The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology held its 157th Commencement on May 10, in the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Arena. More than 200 graduates received associate's, bachelor's and master's degrees. In addition, 35 alumni from the class of 1958 attended the ceremony and received certificates commemorating their graduation. Streaming video of the commencement ceremony is available at: http://its.sdsmt.edu/distance/graduation/graduation.htm Dr. Thomas O. Hunter joined the School of Mines as commencement speaker. Dr. Hunter currently serves as president of Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, and director of Sandia National Laboratories. Sandia Corporation manages Sandia National Laboratories, with principal sites in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Livermore, California, for the United States Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration. Dr. Hunter joined Sandia in 1967 and became president in April 2005. His responsibilities include managing the Laboratories' $2.2 billion annual budget and approximately 8,400 employees.
Dr. Hunter is a member of a number of professional and educational boards, and has served as a guest lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on nuclear waste management and as an adjunct professor at the University of New Mexico. He is the author of numerous technical papers and presentations, and is a recipient of the 2007 New Mexico Distinguished Public Service Award.
Dr. Hunter earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Florida, master's degrees from the University of New Mexico and University of Wisconsin, and a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin. He has been recognized as a distinguished alumnus by both the University of Florida and the University of Wisconsin.
Firas Khoury (electrical engineering, Israel) and Wes Snaza (mechanical engineering, Webster) represented the student body.
While attending South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Khoury has been involved in International Student Ministry, Eta Kappa Nu Association, and Tau Beta Pi honor society. Mr. Khoury has received several honors and awards during time at the School of Mines, including the Outstanding Electrical Engineering Senior in 2008, Tau Beta Pi Scholarship, Robert and Corinne Ferris Scholarship, Maurice L. Cleland Scholarship, Peter Stephans Scholarship, and placed on the Dean's List.
Khoury has been accepted into the Navy's Nuclear Propulsion Officer Program. He will be heading to Newport, Rhode Island, for the Navy Officer Candidate School. He will marry Nicole Feaver in November, and then they will travel to Charleston, South Carolina for Nuclear Power School.
During his time at the School of Mines, Snaza has participated in multiple activities including Society of Automotive Engineers, Formula SAE, Center of Advanced Manufacturing and Production, Connolly Hall resident assistant, Mechanical Engineering Student Advisory Board, Student Ambassador, Student Orientation Leader, Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society, and Tau Beta Pi honor society. Mr. Snaza has served as treasurer of the Society of Automotive Engineers and has held multiple leadership positions within FSAE including sponsorship coordinator, project manager, and engineering lead of the sixth place 2007 team. He has been honored as an outstanding student organization member and inducted into the student leadership hall of fame for his work as a team member of Formula SAE and mentoring within CAMP.
Upon graduation, Snaza will begin his career with Terex Utilities in Watertown, South Dakota as a design engineer.
Also during the ceremony, the School of Mines honored an alumnus with the Guy E. March Medal. This medal is awarded annually in recognition of the individual's positive interaction with the students, the institution, and the alumni of the School of Mines and who demonstrates the service and spirit of Dr. Guy March. This year the award was presented to Jerrold L. Brown.
After graduating in 1965 with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering, Brown was commissioned as second lieutenant in the United States Army Corps of Engineers. In 1966, he entered the United States Army where he graduated from Army Paratrooper School at Fort Benning, Georgia. Brown served at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and went to South Vietnam in 1967. He served with the 87th Engineer Battalion (Construction) as a platoon leader and company commander. He was awarded the Bronze Star, the Vietnamese Service Ribbon, and the Vietnam Campaign Ribbon.
In the fall of 1968, Brown entered graduate school and earned a master's degree in civil engineering in 1970. He began working for Birdsall Sand & Gravel Co., Rapid City, South Dakota, in September 1969. In 1981 he became president and chief executive officer of the company. Brown retired as vice president and general manager for Pete Lien & Sons.
A registered professional engineer in South Dakota, he won the 2001 South Dakota Engineering Society's Engineer of the Year award. Brown is past president and board member of the South Dakota Ready-Mixed Concrete Association and the Western South Dakota Traffic Bureau. He served as board member, executive vice president and president of the SDSM&T Alumni Association, president of the Triangle Fraternity Alumni Association, and was named one of the School of Mines' Centennial 100 in 1985. He also served as treasurer and board member of the Rapid City YMCA.