Caelan Mead-O’Brien, the undergraduate student speaker for the 2026 spring commencement, was enabled to come into his own personally, professionally, and academically during his time at Michigan Tech. As he prepares to graduate with a degree in environmental engineering, Mead-O’Brien recalls his first impressions of Michigan Tech, and the way his time in Houghton has helped him to learn, grow, and lead.
Though he was originally hesitant to move so far from his hometown of Okemos, Michigan, Mead-O’Brien quickly found his place in the Keweenaw.