Newmont Mining Corporation continued its support of the College of Science's Mackay School of Earth Sciences & Engineering with a gift of $250,000 that John Mudge, Newmont's Vice President of Environmental & Social Responsibility, presented to University of Nevada, Reno administrators on Feb. 25. The donation will support students, faculty, research and educational outreach within the Mackay School.

Newmont Mining Corporation has generously supported the University of Nevada, Reno for the last forty years. During the last ten years, Newmont's contributions to the Mackay School have supported students through scholarships, assistantships, travel assistance, and classroom improvements. Newmont's generosity has also helped staff the Arentz Student Center. Contributions have also supported the development of a GIS program and the return of a metallurgical engineering program in the Mackay School through the creation of an endowed faculty position, the Newmont Professorship.

"This investment by Newmont will further serve to increase the educational opportunities available to potential, existing, and returning students in the Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering," said Jeff Thompson, Dean of the College of Science. "It also helps facilitate the university's vision to create one of the finest mining and earth sciences schools in the world."

Along with supporting the Arentz Student Center, Newmont's latest gift allows for further recruitment and retention of Mackay students and additional current funds to support Newmont Professor Maurice Fuerstenau, who is currently focused on preparing undergraduate students for careers in extractive metallurgy in the minerals industry. The funds will also support further minerals process engineering research relevant to issues facing the mining industry, along with education and research in economic geology. In addition, the gift supports the Newmont Scholars and the Mackay Fund for Excellence for student and faculty scholarly support and recognition.

"Ongoing investments from industry partners such as Newmont Mining Corporation help ensure the financial health of the Mackay School in a time when the university is facing deep budget cuts," said Thompson. "Newmont's staunch support has positioned Mackay's mining related programs to grow and develop, which in turn helps support the needs, both human resource and research, of the mining industry." he said.