With a global economy that is increasingly interconnected, it is no surprise that corporations and events around the world can have a strong influence on Houghton. What may be a surprise is that, according to a recent report from NAFSA, the Association of International Educators, international students pump tens of millions of dollars into the local economy every year.
Most of us take pride in being able to see the fruits of our labor, basking in a job well done. Brett Spigarelli can bask in the red glow of a taillight going into production for the 2013 model year of several cars. A PhD candidate in chemical engineering at Michigan Technological University, he serves as an advisor to the Consumer Product Manufacturing (CPM) Enterprise, and previously, as a student, he worked on a project with 3M to test how one of their new materials handled the process of thermoforming, leading to the redesigned taillight on several 2013 model-year cars.