Madison Johnson

My dad graduated from NMU in the early 90s after being raised in Marquette and my Grandpa work for NMU for decades. My dad moved down to Neenah and when we visited Marquette to see my grandparents, we’d always drive by campus and Dad would point out what buildings he had classes in and where Grandpa had worked. Grandpa always took us to hockey games as well. The atmosphere at the Hockey games was always so powerful. Because of my deep roots in NMU and the impact Northern had on me, even as a little kid, NMU was where i was going to go to college!
 

I started at NMU fall of 2019 and I tried several different majors until spring of 2021, when I finally quit because I didn’t know what I wanted to do. My partner made a comment one time that he thought I’d make a good teacher and I couldn’t agree more so I came back to school winter of 2023 and the rest is history!
 

The education program as a whole is amazing! I’ve barely been admitted into the program for a semester and I’m already observing in classrooms, which helps get my foot in the door for future jobs. Some of my observations I get to help students as if I was a fully trained teacher which helps get hands on experience for the future!
 

Being a wildcat is being supported from staff and faculty and having advisors who have your back. There’s also a sense of community that comes from being a wildcat, I’m not necessarily an outgoing person, but I’m comfortable talking to anyone and asking for help when I need it!
 

Honestly, taking a gap year really helped. It allowed me to focus on my job. Which in turn helped me gain a better work ethic and helped me be more comfortable and confident in communicating and asking for help!
 

Do it. Northern has a strong programs and supportive staff who want you to succeed. Also, come see the salamanders that are about to be migrating out on Presque Isle!
 

I’m a non traditional student and when I decided to come for winter 2023, Jessi Dhanapal was the best at helping me come back and enter the ED program, she was straightforward about the work I was going to have to do to meet the requirements. She also was proud of the work I did in order to earn a spot on the Dean’s List last semester. Thanks Jessi!