Although Michigan Tech is thousands of miles from his upbringing in South Lebanon, Houssein Yassin ’23 began thinking of the University as home long before he ever set foot on campus. Now a PhD student in mechanical engineering-engineering mechanics, Yassin will take the podium as the 2026 Spring Commencement graduate student speaker on April 24.
“I used to watch YouTube lectures from Professor Gordon Parker, and with every lecture, Michigan Tech felt less like a university far away and more like a place where I belonged,” said Yassin. “There was a warmth in the way he taught that made me feel this was the kind of place where I could grow, be challenged, and truly shine.”
Parker, the John and Cathi Drake Chair in Mechanical Engineering, would have a major impact on Yassin’s education and career. In 2021, Yassin was named a Fulbright Scholar and arrived at Michigan Tech to embark on a master’s degree in mechanical engineering, working directly with Parker.
“Choosing mechanical and aerospace engineering was very intentional,” said Yassin. “I was drawn to the department because of its academic strength, but also because it was home to the kind of teaching and research that first inspired me.”
During his master’s program, Yassin worked with MTU Wave, a collaborative wave tank lab led by Parker dedicated to advancing research and development in the field of floating offshore devices. After completing his master’s degree at Michigan Tech, along with two graduate certificates in dynamic and control systems, Yassin worked one year as a research and development engineer in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE). He then went on to pursue his second master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Michigan.
After his hiatus from Michigan Tech, it was Parker who brought Yassin back.
“During that time away, I went through a very difficult period personally, and I reached back out to Professor Parker with one question, whether I still had a place at Michigan Tech,” said Yassin. “His response was simple; ‘You always have a place here. Come back home.’ ”
With Parker as his advisor, Yassin returned to Tech as PhD student in 2025 working again with MTU Wave on developing data-driven models for nonlinear wave energy converters. He is set to defend his dissertation this summer.
“Professor Parker telling me to come back home was not just about returning to campus—it was reassurance that I had a home among people who saw value in me and reminded me of who I could still become. It meant that no matter how hard life became, I still had a place where I belonged, a place where I could still grow, still contribute, still be impactful, and still be surrounded by people who believed in me. That is something I will carry with me forever.”
— Houssein Yassin ’23, graduate student speaker, 2026 Spring Commencement
When Yassin first arrived at Tech, he was the only incoming Lebanese student on campus. While unexpected, Yassin says he never felt alone.
“One thing that surprised me about my time at Michigan Tech was how quickly a place so far from everything familiar became a place where I truly belonged,” he said. “Michigan Tech kept surprising me, not only through its academic and professional opportunities, but also through the sense of family, fun, and community that made this place feel like home.”
During his time at Tech, Yassin became increasingly integrated into the Husky community. In addition to his studies and his research, he worked as a LEAP Leader, helping first-year engineering students acclimate to their coursework, and taught as a MAE graduate teaching assistant, where he further developed his skills in communication, leadership, and mentorship.
“One of the experiences that meant the most to me was being trusted by my advisor and MAE to contribute to the development of the new aerospace curriculum at Tech,” he said. “As a graduate student, being given that kind of responsibility made me incredibly proud, and it showed me how much this university values its students and their voices.”
It’s difficult for Yassin to pick a favorite moment during his time at Tech, not because there were not many, but because, to him, the entire experience was memorable.
“When I received the Fulbright and realized I would be coming to my first-choice university, it felt surreal. Then, once I arrived, that feeling kept returning in different ways—walking onto campus for the first time, seeing the beauty of this place, and realizing that the professor whose lectures I once watched online had now become my advisor. My favorite moment at Michigan Tech was simply being at Michigan Tech and realizing that I truly belonged here.”
— Houssein Yassin ’23, graduate student speaker, 2026 Spring Commencement
In his free time, Yassin writes poetry, plays soccer, and enjoys spending time with his friends. “Those moments of connection, laughter, and simply being with people mean a lot to me,” he said.
Yassin hopes to become a researcher, mentor, and professor, inspired by the people who influenced his time at Michigan Tech.
“I want to build a career where I can contribute meaningful research, teach with purpose, and help shape the next generation of students the way my advisor and mentors shaped me,” he said. “More than anything, I want to carry forward the kind of guidance, belief, and support that was given to me.”
As he prepares to defend his dissertation this summer, Yassin isn’t feeling as much pressure as one might expect.
“Although dissertation defenses are often seen as stressful milestones, I feel a mix of confidence, gratitude, and emotion as I approach mine,” said Yassin. “I know it will represent the culmination of years of hard work, late nights, and personal growth, but it also feels deeply bittersweet.”
Parker, Yassin’s faculty advisor, is set to retire this summer after 30 years at Michigan Tech.
“This moment feels like more than just the end of a degree—it feels like the closing of a very meaningful five-year journey with a mentor who has had a profound impact on my life,” said Yassin.
“In many ways, the most challenging part of the dissertation has not only been the technical and research demands, but also realizing that this final milestone comes with having to say goodbye to an advisor, mentor, and lifelong friend.”
In addition to his advisor, Yassin is grateful to Cindy Wadaga, MAE graduate programs coordinator for her assistance and care over the years, and Amber Kempainen, teaching professor in Engineering Fundamentals, for her support during his time as a LEAP leader.
Yassin encourages current and future Michigan Tech graduate students to keep going, ask for help, and to not isolate themselves from people who care.
“There will be hard days, seasons of doubt, and moments when progress feels painfully slow, but that is part of the journey,” he said. “Let yourself grow not only as a researcher or student, but also as a person. And when you have to choose, choose the path where you can be useful, not just impressive.”
His best piece of advice are the very words that brought him back to Michigan Tech, to his PhD program, and to Tech’s 2026 Commencement as its graduate student speaker.
“Remember that you always have a place here,” said Yassin. “Come back home.”
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