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Ben Mitchell

Ben Mitchell
Mechanical Engineering '06

Ben Mitchell grew up in a devout household in the central Upper Peninsula of Michigan where emphasis was placed on helping others. He traveled with his father to places such as Kenya and Peru on short-term medical missions. When he was in Kenya, a missionary explained that engineers have the greatest potential to influence the largest number of people. During high school, Ben participated in a youth mission trip to Tijuana. A result of the mission trips, his family decided to adopt three Vietnamese children when he was a junior.

All of these experiences had a great influence on Ben’s outlook on life. He decided to major in mechanical engineering and enrolled at Lake Superior State University. Near the end of his senior year, he decided to volunteer for the Peace Corps to help others.

His two-year commitment began in the fall of 2007 and took Ben to Burkina Faso in western Africa. He resides in the village of Tansila, population 3,000, approximately 10 km from the Mali border. His host organization is the local cotton growers union. It works cooperatively with other villages to improve and expand their production techniques. He serves as an agribusiness advisor as a part of the Small Enterprise Development program which helps create market linkages and assists with the advancement of business skills.

Alumni Association

Alumni in the News

Steve Willobee '98, LEED AP Elected Vice Chair of USGBC West Michigan Chapter

The U.S. Green Building Council - West Michigan Chapter has announced its 2010 Board of Directors. Read more.

Former English major Chris Zimmerman (‘87) has released his fourth novel, Forty Mile Point.

Much like his previous three novels, Forty Mile Point has an outdoorsy flavor, a suspense-filled plot, and a delightful twist at the end.
Read more.

Alumnus Zak Stelmaszek ‘00 release new CD

Alumnus Zak Stelmaszek ‘00 and his rock band Fifth Way released their new CD titled “No Boundaries” at the Magic Bag Theater in Ferndale on Saturday, January 30, 2010. Read More.

Kelly Bruning, a Boston Transplant to Northern Michigan Publishes Book

Kelly Bruning has been a transplant from a Boston suburb to northern Lower Michigan for twenty-two years now. She has published
a book that will make the reader chuckle with her true stories of outdoor adventures that usually underscores some type of mischief.
Read more.

Cassie Parker inspires students

"For many people, illness can put a halt on life. But Casie Parker, of Petoskey, wasn't going to let a diagnosis get in the way of what she loves — her students and athletes." Read more from the Petoskey News - Review.

OptiTemp Honored with Michigan 50 Companies to Watch Award

OptiTemp, Inc. has been named one of Michigan’s top companies to watch in 2009 as part of the Michigan Celebrates Small Business program. The “Michigan 50 Companies to Watch” Award honors 50 second-stage Michigan companies that have earned our attention in the years to come. Read more.

Donald Williams of OPTI TEMP INC. honored with Entrepreneur of Distinction Award.

Donald Williams, Founder and CEO of OPTI TEMP INC. was honored by the state's largest business publication for his impact on the growth of Michigan business enterprises, proven innovation, determination and drive to succeed. Read more.

LSSU Grad Authors New Mystery Novel

Nancy Barr, a 2000 LSSU graduate with a degree in business, has a new novel in stores. Published by Arbutus Press, Page One: Whiteout features Upper Peninsula newspaper reporter Robin Hamilton. Still grieving the murder of her fiancé, Robin gets an unexpected visit from an old friend from Chicago who has uncovered an important clue. The pair take off on an adventure that leads to Miami and back to the woods of Upper Michigan to face down a killer during a blizzard. Read the Page One: Whiteout press release.

LSSU grad helps fight the sea lamprey in West Michigan.

2000 Fisheries and Wildlife graduate Jason Krebill, originally of Kentwood Michigan, is interviewed on Fox television. The video available here shows LSSU Fisheries and Wildlife the alum helping to keep Michigan waters safe for fishing as he assists in the eradication of the invasive sea lamprey. Jason (as shown to the right) is the young man being interviewed standing in the stream, and thoroughly enjoys his job with the U.S. Fisheries and Wildlife Service.

NCAA PRO-file with Doug Weight By Bob Snow

Doug Weight's accomplishments are profiled on NHL.com including a recent endowment to Lake Superior State University. Read more from NHL.com

Hockey alum graces Forbes magazine cover

Bates Battaglia, who played on the Laker hockey team from 1994-1997 and now is a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, was caught on the Nov. 26 cover of Forbes Magazine"

OTHER VOICES: Unpaid internships won't keep talent here By Philip Ellison

Educators, government officials and business leaders at the Mackinac Policy Conference announced a possible solution to the mass exodus of Michigan's talent to other states: internships. Read more in the Crain's Detroit Business.

Borseth Named U of M Womens Basketball Coach from UM asst. dir. of Athletic Media Relations

Kevin Borseth a Laker Alumni from 1976 was recently named head coach of the Women's Basketball team at Michigan. Read more (photo courtesy of U of M website)

Sheppard shares her vision for Boys and Girls Club from The Soo Evening News

Jennifer Sheppard, the new director of The Boys and Girls Club of Sault Ste. Marie, shared her vision this week as the opening of the new youth club approaches on Monday, October 17. Read more

“On Patrol” from Michigan Out-of-Doors

Conservation Officer Joe Molnar ‘02 poses with an elk he and CO Kelly Ross ‘91 were forced to kill after finding it injured and sick in the northern Lower Peninsula. Michigan Out-of-Doors noted the incident in its “On Patrol” column in the January issue. The two LSSU graduates were part of a group of four Laker alumni involved in the search for the elk once it had been reported by a group of hunters. Mike Budd ’04, a fisheries and wildlife management grad, and Marissa Kelso ’04, parks and recreation management, also assisted in the hunt for the injured animal. Kelso happened to be in the area to look at elk with Budd, who was working with the DNR on an elk telemetry project. (Photo by Mike Budd)

Survival of the fittest from the Ann Arbor News

Early in the race, the net, and the foot speed of Andre and Litzner allow the former Lake Superior State track and cross country runners to take the lead from the Yaksics. Read more

Miller '84 Paddling Route Lewis & Clark

Norman Miller '84 is celebrating the bicentennial of Lewis and Clark's exploratory expedition by paddling the same route solo by canoe, from St. Louis to the Pacific. Follow his journey at http://www.lewisandclark-2004.com. Norman will depart in Spring 2004 and send updates via digital camera and laptop computer throughout his journey. Read more

Klaft '89 Sings the Blues

Ken Klaft '89 sings the blues in Toledo with his cubicle colleagues at NFO WorldGroup. Check out their site and you'll see the Cube City Blues Band in action with music samples, bios, and more. The Cube City Blues Band has put all of their greatest IT blues hits together on this one CD to benefit the Mason Bailey Fund. Read more

South Pole job not 9-to-5

A 23-year-old Reese resident will change his latitude today when he leaves for a job at the South Pole. Read more