As a Husky descended from Huskies, Kallee McCone felt at home at Michigan Tech long before she became a student. When a busy schedule and rigorous academics tested her tenacity, she found her passion and motivation in the little moments on campus.
Though many students have deep roots at Michigan Technological University, few can claim a family legacy like biochemistry and molecular biology major Kallee McCone's. Six of her family members earned Michigan Tech degrees: her mother Erica Roose '00 in chemical engineering; her father Ryan McCone '00 in biological sciences; her paternal grandfather Loran McCone '79 in civil engineering; and three maternal relatives, Don Mark Larsen '79 and Donald Mikkola '59 in metallurgical engineering and Roy Koski '57 in geological engineering, metallurgical engineering, and mining engineering. This family history gave McCone an anchor when she became a Husky.
"It emphasizes my feeling of belonging on campus, and a sense of connection to my family I could never truly put into words," said McCone. "Being here and following my family provides me a sense of accomplishment in my academics and heritage, while connecting me to my roots in such a personal way."
While growing up in Marquette, Michigan, McCone visited Michigan Tech's campus almost monthly, including on her family's annual trip to Winter Carnival. She also had close ties to family friends in the Keweenaw and attended Michigan Tech's Summer Youth Programs, which let her see life on campus in and out of the classroom before she committed to a university.
"Before I applied to Tech, I gained a sense of what I would want to study here and which of our student organizations I wanted to join," said McCone. "When it came time to apply to college, I was already set on Tech, knowing what I wanted to do in a place that was already my second home."
Carrying on the Family Legacy
One of the student organizations she had her heart set on joining, Blue Key National Honor Society, was another legacy link. Her mother served as Tech's Blue Key public relations chair during her time as a student. After experiencing the wonder of Winter Carnival growing up and hearing her mother's stories of time spent in the organization, McCone joined Blue Key in her second year on campus and considers it one of the best decisions she's made in college.
"Being a part of Blue Key is immensely rewarding since I can help plan arguably one of the biggest events on campus, which I have wanted to do since I was a young girl," said McCone. "It's like a full-circle moment, growing up and seeing this amazing event, then being able to be a part of the planning myself."
"The best part of Tech would have to be Winter Carnival. I might be partial because I'm in Blue Key, but I think Carnival is such a great opportunity to bring our campus and community together while showcasing the amazing abilities of our student body."
Blue Key isn't the only way she stays involved. She is also an active member of Pavlis Honors College, vice president of the Huskies Baking Club, and has served as president and vice president of the Hillside Place Association.
"Michigan Tech's student organizations have helped me grow as a leader, providing me with and supporting me in leadership positions throughout campus. These experiences really shaped me into the best version of myself," said McCone.
Forging Her Own Path
While her family's legacy heavily influenced her choice of university and student org involvement, McCone hasn't been afraid to find her own academic path. Though her family tree is filled with engineers, she took up her father's interest in biology, and thought the field was "it" for her from a young age.
"I've always loved the field of biology, breaking macro-scale and molecular-scale systems down to analyze various functions and how little bits and pieces work together for a larger goal," said McCone.
Her scientific interests expanded with her first high school chemistry course. Combining her pursuits in both fields, she found a passion for biochemistry. That passion gained focus with a later high school course in forensics. "I was able to look into the different applications of and fields within forensics, and realized that forensic toxicology checked all of the boxes for a career I was looking for and then some," said McCone.
In addition to an academic interest in forensics, McCone wanted a degree that could help her make a difference in the world. At a young age, her family moved from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Marquette, Michigan. To McCone, the smaller city with lower crime rates felt like a "completely different planet" from her first home.
"I don't want to be disconnected from reality," said McCone. "I wanted to work in a hands-on field and make a difference within my community in any way that I can. For some people, that may mean joining the police force or going into criminology, but to me, that includes going into forensic lab work to see what really happened with collected evidence and analyzing it for the court proceedings."
McCone's desire to make a practical, positive impact in the world led her to major in biochemistry and molecular biology with a focus in chemistry. Keeping herself on track for graduation while staying involved in multiple student organizations has required a healthy dose of the Husky tenacity that runs in her family.
Finding Balance in the Small Moments
Since not much on campus was new to McCone when she enrolled at Tech, her biggest trial wasn't adjusting to an unfamiliar environment. Instead, her schedule of 16-plus credits per semester and passion for extracurriculars posed her first major college challenge: time management.
"With MTU courses being as rigorous as they are, I have really needed to focus on dedicating lots of time to coursework, while also balancing the things I do in my free time, and most importantly, all while maintaining a healthy sleep schedule," said McCone.
The first course to seriously challenge her and jump-start her rigorous study routine was Chemistry 1. "The class made me question if I was cut out to study chemistry, but it has set an example for me that I truly can pass my courses when they seem difficult or impossible to manage," said McCone.
She found her key to success by exploring whether she functions better in the morning or the evening, and designing her schedule around that natural rhythm. McCone learned pretty quickly that she's a morning person. She holds herself to a strict 6 a.m. wake-up call to avoid any academic work past 11 p.m. Though her schedule may not align with all of her peers, she recommends that any fellow students struggling with time management focus on what works best for them.
"With all the stress with school and grades, finding when you function best is so important to make assignments go as smoothly as possible without pushing yourself past your limit," said McCone, "Stick to it and do what feels right to you, even if that schedule is different from that of other people you know."
McCone faced burnout in high school when focusing hard on advanced academic courses. In college, she's learned that staying balanced and successful also means making time for life outside of academia.
"When I started my freshman year at Tech, I quickly realized that what motivated me to do my best is not only academics, but the people around me and the little moments outside of the classroom," said McCone.
"Even as a singular college student, you can always get involved and make the changes you wish to see for the betterment of your campus and community."
With a schedule built around her natural rhythms, she's picked up new hobbies and spent time on activities that make her feel most like herself, which she says helps maintain energy for classes when it's time to focus on academics. As she works on passing down her family legacy to the next generation, McCone offers a bit of wisdom for future Huskies.
"If you only spend your time doing work, the little moments will just pass you by," said McCone. "It's important to do the little things in life you value, even if classes are busy and you think you truly do not have time to. I promise you that you do have time, and doing what you enjoy will make all the difference."
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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