Much to celebrate
2022 was a big year for Mines. It would be impossible to cover all of the accomplishments, celebrations and new additions to campus, but here is a sampler of the many things we accomplished:
- Mines is now one of the 146 U.S. universities with a Carnegie R1 “very high research activity” classification.
- The Petroleum Engineering Department celebrated its 100th anniversary this year and its inaugural Hall of Fame class.
- Mines was featured in an episode of The College Tour, a TV series that gives an in-depth, insider look at colleges and universities around the world.
- New academic degree and certificate programs were launched at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
- Construction began on the 37,000-square-foot Labriola Innovation Hub and the 31,000-square-foot Beck Venture Center—two key components of Mines’ growing Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystem.
- We welcomed our largest incoming class in Mines’ history in Fall 2022 with 1,665 first-year and transfer students.
- We welcomed more than 30 new faculty to Mines, one of our largest cohorts ever.
- Mines teams excelled at national and international student competitions.
- Mines Athletics had its most successful fall season ever, with all fall sports advancing to the post-season. Mines Football even made it to the national championship game for the first time in school history. (Check out more on page 42).
- Many of our student-athletes garnered significant individual recognition with Dillon Powell placing first in the men’s national cross-country championship and outdoor 10K championship races, football quarterback John Matocha winning the Harlon Hill Trophy and other national awards, and distance runner Zoe Baker being named a Top 9 finalist for the NCAA Woman of the Year. (Read more about her on page 10.)
We’re clearly on a roll, and 2023 is going to be another exciting and busy year as we advance the initiatives, projects and programs begun under our [email protected] strategic plan and Campaign for [email protected] fundraising efforts. Plus, it’s time to start planning 150th anniversary celebrations.
If you’re wondering how to get involved, please reach out. Leveraging alumni expertise, knowledge and experiences is a [email protected] goal, and there are many ways to connect and engage through our degree programs and courses, alumni interest groups, student mentoring and more.
Best wishes to all of you for a happy, healthy and productive 2023. Go Orediggers!
Paul C. Johnson
President and Professor
Follow our progress at mines.edu/mines-at-150.
