Colorado School of Mines celebrates Fall 2023 Undergraduate Commencement

Colorado School of Mines celebrated its Fall 2023 Undergraduate Commencement on Dec. 15, conferring a total of 268 bachelor’s degrees during the ceremony at Lockridge Arena. 

The ceremony’s distinguished speaker was Lucy Sanders. Sanders is the founder and executive in residence of the National Center for Women & Information Technology, a national organization that works to broaden participation in computing.  

Watch the ceremonies and download the official Commencement program at commencement.mines.edu. 

FALL 2023 OUTSTANDING GRADUATING SENIORS 

As part of the undergraduate ceremony, Mines honored its Fall 2023 Outstanding Graduating Seniors. Chosen by faculty and staff and each representing a different academic major, the 10 students were recognized for their high scholastic achievement and on-campus engagement. 

Mitchell Morgan, Applied Mathematics and Statistics 

Morgan, of Golden, said his favorite Mines memory is winning the trivia event at the Society of Women in Mathematics conference. 

Irena Lizier-Zmudzinski, Chemical and Biological Engineering 

Lizier-Zmudzinski, of Forest Grove, Oregon, said her favorite Mines memory is leading her Mines Without Borders project team to Los Gomez, Nicaragua, in January 2023 to monitor and evaluate the water distribution system the team implemented in a local community. 

Mya Newberry, Civil Engineering 

Newberry, of Aurora, said her favorite Mines memory is being a part of the Navigators club and doing Bible study with her friends. 

Maximilian Garza, Environmental Engineering 

Garza, of College Station, Texas, said his favorite Mines memory is going on an international research trip to Zambia. 

Eugin Pahk, Computer Science 

Pahk, of Colorado Springs, said his favorite Mines memory is participating in HackNC at UNC Chapel Hill with the Mines Association for Computing Machinery student chapter. 

Everett Delate, Economics and Business 

Delate, of Centennial, said his favorite Mines memory is watching track and field teammate Joe Whitney hit a provisional mark in the 400-meter hurdles. 

Sebastian Zimkas, Electrical Engineering 

Zimkas, of Tualatin, Oregon, said his favorite Mines memory is the E-Days fireworks display in Spring 2023. 

Andrew Hartman, Mechanical Engineering 

Hartman, of Lewisville, Texas, said his favorite Mines memory is racing with the mountain bike team. 

Kelsey Ferro, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering 

Ferro, of Caldwell, Idaho, said her favorite Mines memory has been attending professional conferences with her major’s professional organization. 

Hannah Miller, Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering 

Miller, of Golden, said her favorite Mines memory is becoming the first woman at Mines to ever win an indoor track national championship. 

UNIVERSITY-WIDE AWARDS 

The Dan Fox Outstanding Student Service Award is presented by the Division of Student Life to the students who, during their tenure at Mines, above their academic role, vigorously participated in activities for the greater benefit of their peers and community to promote excellence and well-being: Kelsey Ferro 

The President’s Senior Scholar Athlete Award is presented to one graduating female and one graduating male athlete, each with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher, who have lettered in a sport during their senior year and have has demonstrated leadership qualities of an exemplary student-athlete: Hannah Miller (track and field) and Everett Delate (track and field) 

ADDITIONAL UNDERGRADUATE AWARDS 

Chemical & Biological Engineering 

• Harrison L. Hays Award: Charles Harris 

Computer Science 

• Faculty Choice Award: Landon Brown and Dorian Cauwe 

Mechanical Engineering  

• Emeritus Faculty Exemplary Undergraduate Award: Evelyn Cook  

• John Steele Commemorative Service Award: Adam Schwartz  

• Outstanding Mechanical Engineering Student Athlete: Jack Walters 

Mining Engineering  

• C.N. Bell 1906 Award: Kalev Wade 

• Clark B. Carpenter Award: Ryan Parker 

• D.W. Brunton Award: Johnathon Pultorak 

MILITARY COMMISIONS 

The following students will be commissioned as second lieutenants in the United States Army:  

• Jonathan Cattan 

The following students will be commissioned as second lieutenants in the United States Air Force:  

• Dylan Bott 

• Angela Grayson 

• Joshua Higgins 

• Ethan Ladino