The groundbreaking came less than a year after Michigan Tech’s Board of Trustees approved construction of the center in December 2025. The approximately 78,400-square-foot facility will bring together wellness services and resources currently located across more than 30 locations on campus. Located between the University’s Memorial Union and Administration buildings, the center is expected to open in fall 2028.

The center’s construction is fully funded by a $55 million gift from Park, the largest individual gift in University history.

"It is my hope that what students learn and experience, and the healthy attitudes they develop at the center, will stay with them for the rest of their lives and help them become significant contributing members of our society," said Park. "We still enjoy classical music composed more than 200 years ago. It gives me great pleasure to think about Michigan Tech students enjoying and benefiting from the facility we are about to build for many years to come."

Read more about the ceremony and what Park's gift means for Huskies at Michigan Tech News.

Led by GMES PhD alums Elisa Piispa and adjunct assistant professor Leonid Surotsikii, the team spent field days hiking to lava flow outcrops and collecting drilling core samples. In their free time, Jensen and Mol were able to explore Iceland’s landscapes, visit historical sites, and immerse themselves in the local culture. 

Learn more about the team and hear from the students in the College of Engineering blog. 

Donation bins with QR codes to the donation wishlist are located across campus at the following locations:

• Fisher Hall: near HuskyFAN
• Administration Building: first floor across from the elevators
• Van Pelt and Opie Library: near Exhibit tables on the first floor

If you have any questions about donation needs, please reach out to hbershin@mtu.edu.

Flu Shot Clinic Details:

• Wednesday, Oct. 7, from 4-6 p.m. in the SDC Blueline Room
• Wednesday, Oct. 14, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Rozsa Lobby
• Thursday, Oct. 15, from 9:30-11:30 a.m. in the Rozsa Lobby

The clinics offer a crucial opportunity for students, staff, and faculty to protect themselves and their peers from seasonal influenza. Because college campuses often serve as hubs for illness spread, high vaccination rates are essential to maintaining a healthy academic environment.

The Importance of Vaccination
Influenza can have serious consequences, particularly in crowded settings like college campuses, where people are in close contact. The flu can lead to severe illness, missed classes, and even hospitalizations. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flu-related complications can be especially severe for certain populations, including young adults with underlying health conditions.

By getting vaccinated, the Husky community not only protects its own health but also supports the overall well-being of the campus community. The flu vaccine reduces the risk of infection and helps prevent outbreaks, so everyone can focus on studies and social activities without illness interrupting them.

Clinic Details and Accessibility
The campus flu shot clinics are designed to be convenient and accessible. No appointments are required, making it easy to fit a vaccination into a busy schedule. Trained health care professionals will staff the clinics, administer flu shots, and answer any questions students may have about the vaccine.

Additionally, for those concerned about cost, most insurance plans cover the flu shot, and self-pay is $40. If you plan to use insurance, be sure to bring your insurance card.

Upcoming Flu Shot Clinics: A Vital Health Initiative in Collaboration with UP Health
The upcoming flu shot clinics are an important health initiative for Michigan Tech's campus community. By participating, students, staff, and faculty can protect themselves and their friends, helping ensure a healthier environment for learning and growth. By potentially mitigating flu outbreaks, the clinics are a proactive step toward maintaining a vibrant and productive academic year.

We urge all students to take advantage of this opportunity — get vaccinated, stay healthy, and support one another in making campus safer. Your health matters, and together we can make a difference!

To learn more, please visit the Center for Student Mental Health and Well-being's Flu Shot Clinics page.

• Am I invested in the appropriate mix of investments to help meet my goals?
• Am I saving enough to create the retirement income I need?
• How do I take income from my retirement account once I stop working?

Ryan Hallowell and Matthew Bunch from the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA) will be available on Michigan Tech’s campus at the Memorial Union Building and Lakeshore Center for one-on-one sessions:

• Ryan H. – Week of Oct. 19 
• Matthew B. – Week of Nov. 9

RSVP today, as space is limited. You can register for a session 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.

Visit the Michigan Tech Recreation website for registration links, and check back often — new and exciting programs are always being added! Be sure to review our Open Rec Hours to schedule your rec time accordingly. 

Interested in building membership and taking advantage of all the great components? We’ve got you covered! Check out an SDC Membership or Gates Membership for all the details.

Questions? Reach out to recreation@mtu.edu.

October Recreation Programs:

• Sports Camps and Events
  • Little Huskies Volleyball Club
  • Cheer Little Huskies Clinic
• Aquatics
  • Adult Huskies Swim Lessons
  • Adult Huskies Swim Training
  • Huskies Group Swim: Parent & Child
  • Huskies Group Swim: Preschool
  • Huskies Group Swim: Level 1-5
  • Huskies Swim Training
  • Huskies Diving Clinic
  • Private/Semi-Private Swim Lessons
  • WIBIT
• Fitness Coaching and Classes
  • Personal and Partner Fitness Coaching 
  • Group Fitness Classes 
• HuskiesFit Recreation
  • Adult Aikido and Youth Aikido
  • Rowing
  • Tumbling 
• Outdoor Adventure Program
  • Indoor Rock Climbing
  • Log Rolling
  • Equipment Rental
• Shooting Range 
  • CPL Courses
• Gates Tennis Center 
  • Group and Private Lessons (Adult and Youth)
  • Cardio Tennis

The upcoming workshop, “Credit and Your Financial Future,” will focus on establishing credit, understanding credit reports and scores, factors that can impact credit, and using credit responsibly. Students will learn how building and maintaining a strong credit history can play an important role in future financial decisions, from renting an apartment or purchasing a vehicle to eventually financing a home.

The series was developed in partnership with MSA to provide relevant financial education for international students and families who may be navigating the U.S. financial system for the first time. While it was created with the needs of international students in mind, students from all backgrounds can benefit from learning more about credit. All Michigan Tech students are invited to attend.

The workshop will take place from 5–6 p.m. in the MUB Alumni Lounge B. 

Register to Attend
Advance registration is requested to help with planning for seating, refreshments and children’s activities.

Register for the Workshop.

This is the second workshop in the financial literacy series organized by the Michigan Tech Muslim Students Association in partnership with Breakwater Federal Credit Union.

• Public Lecture: "Finding the Weird Points in a Time Series: an information-theoretic approach"
  Thursday, Oct. 15, at 5 p.m. in Fisher 138
• Research Lecture: "The Magic of Sample Splitting in Time Series Model Checking"
  Friday, Oct. 16, at 1 p.m. in Fisher 101

Read Davis' abstract and bio at the University Events Calendar.

Jeffery Allen will present "Neutron Imaging, Cryogenics, Lunar Depots, CFD, and Microscale Models (a.k.a. A New Method for Determining Accommodation Coefficients)."

This seminar will present a research program that solved the issue surrounding the accommodation coefficient for liquid hydrogen and methane. First, condensation and evaporation inside aluminum and stainless steel containers were imaged using neutron beams in the BT-2 Neutron Imaging Facility at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Maryland.

The seminar will be presented at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8, in Fisher 139. The coffee hour will be held at 3:30 p.m. in the Fisher Hall Lobby.

Read Chirenti's abstract and bio at the University Events Calendar. 

The project is titled “Safe and Secure AI Manufacturing Implementation Program.”

Jung Yun Bae, Myoungkuk Park (both MAE), and Aleksandr Sergeyev (AC) are co-principal investigators on this potential three-year project.

Carter's talk, "Research Rooted in Community: Rural Food Justice in Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula," provided an overview of ongoing community-based research studying rural food access.

WorldAtlas mentioned Tara Bal (CFRES) in a story about invasive earthworms in the Upper Midwest. The story highlighted Bal’s 2023 research linking earthworm activity to sugar maple dieback at study sites across the Upper Peninsula, northern Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota.

Radio Results Network quoted Laura Bulleit (SA) in a preview story about the groundbreaking for the Chang K. Park Center for Student Wellness. The story highlighted the $55 million gift funding the center and plans to bring wellness services currently spread across more than 30 campus locations together in one facility. 

SCIENMAG mentioned Robert Nemiroff (Physics) in a story about new research exploring how the universe as a whole may affect the passage of time on Earth.

Keweenaw Report previewed Michigan Tech’s Parents and Family Weekend, which brought more than 1,200 family members to the Copper Country. The story highlighted weekend activities, including athletic events, social gatherings and performances.

SCIENMAG featured research by Michigan Tech alum Abel Reyes-Angulo ’25 (Ph.D. Computational Science and Engineering) in a story about a new compact artificial intelligence model designed for medical image segmentation. 

Voyage Minnesota mentioned Michigan Tech alum Kelly Cane ’91 (B.S. Scientific and Technical Communication) in a roundup highlighting artists, creatives and entrepreneurs. Cane discussed her time at Michigan Tech and her path to a career in public relations.

The Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE) is officially launching, and we invite Michigan Tech faculty and academic staff to come celebrate with us!

Stop by our Open House at the Van Pelt and Opie Library on Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 2-4:30 p.m. Visit our locations in Library 219 and Library 243 to meet the people behind the CFE, explore the many resources and services available to faculty, and learn how we can support your teaching, research, professional development and career.

With representatives highlighting everything from instructional design and accessibility to research support, mentoring and faculty development, there’s something for everyone. Come see what the CFE can do for you!

Light refreshments will be served. 

*****

POW/MIA Memorial 5K Run

Bring your running shoes and come out Saturday, Oct. 10, for the annual POW/MIA Memorial 5K Run. On-site registration starts at 8 a.m. and the race starts at 9 a.m. Registration will be available in front of the ROTC Building on Michigan Tech’s campus. The cost of the run is $20 and cash or Venmo will be accepted.

The 5K route will start at the ROTC Building, go to the Portage Lift Bridge and then return. Following the run, there will be a prize for first place and a raffle for other prizes.

The Arnold Air Society, a Michigan Tech registered student organization, sponsors this event to honor and remember our nation’s prisoners of war and those missing in action. This event also raises awareness and support for the men and women who have bravely served our country.

Participants of all ages and fitness levels are encouraged to join — whether you run, jog, walk, or are there just to cheer everyone on, your presence helps carry forward the spirit of remembrance and gratitude.

All the proceeds raised from the event will go to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Copper Ingot Post No. 4624 in Hubbell and will be used to help local veterans in need.

If you have any questions, please contact Christian Zalenski at cdzalens@mtu.edu.

*****

Creating Compliant Personnel Documents with SciENcv

Join Research Development on Thursday, Oct. 8, at noon for a step-by-step workshop on using SciENcv to build and maintain your biographical sketch and current and pending support documents. Once setup is complete, you can easily update your profile and generate documents compliant with federal agency requirements.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) requires all senior personnel listed on proposals to use SciENcv for their biographical sketch and current and pending support forms. Additionally, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the US Department of Energy require SciENcv for new common forms.

This session is designed for anyone submitting grant proposals who is new to SciENcv or wants a refresher on system basics. The workshop covers the entire process from account setup to final document generation; no prior experience is necessary.

If you cannot attend live, a recording will be available after the event on the RD Toolkit's Past Events page.

*****

The Campus Dining Survey is here!

Campus Dining requests your feedback through our Campus Dining Survey. Let us know how we can make your campus dining experience better! Your feedback is extremely important and will be used to help us reinvent your dining experience here on campus.

About the survey:

• It’s confidential. We do not release individual data to anyone; survey answers are entirely anonymous.
• It’s quick. The survey should take 8-10 minutes to complete. 
• Take it before it closes. The deadline for completing the survey is Oct. 31. However, please take it at your earliest convenience.
• You could win. We have several prizes to raffle off for those who choose to screenshot and email the completed survey page image to huskyeats@mtu.edu.

Visit the Campus Dining website for more information or to see the list of prizes.

Past feedback has helped us implement positive changes like the new to-go meal plan option at DHH Junction House, new menu items such as sandwiches, salads, and boba drinks available at the MUB Grill, along with later hours at the MUB Grill from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on weekdays.

Questions? If you have any questions about the survey process, email huskyeats@mtu.edu or call 906-487-1861. The survey will be open for the month of October.

On behalf of Husky Eats, we thank you for taking the time to participate in this very important initiative and sharing your valuable insights!

*****

EPSSI Seminar with Keighley Rockcliffe

Keighley Rockcliffe will give a talk today, Oct. 5, as part of this fall's Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences Institute (EPSSI) Seminar Series.

Rockcliffe is a CRESST Postdoctoral Research Associate with the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, working out of NASA Goddard's Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Lab. This event will be held in the Great Lakes Research Center. Refreshments and a social will be held at 3:30 p.m. on the first floor, with the lecture to follow at 4 p.m. in GLRC 202.

The title of the talk is "Young Atmospheres Spirited Away."

Read Rockcliffe's abstract and bio on the University Events Calendar.