Giving Opportunities

Help Build The Future In Biological Sciences

Your generous gifts have a direct impact on the lives of students and faculty members. Through your donation, you are investing in the future of scientific research by helping to sponsor students, fund state-of-the-art equipment and labs, and provide conference travel for our outstanding students and faculty.

Whether big or small, we thank you for your gifts. You help transform students’ lives, attract world-class faculty members, and foster an exceptional educational experience for undergraduate and graduate students.

What Your Gift Could Accomplish

Matthew Songer, (Biological Sciences ’79) and Laura Songer (Biological Sciences ’80) have generously donated funds to support undergraduate and graduate student research, the Songer Research Award for Human Health. Remembering their own eagerness to engage in research during their undergraduate years, the Songers established these awards to stimulate and encourage opportunities for original research by current Michigan Tech students. The Department is extremely grateful for the Songers’ continuing interest in, and support of, Michigan Tech’s programs in human health and medicine.

Donor- and State-matching opportunities are available. Contact Casey Huckins at cjhuckin@mtu.edu to explore ways your support can multiply—ensuring your gift has maximum impact.


Giving Needs

There are a variety of needs in the Department. Choose from the following and make your gift today.

Biological Sciences

Your gift to the Biological Sciences Fund supports special project needs in the department. These are primarily student-experience-strengthening projects. Your donation:

  • Support for seminars
  • Assisting undergraduate student participation in research
  • Special student laboratory needs.

Additionally, this fund helps the department leverage funds from elsewhere in the University for special projects. Increased support for this fund will allow for greater student project support.

Give Now to the Biological Sciences Fund


Bioathlon and Outreach

Your gift to the Bioathlon and Outreach Endowment helps build awareness of and enthusiasm for the biological sciences among the next generation. The Bioathlon is a biology competition for high school sophomores held each May. As many as 20 high schools from across the Upper Peninsula participate in a day-long competition, using their skills and knowledge to solve biological problems along the way. Many high school teachers use the team selection process (four sophomores per school) as a means to motivate their students throughout the school year. The endowment covers half the costs associated with this activity.

Give Now to the Bioathlon and Outreach Endowment


Outstanding Student Scholarship

Your gift to the Gopi K. Podila Research Award helps the Department recognize outstanding undergraduate and graduate students in biological sciences. This award is dedicated in memory of Dr. Podila, in recognition of his contributions to undergraduate and graduate student research and his high standards of scholarship. It is given in recognition of the student's high standard of scholarship, as demonstrated by the individual for whom the award is named and dedicated. The award is given annually to student(s) demonstrating outstanding dedication and potential for biological research and helps support them to undertake research projects.

Give Now to the Gopi K. Podila Research Award


Medical Laboratory Sciences

Give now to the Medical Technology/Laboratory Science Fund. Your gift supports special projects and recruitment for the medical technology/medical laboratory sciences (MLS) program, such as student field trips to hospitals, equipment upgrades in the MLS laboratory, visits by MLS professionals to campus, and recruitment of prospective students into MLS.

Give Now to the Medical Technology/Laboratory Sciences


Nursing Program

Your gift to the Nursing Program Fund helps build the launching pad for Tech’s newest degree program. Your generosity supports equipment and scrubs purchases, visits to hospitals, and infrastructure needed to teach the next generation of nurses in the Upper Peninsula.

Give Now to the Nursing Program Fund


Scholarship Recipients