Michigan Tech alumnae Deedra Irwin participates in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. The Menominee, native will return to campus this weekend as the Spring Commencement keynote speaker.

HOUGHTON — Olympic biathlete Deedra Irwin, will return to her alma mater this week to deliver the keynote address at Michigan Technological University’s Spring Commencement ceremonies. The graduate ceremony takes place at 3 p.m. Friday with the undergraduate ceremony slated for 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Both ceremonies will be held in the John J. MacInnes Student Ice Arena in the Student Development Complex.

The ceremonies will acknowledge the accomplishments of more than 1,240 graduates as they receive diplomas and other honors. The events will include speakers which exemplify student success of the university. In Addition to Irwin, the graduate speaker is Tabasum Hamdard, while the undergraduate speaker is Mary Christine Stevens.

Irwin is a Wisconsin native and 2015 Tech graduate who said she came to MTU for the chance to participate in three sports — cross-country, track and field and Nordic skiing. She was able to partake in these sports while earning a bachelor of science in exercise science with a 3.81 GPA.

After college, Irwin joined the Vermont National Guard in 2017 where she competed in biathlon, a winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. in less than five years, Irwin had qualified for the U.S. Olympic Biathlon team. She placed seventh at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. She is still a member of the National Guard, and has her eye on making the 2026 Winter Olympic team.

Hamdard, from Afghanistan, will received a master’s degree in data science. A member of the editorial board for Michigan Tech’s undergraduate computing research journal, she serves as Michigan Tech’s ambassador for Women in Data Science Worldwide. Hamdard moved her focus of studies and career aspirations to computing and is looking to apply data science skills to her future career.

Stevens will present the undergraduate address. The Menominee native will receive a bachelor’s degree in English major. A published author, who interned at the Daily Mining Gazette last summer. She has accepted a position at the DMG following graduation. Stevens demonstrated her writing skills with the publication of “Little Gold Rose.” Stevens has been active in college groups including Delta Phi Epsilon and Order of Omega Honor Society. She has also served Tech students through her work as a residence hall assistant and tutoring at the Michigan Tech Writing Center. Stevens is also the host of her podcast “No News is Bad News,” which covers news events in a compact format.

Doors open 90 minutes prior to each ceremony for ticketed guests. Parking is available in Lot 22 (adjacent to the SDC) and Lot 24 (near the football field).