Hundreds of extraordinary high school students are visiting Michigan Technological University this month. Recognized for their academic and extracurricular achievements, they're contenders for the Michigan Tech Leading Scholar Award. Ruby Walker knows what that feels like.
Walker won the award in 2023. A second-year marketing major in Tech's College of Business, she continues to make her mark at the University — and share gratitude for the full-ride four-year scholarship that brought her here.
About the Award
Each year, more than 1,400 students apply to the Leading Scholar program, which recognizes incoming first-year Huskies who best exemplify leadership traits and scholarly achievement in and outside the classroom. Approximately 850 finalists are invited to Michigan Tech to attend the on-campus portion of the competition in Houghton.
Fall 2025 Leading Scholar Awards will be announced this spring. Get more details about the scholarship application process and bookmark the page if you're interested in applying. The deadline for the fall 2026 scholarship cycle is Nov. 15, 2025.
"I hope I can encourage and inspire the next generation of Leading Scholars," says Walker. In this Husky Q&A, she shares what it was like to go for Michigan Tech's most prestigious competitive scholarship award, what's happened since she won her award, and what's next on her horizon.
Q: What was it like being a Leading Scholar contender? Why did you decide to go for it?
RW: One of the reasons I went for the Leading Scholar Award is because the only thing standing between me and the realization of going to Michigan Tech was money. Throughout high school I sought out leadership positions in the organizations I was a part of, and I envisioned myself doing the same once I got to college. The Leading Scholar program seemed like the perfect way to show the University the leadership skills I had and meet others with the same mindset.
Q: The Leading Scholar program is highly competitive. How did it feel to come to campus and participate in the activities for finalists? Was it fun? Were you nervous? Did you know anyone?
RW: I met some of the faculty and staff during my campus visits before I competed, which brought me a sense of comfort on the day of the competition. Going into the competition, I can't lie — I was nervous. But I thrive off of the adrenaline in situations like that. I knew the judges would be able to see through me if I tried to be anything but myself, so I just tried to be the most authentic version of myself possible. The wonderful thing about the competition is that your peers are in the same boat as you, and that makes it especially easy to make friends. I'm still friends with some of the people I met that day.
Q: What advice do you have for students who plan to apply for this prestigious scholarship in the future?
RW: BE YOU!!! In your essay, make sure you talk about the things that make you unique. When you then go to compete, that's the time that you can put a face to your essay. This is your opportunity to make yourself known!
Q: As a Husky, you've accomplished so many things already — including being president of the American Marketing Association Michigan Tech Chapter and president of the Douglass Houghton Hall Council. What are your thoughts on leadership and how to develop those skills?
RW: There is an element of risk when it comes to being a leader. I took a risk to raise my hand when the presidential positions opened up, and that risk paid off. I recognize that I can always learn from others no matter what position or influence they have. Everyone has something to teach you. And leaders rise by lifting others — you are only as successful as your team.
Q: During the fall 2024 semester you were inducted into Blue Key National Honor Society, the select group of students that organizes Michigan Tech's beloved and well-known Winter Carnival. Tell us about your role on the public relations team.
RW: Being a part of Blue Key is really exciting. It bridges not only the University and the students, but also the local community and beyond. PR is vital to the success of Winter Carnival. This year, I am focusing on tasks that communicate timelines and important information about Winter Carnival events to the public.
Q: We're sensing a PR trend here. Can you share what you love about being part of the Michigan Tech Athletics Event Promotion Team?
RW: I'm passionate about connecting the audience to the team and sponsors we are promoting. My goal is to work in marketing for professional hockey, so this is already setting me up for success. It is so fun to connect the local community with the University through sports that we all enjoy watching!
Q: Carrying along with the PR and athletics theme, can you share some details about your role as marketing and digital manager for a North American Hockey League junior team? And with everything else going on, how do you find time for all of these activities?
RW: My role with the Wisconsin Windigo is similar to my position with Michigan Tech Athletics, but additionally I take on some of the responsibilities for social media content. Although I can do most of the job remotely, I regularly travel down to Eagle River, Wisconsin, on the weekend for games to give live score updates and assist in game day initiatives.
Time management is key to staying successful in school, my jobs and achieving my goals. Not only do I schedule time for work and school, but also for personal rest so I can recharge.
Q: We have another theme going here: Huskies run in your family. But Mom Pamela '89, dad Donald '88, and older brother Samuel '22 are engineering graduates. You decided to go in a different direction — and it seems like you've always been marketing-focused, even when you were in FIRST Robotics. Why do you think that is and what do you love about it?
RW: I grew up in a very creative household. My siblings and I were encouraged to follow our passions … theirs all happened to be engineering, haha! My family has been involved in FIRST Robotics for most of my life. When I got to high school, I joined and focused on the business side. It was a great learning experience figuring out how to successfully market the team. Through robotics, I got my first job in sports marketing. I was offered an internship with a sports media company. My responsibilities included managing their social media account. When COVID hit, I used the skills that I learned from the team and my job to launch my very successful baking business, Boo Bakes With Love.
When it came time to decide what I wanted to do after high school, I decided to combine a technical degree with my passion for business, and Michigan Tech's Bachelor of Science in Marketing seemed like the perfect fit!
Q: Leading Scholar wasn't the first time you were involved in Michigan Tech outreach during your pre-college years. You called Michigan Tech's Summer Youth Programs 'life-changing.' Can you tell us what program you attended and why SYP made such an impression on you?
RW: I hate to say this, but Michigan Tech was not always at the top of my list of colleges to attend. I knew it was a great school if I wanted to be like my family and be an engineer. I attended the Women in Automotive Engineering camp, and while I figured out I did not want to be an engineer, I fell in love with the campus and spoke with the business department. I felt like I had found my type of people. Summer Youth Programs made me feel like I was becoming a part of the Michigan Tech family.
Q: What's next for you at Tech, Ruby? Study abroad? Another summer internship, like the one you completed at Pettibone?
RW: I will be studying abroad in Germany next May in a faculty-led month-long program where I'll be taking marketing and supply chain and operations management courses. I'm looking forward to the opportunity for my first international experience and learning outside of the typical classroom.
As for an internship, I'll be spending the summer in Holland, Michigan, working for Gentex as a Marketing Intern. This experience will help me further develop my skills and reach my ultimate career goals.
Q: How are your career goals being elevated and crystallized as you look toward graduation in 2027?
RW: My involvement on campus both in clubs and my job with Michigan Tech Athletics, as well as the juniors hockey team and internships, are all helping shape me as I reach for my goal of being a sports marketing professional. I have been blessed with some amazing opportunities, but it is also hard work to get to where I want to be. Michigan Tech has provided me with the resources and support to keep looking for the next open door.
Q: Is there anything else you want to share?
RW: I just have to make sure that I make a shout-out to my family, friends and mentors who constantly encourage me to be the best that I can be. Their support means the world to me.
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.
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