History of the Program
An early recommendation for an Honors Program came from the Committee on Undergraduate Programs and was presented to the Academic Senate in May 1967. At that time little was done to develop such a program. However, over the years the idea was discussed by both the faculty and administration.
In the fall of 1998, the Honors Program officially was born. Directors have been William L. Knox (1998-2003), Robert Goodrich (2003-07), Michael Broadway (2008-10), David H. Wood (2010-19), and Michael W. Joy (Interim Director, 2013-14, 2019 - current). Due to the program's growth, the position of Assistant Director was created in 2014; Michael Joy served in that role until his promotion in June 2019. As of October 2019, Anna Zimmer is the Assistant Director of the Honors Program.
Mission
The Honors Program at Northern Michigan University encourages its students to develop critical thinking skills, engage in scholarship and become part of a learning community. The program provides opportunities for students to work collaboratively with individual faculty members and present the results of their scholarship.