Month: April 2020

Giving Tuesday Now

#GivingTuesdayNow is a global day of giving and unity set to take place on May 5, 2020, as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19. The event will mobilize GivingTuesday’s global network of leaders, partners, communities and generous individuals.

How you can participate:

Make a gift to the Husky Emergency Assistance Fund (HEAF)
The HEAF has been established to help provide financial relief for the Michigan Tech campus community (students and employees) who are experiencing financial hardship as a result of crises (including COVID-19). Donate to the HEAF.

Support any area of campus
A gift to Michigan Tech or any specific area of campus will help us prepare students to create the future. Give now.

Donate food or resources to the Husky Food Access Network
The on-campus food pantry has helped hundreds of students in their time of need. Make a financial donation or email huskyfan@mtu.edu to coordinate a food donation during social distancing protocol.

Use your time or skills in the COVID-19 response
Michigan Tech alumni are putting their education and ingenuity to work to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. See what others are doing and add your story.


On the last GivingTuesday (December 3, 2019) the global giving day generated $2 billion in giving, just in the United States, and inspired millions of people worldwide to volunteer, perform countless acts of kindness, and donate their voices, time, money, and goods. The additional giving day planned for May 5, 2020 is being deployed in response to needs expressed by communities and leaders around the world.

Join the movement! Make a gift to Michigan Tech on Tuesday, May 5!

Zoom Backgrounds

In response to the widespread use of Zoom for virtual meetings during stay-at-home orders, here are images you can use as virtual backgrounds in Zoom. For instructions on how to set up a virtual background, see the instructions below.

To download images:
On a PC:
• Right click the image (before clicking the magnifying glass).
• Open image in a new tab.
• Go to the new tab and right click on the image.
• Select “save image as.”
On a Mac:
• Click the magnifying glass.
• Right click and select “save image as.”

To set an image as your virtual background in Zoom:
• Open Zoom.us.
• Go to settings (on the home screen, click the gear icon in the upper right corner).
• Select Virtual Background from the left column.
• Click the + symbol to add new images.

Alumni Work to Fight COVID-19

Michigan Tech alumni are putting their education and ingenuity to work to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve heard of Huskies involved in many different aspects of the pandemic response: producing parts for ventilators, creating testing kits and making masks.

How are you or your company involved? Comment below.

Here is a sampling of the stories we’ve heard.

Testing being performed on Abbott’s ID NOW platform

Abbott (Lynne Fleischmann ‘95) in Abbott Park, Illinois, launched a molecular point-of-care test to detect COVID-19 in as few as five minutes. Read more.

Calumet Electronics (Meredith Ballard LaBeau ‘04 ‘08 ‘12 and others) in Calumet, Michigan, is filling orders for circuit boards for ventilators as quickly as possible. Read more.

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (Dr. David Frendewey ‘76) in Tarrytown, New York, is working on a treatment for COVID-19. Read more.

Alliance Beverage (Shawn Gary ‘80) in Grand Rapids, Michigan, teamed up with New Holland Brewing to produce 1,000 gallons of hand sanitizer. Read more.

Shaggy’s Copper Country Skis (Jeffrey Thompson ‘12 and Stephanie Stevens ‘13) in Boyne City, Michigan is making protective face shields. Read more.

Makerhub.co (Cedric Kennedy ‘16) is connecting 3D printing enthusiasts, sewing hobbyists and other DIYers to create and donate personal protective equipment to hospitals. Read more.

Ben Manning ’17 and Amanda Stenzelbarton ’14 ’16 in Athens, Georgia, turned their garage into a 3D printing facility to make masks and face shields for local first responders and hospitals. You can donate printing supplies to their cause through Amazon.