Alumni Archives | Page 3 of 8 | Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering News

Congratulations Fall 2020 Graduates

Published December 18, 2020

News

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering would like to Congratulate our fall graduates. Even though the current world events are keeping us from celebrating your accomplishments all together, we still want to raise you up for all to see. We are proud of you and want to wish you the best of luck in your next chapter.

Below is a listing of our fall 2020 graduates:

Stephen Anderson

Stephen is graduating with a BS in civil engineering. After graduation, he will be working for MSA Professional Services in St. Paul, Minnesota. Stephen will miss living in the Keweenaw and is thankful for the memories and friendships he mad over the last four and a half years.

Chaitanya Ganesh Bhat

Chait will graduate with a Ph.D. in civil engineering. After graduation, he will be working as a Research Civil Engineer at the Turner Fairbanks Highway Research Centre. Chait will miss the warmth extended by faculty and staff at Michigan Tech and the Houghton community. He is thankful to Michigan Tech for proving an opportunity to advance both professionally and personally through peer interactions and various cultural activities. He would like to acknowledge all the faculty, staff, and peers at the Civil and Environmental Engineering department without whom the experience would have been incomplete. Chait congratulates all the peers who will graduate with him in the fall 2020 and wishes all the best to current students at Michigan Tech.

LeAnn Brinker

LeAnn will graduate with her BS in civil engineering. She will be working for UP Engineers & Architects in Marinette, WI after graduation. LeAnn says she will miss all of the friendly faces and the opportunities to get outside and try new things.

Carly Bulleit

Carly will graduate with her BS in civil engineering. After graduation, she will be moving to St. Louis, MO to work as a Construction Coordinator for Burns & McDonnell.

Maria Carpita

Maria is graduating with her BS in civil engineering. She will be working as a full-time Civil Engineer 1 for Wightman & Associates in Kalamazoo, MI. When asked what she will miss about Michigan Tech, Maria says ” Something I will miss about Michigan Tech is living in the Keweenaw Peninsula. Before coming to Michigan Tech, I had never been to the UP. I am so happy that I decided to go on a campus tour of Michigan Tech in high school because ever since then, I knew that Michigan Tech was the school for me. I have loved spending time outdoors by hiking, snowshoeing, and exploring all of the nearby waterfalls. I even picked up a new hobby of photography. I would have never experienced these things had I stayed in my hometown. I will definitely be making trips back to the Keweenaw in the future. ” She says she is thankful to Michigan Tech for providing her with an amazing education, and for helping her grow professionally and personally. She says, ” In my time here, I have met many faculty who I know I could reach out to in my future if I ever needed advice. I would not be the person I am today without attending Michigan Tech. Thank you! ” Maria would like to thank her mom, dad, fiance and the rest of her immediate family for their continuous love and support over the last four and a half years.

Adam Cerney

Adam is graduating with a BS in civil engineering with a transportation focus. After graduation, he will return to Minnesota to work towards his PE. Adam will miss jamming away with the Pep Band at Hockey games and is thankful to Michigan Tech for accepting him for the student he was and also for the friends he made along the way. He would like to recognize Dr. Tess Ahlborn and Dr. Jake Hiller for making a difference to him while at Michigan Tech.

Maya Chappell

Maya will graduate with a BS in environmental Engineering. She will be working in EHS at Amazon or 3M after graduation and also plans on obtaining her EIT certification in January. Maya says she will miss the sense of community and is thankful to Michigan Tech for all the support she has received and all the opportunities she has been given.

Caroline Cotter

Caroline will graduate with her BS in civil engineering with a water resources focus. She will be commissioned into the MN National Guard as a 2nd Lieutenant and hopes to accept a job working for a civil company that works in water body restoration or floodplain hydraulics. Caroline says she will miss all of the outdoor activities Tech has to offer. The biking trails, hiking the Porcupine Mountains, swimming in Lake Superior, the fall colors, and so much more. She is thankful to Michigan Tech for all of the friends she has made in both her classes and ROTC, saying ” They are my forever family.” Caroline would like to recognize and thank Ms. Christy Oslund in the Academic Office for being both a mentor and friend to her for several years and being there for her when she needed her most.

Kagen Griffith

Kagen is graduating with his BS in civil engineering. He plans on job hunting after graduation. Kagen says he will miss the opportunity Michigan Tech provided to live in the “best place on earth while advancing my life”. He is thankful to Michigan Tech for four years to mature and grow confidence in professionalism and knowledge.

Travis Havercamp

Travis will graduate with a BS in civil engineering. He will begin working as a Design Engineer at Spicer Group Inc. after graduation. Travis says he will miss the community at Michigan Tech, in particular the St. Albert the Great University Parish. He is thankful for the quality of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering faculty and recognizes Dr. Kris Mattila as someone who has mad a difference to him while at Michigan Tech.

Mary Jarvis

Mary is graduating with her BS in environmental engineering. She says the thing she will miss most about Michigan Tech is the community, saying ” I’ve met so many incredible people here, including classmates, professors, teammates and friends. It’s a sad thought to be leaving, though I know this community exists beyond Tech’s campus”. Mary says she is thankful for the CEE Department’s faculty and staff and their dedication to giving students the best education possible. She says that she has had many great professors in the past four years who are passionate about what thy teach and truly care about their student’s success, in school and beyond.

Richard Juntunen

Richard will graduate with a BS in construction management. He has a job lined up with Bacco Construction after he graduates. Richard says he will miss broomball and is thankful to Michigan Tech for being so active with companies that are recruiting, such as the career fair – saying that “Networking is very important”. He would like to recognize the CMG professors who, he says, were amazing and helpful in more ways than just teaching in the classroom – Lynn Artman, Ron Mauno, John Daavettila, and Mike Drewyor.

Austin Kerby

Austin will graduate with a BS in civil engineering. After graduation, he will work as a Construction Engineer at Spicer Group. Austin will miss the small-town atmosphere and friendly people at Michigan Tech and is thankful that the University encouraged getting out there and trying new things.

Cyle Kugelard

Cyle is graduating with a BS in civil engineering. He will start a full-time job in the Kalamazoo area after graduation. Cyle will miss the Keweenaw and is thankful to Michigan Tech for the opportunities he has received because of attending Tech specifically. He would like to recognize Gretchen Hein for the help she provided him in Thermo, saying “she is easily my favorite professor here.” Cyle says that “this place is really hard, but it’s what makes us special.”

Danielle Lautenbach

Danielle will graduate with her BS in civil engineering. She will miss all of the friends that she has made, going to hockey games and the scenery at Michigan Tech.

Tyler LeMahieu

Tyler is graduating with a BS in environmental engineering. After graduation, he plans to work for the US Forest Service temporarily before beginning a Masters program in hydrology. When asked what he will miss about Michigan Tech, he says ” I’ll miss the people the most when I leave obviously! Of course, I’ll also miss the skiing, broomball, camping, fishing, hunting, hiking, biking, winter, summer, fall, spring, & non-exam seasons. I won’t miss the workload but will miss the learning and professors. I guess that’s what grad school is for!” Tyler is thankful to Michigan Tech for embracing student’s passions.

Sergio Miguel Lopez Ramirez

Sergio is graduating with his Ph.D. in civil engineering. He hopes to bein working in the industry or doing a postdoc after graduation. Sergio says he will miss his friends that he has made at Michigan Tech, saying “MTU creates a sense of community, where we all know each other.” He is thankful for the continuous support and flexibility and recognizes his advisor, Dr. Alex Mayer. Sergio says “I am happy and honored to be a Husky.”

Veronica Lynch

Ronnie will graduate with an MS in civil engineering. After graduation, she will be moving to Fredericksburg, VA to start her career with RS&H. Ronnie said she will miss the snow and would like to recognize all the professors she had during her undergrad and grad studies, saying ” Each one went above and beyond to make sure I excelled in my courses- from Dr. van Susante sitting in a room with me for two days straight so that I could ace the Statics final to Dr. Hein offering extra Thermo help sessions to those of us who asked.”

Lucus Marion

Lucus is graduating with a BS in civil engineering. He will begin working as a civil engineer at Hubbell, Roth & Clark in Grand Rapids after graduating.

Katelyn Palmcook

Katie is graduating with a BS in civil engineering. After graduation, she will be working for the Norfolk Southern Railroad as a track supervisor trainee. She will be in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania for 6 months of training and will then relocate elsewhere. Katie says she will miss the community at Michigan Tech and the traditions, saying ” I have so many good memories here and its mainly due to all the people I’ve met and the friends I made while here. Also, our traditions are a part of what sets us apart from other universities and I’m going to miss taking part in them”. When asked what she is thankful for, Katie says ” I am thankful to Michigan Tech for helping me to be more realistic with myself. When I came in I was all about perfection, but after being here I’ve realized that not everything you do is going to be perfect and that’s ok. As long as you do you’re best that is something you can be proud of”.

Taylor Pelton

Taylor will graduate with a BS in construction management. After graduation, he will start his career with Granger Construction. Taylor says he will miss being around all his friends and is thankful to Michigan Tech for the opportunity he was given to further his education and continue to play football.

Tye Pennala

Tye is graduating with a BS in civil engineering. After graduation, he will get a full-time job in a civil engineering firm somewhere in Michigan. Tye will miss all the activities that Michigan Tech has to offer – the golf course, Tech Trails, Ripley, etc. He is thankful for all the memories and activites and recognizes advisor Julie Ros as a great counselor who listens and helps determine the best path.

Derrick Sullivan

Derrick is graduating with his BS in civil engineering. He will work at Surveying Solutions, Inc. in Standish, MI after graduation.

Yifan Zhang

Yifan will graduate with his BS in environmental engineering. After graduating he will stay at Michigan Tech to obtain his graduate degree. Yifan would like to thank everyone who helped him in his years at Michigan Tech.

Graduates Not Pictured Above

BS in Civil Engineering

Zachery Cole

James Huey

Daniel Jones

Sinwon Lee

Cole Ruohonen

Jared Thiele

Shelby VanAssche

Jack Williams

Meng Wu

BS in Environmental Engineering

William Bailey

Clint Campbell

Alexander Julson

Andrew Medaugh

Benjamin Reuss

Andrw Tyckoski

BS in Geospatial Engineering

BS in Construction Management

Derek Pietila

MS in Civil Engineering

Tania Lopez

Qinjie Lyu

Brandi Rajala

MS in Environmental Engineering

JP Harron

Tristan Odekirk

Sarah Peterson

MS in Integrated Geospatial Technology

William Roland

PhD in Civil Engineering

Christopher VanArsdale

Congratulations to the Graduating Class of 2020

Published May 1, 2020

By Angela Keranen

News

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering would like to Congratulate our spring and summer graduates. Even though the current world events are keeping us from celebrating your accomplishments all together, we still want to raise you up for all to see. We are proud of you and want to wish you the best of luck in your next chapter.

Below is a listing of our spring and summer 2020 graduates:

Zachary Bohrer

Zachary is graduating with his BS in Civil Engineering. After graduating he will begin working for MDOT. Zachary will miss being in Houghton and is thankful for the family environment that Michigan Tech has provided. He would like to recognize Dr. Kris Mattila.

Kayla Brei

Kayla is graduating with a MS in Civil Engineering. After graduation she will be working as a Project Manager at Rice Engineering in Luxemburg. Kayla will miss the friends that she has made at Tech.

Raymond Brice

Raymond is graduating with his BS in Civil Engineering. After graduation he plans on joining professional hockey. Raymond will miss the Michigan Tech culture and is thankful for the hockey fans and community support.

Camille Carlson

Camille is graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering and will be starting a full-time job in June. She will miss her friends at Michigan Tech, being able to ski whenever she wants and all the outdoor activities she could dream of. She is thank to Michigan Tech for a truly worthwhile education. Camille would like to recognize her family, especially her mom, for all the support and encouragement over the years.

Mason Chapman

Mason is graduating with his BS in Construction Management. He will be a Project Manager at Rieth-Riley Construction after graduation. Mason will miss the area and is thankful for those who have led him in the right direction to get the best out of himself and his career.

Alex Christmas

Alex is graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering. After graduation he will be working for Pacific Railroad. Alex will miss hockey, the Pep Band and the weather. He is thankful to Michigan Tech for being an awesome place to go to school and would like to recognize Dr. Kris Mattila as being someone who has made a difference to him during his time here.

Brett Cianek

Brett is graduating with a BS in Environmental Engineering. He will move to Virginia to start his career after graduation. Brett will miss the faculty in the CEE Department and is thankful for how helpful they were when he had problems. He would like to recognize Dr. Kris Mattila as someone who made a difference to him while he was at Tech.

Alexandra Constanzo

Alexandra is graduating with a MS in Civil Engineering with a Geotechnical focus. She is moving to Lansing, MI to start her career at SME as a Senior Staff Engineer in the Geotechnical Group. Alexandra says: ” I will really miss the community up here! The Keweenaw has been my home for 5 years and I am going to miss the close knit community and the opportunities it gave me. I will also very much miss being a part of the Huskies Pep Band and the Memorial Union Board and creating or participating in the many events every year. I am beyond thankful to Michigan Tech for giving me some many opportunities to grow as a person, meet so many incredible people, and just being an amazing university. I have made life long friends up here and I will forever be grateful that they are now in my life. I would like to recognize a few individuals that made my experience at Michigan Tech that much better. First off, Dr. Thomas Oommen who is an excellent professor and really took the time to work with his students during the major changes this semester to make our classes a little bit less terrible. Second, Dr. Kris Mattila who I was lucky to take 4 different classes from. His classes not only teach important career skills, but life lessons as well. He has become not only a professor, but I would say a friend to me these last five years and someone I enjoy stopping by to enjoy a catch up/check in chat with. ”

Kyle Danko

Kyle is graduating with his BS in Environmental Engineering. After graduation he will begin work for MSA Professional Services in Rhinelander, WI as a design engineer. Kyle says he is thankful to Michigan Tech for providing a bi-annual career fair that helped establish internships and foundations of a career. He would like to recognize Dr. Jennifer Becker for all the hard work, the smiles, and the motherly attitude.

Jake Dedering

Jake is graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering. After graduation he will be working at EMCS in Milwaukee, WI. Jake will miss the natural beauty of the area and is thankful for the education that Michigan Tech has provided him.

Rachel Duffy

Rachel is graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering. She says: ” I will miss the environment and community at Michigan Tech. I feel like its a really unique school that offers something special to students. Its a really close knit community where you can count on each other when you need to. I have met some really amazing people here and made life long friends, I’m going to miss being in the same town as all of them. I’m also going to miss being this close to Superior. I am thankful to Michigan Tech for providing me the atmosphere I needed to grow into the person I am today. I would, quite literally, be a completely different person if I had not come up to Tech for college. I feel like I found who I am supposed to be while here. Through perseverance, strength, and the help of my amazing professors and friends, I have become a stronger and more confident person who is ready for whatever challenges come next. ”

Brooke Forseth

Brooke is graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering. After graduation she will be moving back to Green Bay, WI to work for Jacobs Engineering. She will miss being in the U.P., where the gorgeous views, hikes and adventures are just a short drive from campus. Brooke is thankful for the community that Michigan Tech creates and for some of the most down-to-earth people she has met and made memories with over the past four years.

Savannah Fowler

Savannah is graduating with a BS in Environmental Engineering. After graduation she will be working full-time with General Motors in Bay City, MI. She will miss the people at Michigan Tech: “Faculty really care about educating us and preparing us for the real world. I’ve made lifelong friendships at Tech that I wouldn’t have found elsewhere. I’ll also miss the Keweenaw and all the places to explore.” Savannah is thankful to Tech fro providing all the resources that were needed to have the best chance of success when leaving. She would like to recognize Mary Fraley and Gretchen Hein as they were instrumental in shaping her outlooks on life and who she wants to be.

Brendan Gardner

Brendan is graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering. After graduation he will work for Sharpe Engineering in Oxford, MI. He will miss his fraternity brothers and all the memories shared over the past 5 years. He will also miss the professors who believed in him and always pushed him to be better. Brendan is thankful to Michigan Tech for an amazing college experience and a quality education. He will really miss going to the hockey games and skiing at Mt. Bohemia as well. Brendan wanted to recognize two professors of his- Joe Foster and Kris Mattila: “I feel they were the most influential to me during my time here and helped me grow as a student. I never felt out of place or uncomfortable in their classes. They’re just all around great men.”

Dongdong Ge

Dongdong Ge is graduating with a PhD in Civil Engineering. He will continue on at Michigan Tech as a postdoc after graduation. He will miss the kind guidance from professors, the help from staff, and his friends. Dongdong wants to say thanks to everyone who helped him at Michigan Tech and express his appreciation for his advisor, Dr. Zhanping You.

Reid Grunewald

Reid is graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering. After graduation he will begin an internship at Fire Tower Engineered Timber in Calumet. He will miss spring skiing at Mont Ripley and is thankful to Michigan Tech for giving him some grit.

Katy Gula

Katy is graduating with a BS in Environmental Engineering. She still has some classes to take over the summer, so over the next few months she will be looking for jobs primarily in the Midwest. Katy says one of the things she will miss the most is the people she has had the chance to meet and build amazing friendships from all different backgrounds through different extracurricular activities, including theatre and sailing. When asked what she is thankful for, she says: ” I am thankful for my involvement in the arts. I got the chance to sing solos in Chamber Choir, get leads in the plays, and help do technical work on a few of the shows here. At many larger universities, you have to be an upperclassman or in the major to be considered for many of these positions, so it was nice to be able explore my passions and grow in my abilities through the VPA department. ”

Brittany Hubbard

Brittany is graduating with a MS in Civil Engineering – Water Resources. After graduating she will be seeking employment in Stream Restoration. Brittany will miss being challenged to learn higher level concepts everyday, being around a science research community and all the access to resources – programs, journals, professors, the lab, enterprise. Brittany says: ” Thanks for working with my non-traditional background to make this degree a reality. Thanks to the staff and faculty for taking a personal interest in my academic growth and success. Thanks to the Michigan Tech, the graduate school, and my civil and environmental department for their communication efforts to keep me informed, safe, and on track. Thanks to my professors for their high standards, I now feel confident I have the foundation I need to make informed decisions of water resource engineering projects.” She also wanted to recognize the following people:

Dr. Veronica Webster – Best advisor ever. Thank you for your expertise and guidance. Thank you for your recommendation to be a graduate teaching assistant. Thank you for challenging me, encouraging me, and letting me ask a million curiosity questions – and reigning me in to keep me on track!

Mike Hyslop – Thank you for always being available to help whether in one of your classes or for all of the following semesters. Mike on many occasions would take the extra time to clarify concepts I was stuck on or just interested in. He also has continued to help me with GIS program troubleshooting issues I encounter outside of his class.

Brian Barkdoll – Thank you for challenging me to teach myself. I feel confident in my success post Michigan Tech because your teaching style encouraged me to take extra accountability in my ability to learn.

Rob Fritz – Thank you for your expertise in all of the lab sessions!! Without you labs would have not been so smooth!

Angela Keranen – Thanks for ALL your efforts : keeping me informed , knowing all the answers, helping me with paperwork, navigating my degree, supplies, snacks!

Mahta Naziri Saeed – Thank you for climbing over the row of seats and becoming my friend.

Garion Johnson

Garion is graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering. He will join the Navy after graduation. Garion will miss the “wonderful” snow and weather and is thankful to Michigan Tech for the opportunities to learn new things. He would like to recognize Dr. Brian Barkdoll for someone who made a difference to him while studying at Tech.

Zebadiah Jones

Zebadiah is graduating with a BS in Environmental Engineering. After graduating he is getting married, moving downstate and hopefully finding a job. Zebadiah will miss kayaking, friends, broomball and daily life in the Keweenaw. He said he is thankful to Michigan Tech for: ” Giving me so much time in copper country. I’ve truly loved every moment. From the picturesque views, awesome adventure, friendships, and a quality education in the perfect package.”

Achille Kagabo

Achille is graduating with his MS in Civil Engineering – Geotechnical Engineering. After graduation he plans on working in the civil engineering industry. Achille will miss the quietness of the area. He is thankful to Michigan Tech for a quality education and would like to recognize Dr. Stan Vitton for making a difference to him during his time here.

Cole LaBarre

Cole is graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering. After graduation he will start his career with a great AE firm. He will miss the campus community, the campus itself, and the peaceful walking across campus in the summer and spring months. Cole is thankful for meeting his amazing friends he has made and would like to recognize Dr. Kris Mattila for being a great mentor and professor through his years at Michigan Tech.

Erin Lau

Erin is graduating with her MS in Civil Engineering. She will be moving to Rochester, MN to work at SEH after graduation. Erin will miss Houghton, being able to explore new places all of the time within the community. Stating the community may be the biggest loss of all. She says she is thankful for all the opportunities Michigan Tech provides for leadership and hands-on experiences.

Mary Kinney

Mary is graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering. After graduation she will be working for HNTB in East Lansing, MI. Mary will miss being a part of the student organizations (Concrete Canoe & ASCE) and, of course, broomball. She is thankful for 4 years in the Keweenaw Peninsula and Mt. Ripley and would like to recognize Dr. Audra Morse, Dr. Tess Ahlborn, Dr. Kuilin Zhang, Dr. Kris Mattila, and Julie Ross for making a difference to her while at Michigan Tech.

Julia Manzano

Julia is graduating with a BS in Environmental Engineering. She plans on attending graduate school at Michigan Tech following graduation. She is thankful to Michigan Tech for creating an atmosphere for encouragement and success. She wanted to recognize Dr. Melanie Kueber: ” Dr. Melanie Kueber has been a very influential professor to me. The introductory water resources course sparked my interest in the subject so I continued onto more related courses, one of which Dr. Kueber taught, and she provided us with challenging real-world problems. I was fortunate to later have her as my senior design advisor, where she continued with this same level of instruction. I feel more prepared and confident to work as an engineer after having her as a professor and mentor.”

Jack Martzke

Jack is graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering. Jack will be joining MSA Professional Services in Madison, WI as a bridge engineer after graduation. He will miss snow and friends and is thankful for the awesome professors and hands-on classes that made learning challenging but fun. Jack says: ” Thanks to professors, such as Dr Mattila, Dr Dowden, and Dr Ahlborn who care about students and make classes relevant and fun. Thanks to the rest of the CEE faculty for providing quality courses. Also, thanks to Rob and Kiko for making dirty work tolerable and their willingness to work around our schedule. ”

Christa Meingast

Christa is graduating with a PhD in Environmental Engineering. Her plans after graduation are to find a teaching position at a college or university. She will miss Mt. Ripley, the Tech Trails and the SDC. Christa is thankful to Michigan Tech for the great mentors and would like to recognize Dr. Caryn Heldt and Dr. Veronica Webster for making a difference to her while at Tech.

Marjan Monfared

Marjan is graduating with her MS in Civil Engineering. She is currently working in a consulting company as an Associate Civil Engineer with a focus on Dam Breach Analysis and Mud/debris flow estimation. Marjan says she will miss everything – beautiful people, sincere environment, Tech Trails, lifetime friends, kind-hearted staff and faculty members, the gorgeous view from the Dow 8th floor, the Portage Canal and Lake Superior. She says she is thankful to Michigan Tech for: ” My MTU family, my family in civil engineering, all great loving bonds we made with each other. Dr. Mayer, Dr. Webster, Dr. Watkins, Dr Morse, my dear Angela and Shelle. Thank you all for everything. I love you. ”

Matthew Nordlund

Matthew is graduating with a BS in Construction Management. After graduation he will be a Field Engineer for the Boldt Company. Matthew will miss the friends he has made at Tech and is thankful for the career opportunities and educational diversity he received.

Conner Reed

Conner is graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering. He will then begin his career working full-time with Ames Construction as a Project Engineer in their Midwest region. Conner will miss his friends, the Keweenaw, and the work-hard play-hard culture that he was able to experience with everyone he became friends with. He is thankful for the amazing staff in the Civil Engineering Department that helped him prepare for the workforce. Conner wanted to recognize Dr. Mattila “Dr. Mattila has been the most influential staff member that I’ve gotten to know over the last several years. He was always willing to lend an ear when I had questions or concerns.” about anything and everything from homework in his class to future job plans.

Stephen Rowley

Stephen is graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering. After graduating he will be moving to Ann Arbor to work as a transmission line engineer at POWER Engineers. Stephen will miss the scenery and Mont Ripley (along with the rest of the beautiful Keweenaw). He says he is thankful for the awesome friends he has made who made earning an engineering degree as fun as possible!

Devin Slavik

Devin is graduating with a BS in Environmental Engineering. After graduation he will be moving back to his family farm and starting work as an environmental engineer with General Motors.

Seneca Stairs

Seneca is graduating with a BS in Environmental Engineering. After graduating Seneca will begin a job at Westwood Professional Services in Madison, WI. She will miss the winters and the hockey as well as the connections she has made on campus. Seneca is thankful for the great education and the kind people as well as to Tech for pushing her to be her best self. She would like to recognize Dr. Becker for always going out of her way to help her out and being a fantastic professor.

Mike Summerfield

Mike is graduating with a BS in Construction Management. After graduation he is moving to Idaho Falls, ID to start a career with Granite Construction. He will miss the small town hospitality of Houghton. Mike is thankful to Michigan Tech for their push to make every student feel important and ready for the industry in their major and he would like to recognize Lynn Artman for making a difference to him during his time here.

Tristan Tarsa

Tristan is graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering. He will begin working at AECOM Traverse City after graduation. Tristan will miss playing hockey, watching hockey, and the cool hiking places just a short drive away. He is thankful to Michigan Tech for providing him with unique opportunities that broadened his perspectives. Tristan would like to recognize too many people to list; however, notably Dr. Audra Morse, Dr. Kris Mattila, Dr. Gretchen Hein, Julie Ross and Jay Meldrum.

Zoe Wahr

Zoe is graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering. Shortly after graduation she will begin working in Grand Rapids, MI as a Designer for Rowe Professional Services Company. Zoe will miss the friendships, while she knows they will stay in touch with her Tech friends, she realizes they will never have the closeness they have now. Zoe is thankful for the challenges that Tech has presented her with and the opportunities she has received through hard work and dedication. She says “There is a community beyond campus that creates an instant bond with people that have graduated even 40 years ago that is really special.” Zoe would like to recognize Dr. Gretchen Hein: “Dr. Gretchen Hein has been a mentor to me during my college career that changed my life for the better, in all respects. She challenged me to do things that I didn’t think I was capable of, but because of those things I have had amazing opportunity arise. She truly works FOR the student and never denies a person the chance to be better. Whether it was SWE (Society of Women Engineers), personal life, or professional life, I knew that Dr. Hein was in my corner and willing to do anything to help me reach my goals. I am forever grateful for the time she spent working with me to make me a better student, person, and engineer.”

Alex Waypa

Alex is graduating with a BS in Environmental Engineering. After graduation she will be moving back home to continue to look for a job. Alex will miss the community of Michigan Tech and all the outdoor activities of living in the Keweenaw. She is thankful for all the lifelong friends that she met here and wanted to recognize Dr. Eric Seagren and Dr. Jennifer Becker: ” Dr. Seagren and Dr. Becker, they’ve both connected with students on personal levels and made themselves available to help out the best they could. ”

Noah Weichert

Noah is graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering. After graduation he plans on securing a full-time job and furthering his engineering licensing. Noah will miss the surrounding area as well as the friends he made and the helpful faculty. He says his is thankful for all the learning he was able to do and the opportunities he was able to have while being here. Noah would like to recognize his mom and dad for cheering him on and being just awesome parents.

Kendall Welling

Kendall is graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering. After graduation she will be moving to Texas and working as a civil engineer. She may also enroll in an online civil engineering Master’s program with a focus on structures.

Drake Wilson

Drake is graduating with a BS in Mining Engineering and Civil Engineering. He plans to have a full-time job after graduation. He will miss the Houghton location and is thankful to Michigan Tech for Winter Carnival. He would like to recognize Julie Ross for making a difference to him while at Michigan Tech.

Xiaodong Zhou

Xiaodong Zhou is graduating with his PhD in Civil Engineering. After graduation he plans to find a postdoc position. He will miss the kind people and will miss the friendly community at Michigan Tech. Xiaodong Zhou wanted to recognize Dr. Zhanping You, Sydney Wilmot, and Julia Barnes.

Allie Zimmerman

Allie is graduating with a BS in Environmental Engineering. After graduation she will be moving to Seattle, WA where she will start her full-time job as a Field Engineer for Mortenson Construction in June/July. She also plans on taking the FE Exam in hopes to be an Engineer in Training. She hopes to one day become a Project Manager for large, unique and sustainable projects. Katy will miss being in Houghton with her closest friends and impromptu adventures in the Keweenaw and the Long Islands at the Dog will always have a special place in her heart. She says: ” I am very thankful for all of the wonderful memories that I’ve made in Houghton. Being able to take part in long lasting traditions like cardboard boat racing, winter carnival statues, welcome week, and being crazy loud at hockey games, makes me feel apart of a greater family. I am also thankful for the wonderful faculty and staff that have helped guide me throughout my collegiate career. I would like to thank my parents, Mike and Melissa, for their unconditional love and support. They have driven 8 hours to see me for only a day or two, encouraged me on my first failed exam in Physics I, and always celebrated me in my successes throughout the years. I would not be where I am today if it weren’t for them. I would also like to recognize the sisters of Alpha Gamma Delta. They have given me so much over the years from helping me build my leadership and communication skills to giving me resources and support throughout my education; from community service projects to fun and relaxing sisterhoods – I will forever be thankful for the countless unforgettable memories.”