Pavlis Honors College Blog

Month: September 2020

The 2021 Huron Pine AmeriCorps conservation positions are now open

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KLT is leveraging resources by working with Huron Pine AmeriCorps to get more projects done for our local human and natural communities!

KLT is looking for a Water Trail Coordinator to help us update the Keweenaw and Portage Water Trail maps and web info as well as help with infrastructure and programming at KLT water trail sites. We hope to provide water trail users with up to date information on water safely, partner sites and infrastructure and consistent signage to allow for enjoyable and safer paddling opportunities in our area. Applications are through Huron Pines please follow the instructions on their site to apply, Look for KLT on the list of available positions.

The Huron Pines AmeriCorps program has been developing leaders in conservation in communities across Michigan since 2007.
Huron Pines AmeriCorps members strive to enhance Michigan’s natural resources and foster environmental stewardship by engaging local volunteers, community groups and schools in service projects, hands-on learning opportunities and educational workshops.
This is an opportunity to join others with dedication, passion and enthusiasm for the environment and for national service, develop real-world skills, increase your experiences and have the opportunity to network with other resource professionals. Benefits include a living stipend of $14,279, an education award of $6,195, health care, child care and student loan deferment.
Apply now at www.huronpines.org.
Accepting applications through October 12, 2020.
For more details or questions contact Amanda Vanaman at amanda@huronpines.org 

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Community Engagement, Service, and Volunteering at Michigan Tech

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What is community engagement?

Community engagement is a broad category that includes:

  • Service and volunteering in any community, at home or abroad
  • Projects and research in partnership with community members and community organizations
  • Addressing issues affecting a community in a way that is mutually beneficial to all participants

Who participates in community engagement at Michigan Tech?

Students in many majors and aspiring to diverse careers choose to engage with communities.

For example:

Can I do international community service?

Interested in international service?

  • Join Peace Corps Prep, a program that helps you gain technical and cultural skills to be successful working in cross-cultural service
  • Students in Peace Corps Prep typically integrate a study abroad and/or community project into their Pavlis experience
  • Peace Corps Prep is an official partnership between Michigan Tech and the U.S. Peace Corps. It prepares students to serve in another country in the Peace Corps or other community service opportunities.
  • You can earn a certificate from the Peace Corps, a minor at Michigan Tech, and honors recognition from Pavlis by completing Peace Corps Prep

What kinds of work have Pavlis students done?

Here are some stories of Pavlis students who focused on community engagement in their honors program.

  • Elise Cheney Makens designed a Science Fair Mentoring Program for 4th and 5th graders, and volunteered at a Ronald McDonald home during a research summer experience at Mayo Clinic. She earned two Michigan Tech awards for Community Service and is now in medical school at Michigan State.
  • Addie Saltarelli coached basketball and designed a greenhouse and gardening course at Jeffers High School. She was awarded the Exceptional Community Service Project Leadership Award from Michigan Tech for this work. Also highlighted in this video is Lydia Savatsky, who has managed low-income housing projects with the Appalachian Service Project for two summers. She also has worked extensively with K-12 students, including helping to found a new virtual tutoring group during the pandemic, TechTutors.
  • Quite a few students have used the International Senior Design Program in Panama, faculty-led study abroad, and/or European Project Semester for part of their honors experience and Peace Corps Prep.

Who should I contact to learn more?

Kari Henquinet (kbhenqui@mtu.edu) can help you find the right connections for a community-engaged immersion, project, or leadership/mentorship experience. Other Pavlis faculty and
staff also have great connections, such as Dar Slade, Mary Raber, and Vienna Leonarduzzi.

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Meet the Students – Lydia Savatsky

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Lydia is a fourth-year majoring in math. For three summers, she has worked with the Appalachia Service Project (ASP), a non-profit organization that provides home repairs for low-income residents in five states. This summer for her honors project, she designed surveys to gauge general homeowner satisfaction and basic needs, and to track how utility bills change after ASP completes repairs. She is compiling the data from these surveys to improve the organization’s impact and help secure grant funding. Lydia is also on the leadership team of Tech Tutors, a student and alumni-led Covid-19 response to virtually tutor K-12 students.

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Register to vote!

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Are you ready to vote? Are you registered? Do you have questions about voting? Visit the Michigan Tech voter registration drive on Tuesday, September 22, from noon-3 p.m. Bring a valid driver’s license/state ID and a mask, and make sure you know the last four digits of your Social Security Number.

Michigan residents who are unable to make it to the Voter Registration Day event can register to vote online until Monday, Oct. 19. They may also visit any Michigan Secretary of State office. Residents of all states can find voter information at http://www.vote411.org

Last year, Michigan Tech was awarded a bronze seal for excellence in voter engagement, but there’s still a long way to go.

“The (Washington Monthly) listing reflected a significant increase in voter registration, But MTU is still well below our peers. I’d like to increase our numbers so we are above the national average,” said Zach Olson, USG’s Political Affairs Committee chair and a recently named fellow of the Campus Election Engagement Project.

So: visit the drive if you’re not registered to vote, or have questions. And vote this November!

[Portions of this post were excerpted from Tech Today. Read the full article.]

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Finding an Undergraduate Research Mentor

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Are you an undergraduate interested in research, but unsure how to get started? Our video tutorial may be exactly what you need. This video addresses:

  • how to identify and contact a research mentor
  • what to expect when beginning research
  • opportunities for research internships and fellowships for Michigan Tech students

Watch the video on your own time, and if you have specific questions, feel free to email honors@mtu.edu, or make a 10-minute appointment for one-on-one research mentoring via Zoom on September 22, 24 or 28.

If you’re a current or prospective graduate student interested in finding a research mentor, please contact the Graduate School.

Interested in Undergraduate Research?

Pavlis Honors College can enhance your involvement in undergraduate research. Learn more about our Honors Pathway Program, meet an honors student who co-authored a field guide based on her research, and see other research options and exhibitions available to undergraduate students.

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