The Honors House is Physically Closed
But we are Virtually OPEN
Please know that we are here for you
McBride Honors Program
Explore Your World

Celebrating 40 Years!
Interested in Joining McBride? We are Now Accepting Applications!
Applications are due on February 17th, 2021. If you want to learn more, attend one of our upcoming virtual information sessions on 11/9 (8:00-9:30am, 2:00-4:00pm) or 11/19 (8:00-9:30am, 4:00-6:00pm) at bit.ly/McOpenHouse
The McBride Experience
The McBride Honors Program has the feel of a small liberal arts college–right here, in the heart of one of the foremost science and engineering universities. Nurturing the full potential of Mines students for over forty years, the program develops core skills in effective communication, problem solving, leadership, creativity and critical thinking. Through McBride, students get a well-rounded education that emboldens learning across disciplines and with diverse people by integrating the liberal arts with that of science and engineering.
Students in McBride will experience student-centered and collaborative learning alongside their professors in small, unique classes that are developed specifically for the program. Seminar discussions and innovative academic activities are designed to encourage curiosity, dive deeply into our humanity, tether our socio-technical understanding, and explore our world in all of its complexity.
Our emphases on experiential education, global exploration, and student-driven experiences culminate in the capstone practicum where students design their own learning adventure according to their passions and goals. This close-knit community of creatively minded and highly motivated individuals make McBride a place to call home and to enjoy a truly transformative educational experience.
Upcoming Events
Event Title | Event Details |
ManBearPig Night | January 22nd at 6:30PM |
McMeme Battle (Virtual) | February 1st at 6PM |

Celebrating 40 Years McBride Style!
Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the McBride Honors Program at the "Smoky Mirrors and Lucid Clouds" opening reception! It was wonderful to have a community of alumni and students from a variety of years sharing their stories...

Smoky Mirrors and Lucid Clouds
Visit the Boettcher room in the library any time between January 27th and February 7th 2020 for an interactive exhibition to explore the world of your imagination. Click to learn more about all the special events!

McBride Homecoming Tailgate
Thanks to everyone for joining us at the McBride Homecoming Tailgate! The games, Bloody Mary Bar, and class competition proved to be very popular! We hope to see you next year.
Student Showcase
The Student Showcase features some of the creative, interdisciplinary, and exceptional work of our students which emerges from unique learning experiences.
HNRS 315: Explorations in the Modern World - Gaby Regueiro
Project Details: GabyRegueiro.pdf
HNRS 315: Explorations in the Modern World - Hannah Frey
Video: A Burro Love Story
Project Description: HannahFrey.pdf
HNRS 425: Explorations in Politics, Policy, and Leadership - John Whately
Course Theme: Foggy Lenses, Foggy Mirror: Ambiguity and Clarity in Mass Media
Project Link: The Rainbow Airwaves – PDF
HNRS 435: Explorations in Culture, Society, and Creative Arts - Emma Braun
Course Theme: Soul Food: Plating our Cultural Narratives
Project Link: Food As Power – Podcast
Project Description: Works Referenced
HNRS 435: Explorations in Culture, Society, and Creative Arts - Scott Marshall
Course Theme: Soul Food: Plating our Cultural Narratives
Project Link: The Cookbook – Website
HNRS 445: Explorations in Science, Technology, and Society - Colin Gilgenbach
Course Theme: Thermo Human Dynamics—Heat, Energy, and Time
Project Link: The Heat Death of the Universe – Website
My project showcases four variations on a common theme of thermodynamic heat death. I imagine the ideas of heat death applied to the staggering scope of the life of the universe, in order to force the viewer to step outside of the human timescale.
To showcase this project, I created a website which takes the viewer from the start of the universe to the projected end of the universe. I use changing colors to give a sense of the average temperature of the universe, and a graph overlay to allow the viewer to gauge the progress of the universe and the inevitability of thermodynamics. Into this backdrop, I insert dialogues between characters living their lives on each of these time and length scales. In essence, I juxtapose the inevitable process of thermodynamics with the experiences of life that can take place despite this.
Throughout the project, I use time units which are scaled to the era represented. This demonstrates the fractal nature of the Universe, and emphasizes the possibility of life to persist at extremely low temperatures and extremely long timescales. There are certain parallels that run through each timescale, such as uncertainty about the future and inability to comprehend the sheer scope of the Universe.
This project attempts to subvert the purely negative views of thermodynamic heat death, by suggesting that life could continue long after humans are gone.
HNRS 445: Explorations in Science, Technology, and Society - Gillian Burnham
Course Theme: Thermo Human Dynamics—Heat, Energy, and Time
Project Link: The Chaos Collection – PDF
Description: Art Statement – PDF
HNRS 445: Explorations in Science, Technology, and Society - Shannon Keohane
Course Theme: Thermo Human Dynamics—Heat, Energy, and Time
Project Link: Contrived Blooms Luminesce – PDF
News

McBride Mega-Success at NCHC
Among the several hundred submissions for the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) Conference this year, 2 proposals by McBride students were accepted. McBriders Chelsea Meilner and Madison Anderson conducted an engaging workshop on the interconnectivity of arts...

Preview Mines was a Hit!
It was great seeing so many new and familiar faces at Preview Mines! The collective honors tables proved to be very popular! Keep an eye out for the next Getting-to-know Mines event because we will definitely be there!

End of the Year McBride Award Winners
McBride would like to say a huge congratulations to the following end of the year award winners who received their following awards at the Spring McBride Banquet. Joey Lovato - Will Duey Memorial Outstanding Sophomore Award Connor Smith - Outstanding Sophomore Award...