About the Author
Kellie Raffaelli, EdD
Dean of Students and Associate Vice President for Student Affairs
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
When Spring 2026 Undergraduate Commencement student speaker Caelan Mead-O’Brien addressed his graduating class, he spoke fondly of the countless people across campus who supported his journey at Michigan Tech. Reflecting on his time in Houghton, he observed that “it takes a village to raise a Husky”—a sentiment that captures the core philosophy of student life on campus. At Michigan Tech, supporting student success is never a solo endeavor; it is a shared, campus-wide commitment that requires intentional collaboration.
That spirit of collaboration sits at the heart of the Division of Student Affairs. Functioning as the hub of a broad, interconnected network, Student Affairs actively partners with academic colleges, administrative units, and local community groups to ensure students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Supporting a vibrant student body of over 7,000 Huskies is a collective effort, and no single department could, or would want to, do it alone. True impact happens when teams work together.
This ecosystem of support begins the moment a student steps onto campus. The Waino Wahtera Center for Student Success works hand-in-hand with faculty, academic advisors, and Residential Living to guide incoming students through Orientation, peer mentorship, and targeted academic coaching. By maintaining direct communication channels between instructors and advisors, academic intervention programs identify struggling students before they fall behind in their courses, surrounding them with the exact resources they need to bounce back.
Beyond academics, Michigan Tech recognizes that physical well-being and mental health are inseparable. This vision will come to life through the Chang K. Park Center for Student Wellness, where Michigan Tech Recreation and the Center for Student Mental Health and Well-being will work hand-in-hand. By bridging physical recreation with mental health and well-being care, this cross-departmental partnership will unite fitness spaces, wellness programs, and clinical support under one physical location, ensuring students have a holistic foundation to manage stress and build lifelong healthy habits.
Yet academic persistence and personal wellness also require basic needs to be met. To ensure no student falls through the cracks, the Dean of Students Office coordinates essential emergency resources by partnering with Husky Eats and the office of Sustainability and Resilience on student-led and community initiatives. Grassroots efforts like the Husky Food Access Network and the Husky Closet Collective rely on campus-wide donations and collaborative oversight, working constantly to remove financial barriers to graduation.
As students advance through their degree programs, preparing them for professional life demands seamless alignment between Student Affairs and academic leadership. Career Services collaborates directly with college deans and corporate partners to host one of the nation’s largest university career fairs as well as smaller, boutique career fairs throughout the year. By integrating internships, co-op opportunities, and career coaching directly alongside academic coursework, faculty and student affairs staff work in tandem to launch students into meaningful careers.
At the core of all of these efforts is the simple truth that creating a real home in Houghton requires intentional community-building. Both Student Leadership and Involvement and International Programs and Services work alongside campus partners and local organizations to help students build a strong sense of community and purpose. Together, they ensure that every Husky finds tailored communities, rich cultural connections, and meaningful leadership opportunities.
By weaving mental health, physical recreation, basic needs, academic coaching, and career readiness into every layer of campus life, Michigan Tech proves that student success is a shared mission. From orientation day to the commencement stage, it truly takes the entire campus village to help a Husky thrive, and we are thankful for our campus and community partners for their collaboration.