Parade of Nations

The Michigan Tech Parade of Nations is sponsoring an essay contest for area high school seniors who are planning to attend Michigan Tech in the coming fall.  The winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship. 

Since 1989, the Houghton and Hancock communities have celebrated the rich cultural representation of the Keweenaw through the Parade of Nations, and this scholarship promotes and celebrates the impact of this diversity on tomorrow’s local scholars.

The essay prompt is:

“Our community becomes stronger when people from various backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives come together.  How have you built connections with individuals different from you? How can you contribute to the togetherness for all students at Michigan Tech?”

The entry deadline is June 15th, 2026. Essays can be submitted through the Parade of Nations google application form.

 

Michigan Tech's 2026 Parade of Nations is excited to announce our annual logo design contest for our amazing local K-12 Keweenaw student artists!

This year, our theme is "Games from Around the World" — exploring the celebrations and holidays that bring cultures joy, connection and community.

The logo should be submitted as either a drawn and colored design (using a maximum of five solid colors and no shading on untextured white paper) or a high-resolution digital scan/upload of original artwork (at least 300 DPI). The designer should sign their name outside the main artwork. Any graphics must be original and not downloaded from the web.

The deadline for logo contest submissions is June 15th. The winning logo artist will be awarded $300, and their logo will be put on the official 2026 Parade of Nations stickers, pins and marketing materials.

Please email logo submissions to ips@mtu.edu with a subject line reading "Attention - Mariana Nakashima - Logo Contest."

 

Congratulations to our 2025 Parade of Nations Essay winner! Carter Worm from Calumet High School. 

 

The Michigan Tech Parade of Nations is sponsoring an essay contest for area high school seniors who are planning to attend Michigan Tech in the coming fall.  The winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship. 

Since 1989, the Houghton and Hancock communities have celebrated the rich cultural representation of the Keweenaw through the Parade of Nations, and this scholarship promotes and celebrates the impact of this diversity on tomorrow’s local scholars.

The essay prompt is:

“Our community becomes stronger when people from various backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives come together.  How have you built connections with individuals different from you? How can you contribute to the togetherness for all students at Michigan Tech?”

The entry deadline is June 15th, 2025. Essays can be submitted through the Parade of Nations google application form.

Congratulations to our 2025 Parade of Nations Logo winner!
Graciana Wagner from Lake Linden Highschool.
Thank you to also her art teacher Heather French.

 

Michigan Tech's 2025 Parade of Nations is excited to announce our annual logo design contest for our amazing local K-12 Keweenaw student artists!

This year, our theme is "Games from Around the World" — exploring the celebrations and holidays that bring cultures joy, connection and community.

The logo should be submitted as either a drawn and colored design (using a maximum of five solid colors and no shading on untextured white paper) or a high-resolution digital scan/upload of original artwork (at least 300 DPI). The designer should sign their name outside the main artwork. Any graphics must be original and not downloaded from the web.

The deadline for logo contest submissions is June 15th. The winning logo artist will be awarded $300, and their logo will be put on the official 2025 Parade of Nations stickers, pins and marketing materials.

Please email logo submissions to ips@mtu.edu with a subject line reading "Attention - Mariana Nakashima - Logo Contest."

 

 

The Michigan Tech Parade of Nations is sponsoring an essay contest for area high school seniors who are planning to attend Michigan Tech in the coming fall.  The winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship. 

 

Since 1989, the Houghton and Hancock communities have celebrated the rich cultural representation of the Keweenaw through the Parade of Nations, and this scholarship promotes and celebrates the impact of this representation on tomorrow’s local scholars.. 

 

The essay prompt is:

 

“Our community becomes stronger when people from various backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives come together.  How have you built connections with individuals different from you? How can you contribute to creating a sense of togetherness for all students at Michigan Tech?”

 

The entry deadline is June 30, 2024. Essays can be submitted through the Parade of Nations google application form.

 

Kayleigh Marie Matson, has won the Parade of Nations essay contest for 2024. She will receive a $1,000 scholarship to Michigan Technological University, where she will start this fall.

 

In her essay, Matson writes: "I was born in a rural area of Louisiana where I went to school and had friends from various backgrounds, including black and Hispanic. When I moved to Michigan, in 5th grade, I noticed a change in the student population. Living in two different places allowed me to appreciate the differences among people.
Differences are about welcoming people with different beliefs and ensuring everyone has equal opportunities. Our town was built by immigrants from various countries laboring in the mines located around the Copper Country. Following neglect of fair pay and working conditions, the union started to strike. Despite various backgrounds, workers united for a common cause: fair wages and better working conditions. The strike advocated for change.
Our community showed that when people with different beliefs come together, they can achieve a shared goal. Each individual brings unique perspectives and strengths, contributing to a community’s success. 
As a student at our town's university, I am excited about the unique student body. I am entering MTU as undecided, but interested in the Humanities Department. I hope to seek out opportunities to learn about different cultures and perspectives. I am eager to attend courses that focus on these aspects.
I am also excited to explore different clubs that will introduce me to new groups and backgrounds. By joining these clubs, I hope to gain valuable insights, broaden my perspectives, and meet people from various backgrounds.  I hope to enrich my understanding of the world and grow as an individual.
My aim is to learn more and explore different cultures during this exciting academic opportunity. I want to widen my understanding and appreciate new ways of life through this experience. This opportunity will allow me to grow as an individual and develop a deeper appreciation for the world around me."

 

Isabella Tampa, from Lake Linden High School, is our 2024 contest winner!

Michigan Tech's 2024 Parade of Nations is excited to announce our annual logo design contest for our amazing local K-12 Keweenaw student artists!

This year, our theme is "Holidays Around the World" — exploring the celebrations and holidays that bring cultures joy, connection and community.

The logo should be submitted as either a drawn and colored design (using a maximum of five solid colors and no shading on untextured white paper) or a high-resolution digital scan/upload of original artwork (at least 300 DPI). The designer should sign their name outside the main artwork. Any graphics must be original and not downloaded from the web.

The deadline for logo contest submissions is April 30. The winning logo artist will be awarded $300, and their logo will be put on the official 2024 Parade of Nations stickers, pins and marketing materials.

Please email logo submissions to ips@mtu.edu with a subject line reading "Attention - Mariana Nakashima - Logo Contest."