Saluting our Schools

Grad students are flocking to Colorado School of Mines

Mines offers a program in petroleum engineering. Freshmen participate in classes that offer hands-on experience

Colorado School of Mines has seen a significant jump in graduate school applications, says Jahi Sauk Simbai, director of graduate recruiting and admissions. He expects this trend to continue as more people angle to enter the petroleum engineering profession.

The school’s been ramping up because of the recent boom and increased interest in petroleum industry studies. “We’re one of a few schools that offer this program,” Simbai says.

The academic offerings are not the only attraction. The school is located in the small community of Golden, which seems remote until you consider its accessibility to the ski slopes and the city of Denver, says Simbai.

“Some great grad schools can’t offer the natural amenities that we have,” he explains. “Mines offers a great education and a great lifestyle.”

The school’s faculty-to-student ratio is fourteen to one. “People get individualized instruction that is not always feasible at larger universities,” Simbai says. Mines accepts transfers from two-year colleges.

Mines is different
Colorado School of Mines was founded in 1874 and is one of a very few institutions in the world with broad expertise in resource exploration, extraction, production and utilization of the earth’s resources. The school also offers an array of other engineering and applied science fields.

Mines is made up of several divisions and departments. “We’re not made up of separate colleges like other schools,” Simbai explains.

Within the engineering division are majors in civil, electrical, mechanical, environmental and systems engineering. Other divisions include economics and business, liberal arts and international studies, and environmental science.

Departments include chemical engineering, chemistry, geophysics, geochemistry, geology and geological engineering, mathematical and computer sciences, metallurgical and materials engineering, mining engineering, petroleum engineering and physics.

“Mines is a very focused technical school,” Simbai says.

Students get hands-on experience
Mines offers a combined BS/MS program for undergraduates. The masters programs require thirty to thirty-six credit hours, and several can be completed in two semesters after completing an undergraduate degree.

Internships are available for undergrads, many at oil and gas companies, says Simbai. They get realtime experience on projects like oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico or working in the U.S. Dept of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation. A career services office coordinates the opportunities.

There is also a study-abroad program. Students have gone to South Africa, Australia, former USSR countries and Spain.

Mines hosts career fairs in the fall and spring that attract more than 100 engineering companies. Ninety percent of grad students and 80 percent of undergrads in all degrees land jobs after graduation. That held true for undergrads even in 2009. “It’s not just a matter of your GPA,” Simbai says. “You have to be competitive academically and have other skills too.”

The school encourages students to get involved in extracurricular activities and varsity sports to develop soft skills like teamwork. Mines also places a high importance on lab research or anything that allows students to demonstrate technical abilities.

In fact, freshmen are required to take an engineering practices introductory course sequence that puts students into teams to solve real-world engineering problems. In this program, students learn project management and teamwork skills as well as how to take a project from examination to completion, interface with clients and present projects.

“Companies are looking for people who can hit the ground running,” says Simbai. “I think every one of our students can find a job if they’re willing to move and accept the pay.”

Mines is committed to diversity
Students have access on campus to chapters of SWE, NSBE, SHPE, AISES, the IEEE, the Association for Computer and Information Science, the Society of Professional Petroleum Engineers and Tau Beta Pi. The SWE chapter is one of the largest in the nation.

Of the total student population, 14 percent of undergrads are minorities and 25 percent are women. Simbai says that Molson Coors Brewing Co (Denver, CO) and other companies support students of color with scholarships. “We are very proud of these connections and accomplishments.”

Simbai advises students to “follow their passions.” He explains that some want to pursue grad degrees in an industry that’s hot, but not related to their field. For example, students with backgrounds in chemistry or business have expressed an interest in petroleum engineering. “They hear about the industry and want to get into it,” he says. “They can do it, but it’s not an easy road. If you’re not passionate about it, why do it?”

D/C