For 102 years, snow, rain, heat and darkness have kept the Huskies from celebrating their famous Winter Carnival. This year is no different, said Joe Dolgos, two-time president of the Brookie National Honor Society and the group that organizes one of the nation's largest winter festivals.
Michigan Technological University's 2024 Winter Carnival begins with a traditional all-nighter on Wednesday, February 7th and concludes on Saturday, February 10th. This year's theme is “From the forest to the coast, we love the outdoors.”
The 2024 theme has changed from a slogan on a sticky note in a fraternity's office to a full-fledged product line featuring a husky puppy gazing at a constellation shaped like the Upper Peninsula with the Northern Lights in the background. I enjoyed watching you do it.
Winter carnival schedule
This year's Carnival includes classic events such as stage revues, human ice bowling, and All Night Wednesday, where student groups compete in a one-night sculpture-making competition and contestants in the month-long sculpture category put the finishing touches on their entries. is the highlight. The campus is alive with music and camaraderie until the early hours of the morning. Popular foods include free chili and an all-you-can-eat pancake booth sponsored by Tech's Air Force ROTC. This year's schedule also includes a show by the Michigan Tex Red Heads, another student group, in Visitor Parking Lot 27 and a performance of circus troupe Flip Fabric's “Blizzard” in the Rosa His Performing Arts Center. .
Check out the complete list of events, meet the royalty nominees, and get the complete list of snow sculpture winners on Thursday, February 8, on the Michigan Technological University Winter Carnival website.
Dolgos said the theme is pure Michigan Tech. “technology” teeth It’s outdoors,” he said. “As students, we get to experience the Keweenaw outdoor culture, and that's reflected in all of the carnival activities, including the statues and skits. We get to see different interpretations of nature. I'm really looking forward to it.” is.”
What he's not too excited about is the weather.
Throughout Winter Carnival's history, organizers and participants have battled subzero temperatures, snowstorms, rain, and other conditions that are less than ideal for contests held on snow and ice.
More than 60 inches of snow fell in Keweenaw in January, but unseasonably warm and dry weather has melted much of the snow. Blue Key is working with Michigan Technological University Facilities Management to encourage community members to donate snow from fields, vacant lots, and other locations where people are welcome to remove the white material. People who spent months creating statues are losing construction work on works that took weeks to create, and both they and one-night sculptors can focus on intricate details rather than the statue's size. Highly sexual.
Warmer temperatures are also having an impact on broomball. Although the game was suspended due to the rink situation, organizers are hopeful that a traditional Broomball All-Stars game will be held on the ice during Wednesday's all-nighter from 9 to 11 p.m. .
“We're working hard,” Dolgos said. “There are only so many things you can control, but weather is not one of them. Most events can be held with minimal snow.”
Dolgos' pragmatic and philosophical approach aligns with Husky's spirit of tenacity, and the extensive planning and process required to pull off Carnival, snow or shine, translates into a fun campus and community. Powered by confidence in coming together to create an event.
In other words, Mother Nature continues to be great, and the success of Winter Carnival doesn't depend on the thermometer.
“Winter Carnival is about building new friendships. It's a celebration for alumni and the Keweenaw community. But it's especially important for students because they need a break.”
This is the second year Dolgos has led the Winter Carnival. That's unusual. Most blue key presidents usually feel that one year is enough. That's a lot of work on top of their schoolwork and other commitments.
“I was thrilled when I heard that Joe was interested in a second year as president,” said Laura Bright, Michigan Technological University's vice president for student affairs. Bulleit and his girlfriend Heather Sander, Tech's assistant chief financial officer and senior vice president of administration, have served as co-advisors to Blue Key since 2015.
“Student organizations experience turnover, which is always a challenge for continuity. Having members serve on the executive committee (president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, alumni and member support) for two consecutive years, It will make the transition smoother and allow executives to focus on improving the organization. Joe was definitely able to accomplish that this year,” Brett said.
Husky spirit burns brightly
Statues aren't the only things made specifically for the Winter Carnival celebrations. Blue Key commissioned the Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) senior design team to install fire cages to provide light and warmth to the campus during the festive period. “The fire basket is beautiful and highlights the students' creativity and technical ability. Additionally, this was a great collaboration between Blue Key and the design team,” said her Blue Key co-advisor Laura Bulleit. I am. Members of the design team are Teresa Hoving, Nick Rees, and Nathaniel Eastman, both majoring in Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology (MMET). Their advisors are MMET professor and chair John Irwin and laboratory operations supervisor Scott Meneguzzo.
Dolgos, an environmental engineering major who will graduate this spring, will begin his career at G2 Consulting, performing geotechnical analysis for solar arrays. With a bright future ahead now, Blue His Key and helping him build a strong foundation for his future Winter Carnival is now a top priority.
“Service has always been important to me. It's fun and I'm always thinking about how many people I can impact,” said Dolgos, a former Eagle Scout, adding, “Serving is what makes me live.” ” is Blue Key's national policy.
“I think a lot about the difference between leadership and experience. This is my third year at Blue Keys. The first year I served as the statue chair. I think about where our experience will take us. We don't want to give a dim light,'' Dolgos said. “People who are dedicated to this technology tradition will stick around longer. This year, I wanted to involve others, delegate responsibility, and empower. My phone number is always on BlueKey. It will be available, but I want them to know what's going on and have confidence in their ability to continue working.”
Dolgos said he and other regular Blue Key members have worked to boost the organization's morale this year with member activities unrelated to hosting the Winter Carnival. They hope to bring back Blue Key's once-traditional after-carnival party to relax and celebrate success before planning begins for next year.
Bright said what he most admires about the Blue Key members who make Winter Carnival possible is their ability to handle what amounts to a full-time job as February approaches each year. “Students have to maintain schoolwork, other activities, and in some cases jobs while working on Winter Carnival,” she says. “Brooky students, especially board members and committee chairs, have the skills that employers are looking for. They are task-oriented, but also have excellent communication skills that work well in teams.”
“My favorite piece of advice for Blue Key is definitely our students. Each year, I am impressed by their leadership ability, creativity, and professionalism. This is not an easy event. We require students with strong communication skills and the ability to motivate their peers.”
Founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, Michigan Technological University is a public research university with more than 7,000 students from 55 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the nation's best universities for return on investment, Michigan's flagship polytechnic offers 120 schools in science, technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, and social studies. We offer undergraduate and graduate degree programs such as: science and art. This rural campus is located just a few miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, allowing you to enjoy your outdoor adventures year-round.
