Not exactly health food.

Our journey through the 2009 Winter Carnival started Saturday, Jan. 31, when I went ice fishing for the first time. Chassell Bay was crawling with students and community members as they sought the elusive walleye and northern pike.

We caught no fish but had a great time, and we stayed fairly warm. You can read more about it here.

The All-Nighter was next on our list. We toured the campus while sampling food from everywhere. Temperatures near 0 had us ducking inside buildings to warm up, and the puppy we had with us had to go home early. I did sample my first deep-fried Twinkie, though, and it was great! The complete story is here, and there are some great video blogs (vlogs) here.

We also hit the Stage Revue, and our talented Tech students shined again. Delta Zeta spoofed Close Encounters with a UFO landing on the local Wal-Mart. Phi Kappa Tau had us in stitches with a pair of Yoopers pursuing a thirty-point buck, in outer space of course. Air Force ROTC had a great Buzz Lightyear portrayal. Phi Delta Chi featured an intergalactic love story with a happy ending. And Sigma Phi Epsilon stole the show with a "green planet" featuring Al Gore, climate change via aerosol cans, and a riotous closing dance number.

Friday and Saturday found temperatures in the 30s and huge crowds on campus checking out the statues. We were reminded of the incredible economic impact of this event when we saw folks standing in line to get into some of the restaurants.

We finished the Carnival at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena. Friday night's hockey game featured an octopus landing on the ice after the first Tech goal. The crowd of 3,500 erupted, and the Huskies went on to a 2-2 tie. They lost 4-1 Saturday night, and another huge crowd was present, with every age of fan represented, from infants to great-grandparents. That was a great part of the Carnival celebration: the tradition being passed down from one generation to another.

Dennis '92

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Snowfall Totals (2 feet between 8 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Monday.)
Total 212" (233" in Keweenaw County)
On the ground 38"

Last Week
Total 186.5"
On the ground 38"

Last Year
Total 122"
On the ground 26.5"

Snowfall Totals over the Years

Phi Kappa Tau brought home the gold in Michigan Tech's 2009 Winter Carnival statue competition, nabbing first place among the University's highly competitive fraternities. Their creation, "Aliens Come from Far Away, the Men in Black Save the Day," captures an icy scene from the "Men in Black" movie: our heroes zapping large-scale alien creatures in the New York City Bridge and Tunnel Authority. The display is located in front of their house, 1209 West Quincy St. in Hancock. The spacey creation captures this year's Winter Carnival theme, "An Icy Place Gets a Blast From Space." More

See also slide show above.

When gowns sparkle, piano keys tickle, and extraterrestrials take over the Keweenaw for a nibble of pasty, it can mean only one thing--the 2009 Winter Carnival Queen Coronation has commenced. The eight women vying for this year's title were seemingly as different as they come—one a soft-spoken electrical engineering major with a gift for playing the piano, another a marketing student with a penchant for cooking. More

There are bold things being done in the dead of night at this time of year. Students brave the daunting dark and the cursed cold as they craft the icy monuments that are Winter Carnival's iconic image: snow statues. They are not summer soldiers. More

A family with extensive ties to the Keweenaw has become a major benefactor of Michigan Tech and its students. The University has received estate gift funds of nearly $700,000 from the family of Robert, Rex and Paul Marshall, brothers and business partners, to support the Marshall Family Endowed Scholarship Fund for engineering students who demonstrate financial need and scholastic achievement. More

Bill Predebon, ME-EM department chair and Adam Johnson, assistant director of corporate development, mechanical engineering, visited alums at Oshkosh Corporation as part of a series of development meetings and ME-EM departmental updates in Eastern Wisconsin. Oshkosh Corporation is a corporate partner with Michigan Tech and is involved in activities from undergraduate senior design to sponsored research.

Mechanical engineering grads at Oshkosh pictured in front of Oshkosh's DARPA competition vehicle, TerraMax. (partial listing, not in order): Bill Predebon, Adam Johnson’98, Seth Newlin '94, Gary Schmiedel '83, Tom Lyga (non-alum), Michele Larson '92, Stephen Nimmer '71, Mike Billmeier '07, Todd Cimermancic '08, Aaron Rositch '97, Travis Turner '08, Rick Jarek '05, and Ryan Beauchamp '99.

This fall, alumni will now have another reason to visit Michigan Tech.

The Board of Directors of the Alumni Association gathered on campus this week and decided to host a new annual event beginning in fall 2009. Currently the association has meetings and other alumni doings during Reunion in August and again at Winter Carnival. Now plans are underway to have alumni activities in connection with Homecoming.

One emphasis of the board's deliberations this week was on attracting young alumni—those who have graduated within the last ten years—back to campus. Plans are being finalized, to include young alumni participating in a broomball tournament and the cardboard boat race. "Connect with what you left a few years ago," one board member said in summarizing these prospects. There is another aspect to this endeavor: The event would be "a perfect opportunity" to connect students with alumni and begin to foster a long-term relationship.

"The board sees current students as the future of the association," said Mark Mitchell, president. "We want to build alumni relationships while students are still here. It's a natural progression. Get people involved early and keep the connection going. Have them feel a part of the alumni association even before they graduate. Young alumni are key to make this happen. Involving them is vital to the success of the overall mission of the association."

The idea of attracting young alumni was folded into a broader discussion of serving all alumni on a broader scale. Board member Dan Batten, '88, said that he’s been gratified that the Alumni Association doesn't just engage alumni but serves them as well. He noted that alumni help recruit students and support the institution. In turn, Batten said, helping our alumni is an overriding goal. He wants to promulgate this message to all alumni, young and old alike: "We're here for you for life."

Did you meet your spouse at Michigan Tech?

We want to know your Michigan Tech Valentine love story!

Just go to HuskyLink www.huskylink.mtu.edu and click on the link.

If you're not a member, it's a great time to join HuskyLink and stay in touch fellow alums and the University!

This TKE snow statue was 1984, we believe. Remember? Email me.

Queen Melissa Meyer gets a ride on the Zamboni.

Colorado College scored a pair of power play goals en route to a 4-1 victory during Winter Carnival Saturday (Feb. 7). The Tigers were crowned Winter Carnival champions with the victory paired with a 2-2 tie the night before. With the win, Colorado College improves to 14-9-7, 10-8-4 and Michigan Tech falls to 5-19-6, 1-15-6. The win was the first for the Tigers in Houghton since a 5-1 victory on Jan. 29, 2005. More

The No. 8-ranked Michigan Tech women’s basketball team had its perfect record in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference snapped at Ashland today by a 80-77 score. Alicia Schneider’s 3-pointer with four seconds left in regulation sent the game into overtime, but the host Eagles claimed the win. The loss broke Tech’s 10-game overall winning streak and its 15-game GLIAC winning streak. “I didn’t have us ready to play today, and we gave up some easy baskets early,” said head coach John Barnes. “I think that carried through the whole game. More

The Michigan Tech men’s basketball team completed the series sweep of Ashland with a 72-70 victory today at Kates Gymnasium. The Huskies overcame a 10-point second half deficit and led by as many as six in the final minute before the game was decided on the final play. The host Eagles made five straight 3-pointers to start the second half and led 52-42 with 13 minutes to play. Tech answered with a 17-6 run that spanned more than eight minutes. AU regained a two-point lead before another Black and Gold run. Robby Springborn and Fedrick Bowe made layups before Mike Hojnacki’s well-timed 3-pointer pushed the gap to 66-61 with 2:21 to play. More

The Michigan Tech men’s tennis team opened its 2009 campaign with a victory Saturday (Feb. 7) at St. Scholastica. The Huskies swept every flight on its way to a 9-0 score. Playing at No. 1 singles for the fourth straight year, senior Brett Girard picked up a 6-4, 6-2 victory. Tech’s next two slots were filled by freshman who both secured their first collegiate wins. Anders Sandholm was a 6-3, 6-2 winner at No. 2 singles while Douglas Yossida went 6-2, 6-3 in his No. 3 singles match. More

President Barack Obama's economic stimulus package, which key senators and the White House reached a tentative deal for on Friday, stands at $780 billion, and many local government officials are hoping some of that money makes it down to them. More

Rep. Mike Lahti, D-Hancock, supports Gov. Jennifer Granholm in almost everything she proposes, but there was one part of her State of the State address Tuesday he's taking vigorous exception to. In her State of the State address Tuesday, Granholm recommended the elimination of state funding of the Michigan State Fair in Detroit, and its companion, the Upper Peninsula State Fair, which has been located in Escanaba since 1928. More

Two people suffered minor injuries in a three-vehicle accident Tuesday morning in Osceola Township that shut down part of U.S. 41 for three hours. At about 11:10 a.m., Lesley Egan, 45, of Mohawk, was northbound on U.S. 41 when she lost control of her vehicle on the icy roadway just north of Oneco Road, Houghton County Sheriff's Department deputies wrote. Egan's Jeep crossed the centerline; it struck the rear tires of a Rowe Oil truck going southbound on U.S. 41 driven by Marc Klein, 40. More

Copper Country residents who have an intuition that the January snowfall has been greater than for a typical winter and the temperatures colder are correct, but the differences weren't particularly great. Matt Zika, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Negaunee Township, said snowfall in much of the western Upper Peninsula was more than usual. More

Dennis,

From the 1/12/09 alumni letter I do recognize 1 person in the broomball. The big guy (blue hat), 2nd from the far right, is Bill Marcinak who graduated with the BSEE in 2006 and MSEE in 2008. Bill is a good friend of mine and we keep in touch regularly.

Keep up the good work with the alumni letter!

Adam Manty

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Dennis I was the goaltender for the Class B Champion Forestry Broomball team at winter carnival
in I believe 1979. wow was that 30 years already lol. We played with a volleyball back then. they
use a smaller ball now.

Bob Gilreath

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Dennis,
Broomball starting in the 1990’s- horsehockey! I lost part of my bottom teeth playing goalie for a broomball team from Coed hall in the early 70’s during winter carnival. Almost got a ticket from a local policeman for not having the rear window of the car I was driving cleared of snow as I was trying to get to a dentist after the game. It was a borrowed car since I did not have one at Tech. Also did not have the money for the dentist. Every time I brush my teeth I’m reminded of that game.

John MacInnes provided some very interesting hockey games while I was at Tech. I did not know his daughter, but we graduated in the same year.

Mark Walter, ‘75

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I played broomball during Winter Carnival at the Dee while I was at MTU from 74 to 78.

Debbie Hamm

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Hi Dennis,
I attended Tech from '83 to '88 and played broomball for DHH my freshman year. We had outdoor rinks then. I think they were where the Rosza building is now or between the Rosza and 41. We never played indoors unless it was during Carnival. I can remember playing when it was 20 below. It made playing indoors a breeze.

Cathi (Franz) Meinecke '88

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Broomball was being played in the mid to late 60's. I have the scar to prove it. It was well established on campus at that time and was played in Dee Stadium.

Joe Masterson

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In response to when broomball started at Tech, I remember that it was part of the Winter Carnival festivities back when I started at Tech. I graduated in 1973, so I know it goes back at least 4 years before that.

David Szymanski

Dennis:
I have fond memories of Coach MacInnes as he earned much respect from any person that knew him. I have never heard a bad word about this man.

When the team won the McNaughton Cup in 1965 I believe, many students and others in the area decided to greet them at the airport and offer congratulations. When they arrived, they came off the plane with the biggest smiles holding the cup high in the air. I think they were as happy to see that large group of us as we were to see them. I'm sure glad we were part of this as it was a once in a lifetime experience.

I'll never forget that old plane either - if it still exists, it's got to be in a museum.

Fred Roman
BSME - 1966

***

Here is a link to the Time Magazine article (March 11, 1966) about John MacInnes that Bruce Osten commented on:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,899102,00.html

Marty Schendel

Editor's note: Glenn Austin '95 found it, also, and passed the link along. Thanks, guys.

I'd like to let the alums that are in the Dallas-Fort Worth area know about a pasty shop down here.

It's called Cousin Jack's Pasties and is located just southeast of Fort Worth in Arlington. The owners have been in business since July last year and I'd love to get the word out about them.

Their website is http://cousinjackspasties.com

Thanks a bunch for any help you can give, Dennis.

Scott Hudson '96

The Michigan Tech Alumni Scholarship Committee—Northwest Michigan Chapter (MTAS-NWM) would like to announce that they will be awarding at least one $1,000 scholarship and two $500 scholarships this spring to local students who will be attending Michigan Technological University for the first time this upcoming school year (Fall '09).

The scholarship will be awarded based on scholastic achievement, extra curricular involvement, financial need and an interview process. An application for this scholarship is available in the Guidance Counselors' Office of all Grand Traverse and Leelanau County High Schools and Northwestern Michigan College.

An application may also be obtained by contacting Cindy Kring at ckring@chartermi.net or calling 231-938-2452. Hurry, the application deadline is March 2, 2009.

Show your Husky spirit and earn points too! This is the only credit card that supports your Alumni Association and earns points towards cash back, air travel, merchandise and more—all with no annual fee and a low annual percentage rate!

For every new account that is opened and every purchase made with the card, Bank of America will make a contribution to the Michigan Tech Alumni Association to support programs for students and alumni—at no additional cost to you!

Members may review information about the rates, fees, other costs and benefits and apply by clicking here or calling1-800-932-2775. TTY users, please call 1-800-833-6262.

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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.

Laboratory Supervisor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Position duration is dependent upon external funding

Director of Public Safety, Public Safety

Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis in Natural Resources, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science

Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, Tree Physiology, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science

Non-Tenure-Track Lecturer, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics

Off Campus

http://www.keweenawprofessionaljobs.com/

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Mechanical Engineer Co-op - New Product Development, Herman Miller (3 Positions Available)
Req Id 758
Posted 1/7/2009

Full-time
Primary Location: Holland
Employment Type: Temporary
Percent Travel

Contact: Paul Radke
ME Class '89
616-654-5261