December 10, 2025

Michigan Tech students don’t just tolerate snow and winter; they celebrate them. Mechanical engineering senior Jared Ott is no exception. The Keweenaw climate is one of the reasons he became a Husky.

Ott vividly remembers his first visit to campus. “It was early December and I arrived during a blizzard,” he said. “I watched the snow fall and immediately knew that MTU was where I wanted to attend college.”

Snow continued to be a huge influence during Ott’s time at Tech, which concludes this Saturday, Dec. 13, at 2025 Midyear Commencement. An avid broomball player and lover of snowstorms, the Pavlis Honors College student connected his engineering degree with his passion for winter sports. He joined and eventually co-led Advanced Snowmobile, the University’s SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge team, which claimed victory in the international championship competition earlier this year.

Join Ott as he reflects on his Husky journey, from his growth in Tech’s Enterprise Program and a co-op experience with Mercury Marine to meeting his fiancee Emily, at Stories from Husky Nation.

Michigan Tech's Sponsored Programs Pre-Award team is excited to announce that we have already received a high volume of Intents to Submit for the NIH February 2026 deadlines! We are preparing to assign them to pre-award analysts.

Please help us manage the workload by telling us now if you plan to submit an R01, R21 or R15 by completing your Notification of Intent to Submit.

Internal Deadlines Announced: Please mark your calendars for the R01, R21 and R15 internal deadlines listed below. Note: All deadlines are at 7 a.m. Eastern Time.

• Full Budget Draft: Includes draft of full proposal budget, justification, and subrecipient paperwork.
• Tier 1 (Internal & Non-Science): Cayuse proposal complete/approved, final budget approved by SPO, and full application complete (excluding final research pieces).
• Tier 2 (Science & Technical): Proposal fully ready for submission.

NIH R01 Deadlines:

• Jan. 15 — Full Budget Draft
• Jan. 22 — Tier 1 (Internal & Non-Science)
• Feb. 4 — Tier 2 (Science & Technical)

NIH R21 Deadlines:

• Jan. 26 — Full Budget Draft
• Feb. 2 — Tier 1 (Internal & Non-Science)
• Feb. 12 — Tier 2 (Science & Technical)

NIH R15 Deadlines:

• Feb. 4 — Full Budget Draft
• Feb. 11 — Tier 1 (Internal & Non-Science)
• Feb. 24 — Tier 2 (Science & Technical)

Career Services is hosting our Spring 2026 On-Campus Jobs Expo on Jan. 14 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Alumni Lounge in the MUB.

Students are encouraged to come check out the job opportunities available right here on campus. Many Michigan Tech departments will be represented. This is a great way to connect with students early and fill your open positions quickly. Get access to top student talent right at the start of the semester by reserving your table now!

If your department has not signed up and would like to attend, please contact Career Services at careerfair@mtu.edu.

The Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering (CEGE) is pleased to invite the University community to attend our Fall 2025 Senior Design Colloquium this Friday, Dec. 12, from 9:30 a.m. to noon in Dow 641 or virtually on Zoom.

This semester, students have undertaken a wide range of projects to fulfill the department’s Senior Design requirement. The colloquium will include Senior Design team presentations relating to US-41 Over West Branch Whitefish River and Huber Creek bridge rehabilitation projects.

These projects are vital components in addressing both regional transportation and environmental challenges, while also improving the quality of life and sustainability in the community.

The teams are advised by Andrea Andres, P.E.

Please be advised that the Graduate School office will be closed tomorrow, Dec. 11, from 1-4 p.m.

Our staff will be away from their desks during this time to attend a professional development session. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding as we work to improve our service to the University community.

Need Assistance?
While our physical office is closed, you are welcome to reach out to us digitally. If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at gradschool@mtu.edu. We will respond to inquiries as soon as possible once we return.

Good Luck on Exams!
We know this is a busy and critical time in the semester. The Graduate School wishes all students the very best of luck with their final exams, papers and projects. Finish strong!

The Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education (APUE) office (including the Pavlis Honors College, Enterprise Program, Assessment, and Essential Education) will be closed tomorrow, Dec. 11, for our midyear retreat and holiday gathering. The office will reopen on Friday, Dec. 12, and resume regular hours.

Questions during this time can be emailed to apue@mtu.edu or left as a voicemail at 906-487-3565.

We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience.

Are you looking for strategies to make grades meaningful and motivating? Are you interested in trying an alternative grading system or tinkering with your grading methods for individual assignments? Do you want to share the grading systems and methods that are working for you? Please join the William G. Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning's (CTL's) Spring 2026 Faculty Learning Community focused on grading systems and methods.

During four monthly sessions, we will share and discuss challenges we’ve faced with the grading systems and methods we’ve tried, how we’ve addressed these challenges, and unresolved challenges that we continue to face.

Sessions will be held in Library 243 at 11 a.m. on:

• Tuesday, Jan. 13
• Tuesday, Feb. 10
• Tuesday, March 10
• Tuesday, April 14

Register for the Spring 2026 Faculty Learning Community.

For accommodations, please contact Catharine Gruver at cgruver@mtu.edu or 906-487-3026.

Due to the generous support of The DeVlieg Foundation, the Graduate School is happy to accept nominations for 2026 summer fellowships.

Each department, college or interdisciplinary Ph.D. program may nominate one eligible student. The recipient will receive a $11,000 stipend for summer 2026 plus tuition support for three research credits. The DeVlieg funds ($10,000) will be used to cover the cost of tuition and a partial stipend. The graduate program, department or principal investigator (PI) must commit to supplementing these funds to ensure a total stipend of $11,000.

Eligible students will meet all of the following criteria:

1. Must be conducting research in engineering; projects at the intersection of engineering, wildlife and/or biology are particularly encouraged.
2. Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
3. Must be enrolled in a doctoral program.
4. Must be a doctoral candidate, or eligible for candidacy at the time of application.
5. Must be nominated by the student's graduate program. Each department, college or interdisciplinary Ph.D. program may nominate one eligible student.
6. Must not be supported by another funding mechanism while supported by The DeVlieg Foundation (part-time job, fellowship, GTA, GRA, etc.).

Nominations are due no later than 4 p.m. on Jan. 21, 2026, to the Graduate School. Graduate programs will upload their nominee's application as a single PDF file.

Please see our webpage for details on the application procedure and materials needed. Each program may determine its own internal selection procedure.

Please contact the Graduate School with any questions.

Save the Date: Applications for both the 2026 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships and the 2026-27 Undergraduate Research Internship Program open Jan. 5, 2026.

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF)
SURF applications are due by 5 p.m. on Feb. 6, 2026. Selected students will spend the summer conducting an individual research project under the guidance of a Michigan Tech faculty mentor. SURFs are open to all Tech undergraduates who have at least one semester remaining after summer, with awards up to $5,000.

Undergraduate Research Internship Program (URIP)
Applications for the 2026-27 URIP cycle close on March 20, 2026. URIP supports undergraduate researchers by providing awards of up to $2,340 to conduct a research project under the guidance of a Michigan Tech faculty mentor during the regular academic year. URIP is open to all Tech undergraduates interested in a research experience in a faculty member's laboratory.

More information and application instructions are available on the SURF and URIP websites or by contacting honors@mtu.edu.

The Michigan Tech community is ready to transform this "day off" into a powerful "day on" — a genuine commitment to service, reflection and meaningful action. Martin Luther King Jr.’s enduring legacy calls us to a higher standard of citizenship and humanity, and these scheduled events provide a powerful path for every student to answer that call and contribute to his vision of “unity through service."

This Martin Luther King Jr. Day, don't just take the day off. Show up. Serve. Reflect. Act. Honor King's legacy by engaging with the events and making a meaningful difference right here in Houghton.

MLK Day 2026 Events:

• MLK Day of Service — We kick off Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 19, 2026, at 10 a.m. with a Day of Service at multiple volunteer locations where the hands-on efforts of Michigan Tech students and community members can make a tangible difference in the local community. By volunteering, you are actively participating in the work of social uplift that King championed. Give your time, apply your talents and live the spirit of service.

• Volunteer Reading — Michigan Tech students will also read to local schoolchildren, spreading King's history and legacy to young minds in our community.

• Interfaith Service — Our Interfaith Service starts at 4:15 p.m. in the Van Pelt and Opie Library's East Reading Room, offering a space for quiet introspection that draws on King's spiritual foundation and his call for unity across all faiths.

• Peace March — The campus and community are invited to participate in a peace march, beginning with a gathering at the Husky Statue at 5 p.m. The procession will travel to the Alumni House and return. Walking together, we will publicly reaffirm Michigan Tech’s dedication to King's enduring principles of justice and nonviolence, making a powerful, visible statement about our commitment to an equitable future.

• Shared Meal/Panel Discussion — The day concludes with a shared meal and a panel discussion featuring alumni Jemel Thompson, Jailynn Johnson and Austin McFarlane, offering a chance to connect, reflect and hear their stories of resilience. Dinner will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the MUB Ballroom. Gather with fellow students, faculty and staff to share stories from your service, discuss the meaning of King's legacy, and strengthen the bonds of the Michigan Tech community.

Join Michigan Tech students and community members on Jan. 19, starting at 10 a.m., to honor Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy through hands-on service.

This Martin Luther King Jr. Day, don't just take the day off. Show up. Serve. Reflect. Act. Honor King's legacy by engaging with the events and making a meaningful difference right here in Houghton.

Find more information on GivePulse.

Event Details:

• What: MLK Day of Service
• When: Monday, Jan. 19, at 10 a.m.
• Where: Multiple locations, including the Copper Country Humane Society, Letters Against Isolation, the Bluffs Senior Living Facility and the Community Alliance for Progressive Education (CAPE).

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel quoted Hayden Henderson (GLRC) in a story about a rogue research buoy that accidentally captured rare winter data on Lake Michigan’s ice and wave activity. Henderson discussed the importance of improving winter observations as the Great Lakes face stronger storms, shifting water levels and rapid seasonal change. The story was picked up by Wisconsin’s Up North News, MSN and Yahoo! News.

The Keweenaw Report mentioned the Michigan Tech Trails in a story about ski hills and cross-country trail systems across the Copper Country preparing for the winter season. The article noted that most Tech Trails have already been groomed for use.

Michigan Tech alum Robert Naples ’98 (B.S. Civil Engineering) was a guest on the Dec. 8 episode of the AEC Project Management Podcast, titled “Leading Complex Projects With Confidence and Clarity.” Naples discussed leadership strategies for managing large, high-pressure engineering projects and shared insights from his career as president of Innova Technologies.

'The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald' – John U. Bacon Book Talk and Signing Event

Join us for a talk and book signing by author and Michigan Tech Trustee John U. Bacon, featuring his New York Times Best Seller, “The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” He'll share insights and stories about the Great Lakes, the ship, the storm and, most importantly, the crew and their families. North Wind Books will offer copies for sale at the event.

Date: Wednesday, Dec. 10
Time: 5:30-7 p.m.
Location: MUB Ballroom B

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ROTC Joint Commissioning Ceremony

Michigan Tech’s Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC invite you to our Fall 2025 Commissioning Ceremony, being held on Friday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m. in the Rozsa Center Lobby.

This semester we have five Army cadets and three Air Force cadets commissioning. Those commissioning are from the following programs:

• Civil Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Environmental Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Theatre and Entertainment Technology

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Winter Break Hours: SDC and Gates Tennis Center

The SDC and Gates Tennis Center will observe reduced Open Recreation hours over winter break, beginning on Friday, Dec. 12, and continuing through Jan. 4, 2026.

View Open Rec Hours.

Additionally, all facilities will be closed on the following dates:

• Midyear Commencement — Saturday, Dec. 13
• Christmas Eve — Wednesday, Dec. 24 
• Christmas Day — Thursday, Dec. 25
• New Year's Eve — Wednesday, Dec. 31
• New Year's Day — Thursday, Jan. 1

Regular business hours will resume on Jan. 5.

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VPR Research Series: Federal Research Brief and Directed Spending Overview

Join representatives from Dykema, Michigan Tech’s government relations firm, as they present an update from Washington, D.C., on Federal Research and Directed Spending. The presentation will take place in the Great Lakes Research Center on Dec. 12 from 1-2 p.m. Those on campus are encouraged to join in person in GLRC 202. A virtual option is available for those unable attend in person.

Join Dykema's Presentation on Zoom.

About the Session:

The Dykema team will provide an overview of the current US federal research funding landscape and a status update on the ongoing federal budget process. The basics of federally directed spending requests (e.g., programmatic requests and community-directed spending) will also be covered. Michigan Tech Vice President for Government Relations Bill Kordenbrock and Vice President for Research Andrew Barnard will be on hand for discussion and to address questions and answers.

Please direct any questions about the upcoming presentation to the Research Development team via rd-l@mtu.edu.

To have your event automatically appear, please submit them to the University Events Calendar.

Marquette Alumni Holiday Party 2025

Wednesday, December 10, 5 p.m.

Celebrate the season with us! Michigan Tech alumni & friends are invited to join volunteer alumni host Steffanie Pepin '10 for a holiday party at Blackrocks Brewery on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, from 5-7 p.m. The venue is located at 424 N. Third St in Marquette, MI 49855. Beverages will be available for individual purchase. Alumni and friends will also have the opportunity to score some MTU swag courtesy of the Office of Alumni Engagement. Advance registration is requested. Please RSVP before noon on Monday, December 8, 2025.

The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald - John U Bacon - Book Talk & Signing Event

Wednesday, December 10, 5:30–7:00 p.m. | Memorial Union Building (MUB), Ballroom B

Join us for a talk and book signing by author John U. Bacon, featuring his New York Times Best Seller, The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald. He'll share insights and stories about the lakes, the ship, the storm, and most importantly, the crew and their families. Books will be for sale on site by North Wind Books.

Serve the King - Main Meeting

Wednesday, December 10, 7–9 p.m. | Wads G42W

Want to be trained in Righteouesness? Interested in developing more faithful work ethic? Building the Kingdom? Glorifying God? Come check out our main meeting where we are elaborating on some of the important parts of the Gospel, how it applies, and why without it, we are hopelessly lost.

Spring 2026

December 10, all day |

https://events.mtu.edu/event/spring-2026-privatesemi-private-swim-lessons?utm_campaign=widget&utm_medium=widget&utm_source=Michigan+Tech+Events+Calendar