Resources

New Student Guide

New to Michigan Tech? Start here. Houghton is small and remote, but the Muslim community is real, active, and glad you are here. You’re not alone. You belong here.

• Your first week: Come to a Friday prayer (Jumu’ah) to meet people, introduce yourself to any board member, and join our email list so you hear about events. If you have a question before you even arrive in Houghton, just message us.
• Getting to campus prayers: Friday congregational prayer (Jumu’ah) is the easiest place to meet people. See the prayer times page for the current schedule and location.
• Groceries and halal meat: The nearest large halal grocery options are a drive away. MSA runs a periodic Chicago Grocery Run for students without a car. See the halal food section below.
• Winter: Houghton gets some of the heaviest snowfall in the United States, often around 200 inches a season, with a record of about 356 inches in 1978 to 1979. Invest in real winter boots and layers, give yourself extra time to get around, and don’t let the cold keep you home: prayers, halaqahs, and gatherings all continue indoors through the winter.
• Stay in the loop: Sign up for our email list using the form at the bottom of any page, and follow MSA on social media (linked in the footer) for prayer and event announcements.

Arriving in Houghton

• Flying in: Houghton has no airport of its own. Flights land at Houghton County Memorial Airport (CMX), about 4 miles from Houghton and Hancock, and every flight connects through Chicago O’Hare on United Airlines. If you are flying in from abroad, leave at least 2 to 3 hours between flights so you have time for immigration and any delays.
• If your flight is rebooked: United may send you to another airport, such as Marquette, about 2 hours away, and you will need to arrange your own ride here from there. Houghton Lake is a different town, many hours away in Lower Michigan, so check place names carefully when you book.
• By bus: Indian Trails runs an overnight bus from Chicago that arrives on campus, at the Memorial Union Building, the next morning. You will need a taxi or rideshare from O’Hare to the bus station in Chicago.
• Your pickup: There is no public transportation from the airport to campus, so plan your ride before you travel. MSA members can often meet you at the airport or the bus stop, and we have welcome boxes for newcomers. Write to us before you arrive with your flight or bus details so we can try to help.
• International students: Email your arrival plans to International Programs and Services (IPS) at ips@mtu.edu. After you arrive, check in with IPS to register your immigration documents, online or at their office (Administration Building, Room 200). Their page for newly admitted students lists every step.

Getting around

• Campus shuttle: Michigan Tech’s shuttles are free and run year-round, serving campus, downtown Houghton, Hancock and the Memorial Road shopping area, and you can ride them to stores like Walmart and Marketplace Foods. On weekdays during the semester, the Husky Shuttle’s Campus Loop stops at the Memorial Union Building, the Student Development Complex (SDC) and Daniell Heights. Track the shuttles live in the TripShot app (sign in with your MTU email), and check it in bad weather, since shuttles can be cancelled.
• City bus: The City of Houghton runs public buses with regular routes and on-demand rides you book by phone on weekdays. Bicycles are not allowed on the buses. Hancock City Transit also offers on-demand rides around Hancock, Houghton and campus.
• Need a ride? In your first weeks, if you need to get groceries, come to Jumu’ah or reach an important appointment, ask us. MSA members often help newcomers get around when they can.

Halal shopping tips

• Rice and spices: Jim’s Foodmart in Houghton is a good stop for rice and spices.
• Read the ingredients: Gelatin, which is often made from pork, turns up in some yogurt, candy and marshmallows. Chicken and beef stock cubes can contain meat that is not halal-certified, so check those labels too.
• Eating out: If a restaurant is not fully halal, ask where the meat comes from before you order.

Coming with family

Many members of our community live here with their families, and we plan family activities through the year, from Eid celebrations to picnics and potlucks.

• Housing: Daniell Heights is Michigan Tech’s apartment community on Woodmar Drive, the same street as the MSA Community Center. It mainly serves graduate students, researchers, faculty, staff and their families, with one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, utilities included and a stop on the free shuttle. Apartments are offered through a waitlist (you must be 21 or older to hold a contract), so apply early and look at off-campus options too.
• Arrange it before you come: Housing in Houghton can be hard to find, and Michigan Tech asks international students to secure a place before they arrive.
• Dependents: If your spouse or children come with you as dependents, do not use the online check-in. Check in at the IPS office in person and bring their documents too (they do not need to come with you).
• Free English classes for adults: The Elaine Bacon Literacy Program gives free English tutoring to international adults, in groups or one to one (many classes are on Zoom). Its International Neighbors group meets on Thursdays for friendship and activities, and families and children are welcome. Contact the program through its website for the current schedule.

Before your first winter

If this is your first Upper Peninsula winter, take it seriously. Temperatures fall well below freezing, and coats and boots that work in warmer states may not be enough. Along with real winter boots (waterproof, with good traction) and layers, have these ready before the snow arrives:

• An insulated winter coat
• Waterproof, insulated gloves
• A warm hat, and a scarf or neck warmer
• Warm socks and thermal base layers
• Lip balm, moisturizer and hand warmers

Free coats for students: Michigan Tech’s Husky Closet Collective gives students free clothing, including winter coats, at its Clothing Closet in Wadsworth Hall (G04W), on weekdays by appointment: email huskycloset@mtu.edu. Twice a year, on the weekend before Career Fair, its Career Closet gives away free interview clothes.

Ask experienced members before you spend a lot. We can tell you what actually works here.

Ask before you buy

Before you buy furniture, kitchen supplies, winter clothes, electronics, a car or a bike, ask in the MSA community. Graduating students and families often have these for sale, and sometimes for free. Daniell Heights apartments come semi-furnished, so see what is already there first.

Just arrived and need help with temporary food, groceries, finding housing, moving furniture or finding the prayer space? Reach out. We may not be able to solve everything, but someone in our community can usually point you in the right direction.

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Halal Food in Houghton

Halal options in the Keweenaw are limited but workable. Below is what students rely on locally, plus the grocery runs we organize for stocking up.

Always check labels and ask staff directly, since store stock and certifications change. If you confirm a new halal option in town, tell us so we can add it.

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Campus Prayer Spaces

You can pray on campus between classes; you do not have to wait until you get home. Here is where students gather and pray during the day.

Qibla Direction

The qibla is the direction Muslims face in prayer, toward the Kaaba in Makkah. From Houghton, it is roughly toward the northeast.

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High-Latitude Fasting Guidance

Houghton sits at a high northern latitude, so when Ramadan falls in summer the days are very long and the nights are short. This raises real questions about suhoor (the pre-dawn meal), iftar (breaking the fast at sunset), and which timing method to follow. Ramadan 2027 (expected about February 8 to March 8) falls in winter, when fasts in Houghton are about 11 to 13 hours.

• Following local sunrise and sunset: Houghton sits at about 47° N, where a distinct dawn and sunset still occur every day of the year. Most students here fast from local fajr to local maghrib, using the same daily times shown on the prayer times page. Near the summer solstice that can mean a fast of well over 16 hours.
• Following a moderate timetable or Makkah timing: When the local day is extremely long, many scholars permit following the timetable of a place where night and day stay clearly distinguishable, or the times of Makkah. Some students adopt this approach during the longest summer fasts. Choose a method in consultation with someone qualified, then stay consistent.
• Health considerations: Fasting is not required of those who are ill, pregnant or nursing, menstruating, or traveling, or where it would harm your health; missed days are made up later or, where applicable, compensated (fidyah). If you take regular medication or manage a medical condition, speak with your doctor before fasting, and reach out to the board if you need support.

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