A Legacy of Generosity
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.
“The impact of the gifts has been substantial,” says Dr. Pierre Larochelle, head of the department. “They enable us to maintain state-of-the-art equipment, do upgrades, allow us to recruit the best and brightest students to come to Mines, help our students in need, and attract world-class faculty. It permeates everything we do.”
Almost every resource students touch — from scholarships and labs to mentorship and research opportunities — can be traced back to the generosity of alumni, friends, and corporate partners.
Choosing Mines, Choosing Mechanical Engineering
For students like Cole Peterson (2027), the choice to study mechanical engineering at Mines was influenced by both location and opportunity.
“I made the decision to be a student at Mines prior to making the choice to enter Mechanical Engineering. Class sizes, proximity to the Black Hills, and Mines being an engineering-focused college made my decision to come to Rapid City. Originally, I was undecided, but a look through the Civil/Mechanical building to see all the hands-on labs and learning environments made my selection of Mechanical Engineering as my major easy.”
Samantha Winker (2027) echoes the sentiment, citing hands-on, project-based learning as a key draw.
“The main reason I chose Mechanical Engineering at Mines was the emphasis on hands-on, project-based learning. At another program, I might learn similar material in the classroom, but the opportunity to develop practical skills here is unique. From the very beginning, even as a freshman, we’re working on projects and gaining real experience that puts us ahead of other programs.”
World-Class Faculty, Endowed by Generosity
Faculty are at the heart of the Mines experience, and endowed positions have transformed the department’s ability to attract and retain them.
“The resources that these endowed positions provide to the faculty members are transformative when it comes to recruiting,” Pierre explains. “Faculty members know that these positions come with resources to enable them to do the educating and researching they want to do. The named professorships carry a lot of weight and a lot of prestige, and it makes these positions really attractive.”
The Stensaas Endowed Chair honors beloved professor Elden Stensaas, whose passion for hands-on education inspired generations.
“That gift has been very impactful in maintaining our culture of doing world-class education and world-class research,” Pierre says. “We just hired another educator who would not be here at Mines if we did not have the Stensaas endowment.”
The Pearson Chair brings another focus — energy.
“The holder of the Pearson Chair is focused on the energy field; a world-class expert in energy storage using battery storage and other chemistries. Now there’s a huge energy storage lab doing world-class research, producing multiple PhD and master’s students going into this cutting-edge research industry — without the vision of Larry and Linda Pearson, that wouldn’t be happening.”
Hands-On Learning at Its Best
Mechanical engineering at Mines is defined by experiential learning. For Cole, being able to immediately apply theory in practice has deepened his understanding.
“Hands-on learning has allowed me to immediately apply what I learn in theoretical lectures. Being able to not just visualize, but directly experience the physics governing the equations we use, gives me a new understanding of what I learned in class. Furthermore, my appreciation for Design for Manufacturing was only realized once I began making the parts I designed — another incredibly useful experience!”
Samantha emphasizes that the department’s labs cater to multiple learning styles.
“For me, and probably for many other Mechanical Engineering students, donations directly support spaces like the machine shop, the reef, the aquarium, the zoo, and the wood shop. These facilities provide us with the opportunity to develop hands-on skills and apply the concepts we learn in the classroom. What makes them especially valuable is that not every student learns the same way. These spaces provide multiple avenues for learning and help students better grasp the fundamentals of engineering.”
Scholarships That Change Lives
While labs and faculty are critical, scholarships often make the most personal difference.
“My scholarship support has allowed me to continue enrollment at Mines! I would not be able to financially support myself without the scholarships offered by the school, which are donor funded. This is very important to me, as I have found a home at Mines,” Cole says.
Teagan Wright (2027), another scholarship recipient, describes how funding creates space to grow beyond academics.
“Scholarship support has given the gift of time by not having to work during the academic year. This has allowed me to participate in the music department (Concert Choir, Jazz A Cappella, Singing Engineers) and travel to Austria with the choir to participate in the Salzburg Music Festival. I have also had the opportunity to get into rock climbing, which I absolutely love. In addition, I am a student athlete on the cross-country and track teams. All of this would not have been possible if I needed to also hold a job, as I juggle a full load of academics and athletics.”
Samantha notes that scholarships allow her to prioritize learning and leadership:
“Because I am fortunate enough to receive scholarships, I’m able to focus more on my academics. Without them, I would likely need to work one or two jobs just to support myself through school. Instead, I can put my education first without the added financial burden.”
Mentorship and Faculty Support
Beyond facilities and funding, donors help create mentorship opportunities that shape students’ journeys.
“One of the biggest impacts my professors have had on me is nominating me to become an M.E. Ambassador, and later, a shop mentor in the machine shop,” Samantha shares. “Without their support, I wouldn’t have had the chance to show prospective students just how valuable the opportunities at Mines are.”
Teagan also highlights the difference a dedicated faculty mentor can make:
“Ardell Knudson has consistently gone above and beyond for me. He has been welcoming since the first time I walked onto campus during my visit to Mines. He took significant time to show me the department and labs and share the exciting things that were happening there. His dedication and pride made me excited about my decision to come to Mines. Professor Knudson has been one of many professors I have had the opportunity to learn from, who have truly cared about their students and their success both inside and outside the classroom.”
Industry Partnerships
Corporate partners complement scholarships and labs, providing mentorship and real-world insight.
“Corporate partners have a great opportunity to get involved with the department and form meaningful partnerships to help them recruit their future employees,” Pierre says. “Industry partners on our external advisory board provide insights and expertise and bring knowledge from the real world. We have a long relationship with the Nucor Corporation, for example. They provide resources constantly, and we have Nucor mentors focused on manufacturing shops where students learn fabrication and manufacturing techniques. Many go off to do internships with Nucor and then work with Nucor after they graduate.”
Raising for Rockers: Small Gifts, Big Impact
Not every gift is a million-dollar endowment — but every gift matters. Through Raising for Rockers, alumni and friends have rallied behind fun, visible projects that bring pride to the department.
“The first campaign, the supersonic wind tunnel tank, needed painting,” Pierre recalls. “We engaged a local artist, and now we have an inspirational piece of art on that tank which celebrates mechanical and aerospace engineering. It brought some color to our campus.”
Subsequent campaigns brought Astro the robot dog to Mines, inspiring students and K–12 classrooms alike. Most recently, the initiative funded full-time research opportunities for five of the department’s top students. “They’re coauthoring papers and posters and going to conferences to present their work,” Pierre says.
Preparing for the Future
Looking ahead, Pierre sees unrestricted gifts as key to keeping Mines nimble.
“The best gifts for the department’s future are those unrestricted gifts,” he says. “The world’s changing so fast; higher education is changing so fast. With unrestricted gifts, new needs pop up and we have the resources to affect change. We can stay on the cutting edge with these unrestricted gifts.”
He also points to the youth and energy of the faculty as a source of excitement.
“The majority of the faculty have been hired in the last seven years — really great young people who are planning to have 40-year careers here. The next 10 years are going to be very exciting for the department. The resources from these gifts are going to make a phenomenal difference.”
Impact That Lasts
At a university of Mines’ size, even moderate gifts can be transformative.
“One of the great things about the School of Mines is we remain a small school,” Pierre says. “When donors give, you want your gift to be impactful. Very moderate-sized gifts to the ME department can be very impactful, impacting hundreds or thousands of students to have a transformative experience here that changes the trajectory of their path, their family, their future.”
He sums it up simply: “Our faculty and staff work extremely long and hard hours to provide a world-class ME education to our students, and we’re able to do that because of your generosity. We take a lot of pride and satisfaction in the work that we do, and these gifts enable us to do that work.”