Month: October 2021

Guzdials Enrich Campus with Bench, Statue

Chris ‘63 and Jan Guzdial made a gift of a granite bench and bronze Husky statue, which is placed just outside the McAllister Welcome Center in the Memorial Union Building.

The location will be a magnet for students—both current and prospective—to sit next to the husky and snap a photo.

“We want to put smiles on students’ faces,” said Chris. “It was a struggle to get through Michigan Tech as a student, but Tech really helped me. I wanted to do something for Michigan Tech and the students here.”

Chris, a chemical engineering graduate, claims he “learned how to learn” at MTU, citing a couple of his instructors. “Mr. T.E. Vichich said in his class that you couldn’t just cram the night before an exam and expect to pass. You needed to do your homework daily. That proved to be true for me.

“Another instructor was my chemical engineering advisor, Dr. G.M. Machwart, who taught me lessons that stayed with me my entire career.”

The Guzdials were inspired in their gift by William Bernard and family and their role in adding the Bernard Family Clock Tower to the west end of campus in 2018.

“We were going to contribute to that project, but it was already taken care of,” said Jan. “This bench was an opportunity to further add to campus. Universities need these extra things to enrich campus life.”

The bench was dedicated July 26 at a small ceremony with the Guzdials and their friends in attendance. 

“I look forward to seeing the photos of students sitting on this bench, hugging the husky, and having a good time.”

In Memoriam

July 1, 2021 – September 30, 2021

Pref Class Full Name Degrees
1949 Vincent A. Miklas BS Electrical Engineering, BS Mechanical Engineering
1949 Willard O. Tschantz BS Mechanical Engineering
1950 Gordon D. Carlson BS Civil Engineering
1950 Thomas C. Elwell P.E. BS Mechanical Engineering
1950 Jack D. Raisanen BS Civil Engineering
1951 Edward J. Gaffney BS Mechanical Engineering
1951 Howard A. Zollinger P.E. BS Electrical Engineering
1952 Dante A. Iacovoni BS Metallurgical Engineering, MS Metallurgical Engineering
1954 George F. Kruggel P.E. BS Mechanical Engineering, ’55 MS Mechanical Engineering
1956 L. Stanley Freese, Jr. BS Forestry
1957 Jack A. Kolehmainen BS Mechanical Engineering
1957 Roy A. Koski BS Geological Engineering, BS Metallurgical Engineering, BS Mining Engineering
1957 John E. Miller BS Electrical Engineering
1958 Frank R. Hastedt BS Physics
1958 John A. Rechlin BS Civil Engineering
1959 Dr. Donald E. Mikkola BS Metallurgical Engineering
1959 John H. Ruusi BS Chemical Engineering, ’63 BS Business Engineering Admin
1962 Louis F.M.  Angotti BS Business Administration
1962 John Lagadin BS Geological Engineering
1963 Robert J. Gaabo BS Electrical Engineering, MS Electrical Engineering
1965 Sandy W. Johnson Jr BS Mechanical Engineering
1965 Dennis M. Taulu BS Mechanical Engineering
1967 Darrell A. Bacon BS Mechanical Engineering
1967 Jon C. Betts BS Forestry
1967 Anthony J. Esposito BS Business Administration
1967 Joseph S. Wildberg BS Business Administration
1968 Dr. Alan R. Kaub BS Civil Engineering
1968 Michael R. Peramaki BS Forestry
1969 Erik J. Grorud BS Civil Engineering
1969 Paul A. Masini BS Business Engineering Admin, ’69 BS Mechanical Engineering
1970 William T. Hicks II, P.E. BS Electrical Engineering
1970 Eric J. Paavilainen BS Forestry
1971 Dominic C. Chiang MS Chemistry
1971 Richard E. Drouillard AAS Electrical Eng Tech (AAS)
1971 Kristine M. Haglund BS Biological Sciences
1971 Douglas R. Hansen BS Electrical Engineering
1971 Jeffrey A. Jasicki BS Mechanical Engineering
1971 Alan G. Klug BS Mechanical Engineering
1971 Norman W. Laursen Jr BS Electrical Engineering, MS Electrical Engineering
1971 John W. Loney Jr MS Electrical Engineering
1971 William D. Lundt BS Mathematics
1971 Douglas L. McKee BS Electrical Engineering
1971 Steven W. Nyman BS Chemical Engineering
1971 Dennis K. Olson BS Civil Engineering
1971 Mark E. Sauve BS Chemical Engineering
1971 Michael F. Schmidt BS Business Administration
1971 Darrell J. Seppanen BS Mathematics
1971 C. Jerry Sherwood BS Mechanical Engineering
1971 Allan L. Sleeman BS Mechanical Engineering, ’77 MS Mechanical Engineering
1971 Alan R. TerBush BS Business Administration
1971 Larry D. Thompson BS Electrical Engineering
1972 David J. Dibert BS Applied Physics
1972 Farhad Haghighat BS Mechanical Engineering
1972 Gregory J. Hatt AAS Civil Engineering Technology, ’77 BS Civil Engineering
1972 Andrew J. Hubert BS Electrical Engineering
1972 George C. Kandler Jr BS Biological Sciences
1972 Mark W. Larson AAS Forest Technology
1973 Dr. Leroy V. Heldt MS Biological Sciences
1973 John P. Kohut BS Chemistry, ’76 MS Chemistry
1973 Betty A. Pyhtila BS Business Administration
1974 Larry P. Mosher BS Electrical Engineering
1974 Lorraine D. Palmer BA Liberal Arts
1974 Richard F. Prince BS Business Administration
1975 Kenneth M. Barlage AAS Forest Technology
1975 Sharon R. Sibilsky BA Liberal Arts
1977 David A. Broman BS Biological Sciences
1977 David D. Myrold BS Forestry
1978 Peter W. Roberts BS Business Administration
1978 Steven R. Vanden Brink BS Civil Engineering
1979 Robert D. Dekema AAS Electrical Eng Tech (AAS)
1982 Mary C. Linton MS Biological Sciences
1983 Gary R. Shea BS Civil Engineering
1984 S. Paul Sundeen MS Business Administration
1985 James M. Harju BS Electrical Engineering
1985 Mark C. Hebert BS Metallurgical Engineering
1987 Gregory G. Morelli BS Civil Engineering
1994 Cynthia J. Tormala BA Liberal Arts
2000 Keith E. Graham BS Forestry

In Memoriam — April 1, 2021 – June 30, 2021