Doug and Leah Beck speak with students, faculty and
staff at the dedication of the Beck Ballroom on Friday, Sept. 15 in the Surbeck
Center at South Dakota Mines.
South Dakota Mines dedicated the Beck Ballroom at
the Surbeck Center on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, honoring donors Doug and Leah Beck,
who donated $1 million toward the university’s Surbeck Center expansion
project. The ballroom is home to many university and community events, bringing
together students, faculty, staff, alumni and Rapid City citizens throughout
the year.
Doug, a 1980 South Dakota Mines graduate in electrical
engineering, was the third generation of his family to attend South Dakota
Mines. He went on to lead
Harold Beck & Sons, an electric actuator manufacturer in Newtown, PA, for
27 years as President and CEO. He was the third generation to own the business,
founded in 1936 by his grandfather Harold C. Beck. The company was named the 2022 Member Company of the Year by
the World Trade Center of Philadelphia. Doug received a South Dakota Mines Distinguished
Alumni Award in 2022.
“We’re very happy to be supporting the Surbeck
Center Expansion, and the improvements planned will be a great addition to this
campus,” said Doug. “Every gift we give is really for the students. We want
them to have the resources they need to be successful and the comforts that
help them have a good experience while they’re here.”
The Surbeck Center Expansion will add
much-needed dining hall and conference space, as well as increase accessibility
for student support offices such as Women in Science and Engineering,
Counseling and Veterans Resources. Additionally, the Admissions Office will
relocate to the Surbeck Center to provide prospective families with a distinct
first impression and an immediate connection to the culture and energy of
campus.
"Those
of us who are serving students in the Surbeck Center have been watching the
momentum grow as we fundraise for the expansion,” said Dr. Joe Dlugos, Dean of Students at Mines. “The levels of
generosity and support for this project are truly inspiring. Students leave
their mark all over our campus, but I think the memories made in the Surbeck
Center are especially significant.”
The Beck’s gift is very significant in the ongoing
effort to raise $7.1 million for the Surbeck Center Expansion. The Center for
Alumni Relations & Advancement is working hard to raise the remaining $1.8
million. Read more here about the
ongoing fundraising effort.