Exploring Programs at South Dakota Mines University
The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology (South Dakota Mines, SD Mines, or SDSM&T) is a public university located in Rapid City, South Dakota, United States. Since its establishment, the institution has evolved significantly, offering a diverse range of programs and opportunities for students.
A Look into the History of South Dakota Mines
The cornerstone of the first School of Mines, then known as the "Dakota School of Mines," was dedicated on August 19, 1885, with the first classes held February 21, 1887. The School of Mines presented exhibits during the 1904 World's Fair, and the first licensed radio station in the state of South Dakota was established on campus in December 1911, a full decade before WCAT (the precursor to the current campus station KTEQ-FM). The first "M-Day" homecoming celebration occurred on October 5, 1912, with the construction of the "M" on M-Hill, the school's mountain monogram. The school's ROTC battalion was formed in 1918 in response to World War I.
In September 2012, South Dakota Mines gained national recognition when Bloomberg reported that it surpassed Harvard in terms of starting salaries for graduates. On September 19, then-President Robert A. Wharton passed away due to complications from cancer treatments. During the presidential search, Duane C. Hrncir served as acting president from 2012-2013.
Academic Programs and Offerings
South Dakota Mines offers a wide array of academic programs tailored to science and engineering.The most popular majors at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology include:
- Mechanical Engineering
- Computer and Information Sciences, General
- Civil Engineering, General
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering
- Metallurgical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Industrial Engineering
- Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering
- Mining and Mineral Engineering
- Computer Engineering, General
Museum of Geology
Opening the same year as the school, the "Museum of Geology" collects, conserves, curates, interprets, and exhibits paleontologically, mineralogically, and geologically significant objects and serves as the repository for such objects from South Dakota and the Northern Great Plains. The public exhibits of the museum have been housed since 1944 in the second floor of the then newly completed O'Harra Building, while the preparation laboratories and collections are held in the James E.
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Student Life and Activities
Active fraternities on campus include Alpha Chi Sigma, Delta Sigma Phi, Lambda Chi Alpha, Chi Psi, Phi Kappa Tau, and Triangle. Sororities include Alpha Delta Pi and Beta Delta Mu. Student media organizations include KTEQ-FM (the campus radio station) and "the Aurum" (the campus newspaper, formerly known as "the Tech" and then "the Raver"). "The Aurum" is the original name of the school newspaper, first published in November 1901. The newspaper changed its name back to "The Aurum" in January 2010. Amplify College Ministries, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Lutheran Campus Ministry, the Newman Center, and United Campus Ministries are some of the many Christian and religious groups operating on campus.
Athletics
South Dakota Mines athletic teams are called the "Hardrockers," a name that reflects its mining heritage. The history of the athletic programs stretches back to 1895 when the first school football team formed, originally named the "Longhairs". The school hosts a variety of college sports, including football, basketball, volleyball, track, cross country, golf, and men's soccer. The athletic mascot is Grubby the Miner. The Hardrockers formerly competed as members of the Dakota Athletic Conference (DAC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 2000-01 to 2010-11 and were former members of the South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference (SDIC) (also from the NAIA) until after the 1999-2000 school year.
Leadership and Administration
Prior to 1897, the head of SDSM&T held the title of Dean rather than President. Earl D. Dake served as acting president from 1947-1948 and 1953-1954. Duane C. Hrncir served as acting president from 2012-2013 following the death of Robert A.
Key Statistics
The student-faculty ratio at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is 13:1, and the school has 35.7% of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 80%.
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