Pathway Programs

For: All students grades 9-11
Dates: June 22 - 27, 2025

The Engineering Scholars Program (ESP) provides an opportunity for students to investigate careers in engineering and science. You will participate in engineering sessions, group projects, and special topic presentations with a diverse group of peers from all over the country and around the world. ESP provides a week-long look at engineering careers in areas like mechanical, computer, environmental, electrical, chemical, biomedical, civil, geological, and materials. Students will:

• Explore engineering through hands-on, project based learning in two fields of their choice.
• Get inside info from role models working in engineering fields.
• Work in teams to tackle awesome group projects.
• Enjoy team competitions, develop critical interpersonal skills, and enjoy outdoor activities in Michigan's beautiful Keweenaw Peninsula.

**This application requires submission of Supplemental Documents.

For: All students grades 9-11
Dates: June 15 - 20, 2025

The Women in Engineering (WIE) provides an opportunity for students to investigate careers in engineering and science. You will participate in engineering sessions, group projects, and special topic presentations with a diverse group of peers from all over the country and around the world. WIE provides a week-long look at engineering careers in areas like mechanical, computer, environmental, electrical, chemical, biomedical, civil, geological, and materials. Students will:

• Explore engineering through hands-on, project based learning in two fields of their choice.
• Get inside info from role models working in engineering fields.
• Work in teams to tackle awesome group projects.
• Enjoy team competitions, develop critical interpersonal skills, and enjoy outdoor activities in Michigan's beautiful Keweenaw Peninsula.

 All students may apply; the focus of the program is on advancing young women in engineering careers. 

**This application requires submission of Supplemental Documents.

For: All students grades 6-8
Dates: June 15 - 20, 2025 or June 22 - 27, 2025

The Junior Women in Engineering (JWIE) pathway is sponsored by ITC Holdings Corp. and provides an opportunity for academically talented students in grades 6-8 to explore a variety of disciplines, including mechanical, electrical, chemical, civil, and environmental engineering.

Participants will spend time with other smart young students interested in science and engineering! Activities vary with faculty and staff expertise, and could include: exploring whether metal has memory, designing bridges, purifying water, or testing gliders. Get ready to learn the inside scoop from female role models working in STEM fields and meet people from across the country! 

All students may apply; the focus of the program is on advancing girls and women in STEM program. This program is offered two separate weeks, please be sure to indicate your preferred week to attend in your application.

**This application requires submission of Supplemental Documents.

For: All students grades 9-11

Dates: June 22 - 27, 2025

Railroads, the high tech and environmentally sensitive transportation mode! Don't believe us? Come and learn why railroads remain the most energy-efficient transportation mode and what forms modern railroad track, equipment, and communications/control systems might take. Learn how rail compares with other modes and leads the charge in reducing transportation greenhouse gas emissions! Find out how it all works through engaging sessions, hands-on activities, and plenty of field visits to railroad facilities.

**This application requires submission of Supplemental Documents.

For: All students grades 9-11
Dates: June 15 - 20, 2025

Geospatial Engineering is a Pathway program partially sponsored by Atwell. Geospatial engineering is a rapidly expanding, highly technical field that focuses on translating and applying spatial information (data that contains a location) to solve real-world problems. Merging aspects of computer, software, and civil engineering, geospatial engineers design, develop, and operate systems that help us use data about our world for things like surveying underground mines, monitoring marine environments to measure the impact of climate change, and remote sensing. In this NEXT Scholars program, you will learn directly from Michigan Tech professors as you explore this in-demand field both in the classroom and out in the field.

All students may apply, there is a prerequisite of completing Algebra and Geometry.

**This application requires submission of Supplemental Documents.

For: All students grades 9-11

Dates: TBD for 2025

Clever design isn’t the only thing that makes electronic devices so functional and appealing. The fabrication processes that produce the microelectronics embedded in your cellular phone, computer, or tablet make use of some of the most highly specialized and extraordinary technologies of this generation. Your cellular phone likely has transistor features at or below 20 nanometers in length - less than 0.0001 times the diameter of a typical human hair! During this week, you will be introduced to several categories of microfabrication processing technologies required to produce microelectronic devices and integrated circuits, learn about semiconductors, insulators, and metals, and be hands-on processing in a well controlled setting in our micro- and nanofabrication facility at Michigan Tech. You will fabricate a demonstration device that will be packaged to take home with you. 

 

This Pathway Program is partially funded by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).

 

**This application requires submission of Supplemental Documents.

For: All students grades 9-11
Dates: TBD Pending External Funding

This program is pending external funding for Summer 2025.

Michigan Tech’s National Summer Transportation Institute (NSTI) is a two-week residential program allowing students to explore transportation industries. This program is offered through a grant from Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and is offered at no cost to participants. During the program you will:

• Learn about planes, trains, ships, and automobiles through hands-on activities and group projects.
• Tour Mackinac Island and get upclose and personal with the Mighty Mac—the longest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere-along the way.
• Travel to Sault Ste. Marie and learn firsthand about the largest waterway traffic system on Earth—the Soo Locks shipping canal between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes.
• Spend time with other smart students in a university setting.
• Enjoy recreational activities and time outdoors in the Keweenaw Peninsula.

Note: Live-in participants only. This program will travel throughout the Upper Peninsula and include overnight stays outside the Michigan Tech campus. 

**This application requires submission of Supplemental Documents.

For: All students grades 9-11
Dates: June 22 - 27, 2025

Women in Computer Science (WICS) is a week-long discovery of this fascinating field which is now an integral part of all aspects of our lives. We’ll explore various subfields of computer science including software development, artificial intelligence, data science, human-computer interaction, and security. One particular focus for this summer is making interfaces usable by people with diverse abilities. Learn about the many career opportunities in computing and the excellent job prospects in a wide range of industries.

 

• Spend time with other smart, dedicated students interested in computing.
• Work in teams to complete a group project. Hear from industry practitioners and researchers who specialize in creating accessible interfaces.
• Learn about the many career opportunities in computing and the excellent job prospects in a wide range of industries.
• Get first hand accounts of the diverse careers in computing from alums

 

• All students may apply; the focus of the program is on advancing young women in computing careers.

 

**This application requires submission of Supplemental Documents.