Giving Societies

Simon Guggenheim, Colorado's U.S. Senator from 1907 to 1913, was one of the earliest contributors to Colorado School of Mines.

When his son, John Simon was born in 1905, Guggenheim celebrated by giving $80,000 to CSM.

The funds were used to build Guggenheim hall, which serves as the administrative and symbolic center of the Mines Campus.

By making annual gifts of $25,000 or more to Colorado School of
Mines, members of the Simon Guggenheim Society have made themselves a fundamental part of the School's future.

These individuals exemplify the vision and dedication demonstrated by past generations of CSM benefactors. Building upon a long and distinguished history of philanthropy, members of the Guggenheim Society assist the institution with initiatives that will carry its success far into the future.

These individuals, through their extraordinary commitment to Mines, influence our students, benefit our faculty, enhance our academic programs, and shape our campus. Philanthropic support is channeled into scholarships, special acquisitions, equipment purchases, and the creation of endowments to attract top faculty.

These funds are also the source of teaching awards, special events, and a host of other critical needs.

The fundamental strengths of the institution are greatly enhanced through the outstanding commitment and support demonstrated by members of the Guggenheim Society.

Winfield S. Stratton came to Colorado in 1868. At that time, he was an itinerant carpenter and unsuccessful prospector until July 4, 1891, when he staked what became the Independence Mine and started the great Cripple Creek gold Rush.

Stratton was appointed as a CSM trustee in 1899 and was elected president of the board in 1901.

He began the legacy of giving to the school by providing its first philanthropic gift of $25,000. The gift to CSM was designated to build a "Hall of Metallurgy" that would bear his name.

In the words of the state legislature, Stratton was "... the first of Colorado's wealthy mining men to recognize the importance of the School to the chief industry of Colorado.

Construction on Stratton Hall began in 1900, the cornerstone was laid in 1902 - the year Stratton died, and the building was finished in 1904.

Nathaniel P. Hill was first a student and then a professor of Chemistry at Brown University Francis M. Van Tuyl

and created the first laboratories for Brown's Chemistry and Physics Departments.

He came to Colorado in 1865 and a few years later introduced the first effective process for smelting precious metals from complex sulphide ores. He formed the highly succesful Boston and Colorado Smelter at Blackhawk in 1868.

He served on the first CSM Board of Trustees, from 1874 to 1876, and he was elected U.S. Senator for Colorado in 1888 and led the unsuccessful defense of the "Double Standard" fight to include silver in bimetallic currency.

CSM was the first institution to offer the degree of Geological Engineer and to establish a formal curriculum in geological engineering.

Dr. Francis M. Van Tuyl played an important part in the establishment of the degree.

He joined the geology faculty in 1917, became the department head in 1919, and remained in that capacity until his retirement in 1953.

Dr. Van Tuyl educated generations of students, many of whom became leaders in applied geology. In addition to his personal contributions to geological education and research, he was instrumental in nurturing the growing field of applied geophysics at Mines.

In 1866, Bishop George M. Randall arrived in the Colorado territory and, seeing a need for higher education facilities in the area, began planning for a university that would include a school of mines.

In 1870, he opened the Jarvis Hall Collegiate School in a building just south of the town of Golden and in 1873, the School of Mines opened under the auspices of the Episcopal Church.

In 1874, the School of Mines became a territorial institution and has been a state institution since 1876 when Colorado attained statehood.

Randall Hall was erected in 1957 and houses approximately 90 students on the Mines campus each year.

Diamond	$5,000,000 and Higher
Platinum	$3,000,000 to $4,999,999
Gold	$1,000,000 to $2,999,999
Silver	$500,000 to $999,999
Copper	$100,000 to $499,999