This Saturday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m., the 58th Royalty Coronation will take place in the Rozsa Center. Established in 1969, the event is hosted for students from across the university to compete for the title of “Royal Majesty.” A panel of judges will determine the winners through interviews, various campus engagements, and a talent show. People in the audience can also vote for someone to receive the Audience Choice award.
When asked why she wanted to become royalty, Chemical Engineering senior Kaitlynn Zimmerman responded, “It is a tradition in AFROTC (Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) for a senior to be the royalty candidate, and as the only girl in my class, my friends set me up as the ‘sacrifice.’ That being said, I had the chance to watch the royalty competition two years ago when our candidate was the runner-up, which inspired me to take the chance to represent our organization.”
When asked what their favorite part of Winter Carnival is, software engineering fifth-year Maci Dostaler said it’s “the camaraderie that comes from spending this time together as friends and Huskies. There is a special kind of bond that forms when building month-long statues together and laughing through frozen hands and late nights. Even as you race through the snow during special events and perform for Stage Revue, that bond continues to grow. Winter Carnival brings out the true resiliency we have as a Michigan Tech community, and being a part of that shared experience is what makes it so meaningful to me.”
To read more about the candidates, head to mtu.edu/carnival/2026/#nav-royalty. To vote for a candidate, head to forms.gle/FDRbtJ5gXZMSsxYz7. Voting closes on Jan. 30 at 5 p.m.
