When a group of Michigan Technological University seniors saw an opportunity to strengthen the Thompson Scholars experience, they seized it — creating a new registered student organization designed to build community.
Most college seniors spend their final year preparing for what comes next in their own journey. For a group of Thompson Scholars at Michigan Tech, creating an enduring community that will continue to support future scholars long after their own time on campus was just as important.
The Thompson Scholars Association (TSA) joined Michigan Tech's roster of registered student organizations last fall. The group brings together recipients of the Thompson Working Families Scholarship, which supports academically driven, service-minded students through financial assistance, leadership development and community engagement.
Made possible by the Thompson Foundation, the Working Families Scholarship provides meaningful opportunities, including an expectation of 20 hours of community service each year — and the scholarship program's leaders said the new student organization builds on that foundation. However, students saw room to strengthen one key element of the experience: connection.
"The Thompson Scholars Program builds on students' academic experiences while encouraging them to give back through volunteer opportunities that deepen their connection to our community," said Nicole Piazza, director of the Thompson Scholars Program at Michigan Tech. "What's exciting about the Thompson Scholars Association is that it gives students an active role in leading, working closely together, and building their legacy of service."
Over the University's first five years as a scholarship partner, Tech's number of Thompson Scholars skyrocketed from just four students in fall 2020 to 460 in fall 2025. Despite such growth, scholars said their interactions often took place during scheduled meetings, events or moments of recognition across campus.
"The true sense of community you receive with certain student groups was still developing, but we knew this feeling was possible," said Maci Dostaler, a software engineering major from Lake Linden.
Dostaler served on TSA's inaugural executive board alongside Felicia Huffman, Maeli Coveyou and Nathan Keen. All four are Thompson Scholars who graduated from Michigan Tech this spring. Though the TSA is still in its first year, they said the group is already creating more opportunities for students to connect with one another. It is also open to all Michigan Tech students, creating opportunities for broader involvement while strengthening the Thompson Scholar network.
For Huffman, a data science major from Jackson and the TSA's first president, the motivation was simple. "I was made aware of a need and felt I could fill it," she said. "I've always enjoyed bringing people together."
For Coveyou, a nursing major from Petoskey, the desire for more connection with fellow Thompson Scholars was especially noticeable during volunteer work. "I often found myself volunteering on my own and wishing I knew other students to volunteer with," she said. "When advisors organized events, it could feel intimidating to attend alone, especially surrounded by scholars I didn't know."
Launching the organization last fall came with an added layer of urgency for Coveyou — like many of the founding members, she was graduating this spring. Rather than seeing that as a limitation, they viewed it as an opportunity.
"I didn't want this idea to go unrealized or be left for someone else to figure out later."
With years of experience as Thompson Scholars and leaders across campus, the group felt uniquely positioned to build something meaningful and sustainable.
"In my opinion, we are some of the perfect people to start a new student organization," Dostaler said. "Combined among us, we bring knowledge of how to effectively lead a group of students."
Creating Connection Through Service
For many students, the Thompson Scholars Program shapes their college experience in lasting and meaningful ways.
"Coming from a low-income background, college was harder to afford than expected," said Keen, a chemical engineering major from Gladwin. "When I was reached out about the opportunity, I couldn't believe it. I was able to go back and tell my family, 'There's nothing left to worry about.'"
That sense of gratitude is deeply connected to the Thompson Scholars' emphasis on service.
"Our ability to attend this university is made possible through philanthropy, and service is one way to honor that generosity," Coveyou said.
At its core, the Thompson Scholars Association is redefining how students experience both service and community. By giving back to the community, members see their work as part of a larger cycle — one that connects opportunity, support and impact. Through volunteer opportunities, social gatherings and shared experiences, the TSA is creating a more connected environment where service becomes meaningful and collaborative.
"We want to promote group service activities to make it more fun and encourage others to go beyond the 10 hours required," Huffman said. "Now that we volunteer together and network at social events designed by us, I feel like we know each other better."
For Coveyou, that shift is already noticeable. "I've watched our volunteer events shift from simply completing required hours to meaningful opportunities to connect with one another while giving back to the community," she said.
A Legacy in Motion
While the TSA's founding members graduated on April 25, their vision for the organization is focused firmly on the future — and the impact of their work may only just be beginning.
"I hope that future scholars are able to join a new community or make some new friends whom they wouldn't have met otherwise," Dostaler said.
As they move beyond Michigan Tech, they leave behind something lasting — a stronger, more connected experience for future Thompson Scholars. What started as an effort to strengthen the student experience has become something much more: a foundation for community, service and belonging that will continue to grow.
"My hope is for future Thompson Scholars to gain a strong sense of belonging and community through this organization," Coveyou said. "It's not just about completing service hours, it's about building connections and being part of something meaningful."
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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