Give Back to the Pack Today!

Give Back to the Pack kicks off today at noon and will run until tomorrow (April 11) at noon! For those 24 hours, our entire Michigan Tech community, including alumni, friends, faculty, staff and families, will come together in a collective celebration of philanthropy.

Give Back to the Pack is more than just a fundraising event; it’s an opportunity for each of us to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our students and invest in the future of our University. Every gift, regardless of size, contributes to our shared goal of supporting the areas of Michigan Tech that matter most to each of us.

Throughout the day, we’ll be rallying support, sharing stories of impact and coming together as a pack to show our Husky pride.

As we embark on this 24-hour giving challenge, we invite you to join us in making a difference. Here's how you can get involved:

  1. Make a Gift: Visit the Give Back to the Pack website to make a contribution to the area of your choosing and help us reach our goals.

  2. Spread the Word: Share your participation in Give Back to the Pack on social media and encourage your friends, family and colleagues to join the cause.

  3. Engage with Challenges: Explore the various challenges and matches available on the Give Back to the Pack website and consider participating to maximize your impact.

Visit giveback.mtu.edu to make your gift, learn more and get involved!

Casey Huckins Named Chair of Department of Biological Sciences

Casey Huckins is the new chair of the Department of Biological Sciences (BioSci). He has served as interim chair since July 1, taking over from longtime chair and now Professor Emeritus Chandrashekhar Joshi.

“I am excited to continue leading such an outstanding department with its excellence in research, teaching and service,” said Huckins. “Four of our faculty have been Distinguished Teaching Award winners in recent years and others have been nominated. Our faculty and staff are recognized and awarded for their service, and our students are inspiring.

“The department is at the forefront of basic and applied research, with over $2.27 million of research expenditures last year. This funding covers the broad array of faculty expertise in biology, including biochemistry and molecular biology, ecology and evolution, environmental science, and health sciences. This research seeks better ways to treat cancer and improve health, understand and restore populations and ecosystems, decipher genetic influences and reduce plastic waste, among others.”

As a professor of biological sciences, Huckins' main research interests include ecology and restoration of aquatic populations and ecosystems, including lakes, streams and the riparian ecosystems that connect them. He tends to focus on ecological patterns and processes in systems influenced by human actions, and he applies the learned scientific understanding to inform their restoration and conservation.

Projects examine the ecology and restoration of migratory coaster brook trout and the reciprocal interplay and exchange between restoration and the advancement of scientific understanding. The goal is to increase understanding of the biology, ecology and natural history of the organisms and systems of interest for their continued sustainability.

Congratulations, Dr. Huckins! We are pleased to have you leading the Department of Biological Sciences.

Graduate Cultural Night

Graduate Student Government (GSG), in collaboration with the African Students Organization, Bangladeshi Student Association, Indian Students Association, Iranian Community at MTU and Nepal Student Organization, will be hosting a cultural celebration Saturday (April 13) from 6-9 p.m. in the MUB Commons.

Stop by to enjoy a night of music, food and fun! RSVP is appreciated.

Event Details:

  • What: GSG Graduate Cultural Night
  • When: Saturday, April 13, from 6-9 p.m.
  • Where: MUB Commons
  • RSVP: Please use the link on GSG's Graduate Cultural Night page.

Opening Tonight: 'Purple Hearts' by C.S. Wallace

Purple Hearts by C.S. Wallace — Four Performances: Wednesday-Saturday, April 10-13, nightly at 7:30 p.m.
McArdle Theatre
Directed by Nich Radcliffe
Presented by Michigan Tech Theatre

Get your tickets to the suspenseful, thought-provoking (and sometimes funny) four-show run of “Purple Hearts” by C.S. Wallace, performed by Michigan Tech Theatre in McArdle Theatre.

This play marks the directorial debut of Nich Radcliffe (VPA) at Michigan Tech. Radcliffe, a visiting assistant teaching professor, is excited to share the work they have put together and mentions his favorite part of opening night is seeing the audience response. Be sure to stop and say hi after the show — he would love to hear your reactions, feedback and response! Read the director’s program notes found in the digital program.

Set in the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbor, “Purple Hearts” tells the story of three soldiers trapped aboard the sunken USS West Virginia and the loved ones who await them back home. Based on true events, the play imagines what may have happened during the weeks they were trapped inside the ship’s compartment.

Show Details:

  • What: “Purple Hearts” by C.S. Wallace
  • When: Four Performances — Wednesday-Saturday, April 10-13, nightly at 7:30 p.m.
  • Where: McArdle Theatre
  • Tickets: Pay As You’re Able ($15 full ticket fee). Student Rush included with Experience Tech fee.

Art in Silico Winning Submissions Announced

The 2024 Art in Silico event series has concluded, highlighted by a fun evening at the Copper Country Community Arts Center (CCCAC) and the Orpheum Theater that brought together artists, musicians, community members and friends alike!

$1,289 in donations were collected to contribute to the CCCAC, Michigan Tech Mush Fund and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Below are the winning submissions, decided by the Art in Silico jury:

  • First Place/Best of Show: "MML Power Quantizer" by C. McCarthy
  • Second Place: "Tonal Eclipse of the Art: In Silico Polyphonic Exploration with Carbon Nanotubes" by Kathryn Summersett and Steven Senczyszyn
  • Third Place: "Genesis Nexus" by Mary Kozmor and Meg Raasakka

We thank all who played an integral part in the event's success, and we are looking forward to next year!

For those who missed it, a virtual gallery will soon be available on the Art in Silico website.

PhD Defense: Neha Sharma, ChE

Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering candidate Neha Sharma will present her defense on Monday (April 15) at 8 a.m. The presentation will be in person in Chem Sci 310E or virtually via Zoom.

Sharma's defense is titled “Bioleaching of Manganese Ores."

Sharma's advisor is Timothy Eisele.

MS Defense: Singh Harsh, CS

M.S. in Computer Science candidate Singh Harsh will present his final oral examination (defense) on Monday (April 15) from 3-4 p.m. via Zoom online meeting.

The title of Harsh’s defense is “Secure access control in Internet of Vehicles with PoET.”

Harsh is advised by Bo Chen.

Join the Zoom meeting.

Read the talk abstract on the Computing News Blog.

MS Defense: Anabel Needham, CEGE

M.S. in Environmental Engineering candidate Anabel Needham will present a master's defense at 11 a.m. today (April 10) in Dow 873 or 875.

Needham's master's thesis is titled "Aluminum Critical Mineral Production via Landfill Mining: Environmental, Community, and Technical Feasibility for Integrated Multi-Material Resource Recovery."

Needham is advised by Robert Handler.

ME-EM Graduate Seminar Speaker: Aditya Kumar

The next Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics (ME-EM) Graduate Seminar speaker will present at 4 p.m. tomorrow (April 11) in MEEM 112.

Aditya Kumar will pesent “Frontal Polymerization Enabled Patterning and Additive Manufacturing of Thermoset Polymers.”

Kumar is an assistant professor of structural mechanics in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Georgia Tech. His research broadly focuses on answering fundamental problems in applied mechanics with a combination of new mathematical and computational tools.

MSE Seminar with Paul Jablonski

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) is hosting a seminar presented by Paul Jablonski of the National Energy Technology Laboratory, Albany, Oregon, from 1-2 p.m. tomorrow (April 11) in M&M 610.

Jablonski's presentation is titled "Design, Processing and Evaluation of Advanced Alloys."

From the abstract:
There are 17 unique DOE laboratories. NETL is the lab that concentrates on fossil energy and carbon management (FECM) issues. My team focuses on design, processing, and evaluation of advanced alloys. While NETL targets FECM, my team utilizes traditional metallurgical approaches to develop alloys for whatever the application demands including FE, defense, transportation, and medical applications just to name a few. This talk is aimed at a broad audience with discussions of alloy design and processing in a way that can be relevant to both material discovery and industrial scaleup. The alloy design portion will cover some of the practical considerations. The alloy melting discussion will cover critical considerations that are not generally treated in textbooks or technical papers. Our computational approach to alloy homogenization will also be presented. The purpose and methodology of alloy fabrication will be discussed. Finally, some examples of resulting alloy performance will be presented.

Jablonski, a senior metallurgist at the National Energy Technology Laboratory, has been at the Albany, Oregon, facility for over 20 years. He graduated in 1987 from Michigan Technological University with a B.S. in metallurgical engineering. After a couple years in the superalloy casting industry, he pursued an advanced degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, receiving a Ph.D. in metallurgical engineering in 1994. He has over 35 years’ experience in metals, including alloy design of Ni-based, Fe-based, Co-based, Cu-based, Al-based and Ti-based alloys ranging from melting, hot and cold working to post-processing evaluation.

Jablonski is the author/co-author of numerous publications and reports, has 14 patents granted and several more under review, is the recipient of four R&D 100 awards, the Secretary of Energy Achievement Award, the Carnegie Science Award and the Arthur S. Flemming Award, and is a Fellow of ASM.

Gracie VanLangevelde Awarded Riepma Postgraduate Scholarship

Michigan Tech soccer senior goalkeeper Gracie VanLangevelde has been named a 2023-24 Pat Riepma Postgraduate Scholarship recipient.

VanLangevelde appeared in 57 games over the past five seasons for Michigan Tech. She was the 2023 GLIAC Goalkeeper of the Year and was a two-time All-GLIAC First Team selection. She was also honored on the United Soccer Coaches All-Midwest Region First Team and the CSC Academic All-District Team, and was a four-time member of the GLIAC Academic Excellence Team.

VanLangevelde graduated in spring 2023 with a bachelor's in exercise science. She will complete her master's in kinesiology at Tech in spring 2024, and plans to attend the University at Buffalo Department of Rehabilitation Science to pursue a Doctor of Physical Therapy.

Read more at Michigan Tech Athletics.

Vitor Jordao Named Riepma Postgraduate Scholarship Recipient

Michigan Tech tennis senior Vitor Jordao has been named a 2023-24 Pat Riepma Postgraduate Scholarship recipient.

Jordao is in his fifth season on the Michigan Tech men's tennis team. He has been named to the CSC Academic All-District Team and is a three-time ITA Scholar-Athlete and a four-time member of the GLIAC Academic Excellence Team. He was named to the All-GLIAC Second Team for the 2022-23 season.

Jordao is pursuing dual bachelor's degrees in mechanical engineering and engineering management, and plans to earn an accelerated master's degree in mechatronics.

Read more at Michigan Tech Athletics.

Job Posting

Job Posting for Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Staff and faculty job descriptions are available on the Human Resources website. For more information regarding staff positions, call 906-487-2280 or email humanresources@mtu.edu. For more information regarding faculty positions, contact the academic department in which the position is posted.

Administrative Aide (12 months/ 40 hours/ first shift) #24093, Office of Innovation and Commercialization (UAW posting April 10 to April 16, 2024 — external applicants are encouraged to apply; however, internal UAW applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal UAW posting dates). Apply online.
Contact: Robin Kolehmainen

Michigan Technological University is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution/Equal Opportunity Employer that provides equal opportunity for all, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Accommodations are available. If you require any auxiliary aids, services, or other accommodations to apply for employment, or for an interview, at Michigan Technological University, please notify the Human Resources office at 906-487-2280 or humanresources@mtu.edu.

In Print

A team from the Department of Chemistry at Michigan Technological University has published an article in the American Chemical Society (ACS) journal Biochemistry.

The MTU team is led by Christo Z. Christov and includes Ph.D. students Midhun G. Thomas and Simahudeen Bathir J.S. Rifayee.

The article is titled “Structural, Spectroscopic, and Computational Insights from Canavanine-Bound and Two Catalytically Compromised Variants of the Ethylene-Forming Enzyme.”

A team of Michigan State University researchers including Shramana Chatterjee, Mathia Fellner and Joel Rankin and led by Jian Hu and Robert Hausinger are collaborators in this study.

This study on the Fe(II)/2-oxoglutarate-dependent ethylene-forming enzyme (EFE) reveals how the change of key residues in the second coordination sphere and the binding of alternative substrates influence the EFE’s structure-function relationships and can be used for increasing the ethylene production.

The research is supported by NSF grants 1904215 and 2203630 to C.Z.C. and 1904295 and 2203472 to R.P.H. and J.H.

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A response written by Jonathan Robins (SS) was published as part of an H-Environment Roundtable Review of his 2021 book, "Oil Palm: a Global History."

The review contains comments from a panel of experts on Africa, Europe and Southeast Asia including Erika Rappaport of the University of California, Santa Barbara; Bronwen Everill of the University of Cambridge, U.K.; and David Biggs of the University of California, Riverside. The review was edited by Mohamed Gamal-Eldin of Rutgers University-Newark.

In the News

Tim Havens (CS/ICC/GLRC) and applied mathematics student C. McCarthy were quoted by the Daily Mining Gazette in a story about the Institute of Computing and Cybersystems’ “Art in Silico” computational art exhibition event series. The story ran on the front page of the DMG’s printed newspaper dated Saturday/Sunday (April 6/7).

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Will Cantrell (GS/Physics/EPSSI) and Jesse Anderson (Physics/EPSSI) were quoted by WLUC TV6 in a story about nearly $1.5 million in funding from the United Arab Emirates for rain enhancement research using Michigan Tech’s Pi Cloud Chamber. 

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Ph.D. candidate James Schwaderer (industrial heritage and archaeology), Terri Frew (VPA) and Don Lafreniere (SS) appeared and the Keweenaw Time Traveler was discussed in an episode of the DISCOVERING docuseries on YouTube. Episode 80 "Building the Chassell Historic Trail" highlights the work done to support the creation of the Chassell Heritage Trail, which interprets a former lumber mill site in Chassell, Michigan.

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The Keweenaw Report picked up Michigan Tech’s announcement of LaReesa Wolfenbarger as the new dean of the College of Sciences and Arts. The story ran Monday (April 8) in Tech Today.

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DBusiness mentioned Michigan Tech in coverage of InvestUP and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s creation of the Michigan Outdoor Innovation Fund — a $3 million pre-seed fund to support entrepreneurs across the state in the outdoor recreation industry. Michigan Tech is one of the regional partner organizations serving on the fund’s advisory board.

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Clemson News mentioned Michigan Tech in a story announcing Kevin Tomsovic ’82 (B.S. Electrical Engineering) as the new executive director of the Clemson University Restoration Institute, the Duke Energy Endowed Chair in Smart Grid Technology and a professor of electrical and computer engineering.

Reminders

Sustainability Awards and Gathering Announcement

It takes many hands, hearts and minds to create a sustainable campus. As a part of Earth Month programming, join the Office of Sustainability and Resilience in celebrating four individuals who go the extra mile, dedicating their time and energy to supporting a more sustainable Michigan Tech.

This year’s Campus Sustainability Leadership Awardees are:

  • Undergraduate: Claire Christen (environmental engineering)
  • Graduate: Aritra Chakrabarty (Ph.D. in Environment and Energy Policy candidate)
  • Staff: Robert Handler (ChE)
  • Faculty: Chelsea Schelly (SS)

Please join us next Wednesday (April 17) for a celebration of the award winners and their accomplishments, a brief update on sustainability work at Michigan Tech and some time to enjoy snacks and interact with your peers. Feel free to bring lunch.

Celebration Details:

  • What: Sustainability Awards Gathering
  • When: Wednesday, April 17, from noon to 12:45 p.m.
  • Where: MUB Ballroom B1

Add this event to your Google Calendar.

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On-Campus Meetings Available with TIAA Financial Consultant

Ryan Hallowell and Matthew Bunch from the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA) will be available on Michigan Tech's campus for one-on-one sessions from April 30 through May 2 in the following locations:

  • Ryan Hallowell — MUB Greenstone Room (MUB 106A)
  • Matthew Bunch — MUB Superior Room (MUB B001)

No matter where you are in life — just getting started or planning for retirement — a session with a financial consultant can help you create a plan for your goals. And, there's no cost for a consultation as a part of your retirement plan.

RSVP today, as space is limited. You can register for sessions with TIAA directly by logging in to your TIAA or guest account, then searching for "Michigan Tech" in the Institution field. When asked how you would like to meet, select "In Person at My Employer."

You can also register for a meeting by calling TIAA at 800-732-8353 on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.

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Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Have you noticed the teal ribbons around trees throughout campus? April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and the teal ribbons are a nationally recognized symbol for sexual assault awareness.

According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network), Women ages 18-24 are at an elevated risk of sexual assault: among undergraduate students, 26.4% of females and 6.8% of males experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence or incapacitation. Among graduate and professional students, the statistics are 9.7% of females and 2.5% of males.

Title IX has partnered with Copper Shores Support and Community Outreach to host several events during April to raise awareness and help educate students, staff and faculty about ways to keep themselves safe on campus.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month Events:

  • Title IX Presents Sex Rules
    Thursday, April 11, from 6-8:30 p.m. in M&M U115
    Presentation by Briana Hansen

  • Cover the Cruiser with Public Safety and Copper Shores
    Friday, April 12, from 1-4 p.m.

  • Puppy Parade
    Thursday, April 25, from 5-7:30 p.m. at Quincy Green, Hancock

Please join us for all of our events! For more information, contact Dawn Corwin at dmcorwin@mtu.edu.

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WIBIT Wednesday: Tonight at the SDC Pool

MTU students, SDC Access Pass holders (minimum one-month) and WIBIT Wednesday Pass holders, come make a splash with our inflatable pool obstacle course called the WIBIT tonight (April 10) from 5-8 p.m. at the SDC Pool!

Events will be held this spring for current MTU students and SDC Access Pass holders (minimum one-month). Not a current student or SDC Access Pass holder? Purchase a WIBIT Wednesday Pass (space is limited)!

Test your individual skills on the course or challenge your friend to a race across the obstacles.

The course is set up in the deep water and requires users to be able to pass our swim test. See the WIBIT rules and swim test content on our website for more information.

There are many different pieces of the WIBIT and each event will have a featured combination.

Potential featured pieces include:

  • The Step — This piece allows users to climb up onto the course.
  • The Base — Users must make their way across a horizontal surface. Be careful how fast you move, as it can get slippery!
  • The Cliff — Users must navigate either side of a slope using the handles and their balancing skills.
  • V-Connect — Users must use limited footing space to navigate across the horizontal structure.
  • The Bridge — Users must navigate up and over an arched structure without falling through.
  • The Slope — Users must climb up a six-foot wall that leads to a slide into the pool water below!

Upcoming WIBIT date, time and combination:

Wednesday, April 10, from 5-8 p.m. — Step/Bridge/Cliff/Slope

Come visit us at the pool to try out your skills! For more information, visit our WIBIT page.

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MS Defense: Felix Cottet-Puinel, KIP

Please join the Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology (KIP) today (April 10) from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in Chem Sci 215 for Felix Cottet-Puinel's master's defense.

The title of Cottet-Puinel's thesis is "Changes in Flanker Task Performance Following High-Intensity Exercise in Endurance Athletes."

For more information, please go to the KIP Newsblog.

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PhD Proposal Defense: Yuguang Wang, CS

Ph.D. in Computational Science and Engineering student Yuguang Wang will present a doctoral research proposal today (April 10) from 10-11:30 a.m. via Zoom online meeting.

The title of Wang’s proposal is “GPU-based Out-of-Memory Graph Processing Design.”

Join the Zoom meeting.

Read the proposal abstract on the Computing News Blog.

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MS Defense: Abishek Subramanian, ECE

M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering candidate Abishek Subramanian will present his master's defense today (April 10) at 2 p.m. in person in EERC 122 and virtually via Zoom.

The title of Subramanian's defense is "Application of Fusion based Deep Learning Models to Improve Millimeter Wave Beamforming."

Subramanian is advised by Aurenice Oliveira.

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This Week's C3 Luncheon

Menu for Thursday (April 11):

  • Herb Crusted Chicken Breast (AD, AG)
  • Tortellini Primavera (Vegetarian, Contains: Dairy, Gluten)
  • Caesar Salad (Vegetarian, Contains: Egg, Dairy, Gluten, Fish, Soy)
  • Parmesan Polenta (Vegetarian, AG, Contains: Dairy)
  • Chef Vegetables (Vegan, AD, AG)
  • Breadsticks (Vegetarian, Contains: Dairy, Egg, Gluten)

Join Carved and Crafted Catering for this week's C3 Luncheon. The luncheon is held each week on Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Alumni Lounge (MUB 107). All faculty and staff, along with their guests, are invited.

The C3, or C-Cubed, lunch buffet menus are created and prepared by Chef Luis Delgado and his culinary team. As the name suggests, the meals are meant to foster conversation, community and collegiality. Attendees may bring their lunch instead of purchasing the buffet. Fruit-infused water, coffee, tea and cookies are available free to all attendees.

The buffet lunch is $15 per person. Cash, credit cards and gift cards are accepted. Gift cards can be purchased in the Memorial Union office (MUB 101).

We look forward to seeing you at our next luncheon!

AG = Avoiding Gluten
AD = Avoiding Dairy

Today's Campus Events

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

Digital Marketers

Digital Marketers is a group for digital platform managers (digital ads, photo/video production, social media accounts, websites, etc) across campus. We meet every other...

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Research Proposal: Yuguang Wang, PhD in Computational Science and Engineering

Graduate student Yuguang Wang, PhD in Computational Science and Engineering, will present a research proposal on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, from 10-11:30 am via Zoom online...

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Master's Defense: Anabel Needham

Environmental Engineering Advisor: Robert Handler Aluminum Critical Mineral Production via Landfill Mining: Environmental, Community, and Technical Feasibility for...

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Master's Defense: J Parker Harstad

Chemistry Advisor: Shiyue Fang Synthesis of chlorinated deoxyguanosine nucleotides at the N2 carbon to prevent substitution errors during the capping step for the chemical...

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Master's Defense: Abishek Subramanian

Electrical and Computer Engineering Advisor: Aurenice Oliveira Application of Fusion based Deep Learning Models to Improve Millimeter Wave Beamforming Attend Virtually:...

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Master's Defense: Felix Cottet-Puinel

Kinesiology Co-advisors: Carolyn Duncan and Steven Elmer Changes in flanker task performance following high-intensity exercise in endurance athletes

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Spring 2024 Little Huskies Girls Basketball Camp

Open to grades 2-5. Learning skills, working in a team, and having fun: that’s Michigan Tech’s Little Huskies Girls’ Basketball Camp. It’s a great introduction to the sport...

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Students For Life General Meeting

Students For Life general meeting

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WIBIT Wednesday

MTU Students, SDC Access Pass Holders (minimum 1-month) and WIBIT Wednesday Pass holders, come make a splash with our inflatable pool obstacle course called the WIBIT! Events...

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Charity Volleyball Tournament

Summary: The Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council are hosting a Greek-wide volleyball tournament to raise money for 31 Backpacks in Houghton. 31 Backpacks is a...

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Modern Languages Cultural Spring Celebration

Modern Languages & Cultures is happy to host a celebration of our Minor students, especially those graduating this Spring and Summer 2024 with a minor in French, German or...

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Purple Hearts Presented by Michigan Tech Theatre

Purple Hearts, by C.S. Wallace, is the heartbreaking, inspiring, and sometimes funny story of three men who, in the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbor, find themselves trapped...

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Michigan Tech Parent and Family Panel

Join us (virtually) to meet parents of our current Huskies! They'll tell you about their student's experiences at Michigan Tech and how to navigate the whole process as a...

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Prospective Husky Hangout

Join us to meet other admitted students and ask current students any burning questions you have about being a Husky. Please note: This virtual event will not be recorded.