Officials from the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology and Nucor Corp. have announced the first $1 million gift of 2008 to the school.

Nucor's gift will be used to create the Nucor Endowed Professorship for Metallurgical and Steelmaking Technologies in the materials and metallurgical engineering department at the School of Mines. The school plans to have the endowed professorship in place for the start of the 2008-2009 academic year.

"The Nucor gift will help transform our program in a very positive manner, much the same way Nucor has helped to transform the steel industry," said Jon Kellar, chairman of the materials and metallurgical department at the School of Mines.