Interesting stories about and for our students.
The Graduate School is pleased to announce new theses and dissertations are now available in the J.R. van Pelt and Opie Library from the following programs:
Roxane Gay, who received her PhD in Rhetoric and Technical Communication from the Department of Humanities in 2010, has had a story, “North Country,” selected for the 2012 edition of Best American Short Stories, published by Houghton Mifflin Co.
Gay is the coeditor of [PANK] Magazine, along with Assistant Professor M. Bartley Seigel (Humanities). Her stories and poems have appeared or are forthcoming in New Stories From the Midwest 2011 and 2012, Best Sex Writing 2012, Salon, NOON, American Short Fiction, Indiana Review, Cream City Review, Black Warrior Review, Brevity, The Rumpus and others.
Gay is the author of Ayiti, a collection of writing about the Haitian diaspora experience. She is also a contributing writer at HTMLGIANT. She is an assistant professor of English at Eastern Illinois University. She can be found online at Roxane Gay.
Published in Tech Today
Randall (Randy) Isaacson took a BS in Biological Sciences (’86) and an MS in Rhetoric and Technical Communication (’88) from Michigan Tech and turned them into a successful health care marketing and advertising career. On March 1 and 2, he will return to campus as the third speaker in the Scott Patullo Visiting Executive Series, to share his experiences with current students and the University community.
Isaacson will talk about “The Biology of Business: Making Your Way in a World of Systems, Relationships and Emotions” from 6 to 7:30 p.m., Thursday, March 1, in Memorial Union Ballroom A. Hosted by the College of Sciences and Arts, the presentation is open to the public.
While at Michigan Tech, Isaacson will meet with biological sciences, humanities and School of Business and Economics undergraduates, graduate students and faculty, as well as engineering and Enterprise students.
Isaacson began his career as a medical copywriter at Roche Pharmaceuticals in New Jersey, and later joined VICOM/FCB, a medical advertising agency in New York. After moving to Chicago in 1990, he worked as a copy supervisor at Frank J. Corbett before joining a new agency, Williams-Labadie, where he now is executive vice president.
Isaacson and his team have won numerous awards in health care advertising, including recognition from Medical Marketing and Media for creating the best pharmaceutical advertisement in 2003 and the best professional digital campaign in 2007. He credits his multidisciplinary background in biology and technical communication at Michigan Tech with preparing him for a very successful career in health care marketing and advertising.
Last fall, Michigan Tech inaugurated the Patullo Visiting Executive Series, which is designed to let Tech students interact with alumni who are emerging business leaders and executives in science, technology and business. Scott Patullo ’81 is funding the campus visits in the hope that students here can gain a strengthened sense of the nature of business and entrepreneurial leadership.
by Jennifer Donovan, director, public relations
Published in Tech Today
There was a small doings with large implications at Career Services Monday.
Bechtel Corp., a long-time recruiter of Tech graduates, stepped forward to sponsor an interview room: the first corporation to do so and the first of what Career Services hopes will amount to 19 others doing the same thing.
A gift of $10,000 earned the company on-demand use, for two years, of a prominent, personalized room to interview students for jobs.
Monday’s gathering was a salute to Bechtel for its close ties to Michigan Tech. The ceremony coincided with the firm’s visit to campus for today’s Career Fair.
Their interview space will be put to good use. A Bechtel official said the firm has hired about 60 Tech graduates over the last five or six years.
Jim Turnquist, director of Career Services, said that Bechtel’s interest in hiring Tech graduates matches other companies’ interest: solid academics, hands-on experience in internships and co-ops, a solid work ethic, and an ability to work in teams—all hallmarks of a Tech education.
Anthony Santi, who graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering in 2009 and a Master of Business Administration in 2011, now works for Bechtel. A native of Kingsford, he was on hand at the ceremony and says of his education. “I couldn’t be happier. This place is tough, but definitely worth it. You get that extra step. It prepares you exactly for what happens at work.” He said he especially learned time management and teamwork at Tech as he juggled work, classes, football and the Senior Design Program.
Bechtel’s interview room will be called the Bechtel Directors Suite. Julie Way, assistant director for Career Development Education, guides the initiative to have companies sponsor interview rooms. As well, she oversees efforts to coach students how to conduct an effective interview, write a resume, learn dining etiquette and more.
The funds raised will support more programs to help students get jobs. That effort begins with first-year students, Way said. “The sooner the better.”
Internships and co-ops, she added, are “the diamond on a resume,” and companies hire students for part-time employment in these programs as soon as the beginning of their sophomore year.
She adds about Career Services: “Ultimately we’re here for the students. We pay attention to companies so they pay attention to our students. Everbody wins.” The interview rooms, she concludes, promote a company’s recognition on campus and its brand.
Turnquist said that Bechtel’s relationship with Tech “has helped our students tremendously.” He added, “They have made a difference in the lives of many students.”
President Glenn Mroz summed up the collaboration succinctly. “We thank Bechtel for continuing to be a partner with Michigan Tech in hiring our students and spreading the word that Michigan Tech is a great place to find great employees.”
Published in Tech Today
The Graduate School is pleased to announce new theses and dissertations are now available in the J.R. van Pelt and Opie Library from the following programs:
More than 25 people gathered in mid-January for the inaugural meeting of the Pregnant and Parenting Students Network, a new campus resource.
Organizers are seniors Jen Van Domelen and Raeanne Madison, both of the scientific and technical communications program. Since becoming mothers three and four years ago, both women have celebrated, and lamented, the responsibilities involved in parenting while attending Michigan Tech. They recognized that the experiences of students with children are often unique compared to traditional students.
Van Domelen and Madison approached Don Williams, director of Counseling and Wellness Services (CWS), with the idea of creating a group for pregnant and parenting students. He was agreeable, and Erica Thompson, a graduate intern at CWS, helped to coordinate the formation of the group.
“We were relieved that Counseling and Wellness Services was so open and supportive of our idea,” Madison says. “Before, we always felt alone and anomalous, but now we know that there are many parents here who need support. We are happy to be able to reach out to others through this effort.”
At the first meeting, parents and their families connected with each other (often for the first time); were introduced to community resources that could help them; and offered ideas on how to improve the experiences of parents at Michigan Tech.
Van Domelen and Madison hope to continue working with the University to bring awareness of the needs of these students–and help make their University experience enjoyable and successful.
The network meets at 6 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month in the Daniell Heights Community Room. The next meeting is Tuesday, Feb. 14; special Valentine’s Day activities will be provided for children. All meetings are free and open to students and their families.
For more information, contact CWS at 487-2538.
The initiative is being supported by the Michigan Tech Parents Fund and Housing and Residential Life.
submitted by Counseling and Wellness Services
Published in Tech Today
The Graduate School is pleased to announce Finishing Fellowship recipients for the fall and spring semesters. Finishing fellowships provide support to PhD candidates who are close to completing their degrees. These fellowships are available through the generosity of alumni and friends of the University. They are intended to recognize outstanding PhD candidates who are in need of financial support to finish their degrees and are also contributing to the attainment of goals outlined in The Michigan Tech Plan.
Recipients for fall 2011 were:
Recipients for spring 2012 are:
Nominations are currently open for summer 2012 finishing fellowships. Materials are due no later than 4pm, March 14th. See complete details online about the application and review procedure.
The Graduate School is pleased to announce new theses are now available in the J.R. van Pelt and Opie Library from the following programs:
The Graduate School is pleased to announce new dissertations are now available in the J.R. van Pelt and Opie Library from the following programs:
The School of Business and Economics has another reason to cheer: SuperScholar, an online education and career information website, has named the Tech MBA Online among the top 25 in the nation, coming in at number 20.
Recently, Tech’s MBA Online was ranked among the honor roll programs in first-ever online rankings by US News and World Report.
The SuperScholar website singles out Tech’s program “for its emphasis on innovation, technology and entrepreneurship”–all prominent features of Tech’s online MBA program, which, like the School itself, is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
School of Business and Economics Dean Darrell Radson said, “Our Tech MBA Online has once again been recognized as a top MBA program internationally. It also confirms that we are aligned with the changing trends in our global economy by offering a flexible, online learning environment focused on innovation and technology management with an international business perspective.”
The SuperScholar editors say they designed their “Smart Choice” ranking of online MBA programs to help fill a void of quality rankings and reviews of online degree programs, as well as provide prospective students with help in finding the best degree program for them.
After researching all online MBA programs accredited by AACSB or by regional accrediting agencies, SuperScholar ranked the top 25 schools based on quality, marketability and affordability–as determined by market reputation, admissions selectivity, accreditation and cost.
AACSB accreditation is considered the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide. Being AACSB-accredited means a business school is able to continuously pass a set of strict standards that are designed to ensure quality. The School of Business and Economics successfully completed reaccreditation requirements in spring 2011.
Published in Tech Today.
