What is your NMU connection?
I was a student in 2005-2009, graduated from NMU.
Your favorite NMU memory or story
My favorite memory at NMU pulls at me as I watch Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and all the hype that this woman has made in
2024.
I was a member of Northern Arts and Entertainment, the group that brings many concerts, comedians, and shows to campus. It was such a great group to learn and get involved on campus. I believe it was the fall of 2007, the start of the new year, and we were pitching ideas of who to bring to campus. A few members, including myself, loved Taylor’s new songs - Tim McGraw and Teardrops on My Guitar. She was new, fresh, and yes, super young. The group had to decide on large-budget vs. small-budget acts to bring, we looked at their costs, and we took votes. Overall the group voted against Taylor Swift. Ouch. The deciding factor was that “there was just recently a country musician” and we should bring something else. Yes, we could’ve brought T-Swift to campus for $14k and spent a glorious night in the small venue becoming early Swifties. This is something that will surely never-ever be possible again. I laugh thinking about it now and I have had to ask my friends who were in the group to comb their memories to make sure mine isn’t fading. They recall the same. I recommend asking Dave Bonsall, our wonderful team leader if he remembers this unfortunate day. Side note - ultimately, we chose musical acts that surely faded quickly... does anyone remember Emerson Drive or Hinder? Runner-up Highlight - I did get to pick Seth Meyers from KI Sawyer Airport.
Who is the most influential person you met during your time at NMU and why were they so influential?
Noted above, Dave Bonsall was a great mentor and advisor for Northern Arts and Entertainment. I really enjoyed working with him and he was such a kind, respectful human who truly saw the potential in all of us.