Alumni Spotlight – Jeremy Feist (CE 2017)
When Jeremy Feist (CE 2017) packed his bags for Seattle after graduation, he was eager to test himself on some of the biggest structural engineering projects in the country. Over the next seven years, he did just that—helping design office towers in downtown Seattle, the new convention center in Austin, and landmark high-rises across the U.S., including the tallest building in Omaha, NE, Bellevue, WA, and Richmond, VA.
“Those big projects are what I’m most proud of so far,” Jeremy said. “But I don’t think they’ll be what I’m most proud of when I retire. I’m excited to take that experience and apply it to more community-based projects.”
That drive to make a local impact brought Jeremy back to South Dakota this year. A Newcastle, Wyoming, native who spent much of his time in the Black Hills, he had always felt the pull of home. “Family, friends, lifestyle—those were the biggest factors,” he explained. “I’m a South Dakota boy at heart. Seattle was an incredible adventure, but long-term, this always felt like home.”
Now based in Sioux Falls with Raker Rhodes Engineering out of Des Moines, Jeremy is turning his attention to projects that directly serve communities. Upcoming work includes a middle school addition—his first public-facing educational project—and, someday, he hopes, a church or other community landmark.
“What excites me is being able to actually see and interact with the people who will use these buildings,” Jeremy said. “On the big national projects, you rarely get to experience that. Here, I can be up close and personal with the impact.”
Jeremy credits South Dakota Mines with preparing him to succeed on both scales—the skyscraper skylines and the local schools. As a student, he leaned into every opportunity: serving as president of the Concrete Canoe team, joining honor societies, and even taking a specialized high-rise design course that his professor, Dr. Marc Robinson, encouraged him to pursue.
“That class was what got me in the door with my firm in Seattle,” he said. “Mines does a great job of presenting opportunities, but it’s up to you to chase them. I was eager, and that eagerness made all the difference.”
He also recalls the mentorship of Dr. Chris Shearer, whose teaching style and encouragement left a lasting mark. “For being a smaller Midwest engineering school, Mines has no fewer opportunities than the big names,” Jeremy said. “In Seattle, I worked alongside grads from Stanford and Berkeley, and I was right there keeping pace.”
Back on campus this fall for the career fair, Jeremy said walking through the Civil Engineering building brought back familiar memories. “I had my work backpack on and felt like I was going right back to class,” he laughed. “But this time, I’m on the other side of it. I’m looking forward to presenting students with the same kinds of opportunities that were once presented to me.”
For today’s students, his advice is simple: bring genuine curiosity. “Eagerness is the biggest thing,” Jeremy said. “More than any hard qualification, that willingness to learn and get involved will open doors.”
Whether it’s helping shape a city skyline or designing a school addition, Jeremy’s career reflects the impact of that mindset—paired with a strong foundation from South Dakota Mines.
