Bethanne Cadeau Attends Summer Youth Programs at Michigan Tech

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Bethanne Cadeau

HOUGHTON, MI (08/08/2011)(readMedia)-- It's like the best of summer camp and school rolled into one. Hundreds of high school students spent a week or more exploring dozens of different fields of study at Michigan Tech over the summer. They lived in residence halls, took classes and enjoyed the unique recreational opportunities in the UP.

Michigan Tech's Summer Youth Programs and Scholarship Programs, which end this week, had something for just about everyone--from sixth through 12th grade. Seven categories of explorations included business, computing, engineering, humanities and social sciences, leadership, outdoor and environmental studies, and science and technology. Classes ranged from the predictable to the astounding: the wide world of chemistry, computer graphics, motor sports, molten metals and plastics, and blacksmithing, to name a few.

Bethanne Cadeau, 17, a 12th grader at Baraga High School, signed up for "General Engineering." Her father does engineering work, and she wanted to find out more about what he does.

What she found out is that she doesn't want to study engineering. That's a good outcome, says Director Steve Patchin (Youth Programs). "Discovering what you don't want to do is just as important as finding out what you do want to do with your life," he said.

Cadeau also learned that she doesn't want to go to a school as big as Michigan Tech. She has visited several and said smaller schools suit her better. Even though engineering did not turn out to be her career choice, Cadeau loved her week at Summer Youth. "The best part," she said, "was meeting so many new people--and learning so many new card games."

Bethanne is the daughter of James Cadeau.

Michigan Technological University (www.mtu.edu) is a leading public research university developing new technologies and preparing students to create the future for a prosperous and sustainable world. Michigan Tech offers more than 130 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering; forest resources; computing; technology; business; economics; natural, physical and environmental sciences; arts; humanities; and social sciences.