Student Affairs Newsblog

Tag: Staff Insights

Building More than Snow Statues: The Data on Why Campus Activities Matter

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Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Danielle Meirow

About the Author

Danielle Meirow

Director of Student Leadership and Involvement

When we see students building a cardboard boat during Homecoming or hosting an event by the Husky Statue, we see more than just fun and games. We see a critical part of their education. In Student Leadership and Involvement (SLI), we witness students’ active engagement in the Michigan Tech community every day. And while we know from experience that these moments are essential to their development and retention, it’s affirming to see a growing body of national research confirm the link between campus activities and student success.

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Partnering for Prevention: A New Initiative to Support Student Well-being

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Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Crystal McLeod

About the Author

Crystal Primeau McLeod, MA, LLP

Director, Center for Student Mental Health and Well-being

 “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is especially relevant when addressing substance misuse among college students. This period of transition—marked by new freedoms and pressures—can make students vulnerable to risky behaviors. Whether you are faculty, staff, or a concerned friend, you can be the first to notice when a student is struggling with health or wellness. To better support our entire campus community in this shared responsibility, the Center for Student Mental Health and Well-being (CSMHW) is launching a comprehensive, grant-funded campaign to equip our community with new tools for substance misuse prevention and intervention.

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When Policy Meets Reality: Freedom of Expression

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By
Laura Putwen

About the Author

Laura Putwen

Assistant Dean of Community Conduct

The Office of Academic and Community Conduct regularly handles reports beginning with “Someone said something that made me uncomfortable/offended/unsafe…”. We navigate these situations within First Amendment constraints, civil rights obligations, and University policy and mission requirements. Freedom of speech and expression concerns can involve intense emotions but our office is here to support you in many ways.

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Supporting Students Through Crisis

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By
Kellie Raffaelli

About the Author

Kellie Raffaelli, EdD

Dean of Students and Associate Vice President for Student Affairs

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

Day one brings excitement and energy to campus, but beneath the joy of reunions and new beginnings, many students face serious personal challenges through the transitions. Military duty, family deaths, illness, mental health struggles, financial difficulties, and medical diagnoses don’t pause for the semester. Many students are figuring out how to navigate these crises alone for the first time, away from their support systems.

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The Two-way Street of Culture Shock

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By
Christian Montesinos

About the Author

Christian Montesinos, JD

Director of International Programs and Services

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

As I sat in my office thinking of what I would write about for this article as a representation of what International Programs and Services (IPS) does, I realized it is likely most of the campus community does not know what it is that we do. Sometimes even the international contingent of our University does not truly know what we do. Much like every other department within Student Affairs, IPS handles the day-to-day support of students. For us, however, our focus is international students. From immigration status, to employment, to roommate issues and how best to engage with the community—IPS handles it all.

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Building Resilience with the Residential Learning Model

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By
Alexandra Putwen

About the Author

Alexandra Putwen

Director of Residence Education

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

The Division of Student Affairs aims to celebrate, support, and inspire all of our students. Residence Education, through the Residential Learning model, further expands upon the idea of supporting students through our focus on assisting students in building resilience. One of our learning outcomes states, students will embrace an adaptive mindset, which helps students to understand the differences between a fixed and growth mindset and identify opportunities for adaptive thinking.

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Michigan Tech’s Career Ecosystem: Driving Student Success

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By
Cody Kangas

About the Author

Cody Kangas

Executive Director, Career Services

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

As universities continue to navigate the evolving landscape of higher education, the integration of a campus career ecosystem that emphasizes return on investment (ROI) is becoming increasingly critical. According to Rebekah Pare the career development department’s role has evolved beyond just placing students in jobs after graduation. Today, it is a core component of student success, institutional reputation, and long-term outcomes. A career ecosystem that prioritizes ROI helps to ensure that students are not only academically prepared but also strategically positioned to succeed in the workforce. This works to maximize the University’s value proposition to students, employers, and alumni.

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Supporting Our Academically Suspended Students

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By
Anna McClatchy

About the Author

Anna McClatchy, EdD

Assistant Dean of Student Success and Director of the Waino Wahtera Center for Student Success

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

On December 17, 2024, a handful of offices processed several thousand grades. For many students, this resulted in a sigh of relief, or even celebration, but for some this news may not have been as joyous. On average, 100 students receive academic suspensions at the end of each semester. Of those 100 or so students, 50 percent of them appeal their suspension to the Scholastic Standards Committee. Nearly half of those appeals are approved each semester. The remaining students must sit out on suspension. Suspension terms last for one semester plus summer semester, or for an entire academic year.

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The Vital Role of Student Org Advisors

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By
Danielle Meirow

About the Author

Danielle Meirow

Director of Student Leadership and Involvement

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Michigan Tech is currently home to 249 student organizations with 14 additional groups in the process of forming. These organizations contribute significantly to campus life and help to create a sense of belonging for many Huskies. During the 2023-2024 academic year alone, Student Leadership and Involvement oversaw over 180 travel requests, 600 event submissions, and $410,000 of allocated funding on behalf of student groups. This is no small feat, and we would not be able to do so without the support of advisors who provide day-to-day mentorship to each of our registered student organizations on campus.

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Promoting a Culture of Care on Campus

Published
By
Crystal McLeod

About the Author

Crystal Primeau McLeod, MA, LLP

Director, Center for Student Mental Health and Well-being

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

It may not be surprising to hear that the mental health needs of college students have heightened in recent years; numerous articles and surveys have brought attention to the increased mental health challenges college students face. Impacts of this escalating concern are evident on campuses nationwide, emphasizing the critical need for a proactive and comprehensive approach to address the issue.

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