The Board of Trustees for Michigan Technological University voted to approve construction of the Chang K. Park Center for Student Wellness. This facility will provide students with approximately 90,000 square feet of modern campus wellness programming and holistic care.
Alumnus and philanthropist Chang K. Park '73 has given Michigan Tech a transformational $55 million gift to fully fund the construction of a new facility to support student health and well-being. It is the largest gift given to the University in its history. Aligned with Michigan Tech's Be Well Initiative, the Chang K. Park Center for Student Wellness will allow the University to bring together services that until now have been spread across more than 30 locations on campus.
"It's a historic day for Michigan Tech as we recognize the incredible generosity of Chang Park for this extraordinary gift in support of student wellness," said Michigan Tech President Rick Koubek. "The new Chang K. Park Center for Student Wellness provides centrality for student well-being, allowing students to benefit from the full integration of physical, mental and emotional health in one facility."
A Comprehensive Approach to Student Well-being
The Chang K. Park Center for Student Wellness, with an ethos of "Benevolence to All," is designed to support the four pillars of Michigan Tech's Be Well Initiative — Live Well, Play Well, Connect Well and Recharge Well. Each pillar is reflected in the building's design:
- Live Well: Spaces for clinical counseling, therapy, telehealth and a medical clinic
- Play Well: A large fitness and exercise floor with fitness equipment for all skill levels
- Connect Well: Communal areas, group rooms and a welcoming campus "living room"
- Recharge Well: Rooms for meditation and prayer, quiet lounges and other restorative spaces for stress reduction
The facility, to be located between the Memorial Union and Administration buildings, will advance student emotional, physical and mental health, with dedicated space for instructional areas, a fitness center, locker rooms, group training rooms, a medical clinic, outreach and prevention offices, and accessible wellness amenities throughout.
"The Chang K. Park Center for Student Wellness will be transformational for Michigan Tech and our students," said Laura Bulleit, vice president for student affairs. "We have several years of data that show the need for additional mental and physical health support. We also have anecdotal data directly from our students that point to the need for convenient spaces for them to meet their physical fitness goals. The new wellness center will fulfill each of these needs."
"I'd like to thank Mr. Park for his exceptionally generous gift and for his support for our current and future generations of students," said Bill Roberts, Michigan Tech's vice president for advancement and alumni engagement. "His generosity ensures that Michigan Tech students will have access to the resources they need to be healthy, well and successful in all they do."
A Vision Inspired by Experience and Opportunity
Park, who graduated from Michigan Tech in 1973 with dual degrees in electrical engineering and engineering administration, has credited his education — and the support he received from Michigan Tech faculty and staff — as foundational to his life trajectory.
After immigrating to the United States from Korea as a teenager, Park attended high school in New York City, where he worked through the challenges of learning a new language and adapting to a new culture. He recognized his personal growth from such early challenges and subsequent encounters as he advanced his professional and business careers and encouraged graduating students to remain venturesome in his 2024 Commencement address at Michigan Tech.
"Do not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and face new challenges," said Park. "You will be amazed to discover the vast pool of untapped talents that you never knew you had within you as you struggle to overcome the challenges. This is how we all grow in our life."
Park built an impressive career that spanned engineering and international finance, ultimately founding Universal Remote Control, Inc., now a global leader in home automation and control systems.
Guided by his values around education, human rights and economic justice, Park established the Chang K. Park Foundation to reduce human suffering and expand people's opportunity to realize their full potential. He summed up these values at the conclusion of his commencement speech to the graduating students.
"What I found from my own life experience is that there are certain immutable values that are cherished in our society," Park said. "They are decency, integrity and humility. Make these three your core values that define who you are. It is like building your life on a solid rock as a foundation. You will not only be blessed in so many ways in your life, but you will also become a blessing to so many others. I believe this is the true meaning of life that we all strive for."
"I am grateful to have this opportunity to address students' needs to advance their mental, emotional and physical health for many years to come."
Momentum for Student Mental Health
Michigan Tech was recently named to the 2026 Mental Health Services Honor Roll by The Princeton Review, one of only 30 institutions nationwide recognized for a strong commitment to supporting student mental health and well-being. The Chang K. Park Center for Student Wellness builds on that momentum by expanding campus capacity for integrated care, strengthening prevention and awareness efforts, and creating purposeful spaces that support the whole student.
"We want to see every student succeed, but we know success doesn't happen if our students aren't taking the time to focus on their overall health and well-being," said Bulleit. "I am incredibly grateful to Mr. Park for his generous and thoughtful donation. To have an alumni donor who not only sees the need, but also supports our vision for caring for the whole student, is absolutely a dream come true."
The Chang K. Park Center for Student Wellness is expected to open in fall 2028.
Michigan Technological University is an R1 public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, and is home to nearly 7,500 students from more than 60 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan's flagship technological university offers more than 185 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.
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