Colorado School of Mines

School mission (as provided by the school):

Colorado School of Mines is a public research university devoted to engineering and applied science. It has the highest admissions standards of any public university in Colorado and among the highest of any public university in the U.S. Mines has distinguished itself by developing a curriculum and research program geared towards responsible stewardship of the earth and its resources. In addition to strong education and research programs in traditional fields of science and engineering, Mines is one of a very few institutions in the world having broad expertise in resource exploration, extraction, production and utilization. As such, Mines occupies a unique position among the world's institutions of higher education. Since its founding in 1874, the translation of the school's mission into educational programs has been influenced by the needs of society. Those needs are now focused more clearly than ever before. The world faces a crisis in balancing resource availability with environmental protection and Mines and its programs are central to the solution. Mines offers all the advantages of a world-class research institution with a size that allows for personal attention. With an undergraduate and graduate student body of about 4,850, Mines has a student/faculty ratio of 15:1 and an average undergraduate class size of 33 students. Mines is a uniquely Western school, not a typical college or university located in the western U.S. Situated in Golden, Colorado, against the Foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the Mines community enjoys nearby hiking, camping, bicycling, kayaking, fly fishing, rock climbing, white-water rafting, skiing, and snowboarding - there are about a dozen major ski areas within 1 - 4 hours drive from campus. Denver and Boulder are within 20 miles of campus, offering all the attractions of a large metropolitan area. Among numerous campus improvements, two major construction projects are currently underway - a new, 291-bed residence hall which will open in the fall term, 2011; and a $33 million, 78,000 square-foot addition to the Division of Engineering and Department of Mining Engineering's, Brown Hall, which will make it the largest classroom facility on campus. Two more buildings will open in 2012-a new Student Wellness Center, and Marquez Hall - new, state-of-the-art facility for our Dept. of Petroleum Engineering. The social environment is informal and friendly, and the academic environment is competitive, but also collaborative. Mines attracts an ambitious and motivated group of students, staff and faculty, and the career and graduate school opportunities for graduates are exceptional. Mines offers 18 varsity sports and over 50 club and intramural teams. Students are active in more than 140 clubs and organizations including music, student government, Greek Life, religious, cultural, special interest and professional associations and groups. Mines is a dynamic center for research, and recognized as a respected leader in engineering education and applied sciences, especially related to Earth, Energy, Materials and Environment. The knowledge and skills that contribute to problem-solving in our global society and are attained through the undergraduate and graduate opportunities at Colorado School of Mines have never been more needed than they are today.