONAL CHAMPIONS 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024
STEEL BRIDGE REGIONAL CHAMPIONS 2016, 2022
TIMBER-STRONG REGIONAL CHAMPIONS 2024
$1.3M
Q&A CAMPAIGN LEADERSHIP
WITH CHARLIE MCNEIL
Q Why was the E&I Ecosystem where you wanted to make your impact?
A For most of my career, I have been an entrepreneur starting and investing in various company startups. That is why I wanted to focus my impact at Mines in the new E&I Ecosystem. I wanted engineering graduates to have the skill set to start their own businesses.
Q How would having the academics, programs and resources of today’s E&I Ecosystem impacted your education and career?
A
If Mines had an E&I Ecosystem when I was there it probably would have saved me 10 years on my own learning to be an entrepreneur and understanding business. When I was a student at Mines, the focus was to educate engineers to work for large existing companies, not to consider starting your own company.
Q What are the future possibilities for Mines’ E&I Ecosystem and how it can impact the school and students?
A The future possibilities are immense and endless. New ideas and technologies will be discovered that will benefit mankind, and in turn, transform the student and Mines on the world stage. Mines has the potential to become the Silicon “Mountain” of the Rockies with discoveries that could rival the Magnificent Seven Technology companies today.
Jerry ’68 and Tina Grandey
Mines Foundation Board of Governors Chair CAMPAIGN
Bruce ’76 and Debra Grewcock
MINES LEADERS
Charlie ’71 and Judy McNeil
Paul C. Johnson
Mines President and Professor
Fran Vallejo ’87 and Scott Irvine ’87
Brian Winkelbauer
Mines Foundation President and CEO
Howard E. Janzen ’76, MS ’77
WITH JERRY GRANDEY
Q Why is private support so critical for sustaining excellence at Mines?
A I see waning government support and rising tuition as impediments to recruiting highly qualified students. Private support fills a critical need, allowing Mines to compete, attract the best faculty and students, and maintain the school’s stellar reputation.
Q Why was Investment in Students where you wanted to make your impact?
A An engineering curriculum tends to be narrowly focused when global challenges require a holistic approach. Tina and I wanted to jump start the path to leadership so, in school and after, Mines students can lead in making a difference.
Q How would having an honors program like Grandey First Year Honors have impacted your education and your career if it had been available while you were at Mines?
A Certainly, I would have had a much better understanding of the importance of policy and how it influences decision making. Similarly, I would have had a greater understanding of the different styles and principles of leadership and how they can be applied in various circumstances.
Q How have you seen the MINES@150 vision fulfilled, and how does it distinguish Mines?
A The bricks and mortar embracing innovation and entrepreneurship is the most tangible evidence reflecting a subset of the vision. On the human side, we have witnessed the electric enthusiasm of Mines students who have participated in one or more of the singular student experiences and have seen their burgeoning awareness of the importance of communication skills and leadership.
Read expanded stories on the Campaign for MINES@150 website
MINES ALUM MAKING AN IMPACT
IN MINERAL AND ENERGY ECONOMICS
I never thought, in my wildest dreams as a girl living in a small town in Tanzania, that one day I would be talking to anyone in the United States White House about energy policy. Coming to Mines was the first step that made that happen—that put me in this position to make a difference. The concepts I learned at Mines I could not have learned anywhere else.”
Tisi Barlock MS ’17, PhD ‘19
Meet Tisi
• Finished her master’s degree and PhD from Mines’ worldrenowned Mineral and Energy Economics program in just four years—the only program of its kind in the United States
• Helped write Tanzania’s first Oil & Gas Revenue Management Policy
• Completed a prestigious energy postdoc at NREL
• Coordinated the U.S. Department of Energy’s first policy to secure America’s clean energy supply
• Recognized as Mines Young Alum of the Year in 2022
