Alumni Spotlight - Kayleigh Johnson (GEOL 2017, PALEO 2018) and Kelsey Mills (PALEO 2023)

Bringing dinosaurs to life in Rapid City

“When dinosaurs ruled the Earth” is something kids grew up hearing from the wildly popular Jurassic Park series. For many, the Jurassic Park franchise became a staple in households with kids and quickly became many children’s favorite movies. For others, like Kelsey Mills (PALEO 2023) and Kayleigh Johnson (GEOL 2017 and PALEO 2018), it became their career and their passion. 
Kelsey and Kayleigh, both hailing from Colorado, grew up with a passion for the natural world around them and a spirit of exploration. Having grown up in the Rocky Mountains, outdoor activities were part of both of their lives from an early age.

“Both of my parents fostered this curiosity, particularly in the geosciences and paleontology,” Kayleigh said. “I loved exploring and being outside and finding cool things on our land.”

Kelsey had a similar upbringing, especially when growing up alongside a mom who worked for the USGS. This led her to develop a love for rocks and geology and helped her achieve her bachelor’s degree in geology with an emphasis in paleontology from Fort Hays State University. 

Kayleigh came to Rapid City to attend South Dakota Mines in 2013 and Kelsey followed shortly after in order to attend graduate school in 2021. Since graduating from Mines, the two have gone on to form their own paleontology business in Rapid City, K&K Paleontology Services, LLC. What started as a joke in 2023 turned reality in 2024 when the two girls wanted to find a way to put their niche skills to good use in the community, promoting paleontology and the laws that protect fossils and other non-renewable resources.

Currently, K&K Paleontology Services, LLC is in the startup phase and the pair is working on determining exactly what they want to focus on. They have had the opportunity to teach a wildly popular Rockhounding 101 course to the local community, but hope to grow even bigger.

“Our goal is to offer professional paleontological services such as field surveys, excavation, and fossil preparation to the public while also offering educational opportunities to everyone,” Kayleigh said.  They also hope to contract with the federal government to assist with their needs and offer consulting services to museums.

Both Kayleigh and Kelsey attribute their success so far not only to their upbringing in the Rocky Mountains, but to their time at South Dakota Mines as well.

“With every fiber of my being I love geology and paleontology and I love not only being completely immersed in the work but also in teaching,” Kelsey said. “For me, South Dakota Mines means the future, and all the opportunities that await each and every student that roams the campus grounds.”

Kayleigh agreed, saying that if it weren’t for Mines, she would not be where she is today with their business.

“It means family. I’ve always felt welcomed at Mines and it was somewhere I always felt at home and accepted,” she said. “I personally can’t say enough about Mines and how thankful I am that I chose this school. I learned so much there and it gave me my first foot in the door to my career as a full-time employee. I would not be here in this stage of my career without it.”

The next step for K&K Paleontology Services, LLC? As they navigate the world of owning a new business, they hope to offer beginner level classes online for anyone in the community to take, as well as strengthen their relationships with museums and federal entities, and overall see where the road takes them!