MinerAlert
MinerAlert
On March 12, ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ students celebrated ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Day, ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½’s longest-running tradition, adapted to a virtual setting. Organizers of the event utilized online resources to safely engage participants in popular ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Day activities such as serenading ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ President Heather Wilson and the Team Mining Challenge.
ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Day is celebrated on campus every March in observance of St. Patrick’s Day. The tradition began in 1920 when ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ was known as the Texas College of Mines and Metallurgy, or ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½. It is an annual rite of passage to initiate new engineers and geologists into the Order of St. Patrick, the patron saint of engineers. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Day activities are open to all students, regardless of their major.
“ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ is a long-standing tradition that unifies our engineering students to those who came before. It’s the event that everyone, who has gone through engineering studies at ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½, can relate to,” said Patricia Nava, Ph.D., interim-dean of ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½’s College of Engineering. “That is, curriculum changes, professors change, but ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ transcends it all. I met with an alumnus, class of 1977, who asked if we still kissed the Blarney Stone… that memory stands out as one of his best. It’s a fun activity and I’m glad we can keep it alive.”
Since 1920 when the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Day tradition began, all participants who completed the day's activities become part of the ever-growing Mighty Guard of St. Pat. The Guard is the blood line that keeps the tradition alive every year to make ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Day happen.
ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ senior civil engineering major, Sebastian Lopez was voted by his peers, faculty and staff of ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½’s College of Engineering to represent St. Pat, the patron saint of engineers, during this year’s celebration. He was excited to be a part of the University’s time-honored convention and led the Mighty Guard on ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Day with a grand entrance called The Coming of St. Pat.
“This is a tradition that I always wanted to be a part of. The ability to represent it really makes me happy,” Lopez said. “This is one of those events that you will always remember … Sharing the experience with my peers just gives me a sense of fulfillment that isn’t easily replaceable.”