A message from the VP of Student Affairs/ Dean of Students
october 2013
Residence Life Important Dates to remember Oct. 14th – 18th: Midterm exams Oct. 25th -27th: Family weekend Oct. 31st: Halloween Nov 16th: Diwali the Indian festival of lights celebration in the Surbeck Center Ballroom 5pm to 8pm. Nov 27th: Thanksgiving Break Thurs, Dec. 19, 12noon: All Residence Halls Close for Winter Break Sat, Jan. 11, 12noon: All Residence Halls Open after Winter Break Greetings from the Dean of Students Office, I want to say thank you to all our students, faculty, staff and community members for helping with our early fall blizzard clean up. After a record setting snowfall in the Black Hills area, we are reminded what a great community we have at the School of Mines. I trust your students are experiencing valuable opportunities at the SDSM&T. Please contact me if you have any concerns. I hope to see you during Family Weekend, October 25, 26 and 27. Sincerely, Patricia “Pat” Mahon, Ph.D. Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Counseling & ADA Office
First Semester Challenges
New students and returning students alike are finished with first tests and looking towards midterms. We are seeing a number of students who are stressed or disappointed with their performance in difficult classes. Students who easily made straight A’s in high school are often taken aback by the fast pace and complexity of Mines classes, not to mention the small number of grades on which classes are based. Families can be supportive by asking about progress but not pushing or overreacting if things aren’t going well. Usually there is plenty of time to get extra help from the professor or Tech Learning Center before the next test if needed. Some core classes also offer supplemental instruction with an upperclassman or graduate student. Encourage your student to look for help if he/she is struggling. Students from out of state or even close by are often missing friends and family at this point in the semester. Many have developed close friends at Mines, but some new students or shy students have yet to find a comfortable friendship group or student organization. Encourage them to talk to roommates, classmates, Resident Assistants or come by the Counseling Services Office if they are feeling lonely or stressed. Also remind students to exercise regularly and eat healthy.
Jolie McCoy 605.394.1924 Jolie.Mccoy@sdsmt.edu Mark Urban 605.394.2533 Mark.Urban@sdsmt.edu Megan Reder 605.394.6988 Megan.Reder@sdsmt.edu
Career and Professional Development Center
Fall Career Fair
Another Successful Career Fair is in the books!! Mines has always been known for the company that we keep and hopefully your students had a chance to get a taste of some of the Fortune 500 companies and other major employers from throughout the nation converged on the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology campus Tuesday, Sept. 24th, 2013. Some of our big name employers that were represented were; Caterpillar, Cargill, Dow Chemical Company, John Deere, Microsoft and Peabody Energy, as well as regional companies and engineering firms. In all, 115 employers from 26 states and British Colombia, including 25 South Dakota exhibitors, were on hand to visit with students, some recruiting for the first time at SDSM&T. In addition, 19 companies held information sessions for our students, and more than half of the employers stayed around for a couple extra days to conduct interviews of approximately 1,200 students for internship and job opportunities. What a great turn out for our campus.
Enrollment jumps nearly 9 percent at School of Mines Enrollment at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology has jumped nearly 9 percent this fall compared to a year ago, with a total enrollment of 2,640, an increase from 2,424 students a year ago. Included in the overall figure is a 20.2 percent rise in first-time freshmen, from 460 to 553, compared to the same period last year, and a 47.2 percent spike in new transfer students, from 89 to 131. This year’s overall 8.9 percent enrollment gain exceeds the university’s growth plan of a 5-percent-per-year increase for a student headcount of 3,500 by the year 2020. “The nation needs more scientists and engineers, and we’re meeting the challenge. We offer one of the best returns on investment in the country, and prospective students and their parents value that more than ever now,” said School of Mines President Heather Wilson, D.Phil. The average starting salary for 2012 graduates was $62,400, with a 98 percent placement rate upon graduation. PayScale College Salary Report recently ranked School of Mines graduates as earning the 13th highest average starting salary among colleges and universities nationwide. PayScale’s 2013-2014 report also ranks Mines’ starting salaries as second for Midwest schools, sixth for public universities nationwide and eighth for engineering schools nationwide. The university has a track record of helping students gain numerous opportunities for experience within industry, which can ultimately lead to career placement upon graduation. Last summer, for example, Mines students interned at more than 165 employers in 34 states, Canada and Germany. One-third of those students worked within the state of South Dakota for more than 60 employers. Enrollment between in- and out-of-state students is split virtually in half, with 50.2 percent coming from South Dakota and 49.8 percent from out-of state. The out-of-state students come from 45 states and 37 countries. Significant out-of-state undergraduate growth areas are Colorado, California, Washington, Arizona and Texas. Undergraduate enrollment this year jumped 10.8 percent, from 2,101 to 2,328.
53rd Annual
October 25-27, 2013 Family Weekend is an excellent time to visit your student and meet faculty, staff, and other parents and to see firsthand the many aspects of life on our campus. Receptions, a production of the fall student drama club, and Hardrocker football and volleyball games are some of the activities that will be offered. You are cordially invited to attend. And unless specified, there is no need to R.S.V.P.—just come! A schedule for events will be posted on the School of Mines’ website. More important than the scheduled events, students enjoy visiting with family, touring the area, going out to eat, and shopping! For more information, contact Coral.Selken@sdsmt.edu in the Dean of Students Office, 605-394-2416. Friday, October 25, 2013 7 pm Open Mic/Karaoke Surbeck Center Ballroom Saturday, October 26, 2013 9-10 am
Interact with families & student support staff Bump Lounge, Surbeck
10-11 am 11:30-12:45 pm
Parent Focus Group Bump Lounge, Surbeck President’s Tailgate Party Sponsored by Family Thrift Center & Hardrock Club O’Harra Stadium Parking Lot
1 pm
Football, Hardrockers vs. Dakota State Trojans O’Harra Stadium
Sunday, October 27, 2013 10 am
Nondenominational Service Surbeck Center Ballroom