Practicum Cohort
Practicum Projects
Below you will find a list of students and their practicum projects to read about and potentially gain insight from. The students offered up their email addresses so that you can contact them in the case that you would like to hear more about their practicum or even ask for their advice. Do not be afraid to reach out to them! They are on this page for a reason.
Cole Kics
His Practicum:
For my practicum, I traveled to Argentina and did a work exchange while staying with a family. The goal of this trip was to compare my headspace at Mines and at work exchanges to better understand what factors create work culture. It was in a small, little-known town called Villa Meliquina. I worked 5 hours per day, 5 days per week, building a brick wall, collecting rocks, cleaning dishes for the family-owned bakery, and other miscellaneous tasks. Here, I discovered my love for mundanity, simplicity, and peace. I met people from all around the world, coming from different work and experiential backgrounds to the same place. Some were on vacation, some were burnt out from their 9-5 jobs, and some were doing nomadic work for a living. Other than getting the utmost joy out of spending time with these people each day, I realized how big the world truly is, and that I must keep this in mind during my time at Mines and beyond.
His Website:
Website: https://com72789.wordpress.com/
Annie Welch
Her Practicum:
Jessie Hiatt
Her Practicum:
For my practicum, I studied abroad in the summer of 2021 in Ireland, excavating a 12th century castle and explore my own cultural heritage through research, first-hand exploration, and reflection. I was able to apply the skills I have learned studying geological engineering to understand the material culture and impact humans can have on the landscape around them in a period 800 year before our own. The continuities of geology and archaeology are astounding, and at their simplest definition, they are both about figuring out what happened in the past and how things came to be (although on different time scales). This curiosity is what I pursued during my field experience. Combined with the opportunity to live with a family in the Irish country-side and converse with community volunteers working on the dig I was not simply observing the culture, but rather interacting with it. I lived with other students from a diverse range of fields of studies, experiences and locations connecting beyond work in Ireland’s trademark social establishments, the pub. I recorded my time in an all-encompassing blog for my ‘clicks, digs and swigs’. Upon my return I integrated images from my travels with those taken in my own home to explore and demonstrate the connection of my own life with a place that happened to feel like one itself.
Her Contact Info:
Tommy Klinedinst
His Practicum:
For my practicum, I decided to explore the geologic precursors to Cincinnati’s development and modern state. To start, I read the book Origins by Lewis Dartnell, in which Dartnell asserts and justifies that the “Earth set the stage for the human story and its resources continue to direct human civilization” (Dartnell 287). Naturally, this led me to wonder how my own hometown, Cincinnati, has been shaped by its geologic history. To find out, I first established a background of the region’s geology and spoke with local experts at the Cincinnati Museum Center to narrow my research. Specifically, I ended up focusing on the glacial history surrounding Cincinnati’s waterways. Early on, I discovered that downtown Cincinnati is located atop a terrace formed by an eroded glacial moraine which saved it from the Ohio River’s floods in its settlement. I also found that significant glacial outwash carved the wide basin around the Mill Creek, allowing for its banks to become a primary transportation corridor and industrial hub. These conclusions, along with others, showed me that before a single cobblestone was ever laid down, Cincinnati’s future was shaped by the geologic history of the land on which it was built. Furthermore, through this practicum, I learned that as humans, we live in pockets of geologic affordance and expand along paths of least resistance. Therefore, “nature” is not necessarily limited to landscapes untouched by humans, but is rather embedded in the development of even the densest cities.
At the conclusion of my practicum, I submitted a summary of these findings and conclusions to the Cincinnati Enquirer. This summary ended up being published locally in some versions of the print Enquirer on January 8th, 2022.
His Contact Info:
tklinedinst@mines.edu
Jessie Hiatt
Her Practicum:
For my practicum, I studied abroad in the summer of 2021 in Ireland, excavating a 12th century castle and explore my own cultural heritage through research, first-hand exploration, and reflection. I was able to apply the skills I have learned studying geological engineering to understand the material culture and impact humans can have on the landscape around them in a period 800 year before our own. The continuities of geology and archaeology are astounding, and at their simplest definition, they are both about figuring out what happened in the past and how things came to be (although on different time scales). This curiosity is what I pursued during my field experience. Combined with the opportunity to live with a family in the Irish country-side and converse with community volunteers working on the dig I was not simply observing the culture, but rather interacting with it. I lived with other students from a diverse range of fields of studies, experiences and locations connecting beyond work in Ireland’s trademark social establishments, the pub. I recorded my time in an all-encompassing blog for my ‘clicks, digs and swigs’. Upon my return I integrated images from my travels with those taken in my own home to explore and demonstrate the connection of my own life with a place that happened to feel like one itself.
Her Contact Info:
jhiatt@mines.edu
Brayden Johnk
His Practicum:
For my practicum, I embarked on an adventure into my kitchen and an exploration into the world of food. My plans (like most people’s) were drastically changed with the Covid pandemic in the spring of 2020, forcing me to find an idea for my summer practicum that didn’t involve traveling to Iceland as originally planned. So, given my inexperience with cooking, I decided to spend my practicum learning how to cook! Along the way, I not only learned the fundamentals of cooking, but I was actually able to produce some fantastic meals, including shrimp scampi and linguini, buttermilk marinated roast chicken, and Christmas pasta, a family tradition. As part of my experience, I was able to explore our intricate connection with food. I did this through investigating food literature and by visiting the Golden community garden and Pure Foods Colorado, a local organic farm near Colorado Springs. Most importantly, the highlight of my practicum involved the people I experienced my food with, as I realized how powerful food can be in cultivating relationships. Whether it was grilling Ribeye at a barbeque with my buddies or cooking French toast in the middle of Canyonlands with my family, food truly has the power to bring people together and make us better because of it.
His Contact Info:
Madison Anderson
Her Practicum:
For my practicum, I co-chaired the planning of the Rocky Mountain Regional Student Conference that Mines was scheduled to host in April of 2020. Each year, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) hosts various regional competitions around the country in which colleges create, present, and race the concrete canoes they created. I was able spearhead the planning efforts that made the conference come to life!
Her Contact Info:
Allison Palmer
Her Practicum:
For my practicum, I am exploring the relationship between nature and people’s well-being. I started by doing some research, creating and distributing a survey, and doing some more research based on those responses. From that information, I came up with ten different “excursions”/”adventures” for me to embark upon and experience. These “excursions” include driving a scenic byway, the difference in nature’s impact on you during a 14er hike versus a 20-minute walk, and fishing. During and after these experiences, I am reflecting on, evaluating, and paying attention to how certain aspects of being in/around nature impact my well-being, all based on my own experiences and perceptions as well as what I learned from the survey and my research. From here, I write up my reflections on these and add a component representing my experience – this component could include a photograph that I took, a poem that I wrote, or an artistic piece that I created. I am currently in this “During” stage of my practicum, and I plan on using my experiences from this stage as well as my research from the previous stage to create something that will help others improve their well-being through nature. I have always been greatly moved by elements of nature, and I wanted to know more about why simply being in and experiencing these elements impacts and can improve aspects of our well-being. I also hope that understanding more about this phenomenon may enable me to help others 1) understand and harness the benefits of nature and 2) do so even in our ever-so-busy lives.
Her Contact Info:
arpalmer@mines.edu
Robert Brendsel
His Practicum:
For my practicum, I explored the relationship between traveling in the modern world and embarking on a pilgrimage. I began my practicum a little backwards as I spent 40 days backpacking across Europe before laying out groundwork for it. After multiple ideations and conversations following the completion of my trip, the notion of framing this as a pilgrimage seemed like a perfect fit. Before I could begin this framework, I needed to expand my understanding of a pilgrimage and how it has evolved over the centuries. Through my research I was able to discover the significance a pilgrimage holds for people throughout different time periods and how to identify a pilgrimage in today’s world where tourism is so popular. From there, I was able to reflect back on my travels and identify moments where personal growth occurred in terms of my connection to the world around me. I represented this growth through a photo journal where I highlighted multiple places and experiences that had a lasting impact on me. In the last phase of my practicum, I created a “Pilgrimage Passport” that can be used by anyone who wants to complete a modern day pilgrimage themselves. The idea behind this passport is to provide a new way of framing travel, as simply changing the perspective can cultivate personal discovery and growth which I realized on and after my backpacking pilgrimage.
Torin Johnson
His Practicum:
For this practicum, I took my own personal experiences of foreign travel, that of study abroad in Japan and the Nepal Hike for Help trip, and attempted to write stories which held some connection between the experiences. In other words, I wanted the stories of both Nepal and Japan to have overlaps and connections. The connection piece was shown more clearly through song. For each set of stories, I wrote a set of lyrics as well as well guitar (and eventually production) which encapsulated some of the emotional experiences and lessons learned while living these stories. Although based around reality, much of the stories were also fictionalized to provide greater depth to the writing. To showcase the pieces and music, a website was made where all of the writing was stored and audio files for the music were embedded. In addition, voice overs of the stories were made to provide a fully audio based experience when moving through them (incomplete at the time of writing this, hopefully done at the time of you reading this). The stories are placed in a specific order, but the order in which they’re read doesn’t really matter.
Website: https://www.torinj.com/
Email: torinjmusic@gmail.com
Youtube (there’s not much on it yet, but maybe around summer 2021): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0ME7lF6Ge0UfxEcHc60BOw
Banks Irelan
His Practicum:
For my practicum, in the Spring of 2019, I spent the semester studying abroad in New Zealand at the University of Canterbury. While going to school I enjoyed meeting lots of new people and going on whatever adventures I could find with these people, from climbing to backpacking to surfing. I was surrounded by the peaceful culture of New Zealand and learned what it means to slow down life while there. Feel free to contact me at Irelan@mines.edu. Check out my blog to learn more!
His Contact Info:
Leah Reeder
Her Practicum:
I did the STEM Research Pathway in Spring of 2019 by working remotely as an undergraduate intern at Sandia National Labs. I spent the majority of my time continuing the research project that I started the previous summer. During the semester that I completed practicum, I was also able to help my group at Sandia write a couple of papers and went to several conferences throughout the semester. This allowed me to see more than just the research side of working at a national lab. In addition to doing my research, I kept a journal that addressed a few cultural inquiries that I had while working remotely, which I turned in at the end of the semester to fulfill part of the practicum requirements.
Her Contact Info:
AliBeth Ryan
Her Practicum:
I love to travel and share my experiences with others. I often found that, after returning from a trip abroad, I couldn’t convey the culture, people, and country I had just visited sufficiently with words. That’s when I had the idea to take a photography course from a professional photographer. I focused on candid photography so I could capture the authenticity of the moments I witnessed. For my practicum, I documented my experience taking photography classes and studying candid photography. Then, I put into practice what I learned by taking a 10 day trip to London, England. I traveled around the city, enjoying tourist sites and local “secrets”, capturing the authenticity of moments through my camera lens. Upon my return, I combined my favorite images into a photobook that I gave to my family–both biological and McBride! I am now planning a two month trip to Southeast Asia, where I hope to spend a week in multiple countries, capturing and sharing their culture using my camera!
Her Contact Info:
Sigourney Burch
Her Practicum:
Hi there! My name is Sigourney Burch. I am currently majoring in Geophysical Engineering here at Mines. For my McBride practicum, I studied abroad over Summer 2019 and took an archeology course in Galway, Ireland through the Galway Archeological Field School at NUIG. Through this course, I was able to work on a medieval archeological site, excavating the bawn of Isert Kelly Castle, a medieval tower house. This work included opening two new trenches on the site, troweling for artifacts, and washing and cataloguing finds. For the experiential portion of the practicum, I created a mock office of public works sign for the site, telling its history through text and reconstruction drawings, and attended a commercial archeology meeting with my professor. This was an absolutely incredible experience and it allowed me the opportunity to complete hands on work at a dig site, while learning about Irish culture, as well as the history of medieval Ireland.
Her Contact Info:
sigourneyburch@mymail.mines.edu
(720) 244-9377
Ryan Evans
His Practicum:
Over the past year, I found myself becoming involved in clubs and organizations relating to campus mental health. I wanted my practicum to reflect this interest as well as my desire for helping the local Mines community. I got in touch with the fairly new Every Oredigger campus-wide initiative, which was created to promote mental health and wellbeing for students, staff, and faculty. Once I became a member of the campus-wide culture change committee, I worked with faculty and staff from different departments across campus, and we touched on areas like event programming, CSM policy, and ways to connect those at Mines with one another. I was eventually tasked with compiling a guide containing healthy lifestyle practices and tips for the Mines community, but then I figured that no one would want a list telling them how to live their own life. Rather than relying on Google to teach me about self-improvement, I decided to embrace all of the wisdom and experience we have on this very campus by asking students, staff, and faculty for quotes. These could be prayers, mantras, or any kind of phrases that are particularly meaningful to them, and I hoped that publicizing these messages could inspire others. Whether it’s just about getting through the day or related to overcoming long term challenges, I want to let students, staff, faculty, and anybody know that we can take motivation and hope from each other because we all face adversity in one form or another. Anyone who is interested in adding a quote to the board is able to contact me through my website or email, and I plan on setting times throughout the next semester to put up the new displays.
His Contact Info:
ryanevans@mines.edu
Blog: https://ryanevans169.wixsite.com/practicum
Hadley Thomas
Her Practicum:
For my practicum, over the Summer of 2019, I was an intern for Senator Inhofe of Oklahoma in his Washington, D.C. office. I answered the phones, gave Capitol tours, attended briefings, and helped write-up information for the Senator. I was given a lot of freedom on what events I wanted to attend and was encouraged to network while I was there. I met a lot of amazing people, learned a lot, and would highly recommend being a Senate intern. Please contact me if you have any questions about a public policy practicum or the Senate.
Her Contact Info:
hthomas1@mines.edu
(479) 330 – 1998
Joe Stitt
His Practicum:
For my practicum, over the Summer of 2019, I studied abroad in Rome, Italy for six weeks at John Cabot University! Since I was a kid, I have always dreamed of traveling to Italy. By studying abroad and completing my practicum, it was the perfect opportunity to accomplish this life goal! While I was there, I was able to explore the city of Rome, fill my passion for food, research aqueduct systems, and travel around to other cities in the country on the weekends. I was able to visit Florence, Venice, Positano, Orvieto, and the Cinque Terre coast. Studying abroad is a great way to step outside your comfort zone by exploring a new culture and satisfying your inner curiosity. If you want to check out any of the reports, blogs, vlogs, and pictures from my experience, check out my study abroad website.
His Contact Info:
Jonah Howe
His Practicum:
I did my practicum over the Summer of 2018. I traveled with the first group from Hike for Help that went and spent the summer in the Khumbu Valley in Nepal, teaching at the Shree Janasewa Basic School. Over the course of the summer, we aided teachers with students ranging from Pre-K to the eighth grade in a variety of subjects, including bringing laptop computers with us and allowing them to learn basic computer skills. However, our main, overarching purpose was to aid in the transition of all classes being taught in English (except for Nepali, of course) which was a recent federal mandate for all public schools in the country.
His Contact Info:
Jessica DiCaprio
Her Practicum:
For my practicum, in the Spring of 2019, I studied abroad in New Zealand. I attended the University of Canterbury located in Christchurch, but I spent many of my weekends and breaks exploring different parts of the country. I kept a blog to document my travels which you can check out. Blog posts range from weekly adventures to reflecting on the cultural differences I noticed during my time abroad. The blog, along with a couple essays, helped fulfill practicum requirements.
Her Contact Info:
Meghan Anderson
Her Practicum:
For my practicum, I studied abroad at the University of Wollongong in Australia. While there, I focused on studying the race relations present in Australia’s greater culture. My goal was to look at both the similarities and differences of these dynamics when compared to the United States. I was interested in looking into this topic because I was curious if these relationships could potentially give some insight into some of the problems present in the United States. The U.S. and Australia have a number of similarities, which made looking into this topic fascinating. I found that many of the same cultural influences have shaped the dynamics. This issue has also shown how important geographic location and cultural development are to the importance a nation places on diversity. This was a tremendously educational experience that had a huge impact on my world views. I would highly recommend a study abroad experience to anyone who wishes to explore and learn about another culture and its heritage.
Jocelyn Johnson
Her Practicum:
Hi there! My name is Jocelyn Johnson and I’m studying Civil Engineering here at Mines. For my practicum experience, I studied abroad at the University of Auckland, NZ. Auckland is a very international city so there is a lot to see, eat and do just minutes from the University. The public transportation also made it easy to get out into nature and relax after a week of classes. While in New Zealand I learned how to sail, hiked through dense forests and glow worm caves, visited so many markets, studied Māori culture, explored nearby islands, spent time on the beach, and road-tripped all over both main islands with the friends I met from around the world. New Zealand is a beautiful country and I am so thankful I got the chance to explore it. If you have any questions about studying abroad or New Zealand, don’t hesitate to contact me using the info below! Also, if you are curious about some of my adventures, feel free to check out my blog.
Her Contact Info:
jocelynjohnson47@gmail.com
(360) 303-5515
Blog: https://jocelynjohnson47.wixsite.com/mysite
Susan Fender
Her Practicum:
For my practicum, in the Spring of 2019, I explored the media’s role in the narrative that hard work is the defining factor of success for homeless populations. I did this through volunteering weekly with Family Promise of Greater Denver, a local nonprofit, and conducting independent research.
Her Contact Info:
John Whatley
His Practicum:
For my practicum, I prepared for and went to the Longleaf Writers Conference. For this practicum, you spend an immersive week in workshops and readings with several acclaimed authors. The genres covered are fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry and attendees will have the opportunity to have their work reviewed and workshopped by professionals and people who are passionate about writing. The conference takes place in Seaside, Florida in early May, so attendees can enjoy practicing their craft on the pristine sandy beaches of the area. This practicum is open to writers of all skill levels, just be passionate about writing!
His Contact Info:
Parker Bolstad
His Practicum:
Over the summer I worked as a summer intern at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. While in New York, at the UN headquarters, I joined U.S. diplomats as they negotiated with other countries on both a bilateral and multilateral basis. Primarily, my focus was on the issues of climate change and environmental management. Following my time at the UN, I attended a policy fellowship at the Stanford Hoover Institute for one week. As a result of these two experiences, I began to reflect on the nature of public service, in particular, how does one square service to others without losing touch to the values they hold. How do public servants determine when they have an obligation to do as they are told or ignore those orders for being immoral. Over my final semester at Mines, I am exploring these concepts for my practicum.
His Contact Info:
parkerbolstad@mymail.mines.edu
Joshua Urbonas
His Practicum:
My practicum experience began with a teaching opportunity at Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth summer camp. At this camp, I co-taught a course called “The Physics of Engineering” to 5th and 6th graders–and let me tell you, these kids were smart. They were learning material that I was having a hard time grasping in my freshman year at Mines. At this camp, a question arose that mainly drove my practicum experience. This idea started out very generally, but I decided to take on the Leadership and Innovation Practicum Pathway to craft and attempt to answer a research question. Eventually, this general idea was narrowed down to the following: How might one promote positive academic performance of students in their K-12 years through participation in academic and/or athletic extracurricular activities? Now you might be wondering how I ended up at that point, so you can go read my research paper. In short, I noticed many of the students at the camp were involved in extracurricular activities–whether that was school related or not–and I also noticed these students were exceptional learners. In turn, I wanted to figure out if there was a connection here. Okay, NOW you can go read my paper. Most importantly, this practicum pathway and the research was guided heavily by my personal experiences in the camp and other teaching experiences I had at Mines. It was not just what I found in the literature.
His Contact Info:
Cecilia Nepple
Her Practicum:
My practicum involved spending the year studying at the University of Oxford! I attended Christ Church College, the very same Oxford college that inspired JK Rowling’s Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! On top of my studies, I joined the women’s rowing team, won the Michaelmas Regatta, organized vaccinations for homeless individuals after an outbreak of mumps, and traveled to over twenty European cities! The streets of Oxford were entrenched in ghosts, an eclectic menagerie of past and present that overwhelmed me with the beauty of all the knowledge I would never come to know. For my practicum, I filmed segments of my journey and compiled them into a YouTube series on evolving perspectives of memory and identity. The practicum enabled me to synthesize my love for neuroscience with creative mediums that connected historical events with present individual and collective identities. My videos can be found on my YouTube channel or through my blog, both of which are linked below. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions about study abroad, videography, or screenwriting!
Her Contact Info:
cnepple@mymail.mines.edu
Blog: www.cnepple.wixsite.com/home
Instagram: ceci.mariecee
YouTube: Momento Mori
Hanzelle Kleeman
Her Practicum:
This semester, I completed my practicum through the research pathway. I worked on Dr. Zhu’s team, Ethical Governance and Learning of Emerging Technologies, to explore the social, economic, and political intricacies of technology. This opportunity allowed me to take a deeper look into the long-term impact of design decisions. In my remaining time at Mines, I plan to continue contributing to the team; I am very interested in developing tangible engineering solutions that address less tangible societal issues.
Her Contact Info:
Bora Basyildiz
His Practicum:
My practicum was a case of study of Italian Jazz, where I attended and researched jazz clubs in Rome. I spent about 5 weeks in Rome during the summer, and every weekend I would research artists and attend jazz clubs where these artists performed. I would take notes on the instrumentation, composition, and tonality of the artists to make distinctions between Italian jazz and American jazz. I would later post an analysis of these musicians on my blog, where I would site specific aspects of the performance to more fully understand them. After 5 weeks of research, I used my findings to compose my own Italian jazz piece called “For Francesca,” and I broke down the specific components that made my piece Italian jazz through a lengthy written analysis. In addition to my composition, I also wrote an analytical paper where I linked Mussolini’s oppression of Italian jazz through WWII to its popularity and growth as a genre post WWII. Overall my practicum was a phenomenal experience, and I am very thankful to McBride for enabling me to go across the world and do research on this extremely interesting topic.
His Contact Info:
Katelyn Broderick
Her Practicum:
For my project, I researched ways to improve retention and enrollment in a STEM Outreach Program called DECtech. DECtech is focused on teaching girls in 3rd-10th grade about different STEM topics and incorporates hands-on activities to improve learning. During my Practicum, I taught 3rd/4th grade sessions of DECtech and helped out with an AP Computer Science class at a nearby high school. From my experience, I learned more about how to teach, as well as how to improve the percentages of women in STEM through effective outreach programs for girls. Here’s a link to the website I created that includes my research, reflections, and outreach experiences: https://katelynelizabethbr.wixsite.com/stem-outreach
Her Contact Info:
katelynbroderick@mymail.mines.edu
Silje Ostrem
Her Practicum:
My practicum can be distilled into three words “Quilting”, “Antennas”, and “Feminism”. It’s first and foremost, an exploration of the forces, personalities, and people in my family that shaped who I am.
I started by exploring how crafting and engineering are incredibly technical but not given equal respect in society. I then moved into exploring the art and beauty behind electromagnetics and RF hardware design, the field I’ve dedicated my entire college career to, and finally moved into designing and creating a quilt top based on what I find compelling and beautiful about RF engineering.
When looking at my family, everyone is simultaneously incredibly creative and incredibly technical, just manifested in different ways. We often consider these traits contradictory, but my practicum aims to change that perception of both engineering and creativity. I grew up (seemingly) without any passion for engineering and instead spent my free time hopping from knitting to crocheting to embroidery to sewing and back again. To most people, these aren’t hobbies that scream “future engineer”, but I’ve found the lessons I’ve learned from them to be invaluable as an engineer. My “feminine” crafts provided me the same technical insights as playing with Legos/taking apart toys, but I was left to figure that out on my own. On the flipside, I find incredible creative inspiration from my technical work and have found so little art inspired by electromagnetics. To me, these two realities are because of the same sexist rhetoric applied to both engineering and fiber arts.
My practicum breaks down the gendered barriers between fiber arts and engineering and recognizes the inherent, and often overlooked, beauty in electromagnetics.
Landon Brown
His Practicum:
For my practicum I decided to combine my passions for art, music, psychology, and philosophy and put together my first solo music performance with almost entirely original material. The performance, called the Wizard, the King, & the Fool is a medieval theater style psychological exploration, which, inspired by the theories of psychologist Carl Jung, uses music and AI generated art amongst other mediums to channel, observe, and integrate several distinct ‘archetypes’ of the ‘collective unconscious’.
The performance is split into several acts, in each of which a different archetype (i.e. the Wizard, the King, and the Fool) are embodied. Within each act, the positive and negative aspects of each archetype are explored through different songs. Furthermore, the perceived negative aspects of one archetype (e.g. manipulation in the Wizard) become the positive aspects of the next (e.g. ambition in the King) in an effort to create harmony between them. As the performance progresses, layers of the psyche are peeled back and more of the subconscious is revealed.
The point of the performance is to demonstrate the process of individuation,“the psychological process that makes a human being an ‘individual’-a unique, indivisible unit or ‘whole man,’” (Jung). Through my practicum I learned individuation is a never-ending process which requires continued observation, acceptance, and understanding of unconscious parts of ourselves, of which music and art is merely a tool for doing so.
For a more in-depth explanation of my practicum and the process I went through, please visit wizardkingfool.com!
Parmida Mahdavi
Her Practicum:
Hello! My name is Parmida Mahdavi and for my practicum I explored the role of street food for cultural preservation amongst minority communities in South Korea and Thailand. Food has always been more than just a means of sustenance for me, but a way to share love, culture and stories with those around me without even uttering the words. Over winter break of my senior year, I traveled to Seoul and Bangkok and conducted my research with street vendors in the cities. The best part was, I convinced my best friend, who loves food and culture just as much as me, to come along for the adventure! This opportunity truly changed my life, and I cannot thank the Mcbride program and donors enough for making it happen for me. If you want to read more about what I did, look at my blog below, ask Justin or Karin for “the cookbook” or reach out to me directly at parmidamahdavi81@yahoo.com.
Blog: https://midapracticum.blogspot.com/
Socials: ig: parmidamahdavi
Juliana Dickson
Her Practicum:
McKenzie Jones
Her Practicum:
Peter Reasoner
His Practicum:
My Practicum included studying abroad in Singapore and exploring the culture and festivals of this eclectic city. To start I investigated different festivals, both in Singapore and in other countries. Through my time in Singapore, I was able to explore the culture of the city through visiting the iconic sites and talking with locals. Upon returning, I embarked on a research project, learning more of the “factual” side of Singapore, comparing the city I saw to what I can research. From that I developed the During and After assignments. Through researching the city and experiencing the city I was able to gain a much deeper understanding and appreciation of my host city. You can see my Practicum here: https://peterreasoner.wixsite.com/retepsworld
Ben Idler
His Practicum:
I have had a passion for architecture and design my entire life; as a result, I decided to investigate the use of architecture as a tool to further political ideologies and agendas, specifically in Denmark. To begin, I developed a research paper that outlined and analyzed the ways in which architecture has historically been used by political bodies to emotionally and psychologically influence their audience. I then studied abroad for the semester in Aarhus, Denmark, where I applied the ideas discovered in the paper. After applying the same ideas to the structures in Aarhus (and a couple around Denmark), I developed a sort of photo journal that analyzed the use, influence, and purpose of architectural choices and elements in the context of Danish societal and political goals. Immersing myself in the culture and personally experiencing the structures and their interaction with the surrounding environment allowed for a more in-depth and valuable practicum. This truly was an incredible experience that had personal value far beyond my expectations and deliverables.
Ava Driscoll
Her Practicum:
My practicum was an investigative exploration of the exotic pet industry in the United States. I started my exploration by compiling information on laws, definitions, and statistics. I created parameters and definitions of my own to work with, as some terms I had to work with were rather subjective, such as “domestic” and “exotic”. I then began seeking out interviews with people involved with the exotic pet industry, such as those who own exotic pets and even a private zoo owner with hundreds of animals. I also visited a wide variety of exotic pet stores. During these outings and interviews, I paid the most attention to quality of care and the “why” of keeping the vast array of beautiful animals encompassed within the exotic pet industry. My “big finale” was when I attended the Nashville Exotic Pet Expo and to capture footage and gain a true understanding of the people who keep exotic animals, for better or for worse. All of my experiences were synthesized into a 50-minute documentary. I believe that this documentary encourages people to think critically about the commodification of complex, need-intensive animals and why we have such a fascination with wild animals.
https://avadriscollwbl.wixsite.com/altpetsproject
Preston Nash
His Practicum:
My Practicum experience took me from Copper Mountain Ski Resort to Highway 114 over the course of 20 days. I crossed rivers and climbed peaks, all the while exploring who I was and what nature had to offer me. About half of the trip was spent alone, with occasional “good morning” calls from squirrels and one really good conversation with a marmot. The other half of the trip was spent with some of my closest friends and family. As much fun as I had, the trip had two clear intentions from the start. The first was to explore the ways in which humanity connects with nature in the hopes of revealing why American society loves to get outside. The second was to allow my mind to wander the trails my legs couldn’t quite take me on with the dream of being able to communicate why nature is so special to me. I sought answers to my questions both on the trail but also in a plethora of books, ranging from memoirs to poetry to history. I was even so inspired by the literature I read, that I produced my own works of poetry to commemorate and reflect on the trip. While my realizations about nature have years of refinement ahead of them, I’ve come to the conclusion that nature is special because it’s one of the few places where we can be ourselves without influence or recourse. Joy, exhaustion, excitement, adventure, awe, fear, nerves. Nature lets us experience all of it while showing us who we truly are. For more insight into my trip, visit my blog here.
Lilly Wilson
Her Practicum:
Interested in exploring the nuances of animal welfare, I spent ten weeks in the Netherlands and volunteered at a seal rescue center called Zeehondencentrum. Needless to say, it was an absolutely amazing experience! Not only do I now have an inordinate amount of seal knowledge, but I also learned so much about myself and the relationship between humans and nature. While at the center, I had the opportunity to speak with the seal nurses, observe a pod of seals in their natural habitat, clean seal enclosures (lots of cleaning), and even hold seal pups during umbilical cord checks. After returning from the Netherlands, I wrote and self-published a short story which summarized my biggest takeaways from the experience. Overall, my practicum taught me both the good and more challenging aspects of animal rehabilitation, and I now have a new appreciation for seals, animals, and nature.
Contact Info: lillywilson@mines.edu
Julia Eiken
Her Practicum:
For my practicum, I taught myself how to bake bread. I baked ten different loaves over ten weeks and gave each loaf to somebody I cared about. Some weeks I baked alone, some weeks with a family member and some weeks I had to chat with my recipient over zoom. My experience gave me the opportunity to, most importantly, have one-on-one time with the people I love and to also see my relationships from an outside perspective. I learned about my place in my relationships, and how I can learn from the people that surround me.
Lauren D'Ambra
Her Practicum:
For my practicum, I wanted to investigate the world of fashion and the value that goes into fashion design. I was very lucky to be able to accompany a traveling McBride class on their trip to London, one of the world’s fashion capitals. While I was there, I toured different design studios as well as several fashion exhibits at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Upon my return to Mines, I used some of the new skills I acquired to create a piece of clothing inspired by values I see exhibited on the Mines campus. I am very happy with my project because not only do I have a new piece of clothing to wear out and about, but I also discovered the world is a big place and I can’t wait to explore more of it!
Here’s the link to my blog. Everything should be up and running now:
Jason Lee
His Practicum:
I went to Nepal to utilize various technologies in conjunction with monkhood practices to create a documentary that explored the possibilities of elevating age-old philosophies with modern ‘spirit tech’ (brain reading, writing, VR) devices.
Website and DocuLink:
https://jasonleeresume.net/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4CKj5Ng6kM&t=1635s&ab_channel=JasonLee
Inspiration Links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG_chQK9iGc&t=669s
https://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Tech-Consciousness-Enlightenment-Engineering/dp/1250274931
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdGC-xzIGEA&t=146s&ab_channel=100huntley
Drew Cornmesser
His Practicum:
I noticed sometime at the beginning of the Fall 2022 semester that I was spending a lot of time on my phone (predominately social media). Accompanying this increase in social media usage I also noticed a rise regarding my dissatisfaction in my own mental and physical health. For my Practicum I set out to conduct an experiment with myself as the test subject in order to qualitatively and quantitatively describe the effects of social media on my own mental and physical wellbeing.
https://sites.google.com/view/30dayswithoutsocialmedia/after
Leonardo Aragon
His Practicum:
For my practicum I did an investigation of the Norteño culture of Northern New Mexico by researching the history of the area as well as interviewing family members that have spent their lives there. I focused my investigation around the central themes of sense of place, familial structure, and shared values. What I found was that the cultural identity of Norteños was centered around a strong connection to the land that have been rooted in hundreds of years of survival and farming dating back to Spanish conquistadores and Native Puebloans. I was also reminded of the importance of family gatherings and the cohesion of a family unit based on mutual respect and loyalty. Lastly, the aforementioned themes were tied together in shared values of land stewardship, family above all, and the preservation of our culture and language. I had a great time completing this practicum and hope to continue my investigation in the future as well as document my journey for others to explore and learn about my home and people.
Website: https://nortenonuevo.weebly.com
Hannah Taylor
Her Practicum:
For my practicum I wanted to explore three different cultural hubs around the Denver area, including Lebanese, Ethiopian, and Cuban cultures. Exploring the idea of the authenticity of these restaurant’s dishes through a variety of different lenses. I wanted to have a conversation with them over food that allowed me to hear and experience their culture. Those conversations then helped me open a doorway into their culture in Denver and give me more insights into how this cultural hub formed in Denver. Through this experience, was able to “explore my world” without leaving the Denver area and help guide people on how to do the same in other areas. Feel free to explore my website here: https://startranchvet.wixsite.com/my-site
Charles Nissen
His Practicum:
My name is Charles Nissen, and my practicum was how flow state impacts my every-day life, in an experimental manner. I started with the Introduction and a heavily researched topic regarding the psychological phenomena that Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi introduced, and the impact it had on athletes, musicians, and artists. From there, I started creating scientific articles about my experiences with flow-state, taking note of the initial conditions and variables, in every experience. I then compiled these experiences into a lab-report style of conclusion to publish my findings in a manner that was easy to follow for the general public, so that any user can take my experiences and help incorporate these causes of flow-state in their life.
Davian Sandoval
His Practicum:
Davian Sandoval’s McBride practicum explored the psychological drama genre through the process of screenwriting and academic exploration. Initially aiming to produce a feature-length film, Davian shifted to creating a short film due to time and resource constraints, focusing instead on developing a screenplay. The practicum included research, mentorship, and cultural immersion during a study abroad program in Japan, where relevant coursework and reflective writing enriched the project. Although filming was ultimately not completed, Davian produced a polished screenplay that conveys personal and cultural insights, embodying chaotic and nonlinear aspects they value in modern storytelling. This journey fostered personal growth, writing skills, and a deeper understanding of film as a mirror of identity and culture, culminating in a strong screenplay to be proud of.
Tess Johnon
Her Practicum:
After reading “On Trails” by Robert Moor, and a lifetime of exploring the outdoors, I chose to spend my practicum exploring trails as historical artifacts in contrast with their contemporary value as recreational vehicles. I took a National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) course in wilderness medicine and hiked 5 different segments of the Smoky Hill Trail in the Denver metro area as a case study. In addition to these experiences, I researched various historical perspectives on trails and the Smoky Hill Trail specifically, published five blogs documenting my hikes, and completed a digital guide to exploring trails in new ways. This practicum challenged my long-accepted view of trails and how we interact with them. My website with all items related to my practicum is linked below, along with my contact information.
Tobin Houchin
Their Practicum:
For practicum, I explored the long-form creative writing process and the publishing industry. I attended the Longleaf Writers Conference to introduce myself to professional writing spaces, contacts, and techniques. Over a year, I revised a 150-thousand-word original fiction novel to its third polished draft. I challenged myself to refine my writing and to begin breaking into the world of publishing. My understanding of my world and my creative process flourished throughout this project—and my confidence in my craft. Someday, you’ll see my name on shelves!
Weston Gary
His Practicum:
For practicum, I investigated tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs): what makes them fun, how they are organized, and the stories they can tell. After reading all published editions of Dungeons and Dragons, I created my own TTRPG, LUMPEN, centered on destitute monster hunters in late 19th century Paris. I used novel dice mechanics and skill system to emphasize themes of poverty, desperation, class struggle, and inglorious, yet necessary, labor.
Madelyn Swelstad
Her Practicum:
For my practicum, I explored how Buddhist meditation seeks to transform suffering into bliss. In addition to wide research on meditation (in its many forms), I began a personal practice of mediation, attended mediation centers around Denver, and traveled to Thailand to participate in a ten-day silent mediation retreat (the photo is of my first meal after the retreat—an experience I could not even begin to put into words). In the end, I took the lessons I learned at the retreat and transformed them into a children’s book centered about a firefly and her abundance of balloons. To peruse my work, check out this link: https://madelynswelstad.wixsite.com/meditation-practicum