Alexis Troschinetz

1
Being honored as a Woman of Promise in 2001
through the Presidential Council of Alumnae truly
lifted my confidence in my own abilities. It was
an everlasting compliment to have so many bright
and successful women recognizing my early
endeavors and encouraging me to set no boundaries
for future goals. Spending an afternoon and
having delightful conversations with members of
the Presidential Council of Alumnae not only was
inspirational, but also announced the importance
that Michigan Tech places on the success of its
female graduates.
Alexis Troschinetz Woman of Promise (PCA),
2001 M.S., Environmental Engineering 2005 B.S.,
Environmental Engineering 2004
2
I had a rough time my first year and could have
used some help. I joined the ExSEL program, in
part, because my involvement could help prevent
other students from having the same experiences I
did with classes. The best part of being an
ExSEL mentor is seeing some of the students
faces when they tell me they got a good grade in
a class we have worked on. Being part of this
program the past few years has been very
rewarding.
Adrian Little Current ExSEL Mentor Former
President and Current PR Chair of SHPE/
Nosotros Hispanic Student Organization Mechan
ical Engineering Undergraduate Student
3
I participated in SYP twice once when I was in
middle school and once in high school. The first
time I went backpacking around Keweenaw County
and the second time I went backpacking on Isle
Royale. Both experiences helped me fall in love
with the area. Seeing the Copper Country up close
and personal was an amazing experience. I always
knew Tech was known for its high academic
standards, which was impressive to me then and
still is, but seeing the natural beauty of the
area was awesome. Being in SYP also helped me
become familiar with campus. I knew I felt
comfortable here because of the time I spent in
the residence halls and in and around the other
buildings my comfort level was a huge swaying
factor in choosing which university to go to.
Megan Hess Attended Summer Youth Program Liberal
Arts Undergraduate Student
4
Educational Opportunity is a great place to work,
because the work environment is relaxed but you
are still able to get your work done. Everyone is
so supportive and caring, they only want the best
for the students that work in EdOpp. You meet so
many people from different cultures, and
different backgrounds. It makes the atmosphere
that much more interesting.
Carrie Markesino Educational Opportunity Student
Assistant Business Administration Undergraduate
Student
5
The national student exchange program undoubtedly
provided some of the best experiences of my life.
Without the opportunity to experience college
life outside MTU, I never would have stayed here
through graduation. The program opened my eyes to
making the most of campus life through joining
campus organizations, taking leadership roles,
making study groups, and participating in campus
wide events. It took being alone in a new place
far from home for me to realize how important
these things are for networking to succeed
socially, academically, and in life as well.
Derek Fultz National Student Exchange to New
Hampshire, 2003-04 Mechanical Engineering
Undergraduate Student
6
Participating in the Summer Undergraduate
Research Fellowship program was an awesome
experience. I had the chance to study something
that I actually enjoy and even decided to
continue my research for my senior project. It
was beneficial to study something that actually
had a real world application, and I used
knowledge from many classes I have taken here at
Tech. I also enjoyed working with my mentor
because she knew how to get me to think about all
variables in my experiment. I will definitely use
skills acquired while participating in the SURF
program in the future.
Emily Smith Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow,
2005 Biological Sciences Undergraduate
7
Before the ExSEL program, during my freshman year
I was failing every class. Once I got on board,
my grades greatly improved, exam scores doubled,
and I had more confidence in my performance in
college.
James Martin ExSEL Program Participant,
2004-05 Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate
Student
8
My experience in the national student exchange
was amazing. We were able to see so much of the
country and experienced a whole new culture in
Utah. I would recommend this program to anyone
who is interested in experiencing a new side of
college.
Heather Wright National Student Exchange to Utah,
2004-05 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow,
2005 Environmental Engineering Undergraduate
Student
9
The Hispanic Outreach Program at the Educational
Opportunity Department helped me to learn about
MTU when I was applying for graduate school and
made the process of making a final decision
easier. Since I got here in August 2004, it has
been a key factor in my adaptation process. The
Department also made it possible for me to assist
the GEM 7th Annual Future Faculty and
Professionals Symposium this past summer.
Julio Rivera Doctoral NSF IGERT
Trainee Mechanical Engineering Department B.S. In
Mechanical Engineering from University of Puerto
Rico at Mayaguez
10
Without the help from the Educational Opportunity
Department, I would not have grown as a leader
and a strong black woman in the predominantly
white male society that we call "Engineering.
Kari Jordan Member of Black Student
Association Director of Praise in Effect
Choir Former President of MTU NSBE
Chapter Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate
Student
11
Participating in Youth Programs gave me the
opportunity to learn about Michigan Tech and
Engineering in a way that I could not have gotten
any where else. I am glad I had the chance to
participate in one of the programs because it is
the reason why I am here studying what I am
studying, Electrical Engineering. During Youth
Programs I was also able to meet new people with
similar interests in math and sciences, some of
these people I am still friends with today.
Lisa Nichol Attended Women in Engineering Youth
Program Became a Youth Programs Counselor as
a Electrical Engineering Undergraduate Student
12
When Betty suggested the idea of attending MTU, I
was not initially even considering the
opportunity. It was her persistence, her
knowledge of the university and its programs, and
her willingness to go above and beyond the call
of duty that eventually led me to believe that
attending MTU would be a good decision. Since my
arrival on campus, she has been a mentor, friend,
and gracious host making the adjustment to life
in Houghton and on the MTU campus far easier than
it would have otherwise been.
Roxanne Gay PhD Candidate in Rhetoric and
Technical Communication
13
The Educational Opportunity Native American
Outreach staff helped me to feel comfortable,
showed me how to find places and people, and
provided me with a place to go where there would
be other Native American students. Michigan Tech
is a cultural school that tries to do everything,
especially for minorities.
Paul Pouttu Attended MTU American Indian
Workshop Youth Program in 96 Civil
Engineering Undergraduate Student
14
ExSEL Mentoring and TA'ing allowed me to become
acquainted with basic competencies such as
Learning, Initiative, Teamwork and
Responsibility. These competency are taught
every semester but are not initiated daily. By
mentoring and TA'ing I have implanted these
competencies in my brain because I have taught
them many times to my students. This is actually
very beneficial for me, these same competencies
are among many that I get evaluated on annually
at work.
Rochelle Turner Former ExSEL Mentor Chemical
Engineering BS, Spring 2005 Process Engineer,
Dow Chemicals
15
Educational Opportunity has created a significant
pathway in my life. Because of an opportunity to
do undergraduate studies here at MTU through
EdOp, I have also been given a chance to further
my studies in the M.S. program at MTU.
Rodney Snow Former Exchange Undergraduate
Researcher First Michigan Tech GEM
Scholar Graduate Student in Electrical Engineering
16
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship
program gave me a great opportunity to work
directly with professors and researchers, and to
learn from their knowledge and expertise. I have
also been able to apply the skills and knowledge
acquired through my experience with SURF to
several of my classes. There have been numerous
benefits from my research experience that will
help me both with my education and future career.
Marcy Erickson Summer Undergraduate Research
Fellow, 2005 Applied Ecology Environmental
Sciences Undergraduate Student
17
The exchange program is excellent, and because we
go to a smaller school, it is an important
resource of Michigan Tech that should not be
ignored. I enjoyed it so much that Im going
again I suppose there is no better proof than
that. I don't believe you can get to know
yourself until you leave behind everything that
is familiar in your life, and then will you truly
learn what you are capable of.
Seth Richmond National Student Exchange to Puerto
Rico, 2004-05 Computer Engineering Undergraduate
Student
18
I attended the Summer Youth Program for as long
as I could, and after finishing my first year of
college, I returned as a counselor. I now also
work in the EdOpp department, and couldn't
imagine a better job. All my experience working
with EdOpp programs of different sizes, age
groups, and focuses has made me also want to
pursue Student Affairs as a profession, and I
hope to attend graduate school for it. When I was
younger, I never imagined this would be the
direction I would be taking, but my experiences
with so many aspects of the department have made
me want to continue working in it as long as
possible.
Shannon Healy Attended Summer Youth Programs
Returned as a SYP Counselor Educational
Opportunity Student Coordinator Psychology
Undergraduate Student (plans to go into
Student Affairs)
19
The research that I worked on this past summer,
partially funded by the Summer Undergraduate
Research Fellowship program, has greatly impacted
my educational experience at MTU. I was able to
take everything that I have learned in the
classroom and apply it to the real world. It
helped me to develop my critical thinking and
scientific writing skills. The research
experience has been very beneficial to my
education and has helped me to become an overall
better student.
Tara Hansen Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow,
2005 Biological Sciences Undergraduate Student
20
I believe NSE has given me the opportunity to
experience a completely different kind of
academic environment. I am in a metropolitan city
where I have access to all types of things, some
good and some bad. It has made me appreciate the
atmosphere Tech provides as well as learn how to
adapt in new atmospheres. NSE has given me a
sneak peak into the real world because though MTU
is a great school, it isn't the entire world.
Dawn Young Currently on National Student Exchange
(RA Exchange) to Cleveland State University,
2005-06 Electrical Engineering Technology
21
It was an honor that my department recognized me
as a Woman of Promise. It made all of the hard
work I do in school and in extracurricular
activities such as the Technobabe Times feel
worth it. It was also enjoyable to meet women in
industry. While I'll be going on to a job as a
professor in the humanities, meeting women from
industry was useful particularly when it came to
discussing how women are treated and received on
MTU's campus. We had some productive discussions
and learned a lot from each other.
Kristin Arola Woman of Promise (PCA) Technobabe
Times Editor PhD Candidate in Rhetoric and
Technical Communication
22
How can a world ever truly come together in peace
without a basic understanding of each other?
People are frightened of the unknown and what
they do not understand. To open your mind to the
thought that though others may appear diverse in
language, culture and religion fear, curiosity,
and love are found in all, this is found only by
self discovery.
Ryan McKindles National Student Exchange to
Puerto Rico, 2004-05 Biomedical Engineering
Undergraduate Student
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