On any given day, the Leslie A. Rose Department of Mechanical Engineering is buzzing with activity. Students sketch designs, build prototypes, run tests, and present their work to industry partners. Behind this energy is something less visible but absolutely essential: philanthropy.
On any given day, the Leslie A. Rose Department of Mechanical Engineering is buzzing with activity. Students sketch designs, build prototypes, run tests, and present their work to industry partners. Behind this energy is something less visible but absolutely essential: philanthropy.
When Dr. Michael Koch (MinE 80) established his first endowed scholarship at South Dakota Mines, he wasn’t sure what to expect. Giving at that level felt like a leap.
When Bill Belden returned to South Dakota Mines this spring for his 50-year class reunion, it wasn’t just a trip down memory lane—it was a celebration of enduring legacies.
In the heart of South Dakota, a group of passionate mining professionals has come together with a shared vision: to create a space within the new state-of-the-art Nucor Mineral Industries Building that will not only support the next generation of engineers but also inspire them to excel in an industry critical to the world’s future.
The third annual Raising for Rockers giving day at South Dakota Mines saw another year of incredible generosity.
Strong, hearty roots are often what lead to large, prosperous trees with expansive branches reaching in every direction. The same can be said for people and the lives they lead. By laying down good roots, sometimes it’s impossible to stop the reach that a person can have. This is true for Jim (ME 74) and Connie Green.
One thing that all alumni can agree on is that the education they received at South Dakota Mines can take them just about anywhere and open many doors of opportunity they never saw possible. The same can be said for Lance Sloan (PHYS 69), a physicist turned philanthropic gardener.
Receiving a quality education goes well beyond the classroom and the textbooks. It includes having access to necessary resources; it includes having a strong support system; it includes community.
It’s no secret that the coursework at South Dakota Mines is challenging. But Mines students are nothing if not tenacious and dedicated, which is what makes them such great engineers. That dedication and drive is what alumnus Theodore (Jim) Smolik (MetE 63) said is what makes Mines students some of the best to support the society and economy we’re in right now.
Want a deeper look at the impact philanthropy makes at Mines? The Arch, our annual report, highlights the year’s most meaningful stories, milestones, and generosity in action. Dive in to see how donors like you are shaping possibilities for our students and campus.
