Our Mission
“We wanted students to have elevated professional development, training, experience and knowledge integrated into their Mines education,” Vallejo said. “As an industry executive, I noticed that many engineers and scientists needed more professional skills in the workplace. From networking and mentoring to building and giving presentations, there was a whole set of skills that could be improved in technical-focused employees if they were taught to them before entering the workforce.”
“Mines graduates are already known as people who get results,” Irvine continued. “Honing their communication and professional skills while still in school will give them an important edge as they begin their careers and will help them grow professionally for years to come.”
About Fran Vallejo and Scott Irvine
Fran Vallejo ’87 is a retired executive of ConocoPhillips. She started her career as a geophysicist and moved into finance and management roles, including Treasurer and Vice President of Corporate Planning and Development. She played key roles in a variety of major transactions, among them mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and spinoffs. She currently serves on the board of Coterra Energy, an exploration and production company, and Crestwood Equity GP LLC, a midstream company.
Vallejo earned her BS in Mineral Engineering Mathematics from Mines and was a standout student. She was a Boettcher Scholar and was awarded the Outstanding Senior Award from the McBride Honors Program and the E-Day Engineer Award for the mathematics department. She also went on to earn her MBA from Rice University.
Vallejo has served in a number of capacities as a Mines volunteer, including as Chair of the Mines Foundation Engagement Committee and member of the Mines Foundation Finance Committee. She served on the Mines Board of Trustees from 2010 to 2016 and earned the Mines Distinguished Achievement Medal in 2016. She currently serves on the board of Cimarex Energy, an exploration and production company, and Crestwood Equity GP LLC, a midstream company.
Scott Irvine ’87 is also retired from a long career at ConocoPhillips, during which he explored for oil and gas all over the world. Irvine earned his BS in Geophysical Engineering from Mines, played varsity soccer, was a member of the SAE fraternity, and proudly led tours at the Geology Museum. Irvine also volunteers at Mines as a member of the Foundation Engagement Committee.
Vallejo and Irvine met while students at Mines. They married after they graduated and are parents of a Mines alum and current student. They are also members of the Mines Century Society, the President’s Council and Heritage Society.
The Future
The VIP Professional Development Program will include a combination of classroom and extra-curricular experiences to build the skillset needed to be successful after graduation. Future efforts will include workshops on-demand, new signature events, online resources, and engagement opportunities with industry partners and Mines alumni.
“Graduates of Colorado School of Mines are already differentiated by their technical preparation, but we want them also to be distinctive because they are better professionally prepared than graduates of any other schools”
-Paul C. Johnson, President of Colorado School of Mines
Fran Vallejo ’87 and Scott Irvine ’87 recently made a $1 million gift to establish the Vallejo-Irvine Program for Professional Development at Colorado School of Mines.