Alumni Stories and Testimonials - NMU Blog

Meet Jan (Sorensen) Levi, a 2001 alumna (BS Marketing) from Ishpeming, Mi. Jan currently lives in Puyallup, WA. Jan currently serves as a Procurement Agent for Boeing and is a Graduate Student at Michigan State University, pursuing a Master's of Arts in Strategic Communications.

Meet Mitchell Foster, a 2011 Alumnus (BS Political Science) from Big Rapids Mi. Mitchell currently lives in and is the city manager for Ludington, Mi. Previously, Mitchell was the Village Manager of Kingsley, Mi. and Village Administrator of Winneconne, WI. 

Explore all that Marquette and the Upper Peninsula have to offer. See a concert on campus. See a speaker on campus. Join an organization that you wouldn't be able to if you weren't in college. Invite your classmate that doesn't know a lot of people to come with you on a hike. Leave NMU better than you found it.

Work hard and get that degree. You never know where it will take you. Because of my undergrad degree, I am now Dr. Mary K. Hunt, DNP, CNM, ENP-BC, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC. Thank you NMU, I never anticipated moving beyond the bedside, you made my future dreams come true.

Meet Nolan Bergstrom, a 2018 alumnus from Negaunee, MI. Nolan is a community planner for the city of Kalamazoo, MI, where he currently resides.

Meet Larry Nicholson, a 2005 alumnus from Tyler, Texas. Larry is a former USOEC athlete and coach. Currently, Larry lives in Grand Rapids, MI and is a special education child care worker and boxing coach/mentor. 

Meet Jim Grahek a 1981 alumnus from Ely, Mn. Jim currently lives in Plymouth, Mn and is a retired. Jim did work for 20 years as a Manufacturing Representative for Burndy which is an Electrical Connector Manufacturer and 35 years in the Electrical Industry.

Meet Chris Charboneau a 1993 Alumnus from Cheboygan, Mi. Chris currently lives in Madison Heights, Mi. and is a retired band director (1993-2019) and current antique dealer, musician, clinician, guest conductor and music festival adjudicator. He also taught for 26 years in four school districts. (Harrison, Birmingham, Oak Park and U of D Jesuit ...

Meet Dr. Abdulbari Musa Ansari, JD a 1964 Alumnus from Elizabeth, NJ. Abdulbari currently lives in Buckingham, Va. and was inducted into the NMU Sports Hall of Fame in 2022.

Meet Steve Nystrom, a 1986 Alumnus from Marquette, Mi. Steve currently lives in Marquette and was honored as NMU's Distinguished Alumni award winner in 2022.

Meet Charlie Arnold, a 2020 Alumnus from Corpus Christi, Tx. Charlie currently lives in Wakefield, Mi and is a Professional ASVAB tutor. 

Meet Kurt VanWormer, a 1977 alumnus from Marine City, Mi. Kurt currently lives in Houston, Tx and serves on NMU's alumni board.

Meet Erica Rubick, a 2021 Alumna from Gladstone, Mi. Erica is currently is a 6th grade teacher at Lineville Intermediate in the Howard-Suamico school district.

Meet Jeff Vande Zande, a 1993 Alumnus from Marquette, Mi. Jeff is currently an English Professor at Delta College teaching film production and creative writing.

Meet Michael David Brown, a 2005 Alumnus from Lafayette Hill, Pa. Michael is currently the Director of the Office of Veterans and Military Service Members at Villanova University.

Meet Russell Kassin, a 2002 Alumnus from Iron Mountain, Michigan. Russell currently serves as the President and CLO for First National Bank & Trust.

Meet Benjamin Griffin, a 2022 Alumnus from Marquette, Mi. Benjamin currently resides in Marquette, where he is a MIG Welder.

Meet Dalton Warden, a 2016 alumnus from Ortonville, Mi. Dalton currently resides in Miami, Fl. where he is a painter, illustrator and professional framer.

Meet Brittany Nardi, a 2021 alumnus from Ishpeming, Michigan. Brittany currently serves as a customer success coordinator with Gratavid.

"Seek out a mentor in a department that interests you to learn about their journey to help inspire your own. There are so many incredible folks working at NMU with valuable lessons and resources to tap into. Don’t be afraid to say hello and start those conversations."

"The advice that I would give current NMU students is to advantage of all of the opportunities that both NMU and Marquette have to offer. Make connections with those around you, because these will be the relationships that will last a lifetime."

"NMU provided an excellent base knowledge of hotel operations and food & beverage management. I still use skills I learned in college, especially cost control, beverage management, and supervisory skills."

"Trust the process, students. Create your own path, own your mistakes, remember your successes, and ALWAYS strive to be better. Keep your mind open, always. There is not a learning "end game". You will never be done learning, as cliche as that sounds."

"Meet and network with as many people as you can and don't be afraid to apply for jobs that you think you may not necessarily qualify for! Firms hire people, not robots, and your personality and how it fits in company culture is just as important as skills. "

"Enjoy the adventure that is Marquette! Don’t take the beauty and accessibility of this place for granted. You can be on the trails or at the lake in 5 minutes. Enjoy your time and get outside! "

"When I decided to pursue a Hospitality Management degree, I thought I wanted to work in events and did not think that all the cooking classes I had to take would be helpful for that objective. I am so glad they were part of the curriculum, as I learned more from those classes than i had expected and in time they ended up being what i loved most...

"At NMU I learned quickly how to manage time and work in partnership with people, skills that continue to serve me well in my professional life."

"I regularly give credit to the NMU staff for helping me get to where I am today. There's rarely a week that goes by in my current role where I don't reflect upon or implement a skill or idea that traces back to my NMU days."

"My advice for students of color is to get more involved in campus events and become a part of the university."

"The support, encouragement, and inspiration that I received as a student at NMU was deeply impactful on me and I wanted to be able to provide that to students; to pay it forward."

"NMU has taught me how to speak up, cultivate meaningful relationships, and stay involved. I would encourage students to use their voices, speak up and make those connections! You would be surprised at how far you get by just saying what most people are thinking at times."

"I lead 7 manufacturing operations in North America for MillerKnoll, a collective of dynamic brands focused on design and the production of home and office furnishings." - Charles, Class of '94

"NMU has helped me SO MUCH in my current role. Basically, it helped me learn how to be the best artist I can be by mastering the technical skills I need to allow myself to be creative."

"NMU's remote location was an asset to me. Living in Marquette, Michigan proved to me (and others) that I can adapt quickly to new environments. It also gave me the life-long right to feel superior to people who complain about the cold."

"To be northern means to be distinctly different. Different in the aspect that you are in a pretty remote location for a lot of students and you are presented with ample opportunities and experiences. Throughout these experiences, you are allowed to choose your 'destiny' in a sense."

"One of my favorite events, when I was a student, was volunteering for women in construction day. I loved being able to share with middle schoolers and high schoolers around the upper peninsula the different opportunities for women in the construction industry."

"I want to contribute to finding sustainable solutions to tackle climate change and all the problems that come with it."

Hilde is the May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior from the Earth, Environmental, and Geographical Sciences department. 

"Get involved and meet as many people as you can. Networking is a huge part of any career field."

Cola is the May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior from the Technology and Occupational Sciences department.

"Passionate about educational equity, I hope to use the things I’ve learned at Northern to show all high school students that they are capable of going to college and help them get there." 

Danielson is the May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior from the Communications department. 

"My childhood was not perfect by any measure and I understood at a young age that what I was experiencing was, unfortunately, very common. I knew I had a responsibility and opportunity to break the cycle and work towards creating a better life for myself and the children and families in our communities."

Chandler is the May 2021 Outstand...

"I entered college thinking I'd be an English major because I loved literary analysis, but then I realized I could analyze the human condition in the real world, rather than just in books, and I was hooked."

Folsom is the May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior from the Sociology department. 

"Take time to explore the amazing places around Marquette, the hiking trails here are like no other!"

Leishman is the May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior from the Art & Design department. 

"My advice to current students is to keep working hard because the hard work pays off eventually!"

Osgood is the May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior from the Psychology department. 

"My high school counselor had given me a list of 50 potential schools to look at when I was a junior, so NMU made my initial cut by having a good physics program, a band open to non-music majors, and the beautiful surroundings of the U.P."

Goeks is the May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior from the Physics department. 

"I liked being close to home with friends and family, and after leaving to go to Grand Valley State University my freshman year I realized I missed the lake and that I took for granted all the nature that was in the U.P."

Balconi is the May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior from the NMU College of Business.

"I decided on Northern because I knew I was going to get help financially through my good grades and donor-funded scholarships and because I felt comfortable here."

Kendall is the May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior from the Theatre department. 

"NMU has the perfect landscape for me to pursue my academic and athletic goals."

Vaitkus is the May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior from the Languages, Literatures and International Studies department. 

"One of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had during my tenure at NMU is tutoring economics. I find it both challenging and fulfilling."

Meister is the May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior from the Economics department. 

"Coming to Northern was a huge step for me as a freshly graduated young adult from the U.P. I had no idea the world I was stepping into."

VanEnkevort is the May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior from the Education department. 

"I always knew I wanted to become a teacher, and my experience here (at NMU) has done nothing but reassure my decision."

Yon is the May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior from the Education department. 

"I vividly remember driving into Marquette from the south side and seeing the town and the bay, and I was like “I’m in love.”

Meiss is the May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior from the Biology department. 

"'beNorthern' means family to me. Through both experiences at NMU, I have formed lasting bonds and relationships with faculty, staff and classmates that will last a lifetime."

Holma is the May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior from the Social Work department. 

"I fell into a major and career that I absolutely love, thanks to the passion and knowledge of the NMU social work staff."

Hanson is the May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior from the Social Work department. 

"The coolest and most helpful thing that I was able to do as part of my major was having the opportunity to meet with many of the local attorneys around the Marquette area."

Riley was awarded May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior. 

"At first, I never thought I’d move 7 hours away from home to a town in the UP. After becoming more exposed to Marquette, I fell in love with the town and decided this was the school for me."

Alanskas is the May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior from the Engineering Technology department. 

"It sounds cliche, but don't give up. I once had to take a break from classes, but after the break, I came back strong and finished."  

Holland is the May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior from the Education department. 

"After graduation, I plan to work with individuals who have co-occurring mental health and substance use issues."

Falin is the May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior from the Social Work department. 

"To me, “be Northern” means being part of a great community, and making lifelong friends."

Springhetti is the May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior from the Health and Human Performance department. 

"I cannot stress this enough: go out and join as many clubs as possible. I have created so many friendships that I wouldn’t have ever had the opportunity to make if I hadn’t joined any organizations on campus."

Kennedy is the May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior from the NMU College of Business. 

"Being a part of the NMU Women's Lacrosse team has probably been my most rewarding experience. It has taught me so much about working hard, leadership, and teamwork."

Kostelec is the May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior from the Nursing department. 

"Figuring out a plan to get hundreds of people vaccinated during a pandemic was not easy. I am so glad I had the opportunity to vaccinate people on campus!"

Badger is the May 2021 Outstanding Graduating Senior from the Nursing department.