Dear Michigan Tech Community,
I am pleased to introduce the Office of Community Engagement, whose mission is to strengthen Michigan Tech’s commitment to meaningful engagement, transformative partnerships, and shared prosperity. Our office will help guide Michigan Tech in addressing pressing societal challenges and implementing a comprehensive strategy that aligns with the University’s values and vision.
The establishment of this office is a pivotal step in Tech’s ongoing journey toward excellence. It reflects our core values in serving the greater good and advancing our institutional mission and vision. Furthermore, by striving toward the Carnegie Classification for Engaged Community status, we have the opportunity to join other universities nationwide that are recognized for their deep community engagement. This classification place Michigan Tech among the top research universities in the nation that takes our service mission to the highest level.
The Office of Community Engagement’s approach will be to coordinate campus-wide endeavors toward achieving our community values. We recognize the incredible work already taking place and seek to build upon existing relationships and partnerships to make our community an even better place to learn, work, and live. We will be guided by key fundamental questions, such as how can we be a better community partner at the local, state, national, and international levels, and how can we serve these communities in the most transformative manner possible?
Our areas of focus align with the Tech Forward Initiatives but extend even further, emphasizing educational attainment, faculty, staff, and student development, economic growth, and the overall health and quality of life for the communities we serve. In the Upper Peninsula, our work is often siloed, but our office will change this narrative by articulating our impact, fostering collaboration, and leveraging University resources to support partnerships that address society’s evolving needs.
Finally, the office will create and champion transformative experiences for faculty, staff, and students through engaged scholarship, outreach, and service. Whether in Michigan, across the region, or around the globe, we will strive to ensure that Michigan Tech remains at the forefront of community-driven solutions. This initiative also places Michigan Tech on a definitive path toward realizing its aspiration to be a leading university in the Fourth Industrial Revolution—leveraging technology, innovation, and interdisciplinary collaboration to drive global progress.
I invite each of you to join us in this journey as we cultivate stronger connections and work collectively to create a lasting, meaningful impact. Together, we will harness the power of knowledge, collaboration, and innovation to shape a brighter future for all.
Sincerely,
Wayne Gersie
Vice President for Community Engagement
Michigan Technological University