Vision

“What people remember you for the most may have little to do with what you earned, and much more to do with what you gave away, in some form or another” – Hugh Harvey 

As a student at Mines, Hugh Harvey received a Newmont Mining scholarship that helped to bring the cost of his education within reach. Hugh attributes much of his success to his Mines education, and as a result, the Harvey Scholars Program is focused around a “pay it forward” concept. To Hugh and Michelle, paying it forward means passing along one’s good fortune in the hope that others will do the same.

“What people remember you for the most may have little to do with what you earned, and much more to do with what you gave away, in some form or another,” Hugh says. 

In keeping with the spirit of the program, Harvey scholarship applicants are required to write an essay about the meaning of paying it forward—how they anticipate investing in their communities as they get established in their careers and lives.

“Being a Harvey Scholar means that I can focus on classes, and when I graduate I can focus on getting a job and on giving back to the community instead of paying off loans for my out-of-state tuition. Paying it forward means making a difference for others the way someone has made a difference for you. Not being selfish with what you have been given, but sharing it so that it spreads and grows and allows other people to prosper.” – Kylie Herzik, Computational and Applied Mathematics ’13 

“Paying it forward means taking what you’re given and amplifying it exponentially so that it reaches a huge spectrum of individuals. To me, it means spreading hope to everyone I meet and showing the world what huge difference the help the Harveys have given me has made in my life.” – Melody Clay, Civil Engineering ’15 

“To me paying it forward means being able to take the things that you are blessed with, be it money, time, or technical knowledge, and using those things to better the world for other people. As an engineering student and a Harvey Scholar at Mines, I’m able to gain the knowledge I need to help people, and the opportunities to do so.” – Carmella Caltagirone, Engineering ’15

“Paying it forward is a privilege where the good fortune you received can be shared with others in need. As a Harvey Scholar, you are a leader on campus who was given an immense gift: a college education. I don’t take that responsibility lightly, and I believe that it has allowed me to expand my horizons, deepen my impact, and improve my community. I will continue this mindset for the rest of my life!” – Kayla Benson, Environmental Engineering ’23

“Paying it forward truly means taking advantage of all of the blessings you have in your life in order to enrich and help in someone else’s life, and this can look very different depending on the individual. If you have the blessing of good health, use that blessing to volunteer to help those that are struggling medically, whether that be donating blood, plasma, or even just volunteering your time. If you are blessed with financial ability, use that in order to raise money for those less foturnate. If you are blessed with the gift of education, go forth and spread the knowledge you have to those who don’t have the opportunity to learn. Paying it Forward is a broad concept that can be achieved in many different ways. The important aspect is being compassionate towards others and attempt to take the blessings you have in your life, and pay it forward to the next person so they may feel it in their life as well. If we can all strive to embody this motto, the world truly will become a better place.” – Thomas Fischer, Engineering Physics ’25