July is always a special time in the Copper Country. Temperatures are enjoyable and the UP always puts on the best July Fourth showing. It’s also a time of both retrospect and prospect. The Class of 2026 said their goodbyes and are well on their way to their next adventure in life. Meanwhile, the Class of 2030 joined our community for the first time at Summer Orientation.
This July we also celebrate our alumni at MTU’s annual Alumni Reunion. We are especially excited to welcome the Golden M Class of 1976. Reflecting on 1976, the hockey team made it all the way to the NCAA national championship for the second time in a row. The theme for Winter Carnival was “1776—Icy Blasts from Our Frozen Past” and we celebrated the opening of the EERC. Notable seniors celebrating Winter Carnival that year included Brenda Ryan, who is a former Board of Trustees member, current member of the Michigan Tech Fund Board and founder of Ryan Industries, John Soyring who went on to become Vice President of IBM, and John Calder, who is the former owner and CEO of Dorsey-Alexander Inc. and Cincinnati Controls, just to name a few.
Throughout the decades, our alumni prove time and time again the value of a degree from Michigan Tech. Many have founded their own successful companies, patented new technologies and achieved tremendous success in their respective fields. What I so much appreciate is that they always credit Michigan Tech for being a key part of their success.
I look forward to celebrating with our alumni on July 30 through August 1 at MTU’s 80th annual Alumni Reunion. It’s always a great time to reconnect, reminisce and rejoice in how far we’ve come as an institution.
Hope to see you there.
Sincerely,
Rick Koubek
President