Alumni and Supporters

In 2024, the year of our 150th anniversary, we will celebrate Colorado School of Mines’ past, present and possibilities. By celebrating and supporting the Campaign for MINES@150 you will help elevate Mines to be an accessible, top-of-mind and first-choice for students, faculty, staff, recruiters and other external partners. When you give, you are ensuring Mines becomes even more distinctive and highly sought-after by future students, alumni, industry, and government partners over the next 150 years. We look forward to celebrating Mines’ sesquicentennial with you and recognizing the key role you play in making the MINES@150 vision a reality through your investments of time, talent and treasure.

The Geology and Geological Engineering department depends on funds raised by gifts and donations from alumni, friends of the department, and the private sector. While we have support from the university for many of our programs, those that rely heavily on fundraising include:

  • our field geology program (field camp and field labs for undergraduate and graduate classes)
  • fellowships for graduate students
  • maintenance and expansion of student computing facilities
  • our department “discretionary” account that supports activities such as special teaching and research need and opportunities for students and faculty, analytical equipment purchase and maintenance, publication of the Newsletter, maintenance of the website, and our Advisory Board meetings.

The activities of the department are supported by an Enhancement Committee. The purpose of this committee is to:

  • Assist in generating and procuring extramural funds to enhance the department’s teaching, research, and service activities. These funds should address priorities and needs that are not typically funded through normal (institutional) budgetary procedures.
  • Serve as a bridge between professionals, faculty, and students at all levels. This may include, but is not restricted to, promoting special meetings and/or activities, such as gatherings at meetings of geological societies and on-campus meetings, that are intended to enhance relationships between the department and its friends.
  • Aid in recruiting top faculty and students.
  • Advise on ways to improve the department’s quality and standing. Inasmuch as this type of communication is necessarily a two-way street, the department is expected to communicate needs and priorities to the committee.
  • Generate and maintain an active interest in and commitments to the department.

Make a Gift

Gifts to the department can easily be made online, by cash, by a check made payable to Mines Foundation or a by pledge. You may be able to double or even triple your departmental gift. Check with your or your spouse’s human resources office to determine how you can maximize your contribution to the department. For more information on gift opportunity or making a gift of securities, please contact Steve Sonnenberg, chair of the Enhancement Committee.