Michigan Technological University

1895 advertisement for the Michigan Mining School

Main building, ca. 1906

Women began to attend classes at the Michigan College of Mines around 1890. The early female students were mostly daughters of professors or wealthy businessmen of the Houghton, Hancock area. They were allowed to take classes and were given special student status, which meant that they could be enrolled in courses but were not able to receive a degree.

The first woman to receive a degree from MCM was Margaret R Holley, who was born in Lake Linden and received a liberal arts degree at a different university outside of the Upper Peninsula. She then moved back to Houghton to work on a chemistry degree, which she received in 1933 and two years later received a master's degree in chemistry from this school.

The first woman faculty member of the Michigan College of Mines came in 1927, her name was Ella Wood and was hired as an assistant professor for the Humanities department. She was made an associate professor by 1928, a full professor by 1935 and the head of geography and languages by 1937. Professor Wood was accepted into the university five years before women were allowed to pursue degrees. She also worked in the library and taught meteorology to assist with pilot training sessions to students during WWII.[20] Her presence encouraged many young ladies to apply for special student status and take classes at the school and ultimately allowed women to receive degrees at this school. As co-ed enrollment increased, she promoted women involvement on campus and co-educational programs. She also became the academic advisor to all female students and thoroughly enjoyed the role of "mother"[20] that she was able to play here to all of her students. Wood also held the title "Dean of Women", making her the first woman to receive the title Dean at the university.[20]

Margaret Holley Chapman was the first woman to complete a degree program from Michigan College of Mining and Technology, which would become Michigan Technological University in 1964. She earned a Bachelor of Science in General Science in 1933, and another in chemistry the following year. Margaret went on to become a candidate for a master's degree in General Science. Not only was she the first female to receive a degree from Michigan Tech, she was also the first female trustee and requested that a scholarship be established to help other female students to finance their education. The Margaret H. Chapman Endowed Scholarship is still active to this day.[21]

The first female to graduate with a degree in Chemical Engineering was Alice Runge in 1942. Following shortly behind was the first female to graduate with High Honors in Metallurgical & Materials Engineering, Lilian (Heikkinen) Beck, in 1947. She was also the first female from Michigan Tech to be inducted into the Alpha Sigma Mu honorary fraternity of the International Metallurgical Society. One year later, Marian Ione (Smith) Scott was the first female to earn a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

Michigan Technological University recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of graduation for Patricia Anthony, the first woman to graduate from the ECE Department in 1967. Patricia went to Michigan Technological University in 1963 after graduating from high school in Grandville, Michigan. While attending MTU, she was the Vice President of the Lambda Beta sorority, a DJ at the Wadsworth Hall radio station, and was a member of the U.S. Army ROTC auxiliary, the Silver Stars. She graduated in 1967 from Michigan Tech with the degree Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. Following her graduation, Patricia took a position with IBM, where she spent the majority of her career. She became well known within IBM as a skilled systems engineer working in data communications. Throughout her professional career, she found time for community service activities such as Junior Achievement, United Way, and the Girl Scouts.

The first woman varsity athlete was Nada J. Fenton, who was a member of the rifle team during the 1950s. She was a graduate of Houghton High school and entered MTU in 1952. Nada holds the record of being the first woman to ever fire on a varsity rifle team in the world.

Today Michigan Tech has seven women's varsity sports including basketball, cross country, Nordic skiing, tennis, track and field, volleyball, and soccer.

As of the fall semester in 2021, the total enrollment at Michigan Technological University is 6,977. Of those students, 2,054 of them were females (an all-time high); which means female students make up about 29% of the enrollment at Michigan Tech.[22]

Undergraduate admissions statistics
2021 entering class[33]Change vs. 2016
Admit rate	85.7 ( +9.3)
Yield rate	21.5 ( −10.8)
Test scores middle 50%
SAT Total	1138-1320 (among 70% of FTFs)
ACT Composite	25-31 (among 28% of FTFs)

Undergraduate admission to Michigan Tech is considered "selective" by U.S. News & World Report.[34] For the Class of 2025 (enrolling Fall 2021), Michigan Tech received 8,041 applications and accepted 6,895 (85.7%), with 1,479 enrolling. The middle 50% range of SAT scores for enrolling freshmen was 1138–1320. The middle 50% ACT composite score range was 25–31. The average overall ACT scores for incoming students is 27.2 in fall 2017,[35] compared to 21.2 nationally.

Together with Michigan State University, Wayne State University, Kalamazoo College, Hillsdale College, Calvin University, and Hope College, Michigan Tech is one of the seven college-sponsors of the National Merit Scholarship Program in the state. The university sponsored 4 Merit Scholarship awards in 2020. In the 2020–2021 academic year, 5 freshman students were National Merit Scholars.[36]

Michigan Tech offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering, natural and physical sciences, computing, business and economics, technology, environmental studies, arts, humanities, and social sciences. Home to the first college of computing in the state of Michigan, the university is divided into five colleges: Business; Computing; Engineering; Forest Resources and Environmental Science; and Sciences and Arts.

• The College of Engineering. A total of 17 undergraduate degrees are offered by the college, ranging from the original mining engineering degree to robotics engineering, added in 2019. The undergraduate degree programs, together with masters and doctoral degrees are offered across the college's nine departments: biomedical engineering; civil, environmental, and geospatial engineering; chemical engineering; electrical and computer engineering; geological and mining engineering and sciences; manufacturing and mechanical engineering technology; materials science and engineering; and mechanical engineering-engineering mechanics.[42]
• The College of Computing was established in 2019.[43] It offers undergraduate degrees in computer science, software engineering, computer network & system administration, cybersecurity, electrical engineering technology.[44] Graduate degrees are offered in computer science, mechatronics, health informatics, and cybersecurity.[45]
• The College of Sciences and Arts has majors in fields including bio-informatics, biological sciences, biochemistry, cheminformatics, chemistry, kinesiology and integrative physiology, mathematics, pharmaceutical chemistry, physics, psychology, and social sciences.[46] The college is also home to the visual and performing arts, Air Force ROTC, and Army ROTC programs.[47]
• The College of Business is accredited by AACSB. Students can receive a Bachelor of Science degree in seven areas, including accounting, economics, finance, management, management information systems, marketing, and operations and systems management. The undergraduate program includes a unique Business Development Experience,[48] where students gain real-life business experience in a mentored environment. Students also have the opportunity to join several business student organizations, including the Applied Portfolio Management Program where they invest $1 million in the stock market each year.[49]
• The College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science maintains greenhouses, labs, and the 4,000-acre (16 km²) Ford Forest and Ford Center in nearby Alberta, and celebrated its 75th year in 2011.

Michigan Tech's Enterprise Program provides students with real-world design, engineering, and entrepreneurial experiences. Enterprises develop engineering skills by allowing students to work in businesslike environments on real-world projects while completing their education. Enterprises include Open Source Technologies, Nanotechnology Innovations, Hybrid Transportation, Aerospace, Blue Marble Security, Husky Game Development, Boardsports Technologies, and Wireless Communications Enterprises.[50]

Its most popular undergraduate majors, by 2021-22 graduates, were:[51]

Mechanical Engineering (266)

Electrical Engineering (93)

Chemical Engineering (88)

Computer Science (81)

Civil Engineering (77)

Biomedical Engineering (63)

Computer Engineering (48)

Environmental Engineering (44)

Mechanical Engineering Technology (36)

Engineering Management (21)

Michigan Tech ranked 172nd of 600 US colleges and universities in research and development expenditures in 2007.[55] Research expenditures exceeded $81 million in the 2021–22 school year.[56] The university has 16 research centers and institutes[57] and 271,962 square feet of research space and labs.[56]

Many students are from the state of Michigan; 21% are from out of state and 9% are international. The first to second year retention rate for first-time students is 84.5%, and the six-year graduation rate is 72.2%, reflecting the large number of students who engage in internships and co-ops during their undergraduate career. The student to faculty ratio is 13:1.[60] In the fall of 2021, the university enrolled its largest freshman class since 1982.[22]

The student body consists of more than 7,000 graduate and undergraduate students (Fall 2017)[2] and more than 470 academic faculty (Fall 2017).[2] Michigan Tech students are primarily from Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois. The student body is approximately 75.4% European-American/Non-Hispanic, 14.2% International, 1.6% Hispanic, 1.5% percent African American, 1.0% Asian, 0.6% Native American, 1.0% Multiracial, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and the remaining 4.5% was not supplied.[2]

Michigan Tech currently recognizes more than two hundred student organizations.[61]

Michigan Tech is currently host to twelve fraternities, including three international and three local fraternities. Additionally, there are seven sororities on campus, including three local sororities.[62]

As the school mascot is the husky (specifically, Blizzard T. Husky), the school's sports teams are known as the Huskies. Michigan Tech competes primarily in the NCAA's Division II Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), while the men's hockey team competes in Division I as a member of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). The men's hockey team has won three national championships and the women's basketball team were national runners-up in the 2010–11 season.

Michigan Tech owns a downhill skiing/snowboarding hill, Mont Ripley, just across Portage Lake from campus, and maintains extensive cross-country skiing trails (used for mountain biking in summer).

Michigan Tech has both an official fight song and an official Alma Mater. At most sporting events, however, both the "Engineer's Song" and "In Heaven There Is No Beer" are played by the Huskies Pep Band, and many students consider these to be the unofficial school songs. The "Blue Skirt Waltz" is played at home ice hockey games and is called the "Copper Country Anthem." During the song, the fans join arms and swing back and forth to the music.

The Huskies Pep Band is the university's scramble band. The Huskies Pep Band performs at all home football, basketball, volleyball, and ice hockey games, as well as parades and other local events. The band is often recognized as one of the best bands in NCAA Division 1 hockey because of their sheer power and energy, and their firm roots in tradition. The band was formed in the fall of 1928 as the Michigan Tech ROTC Band, under the baton of E. E. Melville.

They are known for performing traditional songs such as "In Heaven There Is No Beer" and "The Engineers" along with a variety of selections in popular music. Some cheers and songs have been around since the 1930s and '40s, such as the "Blue Skirt Waltz" in which the pep band (along with the audience) would link arms and sway back and forth. This tradition began during Winter Carnival in 1948 after Frankie Yankovic had recently performed there and has been since dubbed "The Copper Country Anthem."[63] Some of the antics of the band are considered Monty Python-esque, often performing songs from the sketches themselves and shouting the phrase "Run away!" when they exit from the performance. The band also incorporates other non-traditional ensemble instruments, including electric bass guitar, bagpipes, kazoos, cowbells, accordions, an electric viola, a toaster, an oven, and at one point a large inflatable lobster.[64]

• K-Day (Keweenaw Day) is the first Friday of the fall term. It's a university-sponsored, half-day holiday hosted by Greek Life. Activities include a student organizations fair, games, swimming, and music. Originally K-Day was held at Fort Wilkins at Copper Harbor.

From 1976 to 2017 this fair was held at Mclain State Park. This halted after severe weather damage in June 2018. "K-Day" has been held at Chassell Centennial Park in Chassell, MI since with the exception of 2020 because of COVID precautions.[65][66][67][68][69][70]

• Homecoming has happened on campus each fall since 1929. The event is marked by a football game and a cardboard boat race.[71]
• Parade of Nations and multicultural festival began in 1990[72] as a way to acknowledge and celebrate the cultures and countries of Keweenaw residents and visitors, many of whom were Michigan Tech international students. The event occurs in September.
• 

  Snow statue at the 2018 Winter Carnival
  Winter Carnival is where students compete in a variety of artistic and athletic events. The highlight of Winter Carnival is a snow statue competition in which students construct snow and ice sculptures consistent with an annual theme. Winter Carnival began in 1922.[73]
• Spring Fling is always the Friday of Week 13 of the Spring Semester. Students end the academic year and welcome warmer weather by engaging in activities. Various student organizations participate in this event providing food and entertainment for a campus community eager to relax and have fun before the serious business of final exams begins.[74]
• Summer Youth Programs (SYP) have been held on campus since 1972: Women in Engineering (WIE), Engineering Scholars Program (ESP), and National Summer Transportation Institute (NSTI), among many other programs, introduce middle and high school students to college opportunities.[75]
• Film and Music Festivals at Michigan Tech's Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts occur throughout the year. The Rozsa is a main venue for the Pine Mountain Music Festival; The Red Jacket Jamboree, an old-time radio variety show; and the 41 N Film Festival.[76]

• Michigan Tech holds two world records, the largest snowball (21' 3" circumference) and largest snowball fight (3,745), which they accomplished in 2006, as verified by Guinness World Records officials. They originally held three world records, the third of which was the most people making snow angels simultaneously in a single venue (3,784). This record was taken from the city of Bismarck, North Dakota, but about a year later, Bismarck took the record back with 8,962 snow angels.[77] In 2018, students and community members set out to break the world record for most snowmen in one hour. Guinness is still tallying the results.[78]

As of 2023, Michigan Tech has 454 faculty.[79] Notable faculty include: Elias C. Aifantis, Stephen Bowen, Margaret Burnett, Kathy Halvorsen, Lyon Bradley King, Nancy Langston, Robert J. Nemiroff, Joseph Rallo, Donald Shell, Martha E. Sloan, David R. Shonnard, and Svitlana Winnikow.

There are over 68,000 Michigan Tech alumni living in all 50 states and over 100 countries. Some notable alumni include:

• Joe Berger, former NFL player
• Markus J. Buehler, material scientist and McAfee Professorship of Engineering chair at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Herb Boxer, first U.S.-born player drafted to the NHL[80]
• Melvin Calvin, Nobel laureate and discoverer of the Calvin Cycle
• Chris Conner, NHL player
• Jill Dickman, Republican member of the Nevada Assembly[81]
• David Edwards, biomedical engineering professor at Harvard, writer[82]
• Tony Esposito, NHL Hall of Famer
• Charles Gates Sr., businessman; founder of Gates Corporation[83]
• Roxane Gay, writer, professor, editor, blogger, and commentator
• Hallquist, John O., founder of Livermore Software Technology Corporation and original developer of LS-DYNA[84]
• William S. Hammack, chemical engineer and engineering educator
• David Hill, former Chief Engineer for the Chevrolet Corvette
• David House, Intel GM of Microcomputer Components Div for 13 years, coined the phrase "Intel Inside"[85]
• Greg Ives, NASCAR crew chief
• Samson Jenekhe, chemical engineer, chemist, and educator
• Jujhar Khaira, Punjabi professional hockey player[86]
• Martin Lagina, engineer and reality TV personality
• Bob Lurtsema, former NFL player
• Randy McKay, former NHL player, two-time Stanley Cup winner
• David O'Donahue, Wisconsin National Guard general
• Joseph P. Overton, conceiver of the Overton window
• Baijayant Panda, Member of lower house of Indian Parliament
• Davis Payne, former head coach of the St. Louis Blues
• Mel Pearson, college ice hockey coach
• Sarah Rajala, electrical engineer and engineering educator
• Bhakta B. Rath, material physicist and Padma Bhushan recipient
• Kanwal Rekhi, businessman and entrepreneurship promoter in Silicon Valley[87]
• Damian Rhodes, former NHL player
• Ron Rolston, ice hockey coach; head coach of the Buffalo Sabres (2012-2013)[88]
• Jarkko Ruutu, former NHL player
• Donald G. Saari, game theorist
• Alexander King Sample, 12th Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette;[89] 11th Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
• Leonard C. Ward, former Chief of the Army Division (National Guard Bureau)
• John Scott, former NHL player; 2016 NHL All-Star Captain and MVP
• Donald Shell, author of the Shell sort
• Matthew Songer, founder and chief executive officer of Pioneer Surgical Technology[90]
• Andy Sutton, former NHL player
• Marek W. Urban, American Chemical Society Fellow; recipient of numerous awards
• John Vartan, businessman, developer, banker, restaurateur and philanthropist
• Dave Walter, former NFL player