Major

Mechanical Engineering

What have you been up to since graduation?

I am currently in the Engineering Technology Management graduate program at Mines. I have had two start-up endeavors: 1) affordable housing solutions and 2) High Night, a platform to connect users to local businesses through immersive narrative-based puzzles. High Night was inspired by a class project idea for a mobile-based game with a scavenger hunt design and geocaching. High Night is currently in alpha and hopefully soon to release!

Favorite McBride Memory

I’m the one lucky McBride student that got to take both sophomore classes with Dr. Sarah Hitt. When Explorations in Modern America was wrapping up, I felt “end-of-the-school-year” nostalgia for this class in particular because it was that impactful.

5 Year Goals

CEO and founder of a successful tech company (hopefully High Night!)

Major

Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

What have you been up to since graduation?

I started a job in Northern Nevada at a gold mine as a metallurgist. For fun, I’ve been doing some traveling.

Favorite McBride Memory

My favorite McBride memory was performing an oral history where we interviewed current students ahead of us about their experiences at Mines. My group interviewed Emma Braun. It was such a fun time to hear her stories, and it delved into fun stories from my whole group. It was entertaining to see how much you can wrangle out of your school experience.

5 Year Goals

In five years, I hope to have visited a couple more countries and have worked my way up into a more management role in my company.

Major

Civil Engineering

What have you been up to since graduation?

I’m working as a field engineer for Hensel Phelps in Westminster, Colorado. We’re finishing our build for Ball Aerospace AMC expansion.

Favorite McBride Memory

I loved the days in class when we all brought food and showed off our creative projects. It was a lot of fun to see everyone’s ideas and hang out with the class.

5 Year Goals

I’m not sure, but I might move out of Colorado and head to a new location. I think I’ll still be working with Hensel Phelps, hopefully as a lead VDC engineer or higher. If I get the opportunity, I might try to get my MBA.

Major

Computer Science

What have you been up to since graduation?

I have been right here at Mines, pursuing my Master’s in CS in a combined program! Having already spent four years at Mines, I am taking on some new roles this year along with being a grad student, including teaching a CS course and being on the executive board for oSTEM.

Favorite McBride Memory

My favorite memory from McBride has to be when Toni Lefton took over one of my McBride classes for the night. We decided to go outside onto the steps of CoorsTek because McBride teaches you, among other things, that a classroom isn’t always composed of four walls. We read a poem aloud, then engaged in a discussion about the meaning of the poem. It was on those steps that I realized why McBride was so important to me. It was because I could have read that poem a thousand times and never extracted the same depth of meaning that we, as a class, drew out together. That night taught me that being in McBride is more than just liking reading and writing. It is about doing those really cool things, somewhere really cool, with really cool people.

5 Year Goals

In five years, I see myself doing something really cool, somewhere really cool, with really cool people. 

Major

Chemical Engineering with a minor in Biomedical Engineering

What have you been up to since graduation?

After graduation, I moved to Boston to attend Boston University and pursue a Master’s in Biomedical Engineering. I have loved this new adventure, and while it has been stressful and scary at times moving to a new city where I barely knew anyone, it pushed me out of my comfort zone. I am so glad I made the move!

Favorite McBride Memory

My favorite memory from McBride was always the kickoff banquet where the newest cohort performed a skit with their class. It was always a great time to catch up with old friends, meet the new students, and enjoy quality time together.

5 Year Goals

In five years, I hope to be working in the biomedical field, ideally in research and development for a company developing new solutions in areas that need new treatments or advancements. I am not exactly sure what that will look like, but I am excited about the prospect of working on the newest advancements in science. I’m not sure where I will be geographically, but I would love to continue living in new places and exploring different parts of the country and the world.

Major

Chemical Engineering

What have you been up to since graduation?

I shipped out to Boston! I work at Massachusetts General Hospital designing breakthrough medical devices for orthopedic surgery and novel drug delivery mechanisms. I’ve got my name on four patent applications in just six short months. I’ve also received two publications for my creative writing and currently working with an agent to get a fantasy book published.

Favorite McBride Memory

This past summer, I spent hours talking to Toni about the meaning and life and death during our independent study. I’d always had a strange preoccupation with the macabre and an impending sense that I was meant to die prematurely. Now that I’m alive and survived Mines, I had to contemplate what it meant to be living. She helped me see that life has everything to do with explosions and helped exhume the artist in me.

5 Year Goals

Thanks to McBride, I was able to study abroad at the University of Oxford during my time at Mines. I will be applying for the Rhodes Scholarship this next year and hopefully returning to Oxford for my Masters and PhD. Fingers crossed. It’s kind of an insane idea. But hopefully, I’ll be back in Europe studying at an ancient university and backpacking around the world.

Major

Engineering Physics with an ASI in Space and Planetary Science

What have you been up to since graduation?

Genetically engineering sharks with lasers. Kidding on the sharks part.

I moved to Livermore, CA where I work as a subcontractor for Lawrence Livermore National Lab. My work focuses on supporting projects for the National Ignition Facility (NIF), the largest laser in the world. Some of the projects I’m involved in involve furthering research into nuclear fusion, astrophysics, and blowing stuff up (scientifically, of course). What I enjoy the most on this new adventure is setting my own pace for exploration and learning. Outside of work, I write poetry and fiction, teach my Border Collie not to eat socks, enjoy wine tasting in the valley, and jump horses over colorful sticks.

Favorite McMemory

Sitting at Higher Grounds and talking about poetry with Toni Lefton and her dog, Oscar, during my last semester of college. The last time I was sitting on the patio, I felt a sense of peace and finality, knowing I was closing out my college experience at my favorite coffee shop with one of my favorite professors, talking about my favorite pieces. McBride provides a community where you can get to know your professors as someone more than a lecturer staring blankly at a tired audience from a podium. We get to explore our world on all scales and take ownership of our learning unique to ourselves and not seen in a typical classroom: this was an experience that embodied the values of McBride.

5 Year Goals

In five years, I will have grown into a position as a lab manager at Mission Support and Test Services, LLC., where I work now. I will use the skills I’ve learned as a physicist and problem solver to navigate the expanding frontier of science. While I hope to advance my knowledge into an even more productive avenue, I see myself continuing my passion as a poet and photographer. It is important to me to hold onto my wanderlust and spirit of adventure so that I may be untethered from the strain of work and the seriousness of the lab. When I see myself in five years, I see myself having worked through my bucket list of travel destinations and collecting unique memories from all the stops.

Major

Mechanical Engineering

What have you been up to since graduation?

Since graduation, I worked at NREL for the summer before moving to Budapest, Hungary to pursue an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degree in Energy Engineering.

Favorite McBride Memory

My favorite memory from McBride was going on a 3-hour holotropic breathing trip during class. I remember being so uncertain about the exercise at first, but later growing quite fond of the experience. As it turns out, there is a lot of truth in one’s breath.

5 Year Goals

In 5 years, I hope to be in Switzerland working as an energy performance engineer in small mountain villages like Interlaken. Skiing while simultaneously helping to fight climate change seems like a pretty fulfilling pastime.

Major

Mechanical Engineering

What have you been up to since graduation?

I am an applications engineer (in-between a salesman and full engineer) for FormFactor in their silicon photonics division. I get to fly at least every two weeks and talk to a lot of customers and researchers: a lot to the west coast and once almost to Germany (until quarantine rules said no). Outside of work, I’ve done my share of personal travel trying to hit different parts of the States and exploring every place I’m in as best I can.

Favorite McBride Memory

During the spring banquet sophomore skits, my cohort walked out and I had this big speaker that was playing “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.” When we picked up the speaker to put it over my head, it shut off. We’re standing there horrified as everyone is looking at me who accidentally shut off the speaker by accident. I remember that, and I’m hoping that no one else does.

5 Year Goals

I see myself hopefully on track to product development: leading engineers and salesmen to find a market segment that we can fill and developing new technologies. My current engineering work is the first of its kind: I worked on a silicon photonics tester that’s the first one in existence, and we have sales for it already which is great. People requested this to be brought into existence and I helped bring it into existence, so in the future, I’d like to be even higher out to bring stuff into existence.

Major

Geophysical Engineering

What have you been up to since graduation?

I have moved out to Palo Alto to start my PhD program in Geophysics at Stanford in the Stanford Exploration Project research group. 

Favorite McBride Memory

There are so many! If I had to choose one, it would have to be studying abroad in Rome, Italy over summer 2019. I remember my amazing friend Kat pushed me to go, and it was the best thing to ever happen to me. I got to write papers about Roman Aqueducts, meet a bunch of new people, and travel to many fantastic towns and villages in Italy.  

5 Year Goals

Hopefully, progress well in my PhD program. It will take me at least six years to finish it so I bet I will be working hard to get the degree completed. After I am done with my PhD, I hope to either work as a geophysicist in the energy or tech industries. I also want to have the opportunity to take a couple of months off of work to travel the world!

Major

Chemical Engineering with a specialty in Process Engineering

What have you been up to since graduation?

I’ve been working for the oil and gas services company Schlumberger as a Field Engineer—I’ve gone offshore in the Gulf of Mexico, and I’ve also worked on the North Slope in Alaska. I’m currently headed to go work offshore in Canada!

Favorite McBride Memory

My favorite memory from McBride was when Melanie gave us a pizza party because I performed a skit by myself on stage for the McBride banquet. 🙂

5 Year Goals

In 5 years I hope to still be working in the field and to still be maintaining my friendships with fellow McBriders!

Major

Mechanical Engineering 

What have you been up to since graduation?

Claire has started a job at United Launch Alliance as a Systems Test Engineer helping to test and prepare rockets for launch. 

Favorite McBride Memory

Claire’s favorite McBride memory is getting to hang out with the original IDEAS crew in the HNRS 435 food culture class in the spring of 2020.

5 Year Goals

In 5 years, Claire sees herself with either two well-trained cats or four slightly chaotic cats. She also hopes to own a small fleet of kayaks and a job she enjoys. 

Major

Mechanical Engineering 

What have you been up to since graduation?

Joshua has been working as a Manufacturing Engineer for Parker Hannifin Corp., Aerospace Group in Irvine, CA. He also continues to rock climbing (which he picked up while at Mines) and got engaged to his high school sweetheart. They decided to pick up an 8-week-old Golden Retriever named Bucket back in March. 

Favorite McBride Memory

Joshua’s favorite memories from McBride weren’t the banquets or weekend tailgates but the feeling after leaving class while driving home: class would usually end with so much more to say because of the nature and content of the McBride program, leaving him with something deep and developed from class to ponder further. 

5 Year Goals  

In 5 years, Joshua sees himself living in Southern California or somewhere in the mountains. He plans to have a well–raised pup, be well–versed in his climbing skills, and continue his engineering career – maybe there will be kids too around that time. 

Major

Applied Mathematics and Statistics 

What have you been up to since graduation?  

Danielle has graduated with her M.S. in Applied Mathematics and Statistics (also from Mines!) August 2020. She has since moved to Oslo, Norway to pursue a PhD studying flood frequency analysis under climate change.   

Favorite McBride Memory

Danielle’s favorite memory is her practicum experience, where McBride funded her independent study project with the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center. She was able to spend a season in Jackson Hole, WY developing a satellite-based method to detect backcountry avalanches. Additionally, thanks in part to the McBride program, she was able to present that work at an international conference the following year and even make some contacts that have been useful to her in Norway! 

5 Year Goals

Danielle is unsure right now but looks forward to seeing if she likes Norway. 

Major

Environmental Engineering  

What have you been up to since graduation?

After graduation, Meagan began working full-time as a process engineer in the Water Supply group at Burns & McDonnell Engineering Co. She is also working on her Master’s in Water Engineering and Management part-time at the University of Colorado Boulder.  

Favorite McBride Memory 

Meagan’s favorite memory from McBride is attending festivals at the local monastery when she spent her summer living and teaching in the Khumbu Valley of Nepal for her practicum.   

5 Year Goals

Meagan is not sure where she sees herself in five years, but she looks forward to the next new and interesting challenge that comes her way.  

Major

Biochemistry

Future Plans

Alisha will be moving to Fort Collins, CO where she will be taking a gap year and working as a scribe/performing research before she will be attending medical school.

Favorite Memory from McBride

Alisha says her favorite moment from McBride was her last day of class when her and her classmates were tasked with tackling the connection between science and spirituality, and her favorite part was getting to go around the classroom and see how everyone else approached the assignment in such unique ways.

Major

Civil Engineering

Future Plans

Kenneth will be moving to Seattle, WA to attend graduate school.

Favorite Memory from McBride

Kenneth says the moments spent with his McBride classmates trying to ensure the Undergraduate Research Journal obtained a successful launch around Mines. Those memories rise above the rest of his memories from Mines in a way that is so hard to describe.

Major

Computational and Applied Mathematics

Future Plans

Nicholas will be moving to Fort Collins, CO to work as a research scientist for Numerica.

Favorite Memory from McBride

Nicholas says his favorite moment while in McBride was spending his practicum sailing the South Pacific Ocean. McBride is what allowed him to take part in such a wonderful and unique adventure.

Major

Chemical Engineering

Future Plans

Katrina will be moving to Houston, TX to work as a process engineer for ExxonMobil.

Favorite Memory from McBride

Katrina says that it is almost impossible to pick a favorite memory from all of the great moments she experienced in McBride, but if she had to choose it would be a tie between  walking the labyrinth in Science and Spirituality and hearing about everyone’s hilarious, incredible adventures at the Fall Banquet each year.

Major

Physics

Future Plans

Matthew will be moving to Los Angeles, CA to pursue a PhD in quantum information science from the University of Southern California.

Favorite Memory from McBride

Matthew says his favorite memory is from Christmas Eve, 2016, while in Nepal. Matthew and a dozen other McBriders were on a trip led by Lhakpa, the owner of Golden’s Sherpa House Restaurant, who runs a charity called Hike for Help. Hike for Help connects Westerners willing to help with community-requested development projects in the Khumbu Valley. The memory was simply Matthew learning a Sherpa game called “stones” from his Sherpa friends and guides. It was simple yet his best memory from McBride.

Major

Chemical Engineering

Future Plans

Catherine will be staying local here in Denver, CO and she is going to be working at a consulting firm in the Oil & Gas industry.

Favorite Memory from McBride

Catherine says her favorite memory as the whole Hike for Help trip that she took to Nepal with her classmates during the Winter of 2016, a trip that will forever live on in her mind.

Major

Electrical Engineering

Future Plans

Samuel will be staying local here in Denver, CO and he is going to be working as an electrical engineer for Black & Veatch.

Favorite Memory from McBride

Samuel says his favorite memories are the Wednesday Night TMI that he and his classmates would do while in McBride.