It's been forty years since that incredible year of 1968, including the Ad Building construction that we feature in Fill in the Blanks in this edition.

I was a youngster at the time, and I was pretty sure the world was going crazy.

I remember my family's grief over the slaying of Martin Luther King, Jr., then Bobby Kennedy a couple of months later.

One of my brothers returned from Vietnam, and another was still serving.

The music of what would become the boomer generation was in full swing, from Motown to London.

And, that fall, the Tigers won the World Series and reunited Detroit, a city torn apart by riots one year earlier.

Pretty heady stuff for an eleven-year-old, but it's impact has never left me.

The History Channel website (www.history.com) has four "topics" for 1968: hippies, the civil rights movement, music, and the Vietnam war. That seems like an oversimplification to me.

I wonder what you remember of that year: good or bad or both. On campus (Neil Diamond performed here) or off.

If you are too young to have experienced it, what your impressions are of "the year of the trip-hammer," as the Detroit News called it?

***

Alumni Volunteers Still Needed

To recognize academic achievement and success, Michigan Technological University is looking for proud alumni volunteers to assist in presenting scholarship certificates to accepted students at upcoming high school awards programs across the country.

Learn more about this excellent outreach opportunity at www.admissions.mtu.edu/hsawards.

Michigan Tech is the only university in Michigan selected to participate in a three-year international student vehicle redesign competition. The US Department of Energy, General Motors Corporation and Natural Resources Canada chose 17 teams from 44 proposals submitted by colleges and universities in the US and Canada. A sequel to the four-year Challenge X competition, in which Michigan Tech and the University of Michigan participated, the new competition is called EcoCAR: the NeXt Challenge. It will begin in fall 2008. More

For the first time since Michigan Tech began presenting its annual Research Award, two faculty members will share the honor. Ravindra Pandey, professor and chair of the physics department, was selected for his long and exemplary track record of high-impact research in the theory of materials. Mathematical Sciences Professor Shuanglin Zhang was chosen for his groundbreaking work in statistical genetics, which has been instrumental in raising the profile of his department nationally and boosting it into the top 100 in the US in terms of research funding.

"I'd like to congratulate both Ravi and Shuanglin," said Vice President for Research David Reed. "It's really remarkable to present two Research Awards in a single year, and in this case, it's fully justified." More

Michigan Tech students won 11 of 23 scholarships awarded this year by the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA). "Tech students were beyond successful," said Pasi Lautala, director of Michigan Tech's Rail Transportation Program, part of the Michigan Tech Transportation Institute. "Eleven of 14 applicants from Tech received scholarships totaling $17,500. This was almost 50 percent of all AREMA scholarship winners. That is quite beyond imagination," Lautala added. More

Michigan Tech has scored a 12th place overall finish in the SAE Baja Tennessee competition and nabbed first place in the sled-pulling portion of the contest. "This puts us in a good spot to reach the national championship," said the SAE Baja Enterprise Team's advisor, Brett Hamlin, assistant department chair of engineering fundamentals. The Society of Automotive Engineers' Baja is a three-part competition that draws college engineering teams from the US and throughout the world. The next two events will be the Baja Illinois (May 29–31) and the Baja Montreal (June 11–14). More

Saturday evening, Twin Cities alumni and friends met for dinner at the St. Paul Grill before attending the taping of Minnesota Public Radio’s Café Europa II in the historic Fitzgerald Theater. The group enjoyed (and sometimes sang along with) pianist, accordionist and storyteller Dan Chouinard, a Minneapolis native who was accompanied by a very talented group of local and national performers.

From left seated: Richard Giebner '62, John Erickson '81, Toni Erickson '81, Carl Craven '89, Deb Desarmeaux, and Matt Prater '98. From left standing: Brian Rolf, David Rolf '78, Raymond Beauchamp '68, Kathleen Beauchamp '70, Rick Elsner '80, and Trudy Elsner.

1998, the information says, "Business Team Workshop." We'll add your wisdom via the Email Bag below.

Fort Smith was built in 1968. I think it's Winks Gundlach on far left and Ray Smith second from right. Any memories from this incredible year are welcome.

Michigan Tech had two women named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Team Friday (May 23). Sophomore Nordic skier Jenna Klein and senior tennis player Amy Palmgren were each named at-large selections.

“This is a great honor for Amy and Jenna,” said Michigan Tech athletic director Suzanne Sanregret. “It speaks volumes about the dedication and time that our student-athletes put into their academics and athletics. More

Michigan Tech Cross Country and Nordic Skiing and Track and Field coach Joe Haggenmiller announced Thursday (May 29) that two athletes have signed National Letters of Intent. Lauren Rantala of Eden Prairie, Minn., and Melanie Hoffman of Sobieski, Wis., will join the programs starting in 2008-09. "These two women should have a positive impact on our program next year," said Haggenmiller. "They will add depth to our team as we continue to battle in the top tier of the region and compete with the national elite." More

Michigan Tech Nordic skier Jesse Lang has been selected to the Under-23 Regional Elite Team announced Central Cross Country Skiing (CXC), the regional arm of USA Skiing’s national body (USSA) Wednesday (May 21). To be selected for the team these athletes achieved top finishes at Senior National Championships, National Collegiate Championships and ended the season high on the USSA National Ranking List for their respective age categories. “Jesse has been working very hard through out his career here,” said head coach Joe Haggenmiller. “This is a pretty significant honor for both Jesse and the program.” More

Torch Lake may have been delisted as an Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site almost two years ago, but clean up is still continuing at several sites around it, including the Quincy Smelter Works site. Brian Kelly, EPA on-scene coordinator for the agency’s removal program based in Gross Ile, Mich., said work on asbestos removal at the smelter is scheduled to begin June 9, but stabilization of some of the buildings must be done first. More

The Houghton County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a break-in Thursday night at a gas station south of Houghton on U.S. Highway 41. “They gained entrance through a front door that was busted in,” Sgt. Dan Judnich said. “Beer, cigarettes and lottery tickets were stolen.” Judnich said the thief or thieves broke the glass out of the door at the Citgo Quik Food Mart. More

Kevin Geshel is excited that the Canal Crossings Condominiums next to the Portage Lake Lift Bridge are completed and selling. Geshel, who is director of development for the condos builder and owner Moyle Real Estate & Development, said although the project faced criticism for its location and proposed design when it was first announced two years ago, he thinks it turned out well. “It’s a pretty interesting structure,” Geshel said. More

The Keweenaw National Historical Park belongs to the people of the United States, and occasionally park officials look for public input regarding uses of the park. This time, comment is being sought about landscaping at the Quincy Unit. Steve DeLong, KNHP landscape architect, said the input being sought is for the second part of a two-part report of the Quincy Unit, which is roughly bounded on the south by the Michigan Department of Transportation overlook on U.S. Highway 41 and the red sandstone Quincy Mine Office building across the highway from the overlook, the intersection of U.S. Highway 41 and Pontiac Road to the north, and the Quincy Smelting Works to the west. More

In the picture of the “coeds” in front of the MTU sign vintage 1983, I think the one in the white jacket is my sorority sister Karen Schneider (now Karen Brodine).

Cynthia Protas Hodges
Alpha Delta Alpha
BSME 1987 MSME 1989

Hi Dennis,

The "sketching room" photo looks like something from my era, but I don't recognize anyone. (The haircuts & clothes appear to be from the 1950s.) In Mechanical Engineering, we did have to take a class in making sketches.

Thanks for fun news,

Larry Doyle
Class of 1964

I have a 1940 Michigan Tech KEWEENAWAN yearbook for sale. The yearbook is in excellent condition. It was printed by Fowle Printing Company. Engraving was by John and Ollier Engraving Company. Adrian G. Smith was the editor. I thought someone reading TechAlum Newsletter or Michigan Tech Magazine might be interested in acquiring this yearbook. Thank you.
520-483-9345

Andrea Becker

Re the last newsletter, "Winter Study" is Nevada Barr's second book regarding Isle Royale and Lake Superior. The first was "A Superior Death," the third in her series of National Park based mysteries and, in my opinion, the best of the series to date. I've read them all.

Tom Cieslinski, '63

I “got out” in ’74 with a BS in Met Engineering (that’s what they called it way back then.) I still remember Tech as it was. I haven’t been back to visit since ’76. We were lucky to have been students there. I still like to be kept up to speed on all the things going on there. As rough as the studies could get there, we had friendship and one of the best learning and living atmospheres any college student could ask for.

May the force of Henke Lonntta be with you,

Remo Tonelli
Lowell, IN

Editor's Note: Rey, I think Heikki Luntta never left: 28 degrees here earlier this week!

This came to our attention at press time:

NASA has selected four new flight directors. Gary C. Horlacher, Jerry P. Jason, Michael L. Lammers and Royce J. Renfrew will join a select group of individuals who lead human spaceflights from Mission Control at NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston.

Jerry P. Jason was born in Westland, Mich. He has a bachelor's in metallurgical engineering from Michigan Technological University. He began work with USA in Mission Control for the space shuttle Mechanical, Maintenance, Arm and Crew Systems discipline in 1996 and NASA hired him in 1998. He supported 28 space shuttle missions. Jason served as assistant to the JSC Center Director 2006-2007 and recently was chief of the Avionics Branch within the Space Transportation Vehicle Division of the Mission Operations Directorate at JSC. More

Michigan Tech alumni are in high demand by employers throughout the US. Alumni can take advantage of a wide range of services including:

* Post your resume, search for jobs in eRecruiting.
* Attend resume and interviewing seminars, Michigan Tech job fairs, and company information meetings.
* Utilize the video and career library.

Visit http://www.career.mtu.edu/alumni.php or contact the Career Center (906) 487-2313 career@mtu.edu for more information.

***

More Alumni Benefits & Services information <http://www.admin.mtu.edu/alumni/products/>

Class Rings
Diploma Frames
License Plates
University Images Michigan Tech Clothing and Giftware

Complete Job Descriptions are available on the Human Resources website.

Assistant Director
Housing and Residential Life

Computer Support Specialist I
School of Technology/CECN

Coordinator
COMPASS, Student Life

Marketing Technology Support Specialist
University Marketing and Communications

Assistant Coach, Nordic Skiing and Cross Country/Track and Field
Athletic Department

Registrar
Office of Student Records and Registration

Director
International Programs and Services

Director of Institutional Giving
Development Office