Testimonial by Jill Buterbaugh, NMU Parent from Garden City, WI.
How many students do you have attending Northern? What year are they/when did they graduate? What is/was their field of study?
I have two children studying at NMU. My daughter is a junior studying Graphic Design/Public Relations and my son is a freshman with the BFA Acting major.
Describe your student's experience in finding, selecting, and attending Northern. What was your involvement in this process?
My daughter first came to my husband and I and told us that NMU was where she wanted to go. Being from the densely populated SE Michigan area, NMU was exactly the pace she desired. My husband, being an NMU alum, introduced us to Marquette and we all fell in love with the area.
My son applied, but was looking at other options as well. He met the BFA for Acting department head at the Scholarship Competition, who took him on a tour of the Department and my son never looked back. He knew it was where he was meant to be. My son has been in one performance so far and will be performing in February! My daughter is on the board of NoMAD and loves putting together on-campus concerts.
My involvement in it was being their chauffeur for the 7 hour drives. I also encouraged them to make their own decisions and would support them regardless of the outcome.
Was it a difficult or easy decision for your student to attend NMU? What sealed the deal?
Very easy decision. It was hard on mom and dad to have both kids far away, but we love coming up every other month to see them and enjoy Marquette.
What were your main concerns about your student attending Northern? How were those concerns addressed?
The weather! And the bridge (during the winter). Driving the bridge was a huge fear of mine for a long time, but now it's nothing for me to drive it. The weather still makes me nervous, but it is a trade-off for all the beauty that comes with it. The roads on campus are taken care of well and I know they are because I check the NMU Webcams to see what's going on there!
Also being from downstate, I worried about them not having access to the stores, restaurants, etc. that we were accustomed to, but that is not the case at all! They have everything they need (and a lot they can get right on campus) and Marquette has some of the best food I've ever eaten
