Tell us about your charitable side

March 28, 2016 by

Miner alumni are a generous bunch. You share your time and treasure with all types of organizations that serve others in many ways. Many of you give back to your alma mater. We asked what inspires you to give, and here is what you told us.
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Filed Under: In Your Words, Q&A, Spring 2016

What was your favorite food during college?

November 25, 2015 by

Before the days of university food service, many Miner alumni ate their meals at eating clubs. Later, campus cafeterias provided the three squares a Miner needed. For some students, a landlady or fraternity or sorority cook served the meals. Others had a favorite restaurant. We asked about your favorite food during college. Here is what you told us. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Fall/Winter 2015, In Your Words, Q&A

Social

November 21, 2015 by

Filed Under: Fall/Winter 2015, Tweets and Facebook

Letter to the editor

July 29, 2015 by

I just received and read the Spring issue of Missouri S&T Magazine. I enjoy the articles and especially the notes about the old-timers of my generation and before. 

However, I was disturbed by something in the article on page 38 titled “Reliving History.” My
hat is off to men like Joseph Senne (MS CE’51) who fought in that war and won it, but a phrase in the article stated “… the peace treaty with Japan … .” Joseph and others of the Greatest Generation won that war. Period. The U.S. did not negotiate a peace treaty. Japan signed an unconditional surrender. There is a difference.

In today’s politically correct world we seem to have forgotten what winning is. Please don’t forget that there was a generation that won. Completely, unconditionally.

Sincerely,
Henry R. Atkinson, CE’56
Richmond, Va.

Editor’s Note:  Thank you very much for your note and for pointing out our error in using the phrase “peace treaty with Japan” to characterize the terms of Japan’s surrender on Sept. 2, 1945, to mark the end of World War II. It would have been more accurate for us to have written that Senne was on Okinawa when “Japan surrendered” or “Japan signed the instruments of surrender” on that date.

Filed Under: In Your Words, Letters, Summer 2015

What was your most memorable all-nighter?

July 29, 2015 by

At one time or another, nearly every Miner has pulled an all-nighter. Maybe you stayed up all night cramming for a calculus test. Maybe you road-tripped across the country with your fraternity or sorority pledge class. Maybe you just hung out with friends having a good time. We asked about your memorable all-nighter. Here is what you told us.

In early March 1973, I was carving a snake head and body from a large oak limb to be mounted on Sigma Tau Gamma’s entry in the St. Pat’s cudgel contest. About 1 a.m. I sliced my left index finger to the bone, made my way to the infirmary and woke the night nurse. When she offered to sew it up I asked whether I would still be able to bend it for the remainder of the evening. I explained “I have a carving to finish, so our cudgel will win.” Her answer being “No,” I asked her to just disinfect it and wrap it up. I returned to the house and continued carving until dawn, making sure the occasional blood did not ruin the carving. I still have the snake head carving; it matches the snake on the winning 1973 St. Pat’s sweatshirt design (mine, also). Our cudgel did win the 1973 competition, carried by Mark “Tiny” Middendorf, GGph’74.

Jim Martin, AE’75
Raytown, Mo.

I had to pass every final exam to graduate in January 1965. I spent nine all-nighters studying in the Kappa Alpha dining room. The study table stood in front of a coat closet, and for years I was known as “Keeper of the Closet.”

Jay W. Alford, MetE’65
Miller, Mo.

Math came easy for me, and the logic behind it easily kept me awake during all-night sessions. (This may explain why after 50 years, I’m still a working structural engineer.) But if I had a reading assignment for literature or history, I ran into difficulty. I would hold my right arm vertical on the desk with a pen in my hand, and if I dozed off, I would drop the pen and wake myself up. I would then pick up the pen and start the process all over again, pushing myself through the reading assignment.

Dale Mueller, EE’62
St. Louis

It was St. Pat’s 1948. We started a bridge game on the Sigma Nu front porch at about 10 p.m. It was a warm evening with no wind, and we had a good time. All of a sudden, we noticed the sun coming up. We had spent the whole night without ever getting tired. I still think about it with good memories.

Jim Fisher, CE’48
Lakewood, Colo.

I remember the time I spent in the Kelly Hall basement laundry room cramming for some long-forgotten test. I didn’t want to disturb my roommate with the light and me talking to myself. When I finally gave up, I had just over an hour to sleep. I set two alarm clocks to make certain I did not oversleep. I woke up AFTER the second one went off — because it fell on me when I tried to turn it off while I was still in my sleepy grogginess.

Willard Sudduth, CE’66
Decatur, Ill.

Filed Under: In Your Words, Q&A, Summer 2015

What is your favorite place in Rolla?

April 1, 2015 by

For some alumni, a campus locale holds a special place in their heart. Others have fond memories of recreation spots or enjoying the great outdoors. We asked about your favorite place in Rolla. Here is what you told us.

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Filed Under: In Your Words, Q&A, Spring 2015

Letters – Fall/Winter 2014

November 24, 2014 by

Dear Editor,

I first read your article “Where’s Dave” in Missouri S&T Magazine during my freshman year in 2009. At that time I was looking for motivation and a direction for my future. Of all the material I had read while searching for my dream career, I found this article to be the most inspiring; I decided I wanted to travel in Dave McCann’s footsteps. My career needed not be with GE, but would simply allow me to interact directly with people of many different cultures while solving technical problems. I still reread the article now and again to remind myself of the end goal. I would like to contact Dave McCann, so if you could point me in the right direction, I would greatly appreciate it.

Evan Carroll, senior in mechanical engineering, Clarence, Mo.

Editor’s note: Dave McCann, ME’79, was featured in the Summer 2009 “Miners Around the World” issue. We forwarded Evan’s note to Dave. Here is his response:

Dear Editor,

Wow! What a nice and unexpected honor to know that my story has provided inspiration for a young person interested in following a similar path in life. Thanks for forwarding his message to me. I will contact Evan directly, and hope that I can provide him with some insights. And just in case you are interested, I retired last year, and have continued to travel and explore new places and cultures. I came back to Jeff City to attend my 40-year high school reunion and celebrate my dad’s 87th birthday, but I just got back from my first-ever trip to Costa Rica, where I spent the month of May sightseeing. My favorite moment was spotting a wild toucan in the trees just above me one afternoon while I was watching the sun set over a little beachside village. Life is good. 🙂

Dave McCann, ME’79, Jefferson City, Mo.

Dear Editor,

I just received the latest issue of Missouri S&T Magazine and while reading through it I noticed that on page 22 in “by the numbers” it says the baseball team has 608 wins since its inception in 1966. I take exception to that because I was part of the first baseball team that played in the spring of 1965. So this year would be the 50th year. We were 6-6 that first year. I even have the school newspaper that mentions that record. I always felt that we didn’t get any recognition for that year and it seems like we’ve been forgotten. I hope you can rectify this error. We would start each practice on the third base line and walk the infield to pick up any rocks on the infield.

Mike Hahn, ME’70, Florissant, Mo.

Editor’s note: You are correct, Mike. The Miners played as an independent team in 1965, one year before joining the MIAA Conference in 1966. We apologize for the error. Thank you for setting us straight.

Filed Under: Fall/Winter 2014, In Your Words, Letters

What is your best spring break memory?

November 24, 2014 by

Some college students spend spring break lounging on a beach. Others help rebuild a small town after a natural disaster or trek the Continental Divide. We asked about your favorite spring break experiences. Here is what you told us.

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Filed Under: Fall/Winter 2014, In Your Words, Q&A

Tweets

July 28, 2014 by

 

Filed Under: Around the Puck, Summer 2014, Tweets and Facebook

What advice would you share with a new S&T student?

July 28, 2014 by

 To welcome new students to campus during Opening Week at the start of the school year, we asked upperclassmen and alumni to share advice for new S&T students. Here is what they told us.

“This will be the most impactful four years (or more) of your life. It is a watershed. As an alumnus (retired vice president of a Fortune 500 company) said, “Come to Rolla and change you and your family station in life for generations to come.” Most of us came from modest means. We look back and realize we would not be where we are today if it were not for that decision to come here … and the stick-tu-it-ive-ness to hang in there when it got tough. Best decision I ever made, many of us have said.”
– Bob Stevens, ChE’81, Houston, Texas

“Work hard, make friends, workout, stay safe.”
– Jeff Evans, ME’11, Kansas City, Mo.

“Join a design team. Employers care more about your campus involvement and leadership skills than your GPA. You can be as smart as Sheldon Cooper, but if you don’t demonstrate an ability to work with a team, they won’t hire you. I was hired in largely because of my leadership positions with AAVG (Advanced Aero Vehicle Group).”
– Tim Peters, AE’10, Derby, Kan.

1. Study hard — Most employers have minimum GPA requirements. 2. Get involved — There are plenty of extracurricular activities to choose from (design teams, faith-based groups, res life organizations, etc.) Starting as a freshman will put you in a good position to be in a leadership position your junior or senior year — another thing employers look for. 3. Actively participate in Opening Week — Class, Project X, make some new friends, and don’t forget the evening activities! 4. Make the most of the opportunity — College is your opportunity to try new things, meet new people, build new skills and develop friendships that will last long after you graduate.”
– Gail Lueck, EMgt’02, MS EMgt’03, St. Louis

Filed Under: Around the Puck, In Your Words, Q&A, Summer 2014