Office of Diversity & Inclusion - NMU Events and Announcements

Office of Diversity & Inclusion

Are you ready to unlock your full potential and make a lasting impact? The Wildcat Collective: Leaders of Honor & Ambition Mentorship Program is calling on ambitious, driven students like you to be part of something transformative!

This dynamic multi-year mentorship program is designed to empower all students while fostering inclusivity and cross-cultural understanding. No matter your background, if you’re eager to develop as a leader, gain real-world experience, and build lifelong connections, this is your opportunity.

Why Join?

✔ Paid Summer Internships – Gain hands-on experience with local businesses and organizations that align with your career goals.
✔ Financial Support – We’ve got you covered! Enjoy summer housing, transportation, and food assistance so you can focus on growing your skills.
✔ Career-Boosting Connections – Build relationships with mentors, professionals, and community leaders who are invested in your success.
✔ Pathway to Employment – Many of our graduates will land job offers right here in Marquette and the Upper Peninsula, making it easier to stay and thrive.

Shape Your Future & Strengthen Your Community

By joining the Wildcat Collective, you’re not just setting yourself up for success—you’re also contributing to a stronger, more inclusive local workforce. This program is designed to retain talent, drive innovation, and create opportunities for NMU students and the broader community.

This is your chance to be part of a movement that values ambition, integrity, and service. Take the leap—invest in yourself, grow as a leader, and build a future you’re proud of!

Apply Today & Take the First Step Toward Your Bright Future!

Office of Diversity & Inclusion

For nearly two decades, Northern Michigan University has proudly brought together students, faculty, staff, and community members through the annual UNITED Conference: Uniting Neighbors in the Experience of Diversity. Since its inception, UNITED has served as a cornerstone event to advance justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) on campus and in the broader Marquette community. 

It is a platform for learning, sharing, and fostering meaningful dialogue that promotes understanding across identities and experiences.

This year’s theme, "Voices of the Earth: Learning, Leading, and Advancing Equity Together," centers the interconnectedness between environmental justice and social equity. It reminds us that addressing climate change and sustainability must include justice for the marginalized communities disproportionately affected by environmental degradation.

We're looking for passionate educators, activists, students, and leaders to present at this year's conference.

Office of Diversity & Inclusion

The inaugural Indigenous Perspectives Symposium on Art is this week, Friday, November 1st in the Northern Center.  The doors open at 8am and we are excited to showcase some great presentations, performances, and art focused activities throughout the day.  

This email includes information about the event and if you have any questions feel free to email Assistant Director of the Diversity & Inclusion Office, Justin Schapp, at Jschapp@nmu.edu. 

Registration is free and through the NMU Ticketing Office here: https://nmu.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?id=3525.  Please Note that space is limited. 

Indigenous Perspectives Symposium on Art
Friday, November 1st, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
NMU’s Northern Center

This is an inaugural event focused on providing a space for Indigenous perspectives to flourish. Our purpose is to open a welcoming space for knowledge dissemination to an interested or broader audience about the intersection of art with Indigenous Peoples, Nations, communities, and lifeways. We are hosting this event to increase opportunities for creative collaborations across a wide variety of art mediums and presentations, from traditional to contemporary interpretations by sharing the story of Indigenous arts across NMU’s service area and providing discussion perspectives on impacts to campus/regional diversity and belonging.  For more information visit https://nmu.edu/indigenous-perspectives-symposium/.

Indigenous Perspectives Symposium screening of "Bring Them Home" film
Friday, November 1st, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
NMU’s Jamrich Hall Theater

"Following her Oscar-nominated role in Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Lily Gladstone is narrating and executive producing a new documentary titled “Bring Them Home,” about a Blackfeet initiative to bring buffalo back to the wild and reclaim centuries of Indigenous tradition.  Directed by Blackfeet brother-sister duo Ivan MacDonald and Ivy MacDonald, as well as Daniel Glick, the 85-minute feature will premiere at Big Sky Documentary Film Festival on Feb. 24. The screening will take place at 6 p.m. and is sponsored by The Nature Conservatory. “Bring Them Home” follows a decades-long effort by members of the “Blackfoot Confederacy” to bring buffalo back to the Blackfeet Reservation. The film examines the role the buffalo, or “iinnii,” played in Blackfeet life before settlers killed millions of the species in an attempt to eradicate the tribe." - Ethan Shanfeld, Variety Online Magazine.

"Bring Them Home" trailer is located here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAK3IYj2NqI

Highlights of the Symposium are:
Keynote Speaker Jonathan Thunder
Decolonizing Diet inspired luncheon
Dance Performance by Woodland Sky Native American Dance Company
"Bring Them Home" film narrated by Lily Gladstone
Bead working workshop
Ziibiwing Center Anishinaabe Art
NMU Student Mural Art project with Sawftsea

Register for the Indigenous Perspectives Symposium on Arts at:
https://nmu.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?id=3525