Opportunity, Empowerment, and People
The Office of Opportunity, Empowerment & People (OEP) connects NMU’s students, faculty, and staff—especially those from underserved communities—to the programs, partnerships, and resources that help them feel supported and thrive.
Opportunity, Empowerment, and People
The Office of Opportunity, Empowerment & People (OEP) connects NMU’s students, faculty, and staff—especially those from underserved communities—to the programs, partnerships, and resources that help them feel supported and thrive.
Opportunity, Empowerment, and People
The Office of Opportunity, Empowerment & People (OEP) connects NMU’s students, faculty, and staff—especially those from underserved communities—to the programs, partnerships, and resources that help them feel supported and thrive.
Opportunity, Empowerment, and People
The Office of Opportunity, Empowerment & People (OEP) connects NMU’s students, faculty, and staff—especially those from underserved communities—to the programs, partnerships, and resources that help them feel supported and thrive.
Opportunity, Empowerment, and People
The Office of Opportunity, Empowerment & People (OEP) connects NMU’s students, faculty, and staff—especially those from underserved communities—to the programs, partnerships, and resources that help them feel supported and thrive.
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Expanding Access, Creating Opportunity, Empowering Success
The Office of Opportunity, Empowerment, and People at Northern Michigan University is committed to expanding access, creating opportunities, and empowering students, faculty, and staff to thrive. Through strategic collaborations on campus and with community partners, we ensure that all individuals—regardless of background or circumstance—have the pathways, resources, and support needed to succeed.
By removing barriers and fostering environments where individuals can fully participate, we advance educational access and success for students from a variety of backgrounds, including first-generation college students, those with limited financial resources, and individuals who come from academically underprepared backgrounds. We also facilitate faculty and staff development, creating spaces for open dialogue and meaningful engagement, ensuring that all members of the university community can contribute and grow.
The Office of Opportunity, Empowerment, and People creates impact through:
Center for Community & Connection – A 360° support hub that provides resources, builds connections, and strengthens academic success, belonging, civic engagement, and personal confidence. Supported by the King Chavez Parks Select Student Services (KCP 4S), it serves NMU students, faculty, staff, and the Upper Peninsula community.
The Wildcat Collective: Leaders of Honor & Ambition Mentorship Program – A private and grant-funded mentorship program that empowers students and helps them build connections leading to careers in the Upper Peninsula.
MiLEAP Summer Housing Support Program – A grant-funded program offering resources and support for Pell-eligible and first-generation students to help them transition, succeed, and meet their goals.
King-Chavez-Parks (KCP) Select Student Support Services (4S) – Grant-funded initiatives that increase retention and graduation for students who are academically underprepared or socioeconomically disadvantaged.
King-Chavez-Parks (KCP) Visiting Professor Program – A grant-funded effort to increase instructional capacity and provide role models for academically or economically disadvantaged students. (Selection cannot be based on race, color, ethnicity, gender, or national origin.)
BIPOC Outdoors Summit – Encourages all participants to engage with the outdoors in ways that enrich their lives.
Cultural Initiatives – Programs that celebrate cultural traditions and affirm human differences.
Global Ecosystem – Partnerships with organizations at all levels to expand mentorship, leadership development, and career pathways.
NMU Empowerment Statement
Northern Michigan University strives to be an inclusive community where differences are recognized as assets of the institution, respected attributes of the person and a valuable part of the university experience.
Inclusion - Core Value
Northern is a safe and welcoming place. We aspire to learn from and encourage each other as global citizens, neighbors, colleagues, and family. We desire to be a role model in embracing all types of diversity and diverse points of view, engaging in civil society and governance, protecting human rights and promoting social justice.
NMU is Here for You
We’re here to help students and employees who are:
African American/Black | Asian Pacific | Those with Disabilities | First Generation | Food Insecure | Hispanic/Latinx | International | LGBTQ+ | From Low-Income Families | McNair Scholars | Native American | Veterans
Dr. Shawnrece Butler joined NMU in January 2024 and serves as the Assistant Vice President for Opportunity, Empowerment, and People. With over 25 years of higher education experience, Dr. Butler is a visionary leader recognized for her exceptional achievements in disrupting traditional boundaries in order to meet the needs of people where they are at, not where others believe they should be. As a seasoned academic leader, she uses data-informed strategies to advance educational access, opportunity, and empowerment initiatives with a focus on non-traditional student populations, including students from populations with limited resources or academically underprepared backgrounds, pell eligible students, and first generation students. She has a Doctorate of Philosophy from Kent State University and an MBA from Stetson University.
As the Assistant Vice President for Opportunity, Empowerment, and People, she holds a pivotal role on the President’s executive cabinet. Dr. Butler partners with University leadership to embed access, opportunity, empowerment, and belonging into the institution’s mission through high-impact practices, distinctive co-curricular programs, dynamic campus engagement, and strong community partnerships. She also fosters faculty, staff, and student development by facilitating open dialogue and encouraging the free expression of all viewpoints, promoting civil discourse and inclusive teaching and learning environments.
Invest in a Brighter Future for All
NMU is committed to eliminating opportunity gaps and reducing barriers for students from all backgrounds and lived experiences. With your support, the university can create meaningful change, ensuring all students thrive and position itself as a beacon for a brighter, more inclusive future.
OEP Contact Information
Fall and Winter semesters: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
During Summer months: 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Location: 3001 C.B. Hedgcock
Email: diversity@nmu.edu
Phone: (906) 227-2000
Mailing Address:
Opportunity, Empowerment & People
Northern Michigan University
1401 Presque Isle Avenue
Marquette, MI 49855
Anishinaabe Ancestral Homelands Statement
ᑮᐧᐁᑎᓄᒃ ᒥᒋᑲᓐ ᑭᓄᒫᑫ'ᑲᒥᑯᒃ ᑮᐧᐁᑎᓄᒃ ᒥᒋᑲᓐ ᑭᓄᒫᑫ'ᑲᒥᑯᒃ ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯ ᐧᓯ ᔥᑯᑌ ᐊᑭᒃ᙮ ᑭᒋᓇᒣᐱᓂ ᓰᐱᒃ ᐁᔑᓂᑲᑌᒃ ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᒧᐧᐃᓂᒃ Marquette᙮
Giiwedinong Michigan Kinomaage'gamigong ayaa gete-anishinaabewaking Anishinaabe Swi Shkode Aking Gichi-namebini Ziibing ezhinikaadeg Anishinaabemowining Marquette.
Northern Michigan University is located on the ancestral homelands of the Anishinaabe Three Fires Confederacy. Gichi-namebini Ziibing is the traditional name of Marquette. Translation and permission to use it courtesy of the Center for Native American Studies at NMU.