Taking Flight: South Dakota Mines Summer Camp Highlights Diverse Career Paths in Aviation

South Dakota Mines is helping the next generation of innovators take flight through its Adventures in Aviation summer STEM camp, giving high school students a hands-on introduction to the science, engineering and career opportunities behind aviation.

In its second year, the camp partners with a variety of organizations, including the Rapid City Regional Airport, the National Guard and the local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), to give students a deep look into the variety of careers in aviation and aerospace.

The camp was the brainchild of Robert Hall, Ph.D., former department head of mining engineering and management at Mines, whose passion for flying and involvement on the airport board and the EAA inspired the program.

“I thought it would be a good way to allow students to learn about the variety of careers in aviation and also highlight the engineering aspects of aviation and Mines,” said Hall. “My hope is that they have fun while discovering opportunities not only as pilots and air traffic controllers, but also in engineering, aircraft maintenance, avionics and other fields.”

The camp culminated in a flight hosted by EAA Chapter 39’s Young Eagles program, which aims to spark interest in aviation among children ages 8 to 17 by offering free airplane rides and educational materials. The flight is possible with EAA member volunteers, like Hall, who donate their own plane, time and fuel to offer student flights.

“We have awesome community members who donate their planes and their time to fly these students around Rapid City,” said Alyssa Shipper, assistant director of admissions at Mines and summer camps coordinator. “They get to overlook campus, the Hills and the outskirts of town. This also counts toward flight hours if their journey is to become a pilot.”

The hope is to get students interested in general aviation, which is slowly declining, according to Darrel Sauder, the Young Eagles coordinator for EAA Chapter 39. “We hope this gives them a taste of aviation, enthusiasm to share their experience with their friends and maybe end up in a future in aviation.”

Throughout the week, students interacted with aviation professionals and explored equipment used throughout the industry. “The camp is full of adventure,” Shipper said. “Students get to learn more about aircraft maintenance, building, avionics, aerospace engineering and so much more.”

The camp was made possible through a collaborative effort involving Rapid City Regional Airport, EAA Chapter 39, Plane Training, the National Guard and Army, the Mines electrical and computer engineering and mechanical engineering departments, and consulting firm Mead & Hunt.

Students came from across the country to participate in the camp, and for some, the experience reinforced their future career goals. “I want to design planes and hopefully spaceships,” said Timothy Lucas, who plans to pursue mechanical engineering at Mines.

This summer, participants in the camps came from as far away as Chile, according to Shipper, who said the camps offer a unique opportunity to showcase the Mines experience.

“We have so many students who commit to our school because of these camps,” she said. “Learning from our professors, industry partners and active students is the best form of recruitment - it’s genuine, and it’s real. You get to put yourself in the shoes of a South Dakota Mines student and picture yourself in this career you have a passion for.”