Today’s blog post was written by one of our outstanding archives student assistants, a 2022 Michigan Tech grad. Now beginning life in the real world, she shares in her experiences in the Michigan Tech Archives in her own words.
I guess I’ll introduce myself first — hi, I’m Madison (Madi) Degnitz, and I worked as a student
assistant in the archives from around February 2019 until April 2022, when I graduated with a
degree in Medical Laboratory Science, and I am currently enrolled in Ascension Michigan
Laboratory Services’ Medical Laboratory Science program, in Grosse Pointe Woods, MI.
Everyone tells you that college will be over before you know it — and well, they’re right. It
seems like just yesterday that I was a first-year student, moving into Wadsworth Hall and
participating in O-Week traditions. I was so excited to be done with high school, and so excited
for what college would bring. I was excited to live in the dorms, go to hockey games, and learn
from the best professors in the world (shoutout to Claire, Brigitte, Sarah, Rob, and everyone
else who taught me in the MLS program during my time at MTU).
My first year on campus was filled with a multitude of ups and downs, but one of the fondest
memories I have of my first year (and really all of college) was working at the archives. I started
working as a student assistant in the archives my second semester on campus, and continued
to work there up until my graduation this April. It was a bit daunting, because I’d never really
even been to an archives before, and I wasn’t entirely sure what the work done there was
composed of. I liked history, so I knew I’d enjoy it, but I was still intimidated. Thankfully, the
archives’ staff is composed of some of the kindest, most welcoming people on campus, and I
felt at home immediately.
My first year on campus was filled with a multitude of ups and downs, but one of the fondest
memories I have of my first year (and really all of college) was working at the archives. I started
working as a student assistant in the archives my second semester on campus, and continued
to work there up until my graduation this April. It was a bit daunting, because I’d never really
even been to an archives before, and I wasn’t entirely sure what the work done there was
composed of. I liked history, so I knew I’d enjoy it, but I was still intimidated. Thankfully, the
archives’ staff is composed of some of the kindest, most welcoming people on campus, and I
felt at home immediately.
History has always been a great interest of mine, and with a heavily science-based curriculum,
working at the archives allowed me to expand my love of history (specifically that of Michigan
Tech and the Copper Country) and help others explore their interests as well.
I covered a wide range of topics with my various projects in the archives, and even though some
included tedious tasks (like battling the book scanner to get court cases digitized!) I look back
on them all fondly. I remember one genealogical project that involved Emily and I tracking down
some family drama in the Houghton County Circuit Court cases — that family will forever be
ingrained in my brain. Months later, we were still finding mention of them accidentally in
newspaper articles and other local documentation.
I also enjoyed working on a spreadsheet that covered Michigan Tech’s current and past campus buildings. It was interesting to see just how much MTU’s campus has changed since 1886 —and a little depressing to see how they tore down some truly beautiful old buildings (rest in peace, Hubbell Hall).
I spent a lot of time digging through the vertical files, and those are probably my favorite part of
the archives. There’s something super fun about digging through piles of old newspaper
clippings and seeing what you can find. (I also wrote for The Lode, MTU’s student newspaper,
during my time at Tech, so that’s probably where some of that fondness for newspapers comes
from.) I also spent a lot of time creating said newspaper clippings, which meant cutting up local
newspapers and putting relevant articles into their respective vertical file.
You truly never know what you’re going to find in the archives’ collections. I remember finding
an article that characterized Calumet as a doting mother to her “children,” Red Jacket and
Laurium. I also remember a sorority calendar from the eighties or nineties that showcased the
“hunks” of Michigan Tech’s fraternities at the time. One of my last finds was a blue wooden
mousetrap that had been used as a prop in a play — yes, the actual mousetrap had been
catalogued and placed in a folder.
Most of all, I’ll miss the individuals I met during my time working at the archives. Exchanging cat
stories with Allison and laughing at interestingly written old-timey obituaries with Emily, or
enjoying the amazing collection of historical pet photos within the archives collection are
probably some of my favorite memories.
Before I sign off, there’s one more thing I’ll share; one more piece of crucial information that I
learned during my time in the archives: Calumet was never going to be the capital of Michigan
(This is a favorite archives’ inside joke that I had to fit in here somewhere. But seriously,
Calumet was never going to become the capital, and was likely a rumor started during
Calumet’s centennial celebration in the 70s)!
Thanks, Madi, for sharing such great memories of your time in the archives and for helping us dispel the capital myth! We thank you even more for your years of hard work, your insightful questions, your excellent sense of humor, your leadership with new students, and of course your cat tales. You were an amazing addition to Michigan Tech, and we know you’re making yourself just as irreplaceable in your job at Ascension. Best wishes in everything you do and for a beautiful future!