Helluva engineer: Mines to celebrate Spring 2026 Commencement on May 14-15

Colorado School of Mines will celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of more than 1,600 graduates during Spring 2026 Commencement on May 14-15.  

Mines will hold four undergraduate ceremonies over the two days of festivities, at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. May 14 and 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. May 15, organized by academic department. Graduate Commencement will close out the celebrations at 5 p.m. May 15.  

All five ceremonies will be held in Lockridge Arena, with tickets required to attend for anyone over the age of two. The ceremonies will also be live streamed on the Mines’ YouTube channel. 

Mines plans to confer 1,162 undergraduate degrees, 426 master’s degrees and 58 doctoral degrees during Spring 2026 Commencement. 

Three Mines alumni will be giving the keynote address at Undergraduate Commencement: Paul M. Anderson ‘85, senior director and deputy program manager for the Orion/Artemis Program for Lockheed Martin; Mike Starzer ‘83, founder and executive chairman of Fundare Resources Company; and Rob McKee ‘68. 

Anderson will speak at both ceremonies on May 14. Starzer and McKee will share duties on May 15, with Starzer speaking at the 9 a.m. ceremony and McKee at the 1 p.m. ceremony.  

Paul M. Anderson ‘85 

Paul M. Anderson is senior director and deputy program manager for Lockheed Martin’s Orion/Artemis Program, where he oversees development, production and mission execution for the Orion II–VIII spacecraft. He played a key role in the successful Artemis II mission, which flew four astronauts around the Moon for the first time in over 50 years — an achievement recognized worldwide for its scientific and engineering impact. 

Previously, Anderson served as senior director of the Spacecraft Integrated Engineering Team at Lockheed Martin Space, leading an organization of more than 2,200 engineers supporting a wide range of spacecraft programs. Over his 40-plus-year career, he has held several critical leadership roles, including human lander system program manager, Orion Artemis II vehicle director, and Orion avionics, power, and wiring director. 

He brings extensive experience leading complex, high-visibility space programs and guiding large, multidisciplinary teams across industry, government and international partners. 

Anderson holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering with a minor in geophysics from Colorado School of Mines, where he was a scholarship athlete, and a master’s degree in engineering management from the University of Colorado Boulder. He is active in alumni and professional organizations and, with his wife, Dawn, has two daughters. 

Mike Starzer ‘83 

Michael (Mike) Starzer is an energy executive with more than 40 years of experience spanning engineering, consulting and corporate leadership. He is the founder and executive chairman of Fundare Resources Company, an energy acquisition and development firm focused on low-risk, yield-driven investments in long-life oil and gas assets across Colorado and Wyoming. 

Over his career, Starzer has founded eight energy companies, including Bonanza Creek Energy, which completed a successful IPO in 2011 and grew to more than $3 billion in enterprise value. He has held numerous leadership roles, including chairman, CEO and managing partner, and has led the development of conventional and unconventional oil, gas and geothermal assets throughout the U.S. and Canada. 

In addition to his executive work, Starzer has served on multiple corporate and nonprofit boards and is an active speaker on energy technology, capital formation and public policy. He holds a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from Colorado School of Mines and an M.S. in Engineering Management from the University of Alaska. A registered Professional Engineer, he is a member of several industry organizations, including the Society of Petroleum Engineers and the Society of Petroleum Evaluation Engineers. 

Rob McKee ‘68 

Robert E. “Rob” McKee III earned a degree in Petroleum Engineering from Colorado School of Mines in 1968 and a master’s degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a Sloan Fellow in 1983. A retired executive vice president of exploration and production for ConocoPhillips, he concluded a 36-year career in 2003. 

Rob has received Mines’ Distinguished Career Achievement Award and is a member of the Athletic Hall of Fame, the Petroleum Engineering Hall of Fame and the Century Society. He also served as senior oil advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq following the 2003 invasion and has held numerous leadership roles across industry, philanthropy and corporate boards. He has served on the Mines Foundation Board of Governors for 17 years, including as Audit Committee Chair. 

Rob and his wife, Ann, are long-time supporters of Colorado School of Mines. Their contributions include the McKee West End Zone and numerous transformational upgrades to Mines Athletics facilities, including improvements to Jim Darden Field, the Clear Creek Athletics Complex, and both the football and baseball fields. They also established the McKee Family Scholarship Program, which has provided approximately 6-10 petroleum and mechanical engineering scholarships annually for more than 20 years.  In 2018, they established the President’s Bridge Award, providing financial support, mentorship and enhanced learning opportunities for students.