Hands-on learning at Tech Day inspires future Orediggers
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BUTTE — It’s more than an eight-hour drive from Oroville, Washington, to Butte, Montana, but Montana Tech mining engineering sophomore Kylie Acord says it was worth traveling to campus for Tech Day to get a taste of the hands-on learning experiences and campus life the University offers.
“It was really fun,” Acord said. “I toured the Mining Engineering Department and the Electrical Engineering Department. I liked that instead of talking about their departments, they each had some sort of hands-on activity that related it to what they do. It helped me make my college decision. I was actually a part of the Montana Tech world for a little bit.”
Tech Day is a one-of-a-kind, hands-on college visit experience for prospective students. Students are invited to the main University campus in historic Uptown Butte, Montana, for a day of interactive laboratory breakout sessions, campus tours, and a chance to explore academic areas of interest. Spring Tech Day 2025 will take place on Friday, March 7. Registration is now open.
The activities Acord experienced were exciting.
“For the Electrical Engineering session, we took little, tiny robots and programmed them to follow a line on a table,” Acord said. “For the Mining Engineering session, I set off a blasting cap in a little plastic box. I also used the VR (virtual reality) headset and simulated experiences with equipment.”
Acord says Montana Tech has delivered a hands-on experience that was true to what she expected based on her Tech Day preview. In her first year, she was able to take a class in the Underground Mine Education Center (UMEC). The UMEC is a hands-on, interdisciplinary educational space consisting of the former Orphan Boy and Orphan Girl Mines located immediately west of campus.
“It was a wonderful class that was super hands-on,” Acord said. “You get to see what it’s actually like to be in a mine and figure out if you are okay with working underground. You learn how to operate a drill, fix equipment, safety protocols, blasting patterns, how to conduct an underground survey, and all sorts of other things.”
Acord is an engaged member of campus. She is a member of the Intercollegiate Mining Competition, the Women in Mining student chapter, and the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration. In addition, she’s the first female teaching assistant to assist Dr. Scott Rosenthal in courses taught in the UMEC. In that role, she introduces students to mining engineering in an interactive way, not so different from her own first experiences at Tech Day.
“I help the new students learn how to run the drills, fix the drills, address any problems that happen down there, and emphasize safety,” Acord said.
Acord toured numerous colleges before choosing Montana Tech. Two years later, she’s sure she picked the right place for her.
“Montana Tech has a really strong family sort of feeling,” she said. “Everyone here is so welcoming and nice.”
Students who attend Tech Day can choose to participate in a variety of breakout sessions to get a full day of hands-on activities. Sessions available March 7 include: Business and Information Technology (BIT), Cadaver Dissection Lab, Computer Science and Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Mathematical Sciences, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Mining Engineering, Nursing Simulation, Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), Petroleum Engineering, Prepare for College Panel and the Highlands College Campus Tour.
Prospective students can sign up for this year’s March 7 Tech Day event at: https://iam.mtech.edu/techdaydigital/inquiryform.
If you have questions, please reach out to the Admissions Office at Montana Tech at: admissions@mtech.edu or 406-496-4754.
Students interested in an Associate of Science or Associate of Applied Science programs, as well as certificate programs in the trades, may want to opt to attend Highlands College Exploration Day, which will take place on April 9, 2025. Registration will open in late February.
