Pavlis Honors College Blog

Category: PHC Students

Congratulations, graduates!

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The Pavlis Honors College would like to celebrate the accomplishments of graduating seniors, who chose to take advantage of all that Michigan Tech has to offer and challenge themselves inside and outside the classroom.  These students reflect our core values by being authentic, building relationships with each other, and being open to learning through new experiences. All of their hard work and commitment to the ideals of the Pavlis Honors College and Michigan Technological University has paid off!

Pavlis Honors College graduates – Spring 2023
  • J.T. Boudreau
    • Major: Wildlife Ecology & Conservation  
    • What’s next: J.T. will be starting a job with the U.S. Geological Survey, a division of the U.S. Department of the Interior
  • James Brouckman    
    • Major: Computer Engineering  
    • James is looking forward to moving out to San Fransisco shortly after graduation to start his new full-time job in software engineering.
  • Jerod Busch    
    • Major: Computer Engineering and Electrical Engineering  
    • Jerod is looking forward to starting his full-time position as a controls engineer in Ithaca NY.
  • Nolan Davis
    • Major: Mechanical Engineering 
    • Minor: Manufacturing 
    • Concentration:  Engineering Enterprise
    • Nolan will be working full-time at The Hill Group and is looking forward to starting his first job, growing professionally with this experience, and having more fun times with my family and friends.
  • Tanner Duncan
    • Major: Mechanical Engineering 
    • Minor: Manufacturing and Aerospace Engineering    Concentration: Engineering Enterprise   
    • What’s Next: Tanner has accepted a position with BOSS Snowplow and will be moving to the Iron Mountain area.
  • Ben Houck
    • Major: Mechanical Engineering
    • Concentration: Engineering Enterprise
    • What’s Next: Ben will be pursuing an internship in Engineering at Stellantis, and will continue at MTU for a 1 year accelerated MBA next year.
  • Andrew Kleehammer
    • Major: Engineering Management
    • Minor: Enterprise   
    • What’s Next: Andrew is about halfway through a Master’s in Engineering Management and also works in project management at FORTNA.
  • Megan Lee
    • Major: Environmental Engineering
    • Minor: Spanish
    • What’s Next: Megan will be working for Arcadis, an Environmental Consulting firm, out of Novi, Michigan on environmental remediation projects.
  • Mandy Lepak
    • Major: Mechanical Engineering
    • Minor: Manufacturing 
    • What’s Next: This summer Mandy will be working for Gentex Corporation in Zeeland, Michigan as a Production Support Engineer and is looking forward to another big change in her life that will help me continue growing myself as an individual.
  • Fable-Viktor Moore
    • Major: Psychology
    • Concentration: Clinical/Counseling Psychology
    • What’s Next: Research Job and Graduate School
  • Anderson Piercey
    • Major: Management
    • Minor: Psychology 
    • What’s Next: Anderson will be living in the Lansing area with his significant other and pursuing employment as a Project Manager.
  • Jonathan Rabideau
    • Major: Computer Science
    • What’s next:  Jonathan will be starting his career and is considering a Master’s degree
  • Mady Sherman
    • Major: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology-Chemistry focus  
    • What’s Next: Mady will be working as a Research Technician for Neogen Corporation in Lansing Michigan
  • Colton Sitts
    • Major: STC
    • Minor: Computer Science
    • What’s next: Colton will be working as a quality manager at Epic Systems in Madison, WI. designing and testing software for healthcare facilities all over the country.
  • Nick Stankovich
    • Major: Management   
    • What’s next: Nick is looking forward to pursuing a Master’s here at MTU and an internship with General Motors.
  • Maddie  Thompson
    • Major: Mechanical Engineering
    • Minor: Business
    • What’s next: Maddie will travel to Europe for a month after graduation to learn more about different cultures and experience new places! Upon her return, she will start her full-time job with General Motors as a TRACK Hardware engineer in their rotational program!
  • Libby  Umlor
    • Major: Chemical Engineering
    • What’s next: Libby will be returning to Michigan Tech to complete an accelerated master’s in Chemical Engineering.
  • Zachary Vatter
    • Major: Biomedical Engineering and Human Biology   Concentration: Pre-Health Professions
    • What’s next: Zachary will return to Michigan Tech to pursue a Master’s in biological sciences.
  • John Waller
    • Major: Mechanical Engineering Tech
    • What’s next: After graduating John is moving to Kalamazoo, MI, and getting married in June.

To our graduates – we are so proud of you!  Take a moment to soak in this feeling of accomplishment and success and know that this is only the beginning as you go on to make your difference in the world. Congratulations!

Education is not the filling of a pot but the lighting of a fire.

W.B. Yeats
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Pavlis Honors College Dean’s Scholarship Winner Announced

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The Pavlis Honors College Dean’s Scholarship has been established to recognize students on an annual basis who have committed their personal time to promote and grow our program and its enrollment and visibility on campus. This scholarship highlights a student’s commitment to the Pavlis Honors College and making sure they are getting the most out of their undergraduate education.

This year’s PHC Dean’s Scholarship is awarded to Arlethia Bell. The Pavlis Honors College (PHC) faculty has emphasized how Arlethia has consistently been a leader and mentor not only in the PHC community but across campus. Arlethia has served as a PHC Learning Facilitator, as a panelist or facilitator for multiple PHC recruitment events, as a Resident Assistant, and as a leader within the National Society of Black Engineers and the Black Students Association. In addition, Arlethia has been active with the Enterprise program, the Green Campus Enterprise, Engineers without Borders, Americorps, in internships, and numerous other campus, community, and national organizations.

Pavlis Honors College Dean’s Scholarship Winner, Arlethia Bell

Dean of the Pavlis Honors College, Marika Seigel, stated: “I want to thank Arlethia for being so passionate about the Pavlis Honors College and being willing to share that passion with potential future and new PHC students whenever she is able. Arlethia is the exemplar of what a Pavlis Honors College student can and should be.”

When asked about how the Pavlis Honors College has impacted her and her academic career, Arlethia shared, “Being a part of the Pavlis Honors College has motivated me to step out of my comfort zone and push myself into more well-rounded experiences, in order to grow as a student leader. It has also allowed me to reflect in-depth on these experiences, recognize my growth, and share my skills and knowledge with others.”

The Pavlis Honors College faculty and staff would like to thank our Dean’s Scholarship winner, Arlethia, for all that she has done and continues to do for PHC and the Michigan Tech community. Congratulations!

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Congratulations, graduates!

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The Pavlis Honors College would like to celebrate the accomplishments of graduating seniors, who chose to take advantage of all that Michigan Tech has to offer and challenge themselves inside and outside the classroom.  These students reflect our core values by being authentic, building relationships with each other, and being open to learning through new experiences. All of their hard work and commitment to the ideals of the Pavlis Honors College and Michigan Technological University has paid off!

Christian Johnson

Major: Human Biology and English
Minor: Pre-Health Professions

Christian graduated with a dual major in Human Biology and English and a minor in Pre-Health Professions. He was the 2022 Pavlis Honors College Departmental Scholar and the recipient of the 2022 Provost’s Award for Scholarship. When asked to share a memorable experience from his time in the Pavlis Honors College, Christian shared, “Finding Dial Help through the honor’s project component and being an active volunteer since 2020.”

Jailynn Johnson

Major: Chemistry
Minor: Mathematics

Jailynn graduated with a Chemistry major and a Mathematics minor. During her time at Michigan Tech, she made her mark by holding the position of president of the Black Student Association, helping to host the Black History Month exhibit at the library, and receiving the Percy Julian Award for outstanding leadership in 2021, among many other things! When discussing her time in the Pavlis Honors College, Jailynn stated, “One of my fondest memories has been serving on the Undergraduate Student Advisory Board.”

Audrey Levanen

Major: Mechanical Engineering
Minor: Medical Devices & Instrumentation

Audrey graduated with a Mechanical Enginerring degree and a minor in Medical Devices and Instrumentation. Her determination to make the most of her time at Michigan Tech definitely showed as she participated in many opportunitites including being a Success Coach and completing a successful internship at Thermo Analytics. While reflecting on her time in the Pavlis Honors College, Audrey shared that she “loved getting to know all the PHC people, especially during the seminars!”

Luke Reich

Major: Mechanical Engineering
Minor: Structural Materials

Luke graduated with a Mechanical Engineering major and a minor in Structural Materials. Luke was determined to complete his Honors Program components and shared, “One of my favorite parts about being a part of the Honors College was being a Learning Facilitator. Not only was I able to use the teaching and communications skills I learned working in the Math Learning Center for three years, I really appreciated being able to participate in some of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into running the different honors seminars. I was able to take the different courses again as I led my students through them. Whether it was through reviewing the material or hearing my students’ perspectives I always learned something new every time I participated in one of the seminars. Being a Learning Facilitator taught me that there is always more to learn. Even if you’ve gone through something before, there can be a lot to learn if you view things from different perspectives.

Ry Swaty

Major: Mechanical Engineering
Minor: Aerospace Engineering and Business

Ry graduated with a Mechanical Engineering degree and a dual minor in Aerospace Engineering and Business. During his time in the Pavlis Honors College, the faculty remarked that Ry consistently holds himself to high standards, and his thoughtfulness and consideration were considered contagious. Throughout his time in Pavlis, Ry made a point to challenge himself in many different ways–for instance, to physically explore his space and talk to people. Reflecting on his time, Ry stated that he is very thankful for the PHC faculty, stating, “A big thank you to the Pavlis faculty – you have truly facilitated a monumental positive shift in my view of the world and myself.”

Pavlis Honors students at the Medallion Ceremony Fall 2022

“You are educated. Your certification is in your degree. You may think of it as the ticket to the good life. Let me ask you to think of an alternative. Think of it as your ticket to change the world.”

Tom Brokaw
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Congratulations, graduates!

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The class of 2021 had their “embrace ambiguity” skills tested during their final year. Even with this unexpected twist, our newest honors students made their mark in labs and Enterprise spaces, in bowling alleys and roller derby arenas, everywhere from Houghton to Peru. Congratulations, graduates.

Ben Neely

During his time at Tech, Ben served as vice president of Phi Kappa Tau, spent part of his research pathway studying grade estimation using dynamic anisotropy interpolation, and is graduating with a degree in mining engineering. Ben’s headed to Lexington, Kentucky after graduation, where he’ll work for RESPEC Engineering.

Brandon Howard

A mechanical engineer on the New Venture pathway, Brandon’s senior design team won first place in this year’s Design Expo, designing an N95-rated filtration system to be used with Stryker’s existing Flyte helmet and hood in order to protect surgeons against COVID-19 and other airborne viruses. Brandon also served as advertising chair for Film Board, and headed several student committees. Brandon is staying at Michigan Tech to work on a master’s degree in mechanical engineering, with a focus on sustainable design and manufacturing.

Chiarra Elkort-Wickboldt

Chiarra graduated with a degree in environmental engineering. During her community engagement pathway, she earned a Peace Corps Prep certificate, mentored in the Young Women’s Leadership Program, worked with the Canterbury House Food Pantry and served as a learning facilitator for HON 1150. After graduation, Chiarra’s going to stay at Michigan Tech for a while longer to finish an accelerated master’s degree in environmental engineering.

Deanna Springgay

Deanna Springgay’s (center-right, kneeling in a purple jersey) roller derby team

A statistics major, Deanna used her custom pathway to improve one of her favorite off-campus activities: she created a recording system for Keweenaw Roller Derby’s internal team development. She also served on the Pavlis Honors College’s undergraduate student advisory board and volunteered as a Pavlis peer mentor. After graduation, she’ll start working for Epic Software as a technical solutions engineer.

Harley Merkaj

Harley graduated with a computer science major and a mathematics minor. As part of his leadership pathway, Harley created a ticketing portal for USG. The website gives all registered student organizations on campus a way to efficiently file forms with USG. He also served on the Diversity Council, the Networking and Computing Student Association, and on the Honors Ambassador team. Harley was also nominated for exceptional leadership in student governance. Harley plans to move to California after graduation.

Joseph Van Linn

Joseph graduated with a mechanical engineering major and a Spanish minor. On his research pathway, he’s done everything from presenting his research at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition virtually in November of 2020 to fighting forest fires in Oregon to a Study Abroad in Spain to giving back to Pavlis as one of our first peer mentors. After graduation, Josephy plans to go back to Oregon for another season of firefighting, and will then go to graduate school in the Netherlands.

Kaylee Meyers

A biomedical engineering major, Goldwater Scholar, and winner of the 2019-2020 Provost’s Award, Kaylee is also a co-director and tutor for Tech Tutors (a free and virtual tutoring program developed in response to schools moving online due to COVID-19). On her research pathway, Kaylee studied ultrasound and tendon wound healing. After graduation, she’s headed to graduate school to work on translating biosensor medical research and technology to clinical settings.

Kenneth Shivers

Kenneth earned dual degrees in computer and electrical engineering. On his enhanced Enterprise pathway, Kenneth served as a project manager for the Wireless Communication Enterprise and the Michigan Tech fall Hackathon. After graduation, Kenneth’s hoping to find a job as an embedded engineer in southeast Michigan.

Jake Grund

Jake Grund (back row, third from the left)

Mechanical engineering technology major Jake Grund is one of Pavlis’ first ETS-IMPRESS graduates. He’s also a fantastic bowler, and used his pathway to teach others the game through a coaching clinic and outreach to middle and high schoolers. After graduation, Jake plans to move closer to his hometown, volunteer, and continue bowling.

Lydia Savatsky

Lydia Savatsky majored in mathematics, minored in global community development partnerships, earned a Peace Corps Prep certificate, received the Dean of Students’ Award for Service (2020-2021), and completed a community engagement pathway for her honors program. On her pathway, Lydia did data analysis with the Appalachia Service Project, and mentored a young women’s leadership program. Lydia is off to the University of Minnesota to work towards a master’s degree in business analytics.

Lexi Steve

Lexi Steve graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering and a minor in Spanish. Lexi was a member of the Green Campus Enterprise, a founding member of Students for Sustainability, a resident of the Sustainability House, a University Innovation Fellow, a learning facilitator for HON 2150, and interned for Husky Innovate and IDEAhub. On her global and community engagement pathway, Lexi piloted a community project in Peru, hosting design workshops for afterschool teachers, community parents, and a local volunteer organization. What’s next for Lexi? “A few main options: convert a travel van, become a co-world renowned chef, mentor some kiddos in California, or build a greenhouse–nothing is set in stone, but the world is full of opportunities!”

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Meet Annalisa Wiesner…

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“When I joined Pavlis, I was worried that I wouldn’t have time for it and that it would be too stressful. Pavlis actually made my life a lot less stressful because I learned how to manage myself and manage my work. I did things that were really interesting to me and that gave me energy and were creative and exciting and not not just schoolwork. My life felt a lot better once I started with Pavlis. ” Watch Annalisa’s commencement interview, or read more about her Pavlis experience.

Annalisa Wiesner’s “why did you become an engineer?” story is a familiar one. But through her own reflections and a little help from Pavlis Honors College, Annalisa’s personal pathway led her to become an author, an architect, a builder, and a Michigan Tech graduate in mechanical engineering with ideas on how to combine creativity, curiosity, and technical know-how into a career path custom to her interests. Her “What will you do now that you’re an engineer?” story has been shaped by her time in the Pavlis Honors College.

A young woman sitting on the base of the Michigan Tech husky statue and smiling.

“Honestly? I threw the mailer away.”

“My parents always told me that I was good at engineering, and that I was creative, and that I should look into engineering as a career.” After two years at community college exploring engineering courses, Annalisa transferred to Michigan Tech.

“Right before I started at Michigan Tech, I got the mailer about the honors college, and honestly? I threw it away without even opening it. I didn’t want to be an honors student in college. I had been an honors student for a long time [in high school], and I wanted to be done with the stress of being in honors.”

Fortunately, Annalisa had a friend in the Honors Pathway Program. A lot of the things her friend was learning in her honors classes—like personal growth, leadership skills, and incorporating school into her life instead of going to school just because it was the next expected thing to do—resonated with Annalisa.

“When I joined Pavlis, I was worried that I wouldn’t have time for it and that it would be too stressful. Pavlis actually made my life a lot less stressful because I learned how to manage myself and manage my work. And I did things that were really interesting to me and that gave me energy and were creative and exciting and not not just schoolwork. My life felt a lot better once I started with Pavlis. ”

A group of college students stands on the star decal at center field of AT&T stadium
Annalisa’s immersion experience let her see the sights in Texas, including AT&T Stadium.

Fast facts: Annalisa’s Pathway

Annalisa graduated in December 2020 with a degree in mechanical engineering.

Immersion experience: Internship with CommScope, an American global network infrastructure provider company, in their Richardson, Texas office

Honors project: writing a children’s book about her hometown of Traverse City, Michigan.

Academic enhancement: the design/build semester program at Yestermorrow Design/Build School. In the program, she joined a team that researched, designed, and built an architecturally innovative high-performance shelter.

Leadership/mentorship activity: worked in the toddler room at BHK Child Development in Houghton

[Learn more about pathway components]

A young woman laughs in the woods, wearing ear protection and brandishing a chainsaw.
Annalisa’s academic enhancement included chainsaws, customer discovery, and more.

Academics, enhanced (with chainsaws)

Reflection and Design Thinking are two key parts of the Honors Pathway Program. Try something, think about the experience, and base your next steps on what you’ve learned. Annalisa’s immersion experience, an internship, made her realize she wanted to try a self-directed creative project. So she wrote a children’s book for her honors project. After more reflection, she had an idea for an academic enhancement.

By her senior year, Annalisa knew that she wanted to find a career that got her away from a desk, where creativity and dreams and design could come together. “I had this crazy idea to be a treehouse engineer, to design and build liveable, sustainable treehouses as a career.”

Some research led to Yestermorrow Design/Build School in Vermont. Their treehouse class was full, but they did offer a 16-week, 15-credit immersive program that “takes up to 15 students from a variety of backgrounds through an architectural design process to the substantial completion of a single, high-performance, year-round structure. Students, while completing a 15-credit course load, receive instruction in design, assembly and detailing, and building performance while exploring group process, definitions of sustainability, and relevant contexts.” [Source] 

Building an knowledge base in an area that complements the focus of an honors experience? That’s an academic enhancement. After talking to her honors and in-major advisor, the registrar, and more, she had a plan: her last semester of college would be spent in Vermont. Four credits would apply to Senior Design, and the rest would form her academic enhancement for her honors pathway.

The Yestermorrow team designed a building for a customer who needed flexibility. It could be a residential space. It could be a small business space. It could be a short-term rental. And, per the customer’s request, you can keep the front tire of a bike fixed in a center spot and rotate the rest of the bike 360 degrees around that pivot point without running into anything. (And yes, Annalisa got to work on a treehouse while at Yestermorrow.)

Annalisa, wearing ear protection and a face mask, poses for the camera while wearing a shirt that reads "I got my geek on at Michigan Tech."

“My experiences are 100 percent going to impact what I do after graduation,” says Annalisa. “One hundred percent.”

“When you know how things work, you can make things that are really cool and really creative. And that’s what I want to use my degree for.”

Why Pavlis?

Annalisa’s pathway components added a lot to her resume. But Pavlis added more than bullet points on a resume. “I think the biggest benefit that I received personally from the honors college is that I learned how to reflect on my circumstances and my experiences. I’ve gone back to that idea of reflection so many times, and I write reflections now on things that don’t have anything to do with the honors college. I know how to think through my experiences better because I was asked to do that in Pavlis. I’ll go and reflect on a problem or an event, and I’ll come up with some really profound things to help me know myself better and help me to choose a direction for my life. Pavlis taught me the tools that I can use to design my life.”

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Student Spotlight: Honors Pathway Program Application by Colin VanderBeek

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“For me, it’s about success, and how I think Pavlis can be a catalyst for my journey.” Accountability. Creativity. Innovation. Learn more about why Colin is joining Pavlis Honors College at Michigan Tech.

Coming to Tech in the fall? Learn more about early admission for incoming first-year students.

Already a Tech student? Learn more about the Honors Pathway Program.

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Celebrating our fall 2020 graduates

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Congratulations to our fall 2020 graduates! You’re leaders. Authors. Researchers. Global travelers. Volunteers. We’re honored that you chose to spend part of your time at Michigan Tech in the Pavlis Honors College, we’ve enjoyed watching what you’ve accomplished here, and we can’t wait to see what’s next.

Video: A few words of welcome and congratulations to our 2020 Pavlis Honors Pathway Program graduates, from Dean Lorelle Meadows and the PHC team.

In addition to her environmental engineering major and global and community development partnerships minor, Maya volunteered with local community organizations, coordinated philanthropy efforts for her sorority, and studied abroad in Accra, Ghana.

Mechanical engineering major Annalisa built her custom pathway around an internship, a children’s book, and spending a semester at a design-and-build school in Vermont (including treehouse engineering!).

Tessa majored in biochemistry and molecular biology, minored in pharmaceutical chemistry, and plans to get her master’s and PhD. While an undergraduate, she worked in a genetics lab, co-authored two books, helped kids get excited about STEM, and tested samples for Michigan Tech’s COVID-19 lab.

Amanda Moya

In addition to her mechanical engineering major and certificate in global technological leadership, Amanda’s Global Leadership Pathway culminated in a trip to Ghana in 2017. Amanda spent her last semester completing her degree remotely while working full-time for Georgia-Pacific in Oregon, helping meet the new demand for toilet paper and paper towels.

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Meet Anderson Lind…

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By Dean Lahti

Michigan Tech is a community for students who are driven to learn and succeed. Anderson Lind came to Michigan Tech with ambitious goals and has contributed to the Michigan Tech community through the Pavlis Honors College.

Lind, a third-year management student, is currently a resident advisor in the Pavlis Living and Learning Community (LLC), located in Wadsworth Hall and dedicated to about seventy first-year students in the Pavlis Honors College’s early admission program. He said that the Pavlis community has persevered through the COVID-19 pandemic due to their camaraderie and willingness to take on more than what the university requires.

Secret Santa night in the Pavlis Living and Learning Community

He joined the Pavlis Honors College during his first year at Michigan Tech, on the recommendation of one of his friends. “I wouldn’t be here, at Tech or in Pavlis, if it wasn’t for Maddie Thompson,” said Lind.

An RA with Recognition

Lind is also a decorated student. He had recently been awarded a Golden MOWII pin from the Great Lakes Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls (GLACURH) region for his involvement in the 2020 Virtual Regional Leadership Conference. His hall previously won the Residential Community of the Month award for their participation in Michigan Tech’s K-Day event in Chassell, Michigan. Lind also won the annual Exceptional Enthusiasm as a Student Leader award through Michigan Tech. 

“My favorite thing about the LLC is having a space where people can talk to each other, build each other up, and create a community that’s really their own.”

Students in matching jerseys hold broomball sticks in front of a food trailer
Anderson Lind (second from left) is a third-year management student, resident assistant, and broomball pro

Research and Honors Project

In addition to serving as an RA, Lind serves as a research intern with the College of Business, where he is currently researching how to improve college and community engagement with high school students, with support from local organizations such as the Portage Health Foundation and the Copper Country Intermediate School District. Lind said, “Our research team has been speaking with these organizations to see what resources in the community exist for college education and where there could be gaps.”

See Anderson’s honors project proposal

Why Pavlis?

When asked why students should join the Pavlis Honors College, he said, “Pavlis is hard work, actively seeking your dreams, and finding ways to give back to your community. If any of that appeals to you, then you know you’re on the right track.” 

“We did a lot of reflecting on values in HON2150, and it made me realize that most of my values are around community and building other people up. [Pavlis] made me change my career goals. I came to Tech planning to be an engineer, to make money, and experience life after my 9 to 5 was over. Reflecting made me realize that life is short, and I want to make sure I’m making friends, helping people, and being someone that other people can turn to when they’re struggling. It’s shaped me fundamentally. I don’t mind where I end up, as long as I’ve done good things recklessly and spread joy that way.”

For more information about the Honors Pathway Program, visit www.mtu.edu/honors/pathway.

This piece is part of our student profile series by Dean Lahti, guest writer and current Michigan Tech student.

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Meet Lexi Steve…

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A woman sits on a stone wall overlooking a Spanish town.
Always ready for the next experience, Lexi also spent a term studying abroad in Spain.

By Dean Lahti

The Pavlis Honors College fosters and promotes our future leaders – Lexi Steve serves as an excellent example for the program.

Steve, a fifth-year mechanical engineering student, joined the Pavlis Honors College’s Honors Pathway Program during her second year at Michigan Tech. Steve said that she applied because of the travel experiences and leadership opportunities that the program had to offer.

Leadership is nothing new to Lexi. Steve received an Undergraduate Research Internship Program (URIP) award as well as a scholarship from the Dean of Students. She used her undergraduate research internship to establish a program in hydroponic research. As a member of the Green Campus Enterprise, Steve is involved in designing and building a tiny house that focuses on sustainable living in Bete Grise.

An indoor hydroponic garden
A hydroponic garden in Michigan Tech’s Sustainability Demonstration House, one of Lexi’s environmentally focused endeavors.

She said that her motivation for her endeavors at Michigan Tech comes organically. “Hardly any of these were planned,” Steve said. “I’m a bit of a social butterfly, so it’s easy for me to hear and learn about a lot of events and organizations MTU and Pavlis have to offer.” 

A group of elementary school-aged children in Peru, standing next to planters made of two liter soda bottles.
Working on a vertical gardening system with students in Peru

For her immersion experience through the Pavlis Honors College, Steve was part of a group that went to Peru. During her time in the country, she and her teammate used their training in design thinking to help the community refocus on how to communicate and support each other to the fullest. One of the projects that came out of that was a vertical gardening system that utilized old soda bottles filled with dirt and flowers at a local school mentoring program. It gave the kids something to take care of and added a bit of color to the area they were living.

She said that her volunteer experience in Peru was unique. “We formed a community there and it made me passionate about what Pavlis had to offer.”

These unique experiences through the Pavlis Honors College have allowed Steve to contribute to local and global communities. She is continuing her sustainability efforts at Michigan Tech through starting an organization called Students for Sustainability. The group has established a mini-composting project in partnership with Apple Acre Farms. This project focuses on community improvement through reducing food waste. 

A group completes an obstacle course
From classes like HON 2150 (pictured here), to exploring the world, Pavlis will help you find and build your community.

With graduation in the near future, Steve said that the networking opportunities that she has experienced through the Pavlis Honors College have prepared her for the future. “The staff at Pavlis is there to support students,” she said. “They give you the tools that you need for success.”

Steve recommends the Honors Pathway Program because it “is a great space to open up your mind and take advantage of the experiences that the program offers.”

For more information about the Honors Pathway Program, visit www.mtu.edu/honors/pathway. 

This piece is part of our student profile series by Dean Lahti, guest writer and current Michigan Tech student.

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