Research, education, leadership training, competitions, and other opportunities to bring Huskies and their community together happen every day at Michigan Tech's Ford Center and Forest.
The last two years have also brought facility improvements, increased support from alumni and friends, and a new operations manager to the beloved campus outpost in Alberta, Michigan, which has operated as a field station supporting research and natural resources education since 1954.
On the Ford Center's new patio, Huskies will read the names and share the memories of alumni and friends who purchased an engraved brick paver as part of a campaign that wrapped up July 4, 2024. The College is grateful to everyone who purchased an engraving honoring someone special to them.
Jim Tolan, named operations manager at the Ford Center in 2023, says the patio is accessible through large sliding glass doors that, when fully open, offer unimpeded views and flow.
The patio isn't the only area with a new look. Tolan noted that the center's sign on US-41 has been enhanced with landscaping, as has the area surrounding the main entrance to the dorm and the new Steve Danis Conference Room.
The recently completed Danis room doubles the size of the previous space to seat more than 80 guests. The project also included technology upgrades, including three large monitors and a central computerized operating system.
Learn, Live, and Play at the Ford Center
As always, several research projects are underway or getting started on the 3,700 acres of stream-intersected forests and plains surrounding the center. And Huskies will once again be hosting the Woodchuck Games, a collegiate lumberjack competition.
The summer 2024 Integrated Field Practicum (IFP), i.e., Summer Camp, brought 23 students to the center from May through July. Fall Camp began in mid-August and ran through November, with 38 Huskies doing their 80 acres, timber cruising, salamander sampling, determining tree age, soil testing, and learning the other practical skills they'll need to pursue careers in natural resources.
In addition to the students and faculty who make use of the Ford Center, it provides vibrant spaces for both Michigan Tech and non-affiliated agency and community groups.
The annual LeaderShape Institute, a four-day in-depth leadership experience, helps individuals identify the values they hold that can help them make a difference in their communities. Leadership is hosted every January at the Ford Center.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources held its Academy of Natural Resources (ANR) course for teachers in August. "A good time was had by all," said Tolan. "Working out of the new Danis room, exploring our forest, and taking day trips to points of interest in the Upper Peninsula offered educators the opportunity to learn about Michigan's natural resources while supplying continuing education credit hours."
Tolan said the center is well-suited for retreats. "Our new addition enhances the possibilities," he said, noting that Michigan Tech's Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning and the Department of Visual and Performing Arts had retreats at the Ford Center this year, making use of both the meal service and the Danis room.
The center is also a meeting place for numerous local community organizations, including a church youth group. Tolan said there are also housing options available.
"Many folks don't know that the Ford Center offers short-term housing rentals in some of the original 1930s-era Ford Motor Company-built homes in the village," he said. "Alberta is a great place to base for Upper Peninsula adventures and is close enough to campus to make for an easy commute during special events."
You can contact Tolan at jetolan@mtu.edu or 906-487-4384 for more information on what the Ford Center and Forest might be able to offer you.
Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to nearly 7,500 students from more than 60 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan’s flagship technological university offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.
