2008 Michigan Tech commencement

By GARRETT NEESE, DMG Writer
HOUGHTON — If Todd Cimermancic had to pick one emotion he was feeling shortly before he and the rest of Michigan Technological University’s spring graduates began their procession into the middle of the MacInnes Student Ice Arena, it would be this: disappointment.

Not out of regrets about squandered time — he had the extracurriculars — or failing to line up a good job — he did — but just that it had to end.

“I’m going to have to walk away from Michigan Tech and do something else,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed every minute of being here ...”

Nearly 1,000 degrees were awarded to Cimermancic and others Saturday, including 758 bachelor’s degrees, 13 associate’s degrees, 177 master’s degrees and 41 Ph.D.’s.

Cimermancic, a mechanical engineering technology major from Crystal Lake, Ill., liked Tech because of the small campus and the community atmosphere. Another factor was the number of activities.

“There’s so many things you can do at Tech to get involved,” he said.

For him, it was the Challenge X team, which competes with other universities to build the best hybrid vehicle.

For psychology major Gabe Harris, it was the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra, the Jazz Lab Band and four years as Blizzard T. Husky, the Michigan Tech mascot.

The costume isn’t heavy, “but it’s pretty warm,” he said. “Hockey games are probably the easiest.”

His favorite memory is probably the Bash at the Big House in Ann Arbor, where he got to ply his trade before 20,000 screaming fans.

“I was running up and down the stands trying to get the wave going, I was duking it out with the other mascot,” he said. “It was fun.”

This summer, Harris will go to Busch Gardens in Tampa, Fla., where he will work in the education department.

Tara Gokey, a mechanical engineering major from Bay City, transferred to Michigan Tech from a community college downstate. The trigger was her experience in a summer co-op at Delphi, where nearly every engineer she encountered was a Husky.

Many of her favorite memories include her sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta. Last winter, they won first place overall for their Winter Carnival snow statue.

Gokey, who is joining Kohler Engines as a quality project engineer, said she’ll remember the emphasis on teamwork at Tech.

“That’s one thing they do a lot of up here, and I like that a lot,” he said.

Cimermancic is heading to Oshkosh Truck in Oshkosh, Wis., where he will work on trucks for the U.S. Marines. So while he felt disappointment Saturday morning, it was more mixed than that lead let on. Let’s see that deceptively truncated quote in full:

“I’m going to have to walk away from Michigan Tech and do something else,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed every minute of being here. At the same time, I’m excited to get out of here and make some money.”



Garrett Neese can be reached at gneese@mininggazette.com