Education

Get involved!

Tech\' K-Day is Friday

CHASSELL -- A long-standing tradition at Michigan Technological University, K-Day starts at 1 p.m. Friday at Chassell’s Centennial Park. Classes for the day will recess at noon. Upwards of 3,000 Huskies are expected to attend the event. Registered Student Organizations will table and hope to get more students involved in on-campus activities.

MTU’s Director of Student Leadership and Involvement Danielle Meirow said K-Day is an important tradition at Tech to not only get involved on campus but to see everything offered by its student organizations.

"K-Day is our student organization fair, but to be honest, it just feels like a large community celebration on top of that," she said. "We typically have over 200 student groups that come out to Chassell Centennial Park ... we also encourage faculty and staff to go see what our students are interested in."

In the past, Student Leadership and Involvement offered activities for students to do in Chassell. According to Meirow, since the event has grown and more student organizations have registered, K-Day attendees now have plenty of fun opportunities offered from the orgs themselves.

"A lot of the student organizations offer different activities, almost to the point that we [SLI] no longer do," Meirow said. "This year, we'll have canoe racing, the Log-rolling Club will be out, the Sailing Club will be out on the water and our Forestry Club has been doing axe throwing for the last five years or so."

Meirow offered other examples, including STEM-education organization Mind Trekkers's science demonstration, weightlifting from the Barbell Club and a stage area for the music-based clubs. The Huskies Pep Band will be providing music for the day.

Students can either make the trek out to Chassell, or take the round-trip shuttles, running from 12:30 p.m. until the last students are picked up from the park. "A lot of them do choose to take the shuttle and there is some parking in Chassell as well, but it is fairly limited," Meirow said. "We definitely courage folks to take the shuttle."

Meirow said student organizations help Huskies in many ways. From a casual board game night, to volunteering time with the less fortunate and even exploring undiscovered passions -- students find something for everyone.

"We're not really a commuter school. Many students are driving nine hours to get back to their families," she said. "Having a really engaged student body helps with [their] success on campus so that they really have those friendships and that support system that they need to thrive as a student."

Meirow added the social aspect to student organizations is another key part of getting involved on campus. "Especially at a place that's challenging as Michigan Tech can be, having those fun moments and distractions and community of support who know what you're going through, but also can help provide an outlet to do something different," she said. "It's just so important to our students' mental wellbeing, to their social wellbeing, to even their future success."

To learn more about K-Day, visit.mtu.edu/student-leadership/traditions/k-day/.