What does it take to come to Michigan Tech? For me it took begging, nagging, complaining, and the occasional case of the Teary Eye Syndrome.  It all started when I came to the U.P. for the first time, attending the SYP Women in Engineering Program. It was love at first, “Oh yah troll, don’t chyah know about dem pasties?”  I am uncertain as to whether it was the gorgeous weather, the natural scenery, or the camp counselors that caught my attention and put Michigan Tech at the top of my list of colleges. My admiration for the campus only increased the next time I visited the campus for the Leading Scholars Competition. There is nothing quite like being in a room of 40 talented students who have the will and the potential to make a difference.  Michigan Tech made the top of my college list by a landslide!

My first visit to Michigan Tech happened in late winter during my senior year of high school. I remember driving through Houghton for the first time and looking at the remnants of snow statues. I wondered what I would be getting myself into if I chose to attend a university where students spent weeks every winter building statues of snow and ice. Winter Carnival has since become one of my favorite Michigan Tech traditions. I love playing broomball, competing in the human dogsled competition, acting in Stage Review, and enjoying the feeling of accomplishment that comes with putting the final touches on a snow statue.  This is my fourth and final winter carnival as an undergraduate student at Michigan Tech. I’m excited to have the opportunity to become even more immersed in the experience as a Winter Carnival Queen candidate.

Hi all! My name is Jordan Erickson and I am a fourth year history major and journalism minor here at Michigan Tech. Now I bet you’re wondering what would entice a history major to come to a traditionally engineering focused school, and to me the answer is simple; once you get a taste of the Michigan Tech kool-aid, you’re hooked.

My name is Rhea-Ann Moses—but everyone calls me Rhea—I have the privilege of representing Theta Chi Epsilon sorority as a 2013 Winter Carnival Queen finalist. Winter Carnival has always been a special time of year when the students at Michigan Tech come together to celebrate all the wonderful things in the Keweenaw. In addition to the giant snow statue’s that are custom during Winter Carnival, we get to participate in a collection of fun activities including: broomball, stage revue, and a variety of special events. Even though I am accustomed to dealing with snow nearly year round because I am from the Upper Peninsula, participating in Winter Carnival has taught me new ways to enjoy the beautiful UP winters.

Winter Carnival, for me, has always been a time of hard work and also a time of fun by participating in a great tradition that no other university has.  Building a giant snow statue in negative degree weather, participating in competitive special events, winning at broomball, and bundling up to teeter-totter for 36-hours to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis are all events I love to do during the special time of Winter Carnival. And this year I have the honor of representing the Gamma Chi Chapter of Sigma Tau Gamma National Fraternity in the 2013 Winter Carnival Queens Competition!

I love being a part of Michigan Tech’s many traditions, such as Winter Carnival, and am excited to represent Phi Kappa Tau as a finalist in the Queens Competition!  Winter Carnival is my favorite time of year at MTU because it is a great excuse to get outside and have fun.  Whether I’m playing broomball or snow volleyball, I love being outdoors with my friends this time of year.

As winter carnival begins, excitement starts filling the air around campus! This excitement for one of Michigan Tech’s oldest traditions is contagious, and because of this, winter carnival is a special time for the community to come together. The strong sense of community at Michigan Tech is what brought me to this amazing university four years ago! I felt accepted and welcomed at Michigan Tech starting the day of my guided tour! I was so surprised during my tour that upperclassmen throughout campus would actually talk to me, and ask me questions about my interests. I knew right then that Michigan Tech would be a great college and home for me during my next step in life! Since my first day at Tech, I have tried to become an active member on campus, and give back to our Michigan Tech community by being a positive role model and mentor for underclassmen and incoming Tech students.

My name is Jen Zarzecki and I had no clue what I was getting myself into when decided Michigan Tech was the place for me. I had never visited Houghton and I did not do a lot of research about the programs prior to my enrollment. Now, I am a fourth year Mechanical Engineering student and I am involved in multiple organizations throughout campus. I have been a member of the Delta Phi Epsilon International Sorority since my second semester at Tech and have since also joined the Order of Omega Honors Society. I work on the Women’s Programming Committee and am the secretary of the Undergraduate Student Government (USG). At the beginning of last spring, I had the great opportunity to attend the Leadershape program. This past fall I had the wonderful experience of being an OTL. I have even spent a semester on co-op and two summers interning. This summer, I will be interning with John Deere in manufacturing engineering. Needless to say, I’m devoted to student involvement and keeping busy!