Mining values outside perspectives - a conversation with a finance major

Scottsdale native Lily Guthrie was originally attracted to the University of Arizona’s medical campus, and the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies that were coming out of the Psychology department, where students were able to get involved in research. But once on campus, the senior graduating in May 2023 found herself studying not only Psychology but Finance with minors in Business administration and Personal and Family Financial Planning. She had no idea she would one day be an active member of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration Arizona student chapter and compete in Intercollegiate Mining Games.

“[The U of A] is perfect for people who want to go into the industry,” says Guthrie with “lots of opportunity in the area you wouldn’t know about just driving in Tucson.” She says students learn a lot from the amazing opportunities for hands-on and work experience, such as through the San Xavier Mining Laboratory or internships. There’s a high job placement rate within this department and industry, and plenty of opportunities for students of all backgrounds. Guthrie describes how she hears many stories from her peers about them getting offered jobs just because they decided to strike up a conversation with the person next to them at a networking event.

Guthrie was introduced to the Intercollegiate Mining Games by a fellow student who invited her to participate. Guthrie was initially afraid of participating in the competitions since she was not a mining major and felt intimidated. However, her fears were immediately assuaged by the friendliness of everyone there. They included her in conversations and never made her feel out of place. She didn’t know everything about mining like a lot of the others, but they still wanted to be her friend, and many of them helped explain things to her.

Guthrie spent the summer interning at The Vanguard Group, Inc., working in financial advising. She’s currently the treasurer of the SME student chapter, the VP of Finance for the United Sorority and Fraternity Council and the President of Gamma Rho Lambda. She says “bringing an outside perspective” is helpful for her as Treasurer in the SME chapter. Business perspectives are always important in the mining industry, according to Guthrie. Companies are especially concerned with project value and marketing. There’s plenty of roles where technical knowledge isn’t needed.

She hopes to earn her Certificate in Financial Planning, a recommended certificate for financial advisors to signal they have experience, but her long-term goals are more open. She is open to going to the mining industry if the opportunity arises, but she knows she eventually wants to help others with personal and professional development. Aspects of the industry that particularly interest her include tailings and reclamation, both majorly important factors of the modern mining industry.

Her advice for students? “Make connections, do things that make you happy,” she says. Everyone’s path is different and doesn’t always have to follow a traditional four year path. “It’s okay to do things at an average-pace or less than average even.”

For mining students? “There’s plenty of opportunities, just ask around!”