Dear Hardrocker Friends,
Welcome to the first digital version of the Hardrock Magazine. The legacy of The Hardrock, starting with the first edition in 1934, is continued here in a new form. You will find videos, photos, and articles with hyperlinks that allow for a deeper dive than traditional print. The new version includes a digital option for viewing the Class Notes and In Memoriam sections. This effort saves money in printing and postage costs and helps the university tell our story to a wider audience in this digital age. Word of mouth is still a significant recruiting tool for new students, so you can assist the university by sharing content from this website with family and friends via social media.
Big changes are underway on campus. The Devereaux Library renovation is modernizing the building with more windows and new spaces for students to gather and work. A historic $5 million gift from Nucor propels the university closer to breaking ground on a new Nucor Mineral Industries Building. Our newly acquired space in the Ascent Innovation Building on the south side of campus will host cutting-edge research in biomedical engineering, materials science, advanced manufacturing, bioprocessing, and much more. The Surbeck Center renovation, providing a future home for our admissions office, is the next phase of exciting improvements on the horizon.
The investment in our facilities and research is paying back in new businesses that are launched by Mines students, faculty, and alumni. The culture of innovation and entrepreneurship is thriving on campus, evidenced by our dominance at every statewide business plan competition in 2022. Mines students took home $43,000 in winnings, which is five times all other state universities combined.
I hope everyone gets a chance to read the article on the Hardrocker Ally Association. These students are using their talents, creativity, and hard work to give back to youth through community outreach events alongside the Rapid City Police Department. They exemplify what it means to be a Hardrocker.
Warm regards,
Jim Rankin (EE 78)
P.S. We hope you can join us for what will be an especially memorable Rocker Days this Sept. 19-24. You won’t want to miss our dedication of M Hill after a historic restoration effort this past year, and we’ll host the first annual Hardrocker Heritage Gala to honor alumni award recipients. Stay tuned for more information!
