Traverse City's Newest University

Oct. 9, 2021

No, Michigan Tech isn’t relocating from the UP to TC. But the university has planted a flag in Traverse City, officially opening a research hub on the second floor of the Traverse Connect building. Initial plans call for an expanded partnership with Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) and other area educational partners. But eventually, says Tech’s Jay Meldrum, the Traverse City location could explore renewable energy projects, conduct freshwater research, test autonomous vehicle, help establish a pipeline of tech-centric college-educated talent, and grow i the number of four-year college degrees available locally.

"If somebody comes up with a good idea that could be a nationwide innovation – an idea that they could sell – Houghton is probably not the right place to be centered to do that, whereas Traverse City might be perfect,” Meldrum says. One immediate plan is to grow the NMC/Michigan Tech “2+2 program,” which offers a pipeline for students to start their engineering studies at NMC, transfer their credits to Tech after two years, and finish their bachelor’s degrees in Houghton.