Give Back to the Pack 2026

Located on the Keweenaw Peninsula, surrounded by Lake Superior, Michigan Tech blends learning, innovation, research, and entrepreneurship that fuels economic and social development in Michigan, our nation, and our world. The convergence of bright minds, state-of-the-art facilities, and complex problems creates an environment we define as a center of excellence.

Our centers of excellence are research hubs including:

• The Ford Center and Forest includes 3,500 acres of sustainably managed forests, wetlands and lakes and is home to the only remaining university full-semester residential natural resource camp in the United States. Each summer and fall, dozens of students live, study, work and bond while taking field-based immersive classes in ecology, forestry, wildlife habitat and more. Students graduating with this experience are sought after by employers for their skills, confidence, and professionalism. 
• The Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC), is a leading research Institute encompassing professional research staff, faculty, and students from all across campus.  Home to state-of-the-art laboratories, researchers and students work together along Michigan Tech's Innovation Shore discovering new knowledge and applying technology advancements to address societal challenges. The GLRC is highlighting opportunities to support students so they can gain valuable hands-on research experiences in collaboration with the Ecosystem Science Center (ESC); the Center for Innovation in Sustainability and Resilience (CISR); the Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences Institute (EPSSI); the Center for Environmental Engineering, Sensing, and Integrated Modeling (CEESIM); and the Center for Innovation and Incubation (CII).
• The Health Research Institute, where translational, interdisciplinary, and convergent research is being tackled about a variety of health challenges
• The Michigan Tech Research Institute (MTRI), which focuses on multidisciplinary technology development and research to understand natural and human-made environments through innovation, education, and collaboration

They also include broader academic units, such as our departments and colleges. Within these centers, students learn how to succeed—and how to rebound from setbacks—preparing them for industry and the challenges they'll face as professionals.