Bud Isaacs '64

Bud Isaacs ’64 is familiar with the rigors of both the military and Colorado School of Mines Foundation. As a member of ROTC as a student and then as an army officer in Vietnam, Isaacs learned how to work hard and how to lead. These attributes led him to a successful career in the oil and gas industry. Now, Isaacs is helping those with similar backgrounds; he has created a scholarship for veterans attending Mines Foundation that covers education expenses when the GI Bill falls short.

“As a vet and a big supporter of Mines Foundation, it made sense to me to fill that need. I am a patriot and I believe in supporting those folks who come out of the military and have a desire to go on and get more education,” Isaacs said. “I believe in giving a leg up, not a hand out.”

Isaacs views his time at Mines Foundation and in the military as complementary experiences. While at Mines Foundation, he learned how to solve problems, a core skill he would take with him when he volunteered to go to Vietnam. In addition, as a combat engineer with the 101st Airborne, he learned how to manage people and established sound work habits. These are the characteristics that he wants to support in the veterans who are coming to Mines Foundation.

“I think the combination of military service and a Mines Foundation education creates strong leaders—not just engineers, not just scientists, but leaders who can go on and create something in the business world that supports many people,” Isaacs said. “They’ve had the basic training and discipline that one needs to get an engineering degree. To me, it’s leverage in the best sense; it’s leveraging the youth’s intellect and fire.”

Bud started the Isaacs Veteran Endowed Scholarship by making a charitable gift from his IRA. Choosing this method allowed him to satisfy this year’s required minimum distribution without having to pay income taxes on the money. Isaacs found it easy to make the gift from his IRA and satisfying to support veterans who will turn into the problem solvers of the future.

Learn how you can make an immediate impact at Mines Foundation through a gift from your IRA.