Category: Alumni News

Thanks to all the Michigan Tech alumni and employees who participated in our inaugural contest. Congratulations to our winners!

Multi-Day Snow Statue

Multi-Day Snow Statue – Winner

Title: Paw Patrol Tackles Covid Boredom
Caption: “Ice or Snow We’re Ready to Go!”
Participants: Greg Mooren ’06, Molly Mooren ’06, Jana Fogarty ’05, Josh Fogarty ’03, Brian Mooren ’03, Mellisa Mooren ’02, Joe Mooren ’00, Sarah Mooren ’00, and children.
Location: Appleton, Wisconsin
Story: Doing a snow statue this year was particularly appealing to us as we seek creative ways to keep ourselves and our kids from going stir crazy, especially in the winter weather. Our kids love Paw Patrol and was great motivation to get out of the house and be active! The Paw Patrol’s motto is “No problem is too big, no pup is too small” which seems like a great thing to keep in mind as we face the challenges of COVID.

Multi-Day Snow Statue – Second Place

Title: “Budd Torchorbit: Space Wrangler”
Participant: Max Dehtiar ’06
Location: Saginaw, Michigan
Statue Story: Galactic threats are ever present – especially the plots of evil emperor Gruz. But never fear – here comes interstellar space wrangler Budd Torchorbit! Now you can have your own Budd with this 1:8 scale action figure! Communicate with mission control, protect life forms with your laser, and fall with style with your amazing retractable wings! (Building bricks pictured not included).

Multi-Day Snow Statue – Third Place

Title: “Team TMNT/Looking back at our favorite childhood cartoons, we remember having many snowy cowabunga afternoons.”
Participants: Laurie Stark (’08/current employee), Ashley Ploetz (’08), Ryan Ploetz (’08), Susan Mattila (’08)
Location: Hancock, Michigan
Story: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon holds a special place in our hearts. The original cartoon was created in 1987 and was a 90’s classic. We remember watching Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael battle creatures, criminals, and invaders of all sorts before disappearing back down to the storm sewers to enjoy pizza in their lair! 
Our scene unfolds in that very lair where their pizza dinner has been interrupted by supervillain Shredder. Turtle Power! The ninja turtles quickly grab their weapons and pose for attack while their rat sensei, Splinter, looks on from behind, pleased at how much they have learned. Their weapons, made of ice, include throwing stars, nunchucks, a sword, and batons. Cowabunga! From the looks of it, they will soon defeat their enemy and be back to relaxing on the couch and eating pizza in no time!

24-Hour Snow Statue

24-Hour Snow Statue – Winner

Title: “I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THAT LEFT TURN AT SAINT IGNACE!”
Participants: Wendy (Goodhue) Peffers ’92 and Dave Peffers ’91
Location: Pella, Iowa
Story: Bugs Bunny is always making the wrong turn underground on his way to a new destination. He has emerged only to find himself closer to the End of Earth than Houghton, his destination for the exciting Winter Carnival at Michigan Technological University. Bugs is examining his map to find out where he went wrong. A two-by-four is used to support the main body of the sign. One-by-ones were used to support the arms on Bugs Bunny. His teeth and map are made from sheets of ice.

24-Hour Snow Statue – Second Place

Title: “Snowby Doo”
Participants: Susan Conradson ’94 ’96 and Erica Conradson (future alumna)
Location: Cadillac, Michigan
Story: Snowby Doo is on the case of “where is the missing Houghton snow” and the answer is “in Cadillac, Michigan”.  He decided he no longer needs his trusty side kicks of Fred, Velma and Daphine since they are too much work to handle in a 24-hour building period with just one alumni and her 12-year old apprentice.  This statue was chosen because well, Scooby Doo is the coolest (yes, pun intended) crime fighting cartoon dog around.  He sits around 5 feet tall, and as you can see from the photo, he has put on a few pounds..likely due to eating Snowby Snacks or drinking too many fishbowls and eating too many pasties?? and he says, he is okay with Huskies…just no poodles please.

Other Entries

Play Pagophone — Salve Regina video

Pagophone — Salve Regina

Expand

Title: “Ice Music: Salve Regina”
Story: After working for years on the Ice Church for St. Albert the Great as a Tech student, I didn’t just leave that behind after graduation. This past summer, I did some research on instruments that could be made out of ice. I made this pagophone (from the Greek for “voice of ice”) by carefully shaving ice blocks with a chisel. Played here is the ancient church hymn “Salve Regina”.

Title: “Mumble dances his way to success”
Statue Story: Mumble is a baby emperor penguin that was born to dance, while all other emperor penguins naturally are born to sing. This makes Mumble an outsider amongst the other penguins. His dancing eventually wears on the other penguins and he gets kicked out of Emperor Land and winds up at Michigan Tech. Mumble feels right at home with the 200+ inches of snow and cold weather. He goes on to graduate from Tech with a double major in Performing Arts and Computer Science. He then finds his way back to Emperor Land where he opens his own dance club and virtual reality arcade. The dance club doesn’t get much interest, but the penguins are curious about the virtual reality. Mumble realizes this and writes some killer code that makes it seem like the penguins are great dancers in virtual reality. The penguins love how they look with their cool dance moves, suave clothing, and 80’s big hairstyles. They can’t get enough of it and are eventually inspired to learn how to dance for real.

Title: “Everest From the Paw Patrol, Made from Snow Sculpted by Trolls”
Story: Her name is Everest from the Paw Patrol. Our kids love Paw Patrol and thought Everest would be the perfect pup because she is a husky and loves the snow!

Due to COVID-19, Winter Carnival 2021 will look different than years past. Blue Key is focused on maintaining a positive Winter Carnival experience for Michigan Tech students. That means changes to the all-nighter and many events going virtual. Check out the announcements on the Winter Carnival website. 

Alumni-Student Broomball for 2021 Canceled
With the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services restrictions regarding athletic tournaments, the alumni-student tournament will take a year off in 2021.

Make Your Own Snow Statue for the Alumni “Snow” Statue Contest
Participate at home in the most cherished of Michigan Tech traditions! The Michigan Tech Alumni Board of Directors has partnered with Blue Key and Alumni Engagement to offer a “Snow” Statue Contest for alumni and their friends and families.

We encourage all alumni to enjoy Winter Carnival 2021 from a distance. If you do venture to campus, please respect guidelines for masks, social distancing, and gatherings. Help us stay at Campus Health and Safety Level Three so we can continue our hands-on learning moving forward.

Dr. Bonnie Gorman, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, retired at the conclusion of the fall semester, ending a remarkable 24-year career at Michigan Tech.

During that time, she served in a number of key roles and collaborated with staff and students to launch Orientation Week, Make a Difference Day, Homecoming Cardboard Boats, the Waino Wahtera Center for Student Success and so much more. Bonnie was committed to student success both in and out of the classroom. Over the years, she implemented a variety of programs to help students prioritize their physical and mental health, grow as leaders, and be academically successful.

In 2014, Bonnie heard from students about their need for food assistance and within a year, she started the Husky FAN (Food Access Network).  The pantry continues to meet a critical need for students experiencing food insecurity, especially during this past year.

Bonnie is well known for her Meet the Dean of Students buttons which she distributed as a way to meet all incoming students each fall. #tenacity

Comment below to thank Bonnie for her service to Michigan Tech and share a memory.

Using our Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn channels back in December, we offered Michigan Tech Alumni a free mask in exchange for updating their contact info.

We’re happy to say that we’ve given out our entire supply of 1,500 masks!

Thanks to those alumni who shared photos of themselves with their masks. A gallery of photos we’ve seen is below.

Even though we’re out of masks, we encourage you to give us your updated contact information. We’ll be able to let you know about alumni reunion, future alumni events in your area or other things happening on campus. You can do so here.

If you’d like to purchase a Michigan Tech mask, they are available at University Images.

Calling all alumni! Participate in the most cherished of Michigan Tech traditions.

Here’s your chance to show your family and friends what an iron is really for. Or maybe you’ve had a great idea for a “snow” statue made out of something other than snow.

We know that nothing compares to snow in the Keweenaw. We also hold tightly to our Tech traditions like Winter Carnival. 

For Winter Carnival 2021, the Michigan Tech Alumni Board of Directors has partnered with Blue Key and Alumni Engagement to offer a “Snow” Statue Contest for alumni and their friends and families. 

The contest runs through January 31, 2021, with a midnight EST deadline. Judging begins after that, with winners announced on February 4.

There will be multiple categories for competition, accounting for a variety of materials that may be available to our alumni as well as multi-day and single day events.

Contest Rules

Contest runs January 1-31 with a midnight EST deadline. Participants must include at least one Michigan Tech alumnus/alumna

Categories

• Snow Statue – 24 Hour
• Snow Statue – Multi-day
• Other Material* Statue – 24 Hour
• Other Material* Statue – Multi-day
• Fabricated Statue**
• Virtual Statue***

Statues should be self-supporting and sculptural (three dimensional) 

*Other materials could include such things as sand, clay, wood, LegoⓇ bricks, styrofoam, metal, glass, and plastic. 

**Fabricated (e.g., 3D-printed, cast, machined) statues must be original designs by participant(s) (not templates) and will be judged separately from other materials.

***Virtual statues include 3D drawings, animation or other virtual designs.

Statues must include a name and title/caption (e.g., Sigma Mu Delta, “Oh No! It’s the Loch Ice Monster” ). 

Statue descriptions may be included in the entry form. Please see example below. 

“The legend of the Loch Ness Monster becomes a chilling reality for two hapless fishermen on Loch Ness. The fisherman in the front of the boat is frozen in terror while his companion continues to reel in his catch. A few fish poke their heads out of the water to view the scene. The backdrop is a looming Scottish castle from which an ominous Scotsman drones on his bagpipes in honor of the monster’s visit from the depths. A two by four is used in the axis of the Scotsman as are thin wooden dowels in the individual pipes of the fishermen. Rope, string, and a thin wooden dowel are used in the fishing pole.”

Additional coloring (beyond your material base color) may only be used in the lettering of your group’s name, insignia, or statue title/caption. Coloring is limited to the statue title block; absolutely no coloring can be used on the statue itself.

Statues will be judged based on photos and entry form submitted. Winners will be announced February 4, 2021, and featured in a special Winter Carnival Alumni eNewsletter in February.

Entry Forms:
Use this form if you have a Gmail account
Use this form if you do not have a Gmail account

Email questions to mtualumnistatue@gmail.com

• Give Now!

#GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world.

GivingTuesday was created in 2012 and has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.

How you can participate:

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.

Help Michigan Tech students through scholarships and fellowships
Scholarship/fellowship funding is Michigan Tech’s top strategic priority. This is especially true now with the need created by COVID-19. Donor-funded scholarships/fellowships come through two sources—the Annual Scholarship/Fellowship Fund and the Endowed Scholarship/Fellowship Fund. Learn more.

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.

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.

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.

Join the movement! Make a gift to Michigan Tech on Tuesday, December 1!

Whether it’s a Michigan Tech plate or a personalized plate from another state, we want to see the Husky pride on your ride. Submit your photo on Facebook or Instagram by tagging us @MTUAlumni or send us an email at alumni@mtu.edu.

Check out the ones we’ve seen so far.

Beginning September 22, join us as we embark on an amazing journey down America’s Great Loop with Hailey, Robin, and Trish. “More Than You Think You Know” is written by our very own, Cyndi Perkins. This is a story about ships and friendships that follow three renegade women piloting a 44-foot steel yacht down the Heartland rivers between Chicago and Mobile Bay. This experience will be both via live “zoom” coffee chats (weekly on Tuesdays from 2-2:30pm) and optional written discussions.

     Week 1: September 22 – Chapters 1-5

     Week 2: September 29 – Chapters 6-9

     Week 3: October 6 – Chapters 10-14

     Week 4: October 13 – Chapters 15-18

     Week 5: October 20 – Chapters 19-22

     Week 6: October 27 – Author Address

Click here to register today! Don’t forget to pick up a copy of the book so that you are ready to “sail”.

You should receive an email within 48 hours of registering. This email will be from Michigan Tech Canvas (notifications@instructure.com). The subject line will read: Course Invitation. Follow the instructions in that email in order to start your participation in the book club discussion. This is the platform the book club will be using for discussions and information.

If you have any questions feel free to contact Heather Sander, Assistant Director – Alumni Programming at hesander@mtu.edu or (906) 487-2466.

Innovators and entrepreneurs from across the country will gather at Michigan Tech to share their views about the Fourth Industrial Revolution and discuss how they think it will change our work, communities, organizations, and economy. They also will share how they best believe Michigan Tech can prepare graduates to lead and be successful in this era.

A panel discussion with these leaders will take place at 2 p.m. Tuesday, October 16 at the Rozsa Center. This is the fourth conversation in the Tech Forward series as innovators and entrepreneurs come to campus to share their insights on the disruptive forces driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

“Innovation is rapidly changing the world around us. As such, the university must be cognizant of the disruptive forces that will revolutionize how we educate students and then plan accordingly.” said Rick Koubek, President. “As we map out the future of Michigan Tech, we are honored to host such an esteemed panel of entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders to help inform and guide us through this process.”

The speakers are Michigan Tech alumni who are part of the 14 Floors program, which focuses on fostering entrepreneurism and high-tech innovation in the context of global culture and economy. Fourteen Floors is designed to be—an infinitely expandable structure analogous to the floors of a building, with something different happening on every floor, providing virtual suites of experiences for Huskies that connect them to innovators, entrepreneurs, mentors, and potential employers. The 14 Floors program also includes bi-annual visits to campus by alumni and week-long immersive student trips to places like Silicon Valley.

“Companies, people and communities all need dramatically different skills and capabilities to succeed in the 4.0 world,” says Jim Fish ’90, who is an innovation consultant, and technology evangelist with roles at Wayne State University, New Hammer LLC, Lemur, and Innovatrium. “The changes required are increasing and accelerating. The lifespan of a public company continues to shrink as 4.0 technology enables disruption at unprecedented speeds. At Michigan Tech, we’ve succeeded by changing; the Quincy Mine is an inspiring monument to our successful adaptation of the past–and we are now faced with another opportunity to embrace our best days that lie ahead.”

Dave House ’65, who worked at Intel for 23 years, retiring as a senior vice president and general manager, said the change we are seeing is happening globally, regionally, locally and personally.

“It will impact everyone,” he says. “Michigan, the UP, the Copper Country, Houghton, each family and each individual will feel this impact. There is no question that Michigan’s largest and most important industry—the automotive industry, is facing disruption—from Tesla, Google, Apple, Uber, etc. Those we see lead the change are rewarded; those who don’t are at serious risk. There is an opportunity for the city, county, and state in which we live. Michigan Tech needs to lead this change.”

David Shull ’15, an entrepreneur and Handshake university partnerships team lead, says technology will change everything from the nature of our work to how we move. “Self-driving cars will let students go to sleep in lower Michigan and wake up on Michigan Tech’s campus. The next generation of Tech students will never know the eight hour drive I loved to hate during my time there.”

“Automation, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality are poised to challenge every industry and job function,” Shull says. “Michigan Tech, with its student talent and history in preparing students for industry, is uniquely positioned to define the model of how higher education prepares students for the industrial revolution we’re already in.”

Innovator and Entrepreneur Speakers for October 16 event

• Jim Fish ’90 is an innovation consultant, and technology evangelist with roles at Wayne State Univ, New Hammer LLC, Lemur, and Innovatrium.
• Paul Fulton ’84 is a visionary entrepreneur and CEO – currently leading Nwave, a smart-parking pioneer. Formerly with startups Zentri and Cloudsona, Fulton was also an executive who has worked at Cisco, HP, and 3Com.
• Dave House ’65 worked at Intel for 23 years, retiring as a senior vice president and general manager, before leading Bay Networks, Nortel, and Allegro – then eventually becoming the chairman of the board for Brocade Communications.
• Nicholas Lumsden ’02 is the vice president for product strategy and technology at Online Tech and focuses on hybrid cloud management products and services.
• Kanwal Rekhi ’69 has a passion to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship. He co-founded Inventus Capital Partners to build a leading Indo-US venture franchise.
• John Rockwell ’79 is a venture capitalist and consultant and has served as the leader of five technology companies. He is currently CEO of Accelergy Corporation.
• John Soyring ’76 ’06 worked for 36 years for IBM and was involved in business leadership for the company during that time. He currently is the owner of Sisukas Consulting LLC.

The 14 Floors Campus Visit is a mini-conference set of activities on Michigan Tech’s campus in the spring and fall semesters. The visit is comprised primarily of Michigan Tech alumni who have leadership positions in, and rich history with high-tech innovation and entrepreneurship. Currently led by Dave House ’65, the group spends nearly four days on campus helping lead discussions, mentor students and faculty, and participate in a variety of activities following 14 Floors’ two primary tracks; entrepreneurship and high-tech innovation. These activities include:

• campus and community networking events
• broad-topic discussions with centers and programs
• focused, topical lectures to the campus community
• entrepreneurial business plan pitch events
• one-on-one sessions with campus leadership
• undergraduate, capstone and enterprise project judging
  • advisory board meetings

The fall visit takes place October 16 to 18. Michigan Tech will host more than a dozen innovators and entrepreneurs from California’s Bay Area and southeast Michigan. Notable activities during their stay will be a Tech Forward discussion at 2 p.m. Tuesday, October 16 in the Rozsa where some of the group will share their insights on the disruptive forces driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The group also will be key to the Idea Pitch Competition at 7 p.m. Wednesday, October 17 in M&M, Room U113. Students will have two minutes to pitch their favorite innovative and disruptive idea in an interactive community setting.