Home > Reunion > 2008

Alumni Reunion 2008

Alumni Reunion 2008 Recap

NOTE: Reunion 2009 will take place August 6, 7, 8

Tell us about your Reunion 2008 experience! Here

Reunion '08: Alumni enjoying Hancock Harbor

The wonderful ride on the Keweenaw Star for Alumni to get a chance to enjoy Lake Superior

Departments face off in the 2008 Chili Challenge

The newley remodeled Wadsworth Hall hosted most of our Alumni events for 2008

An exciting boat ride on this research vessel in Hancock Harbor

Brent Burns' presentation at the Welcome Breakfast

Let the Chili Challenge judging begin!

Setting up for Reunion 2008.

A great turn out for the Pasty Picnic.

The presentation of The Valkyrie 08 at the Pasty Picnic..

A total of 263 alumni, ranging from the Class of '41 to '07, along with 268 guests, attended the 2008 reunion, according to Brenda Rudiger, director of Alumni Relations. "Reunion attendees," Rudiger said, "had rave reviews for the food and facilities, the flowers and grounds, and the friendliness and helpfulness of all the Michigan Tech staff they encountered."

Seventeen events were scheduled. The Pasty Picnic on Thursday had a record 407 attendees, a 24-percent increase over last year. More than 210, an increase of 31 percent, attended the Alumni Reunion Awards Dinner Friday evening. First introduced at Reunion 2007, the tours on the Michigan Tech research vessel, the Agassiz, were filled to capacity once again this year. New events proved equally popular. The bus tour featuring Copper Country history, which was hosted by the A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum, as well as the canoeing and waterfall tours, organized by the Outdoor Adventure Program, were sold out. Athletics hosted a special reunion for football alumni and friends with golf, a dinner and a boat cruise, as well as a Saturday afternoon tailgate party to show off the new Sherman Field artificial turf.

"The many events, campus tours and departmental open houses were great opportunities for Michigan Tech to shine," Rudiger said, "and we certainly did for our alumni visitors, many of whom had not visited campus in many years!" At the reunion dinner in Wadsworth Hall, President Glenn Mroz called the alumni "a hand across generations."

Alumni Quotes

	How did Tech prepare you for your career? "Very well. Very well. Very well." What stands out from you education? "The conduct of the faculty and the dedication of the students." What's Tech's reputation in industry? "They always say it's a tough school-tough meaning good." "It moved me from an engineer that did calculations to an engineer responsible for project management." Memories? "Mostly friends and snow." -Ronald Laity '53
	The STC program: "Incomparable." "Writing and communication skills. Written and oral advocacy." "Tech prepared me very well for my work. It taught me to manage myself and manage others. I learned about deadlines, milestones, and budgets." Out-of-class activities: "I was an organization joiner transformed to an organization leader." "An excellent job honing leadership skills." "Camaraderie. Community. Shared experiences among students that brought people together. It was a climate of overcoming challenges, like winter and difficult courses. Students worked together. There was cooperation instead of competition." "Overcome academic challenges, the climate challenge as well, with a crowd of close friends. It was a very rewarding experience." -Linda Kennedy '91
	"Many good times at the breakers, bonfires, guitar playing, and beer." "My Tech education prepared me to think out of the box, and that's what I spent my life doing. So much I've learned at Tech is universal." In her work, she persists with what she calls the "Tech approach"-Just do it. "We studied. We studied hard." Why stay involved? "It's the right thing to do. I gained so much, I want to give back and share opportunities." "Good on-the-job skills. Graduates are ready to work. Not afraid to get dirty." As a forester, she singles out Fall Camp at Alberta: "Intensive. Eleven weeks in the woods, versus a bus trip at other schools." -Karin Van Dyke '78
	Why come to Tech? "I knew I needed one-on-one. The professors were more than willing to help. They wanted me to get it." "I love Tech. Everything about it." -Derhun Sanders '97
	"I was very satisfied. I received a lot of personal attention. The faculty were a great inspiration, a great source of encouragement." "I was the first of my family to go to college. I wanted to make my parents proud and work as an engineer. There were six thousand boys in my high school. I wanted to go to a college where I would know everybody." "Tech had such an important impact on my life. I felt compelled to come back and visit the area, the community, and the school. It's where my professional career started. I have nothing but good memories." What did he take away from his time at Tech besides his education? "A sense of independence. Confidence. The ability to get along with people." -Donald Fitzpatrick '58
	What did he take away from Tech? "The determination and discipline to succeed. And you have leadership in there." "I would say the camaraderie with fellow students. The social side. There was a commonality we all shared." "I was well-prepared for a very good job. I had a solid academic background. I also learned analytical skills to think through a problem in a logical manner." He belonged to Blue Key and helped stage Winter Carnival. "We worked together to plan the event from start to finish. There was a team concept. We honed the ability to participate." -Daniel Bliss '85

Share Your Stories!

Sitemap | Staff | Contact Us
Michigan Technological University is an equal opportunity educational institution/equal opportunity employer.
This site was last Updated October 20, 2008