Central Wyoming Section of SME donates $100,000 for Swank Scholarship

The Central Wyoming Section of SME has donated $100,000 to establish the Arch and Lynne Swank Scholarship.

Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, one student will receive a $3,600 scholarship, split between the fall and spring semesters. To qualify, a student must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA and be enrolled in 10 credit hours. Preference will be given to degree-seeking applicants majoring in geology, geography, engineering, or physical sciences related to mining. The recipient must be a Wyoming resident and be interested in working in the mining and/or mineral extraction industry in the state.

“This scholarship is being established to encourage the next generation of Wyoming students to pursue careers in Wyoming,” said Wayne Heili, spokesman for the Central Wyoming Section of SME — Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration.

According to Lynne Swank, Archer “Arch” Swank graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a professional degree in geological engineering and completed 31 hours of electrical engineering at the University of Alabama-Huntsville. Arch worked on the manned space flight program, including the Apollo Mission, the ballistic missile programs, and other defense projects for the Air Force. He worked as a project control engineer on all types of uranium mining: underground, open-pit, and in situ. He also worked on coal projects in Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee. He served as project control engineer, responsible for critical path planning and cost monitoring, for the decommissioning of the Edgemont, South Dakota, mill.

He was an active member of the Wyoming Geological Association, the Central Wyoming Section of SME — Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration, the Casper College Geology Club, and the State Board of Geologists. Arch ended his career running his own computer mapping business, WYO-CAD, in Casper. Arch died in 2008.

Lynne continues to call Casper her home. The retired educator graduated from the University of Mississippi with a degree in special education, grades K-12, and in regular education, grades K-8. She taught special education for two years in Mississippi, one year in Alabama, and then came to Wyoming, where she taught special education for two more years. She then spent the next 18 years teaching special reading to students in grades four through six.

Lynne is an active member of the Central Wyoming Section of SME, the Wyoming Geological Association, the Society of Petroleum Engineers, the Geo Wives, the National Speleological Society, and The Hole in the Wall Grotto, a local caving club. “I enjoy hiking, skiing, rockhounding, and most any outdoor activity. Working with kids is my specialty and passion,” Lynne said.

To apply for this and other Casper College scholarships, visit the CC Foundation and Institutional Scholarships page.

At a Glance:

• Focus: A $100,000 donation to establish the Arch and Lynne Swank Scholarship.
• Recipient Institution: Casper College.
• Scholarship Statistics and Logistics:
  • Value: $3,600 annual award, split equally between the fall and spring semesters, $1,800 per semester.
  • Timeline: Awarding begins with the 2027-2028 academic year.
  • Eligibility: Must be a Wyoming resident, degree-seeking student, maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA, and be enrolled in at least 10 credit hours.
  • Preferred Majors: Geology, geography, engineering, or mining-related physical sciences.