College on Leading Edge of Applied Science
Published Apr 16, 2004
Colorado School of Mines was founded in 1874.
Golden is a mountain city with a rich tradition in mining, so it is no wonder that it’s home to the Colorado School of Mines, the preeminent teaching and research university for engineering and applied science. “[Colorado School of] Mines has a tradition of excellence and a world-class reputation that attracts the most talented and creative minds in the field,” says John Trefny, who was appointed president of CSM in 2000 and has been with the school for more than 25 years.
In the late 1800s, as Golden grew into a supply center for miners and settlers, the need for higher education within the industry also began to take shape. The first School of Mines opened in 1873 with the backing of the Episcopal Church and held a formal commencement for graduates (a class of two) in 1883. In those days, the curriculum focused on gold and silver, so students were offered courses in chemistry, metallurgy, mineralogy, mining engineering, geology, botany, math and drawing. Today, research activities at CSM extend from those traditional areas to new frontiers in advanced materials and even experiments in space. In 2003, CSM received 419 research awards for a total of $30,140,200, with about one third funded by private industry.
“We have an innovative curriculum that emphasizes practical, hands-on experience. It features an interdisciplinary approach that integrates real-world contexts as students and faculty work to solve problems that are important to society. [Colorado School of] Mines delivers an education that works,” Trefny says.
One area of research of which CSM students and faculty are most proud is the environment. From groundwater testing and hazardous waste removal to alternative clean fuels and space drilling techniques, CSM’s research is particularly focused on projects involving the stewardship of the Earth.
More than 90 percent of CSM graduates are employed within a year of graduation with an average starting salary of nearly $50,000, which is a good indication why Kiplinger’s selected Mines as one of the top 25 values in public higher education. There are approximately 3,400 students on campus, 2,650 undergraduates and 750 graduate students. The 2004 graduating class included 531 students.
“Because of its relatively small size for a research university, Mines can provide its students with a more personal educational setting,” Trefny says. “Mines has a student faculty ratio of 1:15, and the average undergraduate class size is 27.”
What’s not small, however, is the School of Mines “M” on Mount Zion, which is one of the largest mountainside monuments in the United States. The “M” was built in 1908 by CSM students and faculty, using a supply train of loaded burros. Lights were added in the 1930s, and funds to upgrade the electrical system were provided by class of 1952 alumni in the late 1980s. Each fall, incoming Mines freshmen clean and paint the M, and then each graduating class does the same as a parting show of spirit.
Story by Melanie Meadows
Photo by Antony Boshier
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