Mission, Vision and Values

Mission, Vision and Values

At South Dakota Mines, our mission, vision and values guide how we educate, innovate and serve society. Grounded in a tradition of academic rigor and ingenuity, we are building a future-ready STEM university where experiential learning, research and innovation prepare graduates to make a meaningful impact.

Our Mission is to educate scientists and engineers to address global challenges, innovate to reach our creative potential, and engage in partnerships to transform society.

Our Vision is to be the nation's most future-ready STEM university by integrating experiential learning, research, and innovation.

Our Core Values shape how we learn, work, collaborate and contribute to our communities.  They include: 

Tradition:
We honor our rich history and maintain the traditions that define the Hardrocker spirit.

Rigor:
We pursue excellence and maintain high standards in learning, research, and professional practice.

Ingenuity:
We embrace creativity, experimentation, entrepreneurship, and adaptability.

Impact:
We focus our efforts on meaningful outcomes that improve lives, industries, communities, and society.

Integrity:
We act with honesty, accountability, transparency, and ethical responsibility.

Formation:
We develop not only technical competence, but also judgment, leadership, resilience, character, and professional identity.

Partnership:
We believe transformative outcomes emerge through collaboration with industry, government, alumni, and communities.

Belonging:
We believe students, faculty, and staff thrive when they are known, supported, challenged, and connected to a meaningful community.

Our Strategic Plan builds on the strengths that distinguish South Dakota Mines while positioning the university to meet the evolving needs of students, industry and society. Through experiential education, research and innovation, strong partnerships, and a commitment to student success, we are shaping the future of STEM education and expanding our impact.

Explore our Strategic Plan to learn more about our long-term direction and priorities.