Michigan Technological University, also known as Michigan Tech, MTU, or simply Tech, is a public university that does research. It is located in Houghton, Michigan, United States. The university was started in 1885 as the Michigan Mining School, which was the first college in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

The university has five colleges and schools: the College of Engineering, the College of Computing, the College of Sciences and Arts, the College of Business, and the College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science. These colleges offer more than 140 degree programs to about 7,000 students who are studying for undergraduate or graduate degrees. The main campus is on 925 acres of land near Portage Lake. The campus has 36 buildings, and the first building was completed in 1908.

The university's athletic teams are called the Huskies. They mainly compete in the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). The men's hockey team plays in Division I as part of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) and has won three national championships. The women's basketball team was the national runner-up in 2011.

Michigan Tech is classified as "Research 1" by the Carnegie Classification, which is the highest level for universities that do a lot of research.

History

Michigan Tech was founded in 1885 as the Michigan Mining School. Jay Abel Hubbell worked hard to convince the state legislature to create the school to train mining engineers. Hubbell gave land for the school’s first buildings.

The school began with four teachers and 23 students. It was located in the Houghton Fire Hall from 1886 to 1889.

MTU’s first president was Marshman E. Wadsworth (1887–1898). As the number of students grew, the school’s name no longer matched its purpose. The name was changed to the Michigan College of Mines in 1897. This name stayed until 1925, but by then the school offered more types of degrees. The name was changed again in 1927 to the Michigan College of Mining and Technology.

Fred W. McNair (1899–1924) was the school’s second president. By 1931, the number of students had reached nearly 600.

Under President Grover C. Dillman (1935–1956), the school made many changes. These included building the Memorial Union Building, buying an ice rink and a golf course, and purchasing the village of Alberta, Michigan.

In 1956, J. Robert Van Pelt became the new president. He started many PhD programs and focused on research. This included the school’s first analog computation class in 1956–57.

In 1964, the school changed from a college to a university, becoming Michigan Technological University. The name change was needed because the school had grown too much, and the word “mining” in the old name was misleading. The new name kept the nickname “Michigan Tech” used since 1927. In 1964, the school also gained new constitutional status, giving control to its Board of Control instead of the state legislature.

The university has focused on engineering. As of November 2022, 57% of students are in the College of Engineering. Michigan Tech offers many programs, including 149 undergraduate and 103 graduate programs.

Women began attending classes at the Michigan College of Mines around 1890. Early female students were often the daughters of professors or wealthy businessmen in Houghton and Hancock. They could take classes but were not allowed to earn degrees.

The first woman to earn a degree from the Michigan College of Mines was Margaret R. Holley. She was born in Lake Linden and earned a liberal arts degree elsewhere. She later moved to Houghton and earned a chemistry degree in 1933. She also earned a master’s degree in chemistry in 1935.

The first female faculty member at the Michigan College of Mines was Ella Wood. She joined as an assistant professor in the Humanities department in 1927. She became an associate professor in 1928, a full professor in 1935, and head of geography and languages in 1937. Wood worked in the library and taught meteorology to help train pilots during World War II. Her work encouraged many women to take classes and earn degrees. She also became the academic advisor for all female students and was known as the “mother” of her students. Wood was the first woman to hold the title “Dean of Women” at the university.

Margaret Holley Chapman was the first woman to complete a degree program at the Michigan College of Mining and Technology, which later became Michigan Technological University in 1964. She earned a Bachelor of Science in General Science in 1933 and a chemistry degree in 1934. She later earned a master’s degree in General Science. Chapman was also the first female trustee and helped create the Margaret H. Chapman Endowed Scholarship to support other female students. This scholarship is still active today.

The first woman to graduate with a degree in Chemical Engineering was Alice Runge in 1942. The first woman to graduate with High Honors in Metallurgical & Materials Engineering was Lilian (Heikkinen) Beck in 1947. She was also the first woman from Michigan Tech to join the Alpha Sigma Mu honorary fraternity. In 1948, Marian Ione (Smith) Scott became the first woman to earn a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

The first female varsity athlete was Nada J. Fenton, who was on the rifle team in the 1950s. She graduated from Houghton High School and joined MTU in 1952. Nada holds the record for being the first woman to fire a rifle on a varsity team in the world.

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

As of the fall semester in 2021, Michigan Technological University had 6,977 students. Of these, 2,054 were women, which is the highest number ever recorded. This means women make up about 29% of the student population.

Campus

The main campus of Michigan Tech is located on US-41 in Houghton. The main part of the campus can be walked in about 10 minutes. The Lakeshore Center in downtown Houghton is where the offices of Human Relations, the Vice President for Research, and other departments are located. Faculty members work with organizations like General Motors on online education programs.

The Portage Lake Golf Course opened in April 1902. In 1945, the members of the course could no longer support its needs and sold it to Michigan Tech for one dollar. Since then, improvements have been made, such as adding another nine holes in 1969. A new clubhouse was built in 1984, and a sprinkler system was added in 1996 to modernize the course. The Portage Lake Golf Course is located two miles (3 km) southeast of campus. It has 18 holes on 160 acres and offers two nines with different challenges.

Mont Ripley is the oldest ski area in Michigan, established in the 1900s, and is located in the city with the most snow in the Midwest. It is owned by the university, so Michigan Tech students can ski or snowboard for free. Mont Ripley has 22 trails, a terrain park, a tubing park, and covers 112 acres. It also has a scenic overlook of the Keweenaw Waterway. The ski area is about two miles from campus and can be seen from most campus buildings. In 2019, Mont Ripley helped Michigan Tech earn a No. 13 ranking on College Census' list of the 25 Best Colleges for Skiing and Snowboarding.

The Michigan Tech Trails, also called Tech Trails, is a year-round trail system owned by Michigan Tech. It began as a simple path through the woods. In 2001, the university developed the trails to raise money for the Varsity Nordic skiing program and to attract students who enjoy outdoor activities. The College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science suggested that revenue from timber harvesting could support the team and improve the trails. The cross country ski trail system is near the Student Development Complex in the Recreational Forest. It includes 33 km of groomed cross country ski trails (both classic and skate sections) and 11.7 km of groomed snowshoe and bike trails. Seven and a half kilometers of the trail are lighted. The Tech Trails are known for high-quality skiing, consistent grooming, and varied terrain. With the help of many volunteers, the trails have hosted events such as the US Junior National Championships, U.S. Senior National Championships, and the 2023 U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships. Houghton receives an average of 218 inches of snow each year, and the ski season usually begins in early December and lasts until April. Students can use the trails for free, and community members can buy a pass.

The Ford Center is a historical village that was once a sawmill owned by Henry Ford. It is located 40 miles south of Michigan Tech's main campus in Alberta. The Ford Motor Company donated the Ford Center to Michigan Tech in the 1950s. Since 1954, the Ford Center has been used as an outdoor and environmental education center for students studying forestry, ecology, wildlife ecology, and natural resource management. Students call it "Fall Camp." The center has 4,906 acres of forest and wetlands where outdoor classes are held. It also includes buildings used for dormitories, recreation, and indoor classes. In 1996, the Ford Motor Company gave Michigan Tech money to turn the sawmill into a museum. The museum is open to the public, and the Ford Center itself is used for conferences and reunions.

Academics

Undergraduate admission to Michigan Tech is considered "selective" by U.S. News & World Report. For the Class of 2025 (enrolling in Fall 2021), Michigan Tech received 8,041 applications and accepted 6,895 (85.7%), with 1,479 students 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 score for incoming students in Fall 2017 was 27.2, compared to 21.2 nationally.

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 offers 17 undergraduate degrees, ranging from mining engineering to robotics engineering, added in 2019. These programs, along with master’s 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.
• The College of Computing was established in 2019. It offers undergraduate degrees in computer science, software engineering, computer network & system administration, cybersecurity, and electrical engineering technology. Graduate degrees are offered in computer science, mechatronics, health informatics, and cybersecurity.
• The College of Sciences and Arts has majors in fields including bio-informatics, biological sciences, biochemistry, cheminformatics, chemistry, communication, culture and media, English, kinesiology and integrative physiology, mathematics, nursing, pharmaceutical chemistry, physics, psychology, scientific and technical communication, and social sciences. The college also includes programs in visual and performing arts, Air Force ROTC, and Army ROTC.
• The College of Business is accredited by AACSB. Students can earn 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, where students gain real-life business experience in a mentored environment. Students also have opportunities to join business student organizations, such as the Applied Portfolio Management Program, where they invest $1 million in the stock market each year.
• 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. It celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2011.

Michigan Tech’s Enterprise Program gives students real-world design, engineering, and entrepreneurial experiences. Enterprises help students develop engineering skills by working on real-world projects in businesslike environments while completing their education. Examples include Open Source Technologies, Nanotechnology Innovations, Hybrid Transportation, Aerospace, Blue Marble Security, Husky Game Development, Boardsports Technologies, and Wireless Communications Enterprises.

The three most popular undergraduate majors, based on 2021–22 graduates, were Mechanical Engineering (266), Electrical Engineering (93), and Chemical Engineering (88).

In 2024, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) ranked over 248 schools and surveyed 55,102 students. Michigan Tech received the top ranking for academic freedom and viewpoint tolerance.

In 2024, Washington Monthly ranked Michigan Tech 90th among 438 national universities in the U.S. based on the university’s contribution to the public good, measured by social mobility, research, and promoting public service.

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

There are 12 research areas, including Space Sciences, Electronics, Ecosystems, Energy, Health, Ocean Sciences, and Robotics. There are 18 research centers on and off campus, including the Michigan Tech Research Institute.

Student body

During the 2023–2024 school year, 68% of students at Michigan Technological University were from Michigan, 22% were from other states in the United States, and 10% were from other countries. Of first-time students, 84.5% stayed for their second year, and 72.2% graduated within six years. There were 13 students for every 1 teacher. In the fall of 2021, the university had its largest group of new students since 1982.

The university had 7,324 students total, including 1,421 graduate students and 473 teachers. In 2017, most Michigan Tech students were from Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois.

Organization and administration

The university is managed by a group of eight people called the board of trustees. These people are chosen by the governor of Michigan and approved by the Michigan Senate.

Michigan Tech currently recognizes more than 200 student organizations.

Michigan Tech has 12 fraternities and 7 sororities on campus.

The school’s mascot is the husky, specifically Blizzard T. Husky. The school’s sports teams are called the Huskies. Michigan Tech mainly plays in the NCAA’s Division II Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), but the men’s hockey team plays in Division I as part of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). Michigan Tech owns a downhill skiing and snowboarding hill called Mont Ripley, located across Portage Lake from campus. The university also has many cross-country skiing trails that are used for mountain biking in the summer.

Michigan Tech has an official fight song and an official Alma Mater. At most sporting events, the Huskies Pep Band plays the "Engineer’s Song" and "In Heaven There Is No Beer."

The Huskies Pep Band is the university’s scramble band. The 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 in NCAA Division I hockey because of its energy and strong connection to tradition. The band was created in the fall of 1928 as the Michigan Tech ROTC Band, led by E. E. Melville.

The band is known for playing traditional songs like "In Heaven There Is No Beer" and "The Engineers," as well as songs from popular music. Some cheers and songs have been used since the 1930s and 1940s, such as the "Blue Skirt Waltz," where the band and audience hold hands and sway. This tradition began during Winter Carnival in 1948 after a performance by Frankie Yankovic and is now called "The Copper Country Anthem." The band sometimes performs in a humorous way, similar to the comedy group Monty Python, and shouts "Run away!" when leaving the stage. The band also uses unusual instruments, such as electric bass guitars, bagpipes, kazoos, cowbells, accordions, electric violas, toasters, ovens, and even a large inflatable lobster.

• K-Day (Keweenaw Day) is the first Friday of the fall term. It is a university-sponsored, half-day holiday organized by Greek Life. Activities include a student organizations fair, games, swimming, and music. K-Day was originally held at Fort Wilkins in Copper Harbor. From 1976 to 2017, it took place at Mclain State Park. After damage from severe weather in 2018, K-Day has been held at Chassell Centennial Park in Chassell, MI, except in 2020 due to the pandemic.
• Homecoming has been held on campus each fall since 1929. The event includes a football game and a cardboard boat race in the local canal.
• The Parade of Nations and multicultural festival began in 1990 to celebrate the cultures of Keweenaw residents and visitors, many of whom are international students at Michigan Tech. The event happens in September.
• Winter Carnival started in 1922 and includes student competitions in art and sports. A highlight is a snow statue contest where students build sculptures based on an annual theme.
• Spring Fling happens on the Friday of Week 13 in the spring semester. Students end the academic year by participating in activities, with student organizations providing food and entertainment.
• Summer Youth Programs (SYP) have been held on campus since 1972. Programs like Women in Engineering, Engineering Scholars, and the National Summer Transportation Institute help middle and high school students learn about college opportunities.
• Film and music festivals at Michigan Tech’s Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts take place throughout the year. Events include the Pine Mountain Music Festival, the Red Jacket Jamboree (an old-time radio variety show), and the 41 N Film Festival.

Michigan Tech holds a world record for the largest snowball (21 feet 3 inches in circumference), set in 2006 and verified by Guinness World Records.

The university once held three world records: the largest snowball fight (3,745 people), and the most people making snow angels at the same time (3,784). The snow angel record was later taken back by the city of Bismarck, North Dakota, which set a new record of 8,962 snow angels.

In 2018, students and community members unofficially broke the world record for the most snowmen built in one hour (2,228).

Notable people

As of 2025, Michigan Tech has 495 faculty members. Some important teachers are Elias C. Aifantis, Stephen Bowen, Margaret Burnett, Robert Schneider, 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 more than 79,000 Michigan Tech alumni living in all 50 states and more than 100 countries. Some notable alumni include:

• Joe Berger, former NFL player
• Herb Boxer, first U.S.-born player drafted to the NHL
• Markus J. Buehler, material scientist and McAfee Professorship of Engineering chair at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Melvin Calvin, Nobel laureate and discoverer of the Calvin Cycle
• Chris Conner, NHL player
• Jill Dickman, Republican member of the Nevada Assembly
• David Edwards, biomedical engineering professor at Harvard, writer
• Tony Esposito, NHL Hall of Famer
• Roxane Gay, writer, professor, editor, blogger, and commentator
• 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"
• Deedra Irwin, biathlete and Beijing 2022 Olympian
• Greg Ives, NASCAR crew chief
• Samson Jenekhe, chemical engineer, chemist, and educator
• Jujhar Khaira, Punjabi professional hockey player
• 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
• Robert I. Rees, US Army brigadier general
• Kanwal Rekhi, businessman and entrepreneurship promoter in Silicon Valley
• Damian Rhodes, former NHL player
• Ron Rolston, ice hockey coach; head coach of the Buffalo Sabres (2012–2013)
• Jarkko Ruutu, former NHL player
• Donald G. Saari, game theorist
• Alexander King Sample, 12th bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette; 11th archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
• 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
• Karl A. Smith, metallurgical engineer, academic and author
• Andy Sutton, former NHL player
• Marek W. Urban, American Chemical Society fellow
• John Vartan, businessman, developer, banker, restaurateur and philanthropist
• Dave Walter, former NFL player
• Leonard C. Ward, former chief of the Army Division (National Guard Bureau)