Julian Bunker, who studied photography at Northern, has shot scenic landscapes across the country during breaks from his electrician projects. But he told MyNorth.com that his favorite subject is closer to home: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. MyNorth featured an article on Bunker and some of his winter photos of the site here. To see a more expansive collection of Bunker's landscape and wildlife shots from Michigan and beyond, visit his website here.

NMU's Wildcat ranks as the 32nd best sports logo from among more than 250 unveiled in 2016, according to the annual Creamer Awards. A judging panel led by Chris Creamer, founder of SportsLogos.net, determines the best and worst designs from eligible entries representing amateur and professional sports teams. To see the full ranking, click here. 

An Upper Peninsula native and Northern Michigan University graduate has made a bequest of nearly $1 million to her alma mater. Olive (Kuehnl) Sain passed away at age 98 in Marquette. She was raised in Bruce Crossing and graduated from Ewen High School. The Olive Ann Kuehnl Sain Scholarship Fund will provide financial support for students pursuing a bachelor’s degree at NMU. Priority will be given to graduates of Ewen-Trout Creek High School and preference to students with majors in health-related fields. 

Gov. Rick Snyder today announced the appointments of Lisa Fittante of Kingsford, Alexis Hart of Royal Oak and James Haveman of Grand Haven to the Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees. The eight-member board is the governing body of the university.

Chas Betts, an NMU grad and 2012 Olympian, has made a successful transition from amateur Greco-Roman wrestler to WWE professional. Now competing as Chad Gable, he and Jason Jordan comprise the tag-team duo American Alpha. They will participate in a SmackDown Live show Dec. 30 at American Airlines Arena in Miami. To see a feature story on Gable's progression in the sport and his efforts to combine athleticism with entertainment for the WWE, click here. He earned his BFA from Northern in 2010.

Northern Michigan University’s School of Art and Design has established a bilateral partnership with the University of Art and Design Cluj-Napoca in Romania. The agreement includes student and faculty exchanges, beginning with the winter semester. Other objectives include collaborations with art institutions worldwide and enhanced international visibility for NMU.

Northern Michigan University will offer a new medicinal plant chemistry program, beginning with the fall 2017 semester. It is the only four-year degree of its kind to combine experimental horticulture and advanced analytical chemistry with an optional entrepreneurial track. The program is designed to prepare students for success in emerging industries related to medicinal plant production, analysis and distribution.

Northern Michigan University ceramics professor Brian Kakas, who was honored this month with an NMU Excellence in Teaching Award, recently led NMU students to Bali. They used sustainable materials to build Indonesia’s first soda kiln and worked alongside the world’s leading expert in the soda-firing technique. The students also tested different clay formulations and completed test firings of their own pieces to determine variances in the process.

The upcoming production of Scrooge, like most Northern Michigan University shows in recent years, will feature costumes made from repurposed fabric and other items. Apron pockets are cut from a holiday blanket. Petticoats are made from a wedding dress. Collar and cuff trim once graced pillows and bedspreads. In an effort to be more sustainable and cost-conscious, Professor Shelley Russell has adopted a “do more with less” approach to costume design.

The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees approved a new medicinal plant chemistry bachelor’s degree that will be implemented in fall 2017. Trustees also discussed the following budget reinvestments: $200,000 for the fund supporting contingent/adjunct instructors and teaching overloads; $50,000 for student travel; and $50,000 for academic support funding.

Three NMU faculty members and one alumnus gave a panel presentation titled “Becoming Just: Feminist World-Making Around the Globe” at the National Women’s Studies Association annual conference. The event was held in November in Montreal, Quebec. NMU faculty participants Patricia Killelea, Rachel May and Jaspal Singh of English were joined by NMU graduate Kyle Bladow, a Native American studies professor at Northland College.

Andre Stringer of Detroit will be the student speaker at Northern Michigan University’s mid-year commencement on Saturday, Dec. 10. Kyle Hantz of Marquette will be the student soloist at the ceremony. He will lead the singing of the university’s alma mater, “Hail Northern,” and the national anthem.

A new recognition program will debut at Northern Michigan University’s mid-year commencement on Saturday, Dec. 10. The Students’ Choice Award is presented to a faculty or staff member nominated by graduating students to serve as the keynote speaker at the ceremony. The first recipient is Martin Reinhardt, a professor in the Center for Native American Studies.

Six Northern Michigan University faculty members were recognized at the annual Celebration of Excellence in Teaching and Scholarship. Recipients and their awards were: Christi Edge of Education and Brian Kakas of Art and Design, Excellence in Teaching; Neil Cumberlidge and Kurt Galbreath, both of Biology, Excellence in Scholarship; Mounia Ziat of Psychology, Technology Innovation; and Dwight Brady of Communication and Performance Studies, Academic Service Learning.

The Beaumier Upper Peninsula Heritage Center at Northern Michigan University will host a 10th anniversary celebration from 4-6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, at its gallery in Gries Hall. The event will feature live music, appetizers, refreshments and cake. Admission is free.

The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees will hold its next regularly scheduled meeting Thursday and Friday, Dec. 8-9. Committee meetings will take place Thursday afternoon and the business/formal session with the full board begins at 9:30 a.m. Friday in the Marquette, Nicolet and Cadillac Rooms of the University Center. For the agenda and supporting materials, visit nmu.edu/boardbook. 

Northern Michigan University's mid-year commencement will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, in the Superior Dome. Media interested in covering the ceremony may obtain a media pass in advance from Derek Hall by calling 227-2716. There are 561 students eligible for December graduation. The total number participating in the ceremony (including seven who completed their graduation requirements in August) will be 386. 

A Northern Michigan University alumna who teaches in Alaska was inspired by Thanksgiving to express her gratitude to NMU education professors and staff for effectively preparing her for a career in the field. Hannah Snow wrote in an email that one of her school administrators validated her readiness by saying, “You’re the most proficient first-year teacher I’ve ever seen.”

Northern Michigan University has the 20th best automotive technology program in the nation among four-year schools, according to the 2016-2017 rankings released by AccreditedSchoolsOnline.org.

The Wildcat Den Holiday Lunch will be held from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6., in the University Center. The menu features carved Superior Angus roasts, roasted bone-in pork loins, garlic lime shrimp skewers, parmesan-whipped Yukon gold potatoes, maple-glazed carrots and a fried ravoli bar.

Northern Michigan University's Forest Roberts Theatre will re-establish its tradition of performing "Scrooge" before the holidays. The musical is based on the Dickens classic, "A Christmas Carol." The cast is composed of NMU students, faculty and staff, along with community members. The story follows a bitter old man's discovery of the true meaning of Christmas.

The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will present a winter driving survival workshop with tips on what items to keep in a vehicle and how to stay safe if a car breaks down or gets stuck.

Singer-songwriter Joe Secreast and the duo Wylde Flowers will perform at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, at the Panowski Black Box Theatre at Northern Michigan University. This Beaumier Coffee House concert is co-sponsored by the Hiawatha Music Co-op and the Marquette Regional History Center.

NMU alumnus Bob Chase, a longtime radio broadcaster for the Fort Wayne Komets of the East Coast Hockey League and mentor to NHL play-by-play announcer Mike "Doc" Emrick, died early Thursday. He was 90. Chase was born Robert Wallenstein in Negaunee, grew up in Marquette and graduated from NMU in 1952. He called Fort Wayne games for 63 seasons on WOWO-AM. Chase received numerous awards, including the prestigious Lester Patrick Award for outstanding service to hockey in the United States. He was inducted into both the Indiana Sportswriters and Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame. Read a tribute here.

Oneida Faithkeeper Robert Brown will give a presentation about "The Art of Peace" exhibit by Six Nations (Mohawk) artist Elizabeth Doxtater that is on display at NMU's DeVos Art Museum. His talk is scheduled at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 29, at the museum.

The Alumni Associations of Northern Michigan University, Michigan Tech, Lake Superior State and Finlandia are hosting “Yooper Night at the Joe” on Friday, Dec. 9. The event will commemorate the farewell season at Joe Louis Arena. Alumni and friends are invited to a free pre-game reception at the Delux Lounge at 5 p.m. before watching the Red Wings play the Columbus Blue Jackets at 7:30. Alumni Association tickets for the event are sold out, but individual game tickets may be purchased by calling Jenna, NMU’s Red Wings ticket representative, at 313-471-7408. 

The Northern Michigan University Music Department will present a Holiday Collage Concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, in Reynolds Recital Hall. This non-stop musical event features the NMU band, choirs, orchestra and a variety of solos and ensembles. It will be performed in two acts without applause between selections. 

Andy Bisek is the new assistant coach for USA Wrestling’s Greco-Roman program at the U.S. Olympic Training Site at Northern Michigan University. Bisek has been an internationally ranked Greco-Roman wrestler for many years and most recently competed at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero. The new appointment marks Bisek’s return to NMU, where he previously trained en route to earning a bachelor’s degree in Physical Geography in 2010. He later moved on to the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. after graduation. Read the full story here. 

Northern Michigan University Athletics will participate in the annual Rock the Socks campaign coordinated by Marquette Alternative High School (MAHS). Fans are encouraged to bring new infant, youth or adult socks to the Dec. 9 hockey game between the Wildcats and Alabama-Huntsville. K-12 students can get into the game free by donating a pair of socks. MAHS has also placed collection boxes at the NMU Athletics office, Marquette County high schools and other locations.

Northern Michigan University has been named a 2017 Military Friendly School by Victory Media. This is NMU’s eighth consecutive appearance on the list. The designation honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools nationwide that are “doing the most to embrace military students and dedicate resources to ensure their success in the classroom after graduation.”

The Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center at Northern Michigan University has received a $15,000 Michigan Humanities Council grant for a multi-faceted commemoration titled “World War I Remembered.” It will consist of dozens of public programs and exhibitions connected to the history of WWI and Upper Peninsula communities. 

Northern Michigan University will host its 29th annual Lighting Up the Holidays, a free kickoff to the season for families from NMU and the Marquette community, on Wednesday, Nov. 30. It runs from 5-8 p.m. in the Peter White Lounge of the University Center.

Jesse Tarr, NMU alumnus and president of Wind Secure in Lake Orion, is one of the "30 in Their Thirties" subjects profiled by the Detroit business journal, dBusiness. His travels from home to NMU as a construction management student inspired his career choice. Tarr developed his own business in wind turbine foundation maintenance, patented a process for determining how much tension is on the anchor bolts, has written best practices for the American Wind Energy Association and chairs AWEA’s operations and maintenance working group. Read his profile here. 

NMU has begun the design process for an estimated $17.5 million renovation of the University Center. An architect has been hired and a 16-member advisory committee with broad campus representation is being established. 

Northern Michigan University is launching three new food and ticket family pack options for upcoming Wildcat home hockey games. 

Two NMU alumni have been named the first head coaches Bay College history, as the institution establishes an athletics program. Rae Drake Jr. will lead the women’s basketball team and Jim Murtha will coach the cross-country team. Both attended Bay prior to graduating from Northern.

Northern Michigan University’s construction management program is benefitting from rare learning and internship opportunities associated with the new housing complex being built on campus. The university, private developer, contractor and architectural firm all signed a collaborative educational agreement that gives students access to a “living laboratory” for the duration of the two-year project.

President Fritz Erickson has recently said efforts to increase international enrollment include “building off relationships so many of us have with individual countries.” He mentioned NMU Board of Trustees Chair Sook Wilkinson’s ties to South Korea. He also referenced faculty serving as “country specialists” who research enrollment potential and lead recruiting trips. A recent example was a trip by professor Madison Ngafeeson from the College of Business and biology major/pre-med student Rebecca Nyinawabeza to their home countries of Cameroon and Rwanda, respectively.

NMU business administration graduate Teri List-Stoll has been appointed executive vice president and chief financial officer at Gap Inc., effective Jan. 17. According to a press release, she will have oversight of the company’s global finance function, as well as loss prevention and corporate administration divisions. 

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy has added two Northern Michigan University economics department faculty members to its Board of Scholars, according to a press release. Tawni Ferrarini and Hugo Eyzaguirre join other academic and business leaders who "support and contribute to the center’s mission of improving the quality of life in Michigan through high-quality, public policy research that promotes the benefits of free markets, limited government and the rule of law."

David Kronk, contingent Instructor iin NMU's outdoor recreation, leadership and management program, recently presented "How to Develop an After-School Junior Naturalist Program" at the annual conference of the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE). About 1,200 educators attended the conference in Madison, Wis. 

Editors: Please note the Nov. 28 registration deadline. he Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will host a tango workshop on the correct hold and body position, along with basic steps that will form a dance routine. The workshop will be held from 2-4 p.m. Monday, Dec. 5,  at the Dance Zone at the corner of College Avenue and Lincoln Street.  

Northern’s Sustainability Advisory Council is surveying students and employees about their commuting habits to NMU as part of its campus-wide sustainability audit. A short survey about preferred modes of transportation and routes to campus is available until Friday, Nov. 25. Take the survey by clicking here. For more information, contact Sarah Mittlefehldt, NMU professor and co-chair of the Sustainability Advisory Council at smittlef@nmu.edu.

Northern Michigan University is bridging the digital divide that continues to exist in the Upper Peninsula and beyond, where rural households either lack broadband entirely or the minimal speeds required for educational use. NMU’s Educational Access Network (EAN) merges the broadband coverage and speed of the university’s revolutionary LTE system with a growing array of courses for professional and personal development. NMU is also working with the region’s K-12 school districts and colleges to deliver broadband to students and their families.

NMU students in a graduate-level psychology course will present their research on a variety of topics at 3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18, in the first-floor atrium of the New Science Facility. Topics include E-cigarettes, managing behavior in the classroom, treatments for Autism Spectrum Disorder, stress in student athletes and receptor pharmacology of Gabapentin.

Northern Michigan University's music department will present its final jazz concert of the fall semester at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17 at Reynolds Recital Hall. The concert will feature the NMU Jazz Band, NMU Jazz Combo and the NMU Jazz Workshop Combo. 

Representatives of Spalding Hall recently presented $1,554.72 to UPAWS. They had participated in a "Change that Makes Cents" penny wars competition held among all residence halls as part of Homecoming. The hall that raised the most money collected all of the funds and was able to donate to the charity of its choice. Spalding students selected UPAWS. 

The Human Resources office is moving to its new location on the first floor of Cohodas Hall. The Services Building location will be closed as of Tuesday, Nov. 15. Human Resources will open in its new space on Friday, Nov. 18. All Human Resources employees will be reachable via phone and/or email during the transition.

Northern Michigan University professor Jessica Thompson was inducted Nov. 12 as president of the Environmental Communication Division of the National Communication Association. The ceremony took place at the NCA national convention in Philadelphia, Pa.

The Northern Climate Network will host a presentation by NMU professor Jes Thompson titled “Communicating Climate Change” at noon Friday, Nov. 18. in 1320 Jamrich Hall. 

The Loss Prevention Foundation (LPF) announced that Northern Michigan University has agreed to waive the loss prevention management 101 prerequisite for anyone who is LPQualified or LPCertified. This enables students to take advanced courses without the prerequisite. 

The Transparency Project Committee debuted a series of new communication tools and recommendations it has been working on to improve transparency in campus-wide decision-making and communication processes at Monday’s (Nov. 7) information forum.

Tawni Ferrarini, Sam M. Cohodas Professor of Economics at NMU, coauthored a lesson plan related to one of the contentious issues of the recent presidential campaign: the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The piece explained why economists disagree with the special interest argument presented by the presidential candidates. 

Northern Michigan University's political science department will sponsor a post-presidential election panel on Tuesday, Nov. 15. The event runs from 5-6:30 p.m. in 1318 Jamrich. The public is invited.

The Northern Michigan University student chapter of the Hiawatha Music Co-op will host a free “Third Thursday Jam Session” every month for the remainder of the academic year. The first event on Nov. 17 will feature the Yooper Uke Club. It runs from 5:30-7 p.m. at NMU’s Beaumier Heritage Center, located at the corner of Seventh Street and Lee Drive. Members of the public are invited to bring any acoustic instruments and jam with the group. 

Northern Michigan University professor Amy Hamilton will present an English Faculty Research Colloquium titled “Peregrinations: Walking in American Literature.” This is the tentative title of her second book, which explores the trope of walking in American texts from a cross-cultural perspective. Hamilton demonstrates how representations of walking allow writers to engage with a wide array of histories, stories and traditions.

The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will host a program titled “Michigan Iron Mining: Past, Present and Future” from 2-4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18, at the Michigan Iron Industry Museum in Negaunee. Museum historians will give a brief introduction and answer questions before participants embark on a self-guided tour. Refreshments will be served. 

The indie rock band Beach Fossils will perform at Northern Michigan University on Saturday, Nov. 12. The concert is scheduled from 6:30-10 p.m. in the Explorer Room of the University Center. The concert will also feature Varsity and Matt Langlais. Admission is free for NMU students and $5 for the general public.

The Central Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan University Archives will present "The Italian Experience: Early 20th Century Italian Immigration in Marquette County." This Evening at the Archives event begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, in the lower level of the NMU Learning Resources Center. 

Lois Raimondo, a Pulitzer Prize finalist for investigative reporting, will present "Fractured Spaces: A Journalist's Account of Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Violence Against Women." Her talk is scheduled at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 14, in 1100 Jamrich Hall at Northern Michigan University. 

Amanda Johnson, a board-certified neuropsychologist at UP Health System-Marquette, will present "Case Studies in Progressive Dementia" as part of the Northern Michigan University Psychology Colloquium Series. Her talk is scheduled at 3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11, in 1318 Jamrich Hall. The public is invited.

The NMU Transparency Project Committee will hold its next informational forum for students, faculty and staff from 4-6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 7, in the Michigan/Ontario Rooms of the University Center. The focus is to share the tools and resources the committee has developed to improve transparency in campus-wide decision-making and communication processes.

Northern Michigan University biology professor Kurt Galbreath will present "Parasites: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" as part of the continuing Science on Tap series. The presentation will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, at the Ore Dock Brewing Company. Admission is free.

The Northern Michigan University music department will present a screening of the Royal Ballet production of Giselle. The event begins at 5 p.m. Sunday Nov. 13, in 1100 Jamrich Hall. 

The Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center will host a round-table discussion on boom and ghost towns in the Upper Peninsula and beyond on Thursday, Nov. 10. The event begins at 6 p.m. at the center, located at the corner of Seventh Street and Lee Drive on the Northern Michigan University campus. It is free and open to the public.

NMU Human Resources has scheduled its annual enrollment period for various benefit plans from Monday, Nov. 7, through Monday, Nov. 14. This is the time for faculty and staff to enroll if they haven’t already, or to add or delete spouses and dependents. Employees are automatically enrolled in health, prescription, dental and vision coverage each year. Those who want to participate in flexible spending accounts must take steps to enroll annually. Human Resources has also announced that, following a bid process, new carriers for prescription drug and vision benefits will go into effect Jan. 1.

ESPN commissioned NMU alumnus Dan Streeting ('05) to design this poster to commemorate the Cubs' historic World Series run. It is available for $20 and may be a hot commodity following the team's dramatic, extra-inning win last night. Streeting is based in Chicago. He said the poster celebrates the sense of community that has grown up around Wrigley Field, as symbolized by the surrounding architecture and rooftop bleachers that lean over to support the stadium.

The Transparency Project Committee will hold its next informational forum for students, faculty and staff from 4-6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 7, in the Michigan/Ontario Rooms of the University Center. The focus of the forum is to share the tools and resources the committee has developed to improve transparency in campus-wide decision-making and communication processes.

Former Northern Michigan University head coach Gil Krueger, who guided the Wildcats to the 1975 NCAA Division II Football Championship, passed away Oct. 30. He was 87 and a resident of Walnut Creek, Calif. Krueger coached at NMU from 1974-77. His achievements included 1975 NCAA II Coach of the Year, a school-record 10 regular-season wins and an 18-game winning streak that remains the longest in program history. He also coached eight All-Americans.

The Northern Michigan University Physics Club recently visited the Mackinac Bridge Authority. An engineer gave a presentation on why and how the structure was built, how it is maintained and improved each year and special projects involving the bridge. Two students were selected in a random drawing to be accompanied to the top of the south tower, which extends 300 feet above the roadway. The remaining seven students were brought to the north anchor pier and taken 200 feet below the bridge to see how the main suspension cables are anchored to the ground.

The NMU Alumni Association encourages faculty and staff members to nominate graduates who exemplify the Wildcat spirit through their professional and personal lives. There are five annual award categories and recipients are honored at Homecoming. The nomination deadline is Dec. 31.

The U.S. Surgeon General concluded in 2012 that watching actors smoke cigarettes in movies causes young teens to try smoking. The next Northern Michigan University psychology colloquium will focus on the larger social context of the tobacco epidemic and the scientific methods and evidence that led to the Surgeon General's conclusion.

Andrew Mallo, NMU graduate and former Archives student assistant, has won the 2016 James L. Fisher Outstanding Thesis Competition at Illinois State University. His thesis is titled “Spatial Organization of Lithic Technology at the Mather-Klauer Lodge Site: A Terminal Woodland Occupation on Grand Island.” As an NMU undergrad and later as an ISU grad student, Mallo participated in the Grand Island Archaeological Program summer field school directed by NMU alumnus and ISU professor James Skibo (’82).

The next Your Health presentation at Northern Michigan University is titled "Diabesity: The Unabated Epidemic of Diabetes and Obesity." The featured presenter is Dr. Saleh Aldasouqi, chief of the endocrinology division at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. The event is scheduled at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, in NMU's Reynolds Recital Hall. Admission is free.

As announced at the recent campus forum, Northern Michigan University administrators are scheduled to present the proposed site for an outdoor forensic anthropology research station to the Marquette City Commission tonight (Oct. 31). The research site is on a 2.3-acre wooded bluff off US 41. It is located on state land between the Marquette Branch Prison and Department of Natural Resources, in the vicinity of the Marquette Area Wastewater Treatment Facility.

Northern Michigan University's construction management program received a $3,000 donation from Mortenson Company, a global construction and real estate development firm. Alumnus Jon Nehls presented the check. He directs Mortenson's Wisconsin operations and said the company routinely recruits from NMU.

The Travis Swanson Trio and the Who Dat? Brass Band will perform at the next Beaumier Coffee House Series concert on Saturday, Nov. 5. The event begins at 7 p.m. in the Panowski Black Box Theatre in the McClintock Building. Admission is a suggested donation of $5 for adults and $1 for students.

Author and investigative journalist Eric Schlosser will present “Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal” at Northern Michigan University. His talk begins at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 2, in 1100 Jamrich Hall. Admission is free for NMU students with ID and $2 for the general public.

Northern Michigan University has the 17th best construction management program in the nation among four-year schools, according to 2016-17 rankings released by AccreditedSchoolsOnline.org.

The Northern Michigan University Regional Police Academy will host a mandatory meeting for those interested in attending the next academy. It is scheduled at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30, in room 132 of the NMU Jacobetti Complex. 

Northern Michigan University's Center for Native American Studies will present a free performance by the Woodland Sky Dance Company on Friday, Nov. 18. The event begins at 7 p.m. in Reynolds Recital Hall. It is part of NMU's Native American Heritage Month celebration taking place in November. 

Northern Michigan University's Center for Native American Studies will honor Native American Heritage Month with several activities in November. All are free unless otherwise indicated.

The Student Leader Fellowship Program (SLFP) at Northern Michigan University received the 2016  U.P. Service Award in the volunteer program category from the Great Lakes Center for Youth Development. The award was presented at the recent U.P. Non-Profit Conference held on campus. SLFP was recognized "for mobilizing people and resources to deliver creative solutions to community needs.”

John Hebert, NMU alumnus and vice president of the NMU Foundation Board of Trustees, will receive the Edmund T. Ahee Jewel Award for Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser from the Association of Fundraising Professionals-Greater Detroit Chapter. Crain's Detroit Business reports that Hebert helped Leader Dogs for the Blind, which he serves as board chair, raise $14.5 million for a new canine development center. 

Northern Michigan University is the top Upper Peninsula school in the 2016-17 “Best Online Colleges in Michigan” ranking released by affordablecollegesonline.org. NMU is 10th among all state public and private institutions on the list.

Northern Michigan University’s DeVos Art Museum will host a discussion and workshop titled “Quilting Then and Now: Giveaways, Swaps and Conversations.” It is scheduled from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5. Admission is free.

The 16th annual First Nations Food Taster at Northern Michigan University will be held from 5-7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4, in the Jacobetti Complex. Many of the menu items are inspired by the Decolonizing Diet Project, which celebrates Great Lakes indigenous foods and ingredients. Returning menu items include bison stew, three sisters’ casserole, pumpkin corn bread and sun butter cookies. New menu items include turkey stir-fry and mint wild rice salad.

Dash Ten, the only original rock band backed by a branch of the military, will perform a free concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1, in Northern Michigan University's Reynolds Recital Hall. The U.S. Army trio was started by  Sgt. Corrin Campbell, originally of Duluth, Minn., and includes Staff Sgts. Peter Greenberg and Steve Ebert.

It took seven years to obtain a final conviction in the 2009 murder of NMU alumnus and former Olympic boxer Vernon Forrest. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Charmon Sinkfield fired the fatal gunshots after he and two other men robbed Forrest of a custom world-champion ring and gold watch outside an Atlanta gas station. Forrest trained with the former U.S. Olympic Education Center boxing team at NMU while pursuing a business degree. He was four-time world champion, 1992 Olympic team member and compiled a professional record of 41-3. Read the full story here. 

Northern Michigan University's Music Department will host a free drum set clinic with Scott Pellegrom, an NMU alumnus and former finalist in Guitar Center's National Drum-Off Competition. The clinic is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30, in Reynolds Recital Hall. It is open to the public. 

The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will hike a portion of the North Country Scenic Trail from Kawbawgam Pocket Park to Lake LaVasseur on Tuesday, Nov. 1. 

A court-ordered drawdown of the Deer Lake Basin provided an opportunity to complete an archaeological survey of its shores, which led to the discovery of a late Paleo-Indian site. The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will host a presentation on what became known as the Gordo Site and provide a glimpse into this previously unknown time period in the Upper Peninsula.

Don Shaffer, a Northern Michigan university alumnus and senior scientist at Jounce Therapeutics, will present "Immunotherapy: A new hope for long-term cancer regression." His talk is scheduled at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, in 2904 West Science. Shaffer will also present "Engineering CARs for Cancer Immunotherapy" at 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28, in NMU's Mead Auditorium in the West Science Building. Both are free and open to the public. 

Northern Michigan University is a partner in the largest grant-funded project announced by the Superior Health Foundation at its fall celebration on Thursday. The U.P. Area Health Education Center (UPAHEC), based at NMU, also was among the 26 health-centered organizations across the region selected as grant recipients. 

John Driscoll, who earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from NMU, has been promoted to the newly created position of senior vice president of recovery services for the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.

NMU graduate Adam Harkness has joined K2 Sports in Seattle as digital and social media strategist to oversee the brand’s online presence. K2 Sports operates an international portfolio of 14 brands and more than 40 consumer product categories. These include ski equipment, snowboards, snowshoes, in-line skates, apparel and accessories. 

he Northern Michigan University Cat Packs program received a $500 donation from Coldwell Banker Schmidt Marquette at a recent fundraiser. NMU Cat Packs volunteers assemble weekend meals for North Star Academy students from financially challenged families. The packs are distributed to about 70 students who qualify for the free or reduced lunch program.

Thomas A. Smith has applied his NMU bachelor's degree to a career in health care security. He is a recognized expert in the field and was recently interviewed for a story titled "Establishing a hospital security plan that works" in Health Facilities Management magazine. Smith is president and former associate consultant at Healthcare Security Consultants in Chapel Hill, N.C. He previously directed police/public safety operations at medical facilities in North Carolina and Michigan. To see his interview, click here. 

More than 20 years ago, an NMU grad student, professor and staff member formed what became known simply as “men’s group,” a community of men searching for ways to be complete in their careers and relationships. Gregory Ormson was pursuing his master’s degree in English when he became part of that original trio. He recently returned to Marquette from Hawaii, reconnected with group members and wrote an article titled "In the Shadow of the Angel, a Return to the Men's Group," which appeared on www.goodmenproject.com.

NMU Facilities personnel began searching for opportunities to reduce electrical costs in advance of the 30 percent Marquette Board of Light and Power rate hike that went into effect Oct. 1. They obtained more than $15,000 in MBLP energy optimization rebates and will save at least $35,000 in annual costs through recent projects that minimized lighting in the Superior Dome and DeVos Art Museum.

Northern Michigan University has joined the new Regional Cyber Education Collaboration, an effort by the higher education community and key private sector partners to address Michigan’s shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals. Gov. Rick Snyder announced the RCEC on Monday at the 2016 International Cyber Summit in Detroit. Joining NMU as initial collaborators in the effort are Wayne State University, Central Michigan University and the Ann Arbor-based Merit Network.

Carol J. Adams, author of The Sexual Politics of Meat, will give a presentation at Northern Michigan University on Thursday, Oct. 27. Her book explores a relationship between patriarchal values and meat eating by interweaving the insights of feminism, vegetarianism, animal defense and literary theory. The Sexual Politics of Meat inspired and enraged readers and triggered international media coverage when it was first published in 1990.

Northern Michigan University’s Lake Effect Show Choir will perform a selection of pop songs with the Manistique Glee Club. The concert begins at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23, in Reynolds Recital Hall. Admission is free. Songs include Footloose, Get on Your Feet, Mary Poppins Medley and Touch the Sky. Soloists from both ensembles will also be featured. 

"Make a Difference Day,” a nationwide event that celebrates neighbors helping neighbors, will be held on Saturday, Oct. 22.  The Northern Michigan University Volunteer Center is coordinating the event locally. It is estimated that roughly 1,000 volunteers will assist residents at 243 service locations with outdoor tasks such as raking and other yard work, washing windows and routine fall maintenance.

The Northern Michigan University French Club will present the classic 1922 silent film, Crainquebille, with live grand piano accompaniment on Wednesday, Oct. 26. The event begins at 7 p.m. in the University Center Ontario room. Admission is free.

NMU alumnus Russ Phillips (2000) knows the value of study-abroad experiences. He spent a year in Swansea, Wales, as an international studies major at NMU. Now he facilitates similar opportunities for college students nationwide as a senior manager at the Council on International Educational Exchange. Phillips recently returned to campus in his CIEE capacity to participate in the NMU study-abroad fair, providing information to students and faculty members.

Alumnus James Howard Carr recently returned to NMU to watch the world premiere of his play, Where a Certain Future. The historical drama depicts a fictional Jewish family’s response to the actual events of Nov. 9, 1938. “Kristallnacht,” often referred to as the “Night of Broken Glass,” signified a wave of anti-Semitic violence instigated by the Nazis after a German diplomat was shot by a Jewish teenager and later died. Carr sat down for an interview near the end of the NMU run and explained his motivation for writing a play that revolves around this pivotal event.

The annual Returning Veterans Mental Health Conference coordinated by Michigan Area Health Education Center will be offered at five locations statewide, including Northern Michigan University. It originates from Mt. Pleasant and will be simulcast at NMU’s Olson Library from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4. 

The two men vying for the 96th District Court judge seat will participate in a candidate forum on Thursday, Oct. 20, at Northern Michigan University. The NMU Student Law Forum is hosting the event at 7 p.m. in 1318 Jamrich Hall. It is open to the public.

Northern Michigan University's Forest Roberts Theatre will be transformed into a haunted house for the eighth annual Haunted Theatre Oct. 27-29. Performances are from 7-11 p.m, with a family-friendly version for children ages 6 and up scheduled from 4-6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29. 

The NMU Chemistry Department reports that four students participated in summer research opportunities at the University of Notre Dame, Loyola University, Ames Laboratory at Iowa State University and the Michigan State Crime Lab.

Northern Michigan University's Psychology Department will present a colloquium titled "Student-teacher relationships: How important are they and how should scientists measure them?" on Friday, Oct. 21. Jon Barch, associate director of the NMU Center for Student Enrichment and coordinator of the Student Leader Fellowship Program, will give the talk at . The public is invited.

Northern Michigan University will host a “Learning to Earning” open house from 4-6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, at the Jacobetti Complex. Attendees can enter to win a $500 scholarship, tour the learning labs and meet with faculty and current students to discuss programs and career choices.

Efforts to create a sustainable farming structure in the Upper Peninsula will be the topic of the next "Climate@Noon" seminar at Northern Michigan University. The event will be held at noon Friday, Oct. 21, in 1320 Jamrich Hall. It is hosted by the Northern Climate Network.

NMU faculty, staff and students now have the ability to easily create a customized email signature that includes the NMU academic or athletics logo and relevant office or departmental information. Britney Reese, a web team student employee in Marketing and Communications, developed the online signature generator. The site includes instructions for adding it to NMU Webmail, Microsoft Outlook, Gmail, Mac Mail and other email clients. Create yours by clicking here. 

Northern Michigan University's Earth, Environmental and Geographical Sciences Department will host a joint meeting of the West Lakes and East Lakes Divisions of the American Association of Geographers Oct. 13-15 in the University Center. 

Four friends, including three NMU alumni, set sail from Charlevoix Tuesday on their dream adventure of circumnavigating the world. All worked to become debt free, saved money and sold off anything they could not take with them on their boat, the SV Further. The friends purchased the 1968 Michigan-built, 47-foot Hatsil ketch last year and spent six months restoring it before embarking on their journey.  

Northern Michigan University led a collaborative effort two years ago to establish a coastal hazard observing system for a stretch of Lake Superior shoreline that includes the communities of Marquette, Munising and Grand Marais. Three monitoring buoys placed offshore from each city generate timely data on wind speed and direction, wave height, and air and water temperature. The goal is to better predict conditions and ensure greater safety for lake users. Grants supported the project’s launch and early operation, but scientists are concerned about covering operation and equipment maintenance costs over a longer term.

Northern Michigan University's Psychology Department will kick off the 40th year of its colloquium series with a presentation by Dr. Craig Coccia titled "Pre-Operative Psychological Evaluation of the Surgery Patient." His talk is scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14, in 1318 Jamrich Hall. It is free and open to the public.

Northern Michigan University will introduce high school students to available quality undergraduate experiences in scholarly training (QUEST) on Friday, Oct. 14. The event will highlight research and scholarship on campus, allow participants to talk with NMU student and faculty conducting the projects and include facility tours.

Marek Haltof, NMU English professor, will present “Screening Auschwitz: Representation of the Holocaust in The Last Stage (1948) at 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14, in 1320 Jamrich Hall. 

Northern Michigan University zoology major Emily Bertucci recently spent 10 weeks doing research on the breeding ecology of the white-winged junco in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The Ishpeming native participated in a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) through North Dakota State University.  

Northern Michigan University education professor K.C. Holder recently completed a two-year fellowship with the Strategic Data Project, based at the Center for Education Policy Research (CEPR) at Harvard University. The SDP’s mission is to transform the use of data in education to improve student achievement by better diagnosing issues, developing solutions and monitoring the results.

The inaugural faculty and staff juried art exhibit at NMU's Olson Library will end with a closing reception from 4-6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13. Hors d’oeuvres and light refreshments will be served.

The Fresh Coast Film Festival, which will showcase documentaries celebrating the outdoor lifestyle, water-rich environment and resilient spirit of the Great Lakes and Upper Midwest, will be held Oct. 13-16 in Marquette. Northern Michigan University students are invited to attend a meet and greet with some of the guest filmmakers from 3-5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, in the Wildcat Room at the Berry Events Center. For more information on the festival, click here.

Northern Michigan University will present a high-definition screening of Damiano Michieletto’s award-winning Royal Opera House production of Cavalleria tusticana/ Pagliacci on Sunday, Oct. 16. The complementary works tell dark tales of passionate love that sours to violent jealousy. Michieletto has updated the setting to the late-20th century in a poverty-stricken village in southern Italy. The screening begins at 5 p.m. in the Jamrich Hall auditorium.

Thomas Zurbuchen has announced his immediate resignation from the Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees. He said he is unable to complete his eight-year term after being named associate administrator for NASA Science Mission Directorate at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. He assumed his new duties Oct. 3. Zurbuchen oversees NASA's programs in astrophysics, planetary science, earth science and heliophysics, which are funded at about $5 billion per year.

NMU students will be involved in the taping of a 1st Congressional District Candidate Forum. The program will be recorded before a studio audience at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, in the Jamrich Hall auditorium. It will air on WLUC-TV6 at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12. One representative from both the College Democrats and College Republicans will ask a question of candidates Lon Johnson and Jack Bergman during a segment hosted by an NMU student. Other students will serve as assistant producer, assistant director and camera operators. 

Tarfia Faizullah and Jamaal May will read from their works at Northern Michigan University as part of this visiting writers series. The event is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. Friday Oct. 14, in the University Center's Nicolet & Cadillac Rooms.

Umut Acar, who recently completed his first year as Turkish Consul General in Chicago, will give a presentation at Northern Michigan University as a guest of the criminal justice department. He will address Turkey’s redefinition of terrorism as a result of July’s military coup d’état attempt and the “Fethullah Gulen terrorist organization.” The talk is scheduled at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11, in room 2306 of the University Center. The public is invited.  

NMU music education alumna Rachel Beeksma has been hired as associate artistic director of the Milwaukee Children’s Choir and artistic director of a new satellite program, the Lake Country Children’s Choir. The U.P. native has taught students of all levels throughout Michigan, New Jersey and Wisconsin. She also has performed with several notable groups, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, New Jersey Symphony and Vienna Philharmonic. 

One of Brazil’s most daunting environmental challenges is the deforestation of the Amazon. Some scientists say this is responsible for the severe drought affecting São Paulo because the Amazon’s trees play an important role in releasing water as vapor clouds, known as “flying rivers.” Antonio Ribeiro de Almeida from the University of São Paulo–Piracicaba will present “Brazil Today: Communicating About the Social-Environmental Frontier” at Northern Michigan University.

The NMU Alumni Association will host a post-game reception after Friday’s hockey matchup between the Wildcats and Wisconsin Badgers at the Resch Center in Green Bay. The teams are meeting for a two-game series Oct. 7-8. The reception will be held in the Bud Light Lounge inside the Resch Center. It will feature complimentary appetizers and prizes, along with music and games from Double Trouble DJs. There are also special rates on game tickets for NMU students and alumni.

Three of the alumni award winners honored over Homecoming weekend recently shared how their NMU experiences positively impacted their lives and careers. Pictured with President Fritz Erickson are the four honorees after the awards brunch. From left: John Gremmer, Alumni Civic Leadership Award; Lynnae Ruttledge, Distinguished Alumni; Luke Steinke, Alumni Achievement; and Jana Simmons, Distinguished Alumni. 

The NMU Arts Chorale will travel to Houghton to perform with Michigan Tech and other collegiate choirs. The concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, at the Rozsa Center.  They will be accompanied by the MTU orchestra in a joint performance of Ēriks Ešenvalds” ‘Whispers on the Prairie Wind.” 

Charu Sharma, founder of Go Against the Flow, a movement that inspires women to take intelligent risks, trust their vision and develop leadership skills to forge their own trail in the world of startups, will screen her film by the same name at Northern Michigan University. She built two startup companies in her college dorm room before joining LinkedIn as a marketing solutions campaign planner. The showing is scheduled at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7, in the Mead Auditorium in the West Science Building. It is free and open to the public.

Media are invited to cover the Celebration of Entrepreneurship and Business Conference hosted by Northern Michigan University's College of Business on Friday, Oct. 7. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the University Center. This year's theme is women in business. The keynote speaker will be Charu Sharma, an entrepreneur who founded Go Against the Flow, a movement to inspire women to forge their own trail in the world of startups. She built two startups in college and now works for LinkedIn. 

Northern Michigan University’s theater program will present Where a Certain Future, a historical drama by NMU alumnus James Howard Carr that focuses on events throughout Nazi-occupied Europe on Nov. 9, 1938. Kristallnacht, or “The Night of the Broken Glass,” is one of the first manifestations of the Holocaust for a Jewish family in Austria. The story portrays two generations in conflict over whether or not to flee Europe to the safety of the United States. New York City-based director and actor Michael Blatt will guest direct the production. 

NMU alumnus and former North Wind reporter Steve Foley has returned to Northern Michigan Review, a daily newspaper publishing company based in Petoskey. He earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations with a minor in broadcasting.

Northern Michigan University's Upward Bound Math-Science program has received nearly $297,000 in continuation funding from the U.S. Department of Education. The award period runs for one year, beginning Nov. 1.

Northern Michigan University’s School of Health and Human Performance will offer the American Heart Association’s Heartsaver First Aid/CPR/AED course. Participants may select one of two Saturday sessions: Oct. 8 or Nov. 19. Both will be offered from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in room 242 of the Physical Education Instructional Facility at NMU.

Northern Michigan University’s Siril Endowment for the Music Arts seeks to increase students’ awareness of and appreciation for classical music through world-class performances. It will sponsor a new series of campus screenings of Royal Opera and Royal Ballet productions filmed in London and projected in high definition in Jamrich Hall’s state-of-the-art auditorium. The privately funded endowment will also support an artist residency at NMU.

An NMU employee benefits fair hosted by Human Resources will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, in the University Center Great Lakes Rooms. Up to one hour of released time is available to attend the fair and spouses are welcome.  

The October issue of Women’s Running magazine highlights the work of three NMU alumni, not one. Tori Sager and Mel Charbonneau, founders of the Fellow Flowers running community, are featured in an article within the magazine titled "Women Who Are Changing the Game." And as previously reported, photographer James Farrell shot the issue's groundbreaking cover subject. 

Northern Michigan University offers the 6th most affordable online public administration degree in the country, according to new rankings released by SR Education Group. The company annually researches and ranks hundreds of schools based on value, quality and affordability and posts the results on its OnlineU website.

Christal Sheppard, director of the Midwest Regional U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, will give a presentation on intellectual property and the patent process from 3:15-4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, in Mead Auditorium in Northern Michigan University's West Science Building. A question-and-answer period will follow the presentation, which is free and open to the public.

Women’s Running reports it is the first U.S. fitness magazine to feature a woman wearing a hijab on its cover and NMU art and design graduate James Farrell (’07) photographed the subject. Farrell is based in New York City and specializes in action, sports and fitness photography. He traveled to Detroit to complete the cover shoot of Rahaf Khatib, a six-time marathoner and mother of three from Farmington Hills. Farrell captured images of her running near Comerica Park, the River Walk and other city landmarks.

The Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center at Northern Michigan University will host a full day of presentations, demonstrations and music related to voyageur and French Canadian culture on Saturday, Oct. 1. The event coincides with French-Canadian Heritage Week in the State of Michigan. Admission is free.

The largest slave-trading family in U.S. history was not from the South, but from New England. In her documentary, "Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North," producer/director Katrina Browne and hine family members embark on a journey that brings them face to face with the history and legacy of their forefathers' hidden enterprise. It will be shown at Northern Michigan University on Thursday, Oct. 6. 

The Helsinki Chamber Choir rehearsed on campus Tuesday afternoon in advance of two performances this week. The group will present the world premiere of State of the Union, a bold new opera addressing the political and environmental issues of our time. The opera was created by 2015 Rabbit Island artists-in-residence Eugene Birman, a Juilliard-trained composer, and Scott Diel, an American librettist. 

NMU student Karlee Metzger is pursuing her musical passion and ambitions as a contestant on NBC’s The Voice. She advanced through the blind auditions Monday night with her rendition of Samson by Regina Spektor. Judges Blake Shelton and Miley Cyrus turned their chairs at the last second, vying to have her join their teams. Metzger selected Cyrus as her coach.

NMU’s music department will host a performance of Beethoven and Banjos. The ensemble is composed of members of Decoda, Carnegie Hall’s affiliate ensemble, soprano Mary Bonhag, traditional musician Laurel Premo and Finnish folk duo Aallotar. Beethoven and Banjos is on a U.P. tour. Its NMU performance will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30, in Reynolds Recital Hall. Admission is free.

The composer and librettist of "State of the Union" will give a presentation at NMU on Tuesday, Sept. 27, in advance of the world premiere of their opera, which will be performed by the Helsinki Chamber Choir on Thursday and Friday. Media are welcome to cover their talk, which is scheduled at 4 p.m. Tuesday in Reynolds Recital Hall. Eugene Birman and Scott Diehl wrote the opera during an artists' residency on Rabbit Island. They will discuss the creative process.

Michael Van Beek, director of research for the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, will participate in two events at NMU on Wednesday, Sept. 28. The media are welcome to cover them. Both are sponsored by the NMU Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship.     

The Second City comedy group will perform at Northern Michigan University on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 30-Oct. 1. Based in Chicago and rooted in improvisational games, The Second City has produced some of the industry’s best-known talent, including Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert and Tina Fey.

NMU distributed a message to clarify its self-harm protocols in the wake of a Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) report that gained traction late last week. It begins, "NMU does not forbid, in writing or verbally, students from talking to others about self-harm thoughts. We acknowledge that changes to the self-harm letter and protocol were not effectively communicated to campus in early 2016 when they took effect."   

The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees today approved a 2016-17 general fund operating budget of nearly $108 million. The budget is $2 million, or 2 percent, higher than last year. The increase is attributed mainly to contractual obligations and rising utility costs. 

Forrest Karr, NMU’s Director of Athletics, Recreational Sports and U.S. Olympic Training Site, gave a comprehensive presentation to the NMU Board of Trustees Friday on the department’s finances, academic and athletic accomplishments, facility projects, gender equity and conference affiliations. 

Michael Van Beek, director of research for the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, will present "Overregulation: The Hidden Costs of Government" at Northern Michigan University as part of the Your Wealth lecture series. His talk begins at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28, in Mead Auditorium in the West Science Building.

Northern Michigan University's DeVos Art Museum will present an exhibit that explores the ancient art form of cornhusk dolls to preserve traditional culture and history. "Elizabeth Doxtater: Art of Peace" will be on display Sept. 26-Dec. 9. An opening reception and artist talk is scheduled at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 26. Admission is free. 

The One Book One Community program has planned several events related to this year’s selection, “The Round House,” a National Book Award winner for fiction by Louise Erdrich. The novel transports readers to an Ojibwe reservation in North Dakota, where a boy on the cusp of manhood seeks justice and understanding in the wake of a brutal, racist attack on his mother. 

The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will host a lunch at the Sky Room of the Landmark Inn from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21. 

The Northern Michigan University School of Health and Human Performance is recruiting volunteers for an eight-week study of a “couch to 5K” run training program. Beginners or those who were former aerobic enthusiasts but stopped are encouraged to register.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees will be held Thursday and Friday, Sept. 22-23. Committee meetings are scheduled Thursday afternoon and the formal/business section will begin at 9 a.m. Friday. To see the agenda and supporting materials, visit nmu.edu/boardbook. 

The Northern Michigan University Regional Police Academy will hold an informational meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at Gogebic Community College. The session begins at 6 p.m. (CST) in room 012 of the Solin Center. It will last about 45 minutes.

Northern Michigan University is seeking public comments that address the quality of NMU or its academic programs in advance of its regional accreditation evaluation. A team representing the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) will visit NMU March 20-23, 2017, to review the university's ability to meet the HLC's Criteria for Accreditation. NMU has been accredited by the commission since 1916.

The Northern Michigan University Alumni Association will honor four award winners over Homecoming weekend Sept. 23-24. The recipients and their awards are: Lynnae Ruttledge of Salem, Ore., and Jana Simmons of Ferndale, Distinguished Alumni; John Gremmer of Winneconne, Wis., Alumni Civic Leadership; and Luke Steinke of Champaign, Ill., Alumni Achievement.

Matt Bell, author of the newly released novel "A Tree or a Person or a Wall," will begin his book tour at Northern Michigan University. He will give a reading at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22, in 1322 Jamrich Hall. The public is invited.

Northern Michigan University alumna and attorney Jana Simmons will give a presentation titled "Tribal Law and Economic Development" on Wednesday, Sept. 21. Her talk begins at 7 p.m. in the Whitman Hall commons, with a reception to follow. It is free and open to the public. 

Northern Michigan University will hold a Construction Management and Engineering Technology Career Fair from 1-4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22, in the Jacobetti Complex. 

Michael Kaufman, an educator and writer focused on engaging men and boys to promote gender equality and end violence against women, will give a presentation at Northern Michigan University titled “Man Talk: Ending Campus Sexual Assault and the Three Secrets of a Great Relationship.” The event begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, in 1100 Jamrich Hall. It is free and open to the public. 

The Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center at Northern Michigan University will launch a new exhibit titled “Remnants: Ghost Towns of the Upper Peninsula.” An opening reception is scheduled from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24. Director Dan Truckey will give a gallery talk and refreshments will be served. Admission is free.

Donna Dahlgren, who holds an NMU bachelor's degree in psychology and political science, has begun a three-year term as dean of student success and persistence at Indiana University Southeast. She has been serving as First Year Seminar director and psychology professor.

Northern Michigan University has received nearly $300,000 from the National Science Foundation to launch a two-year pilot project designed to increase the number of American Indian and Alaska Native female college graduates, particularly in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The project will also address the “lack of American Indian teaching methods within the sciences education curricula.”

The U.S. News and World Report 2017 college rankings show that, among regional universities in the Midwest, Northern Michigan University is tied for 19th in Top Public Schools, 79th overall and 43rd in Best Colleges for Veterans.

The NSF grant project described below was motivated in part by student Biidaaban “Daabii” Reinhardt sharing her perspective on the lack of Native American female students in physics. She recently completed a summer research experience for undergraduates (REU) at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Northern Michigan University’s 2016 Homecoming celebration will include events for alumni and community members. This year’s theme is “Let the Games Begin.” 

Northern Michigan University’s Edgar L. Harden Learning Resources Center will celebrate Homecoming with a family reading program and a building open house from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24. The event is free and open to the public. It includes a punch card activity to enter a drawing for an iPad, tours of Lydia Olson Library and the public radio and television stations, and an opportunity for community members to sign up for a library borrower card and waive the usual $25 annual fee.

The Helinski Chamber Choir will visit Northern Michigan University for two performances of “State of the Union,” a bold new opera addressing the political and environmental issues of our time. The opera was created by 2015 Rabbit Island artists-in-residence Eugene Birman, a Juilliard-trained composer, and Scott Diel, an American librettist. 

Northern Michigan University's political science department will honor the 229th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution with a panel discussion titled "The 2016 Election and the Future of the Supreme Court." The event is scheduled from 2-3:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19, in 1705 West Science. The public is invited.

Northern Michigan University's French program has opened its expansive collection of French and Francophone films to the community for the first time. Classic and contemporary films are available in the language lab during operational hours and multiple headsets allow for group viewing. 

The Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center will host a Ghost Town Bus Tour during the fall color season on Saturday, Oct. 8. Daniel Truckey, director fo the center, will lead a walking tour of Fayette State Park and stops at Labranche in Menominee County, Metropolitan in Dickinson County and Watson in Marquette County.

The Northern Michigan University Regional Police Academy will host informational meetings at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, and Wednesday Oct. 5,  in room 132 of the Jacobetti Complex. Individuals interested in attending the next academy are encouraged to attend one of the 45-minute sessions. 

Safety can be part of the college selection criteria for many students and their parents. Northern Michigan University’s home base of Marquette is the 21st safest college town in America, according to a ranking released by The SafeWise Report. Security experts from SafeWise evaluated the most recent FBI crime statistics available. They coupled that data with their own research on safety-related programs and initiatives, culminating in 2016’s “50 Safest College Towns in America.”

The inaugural NMU faculty and staff juried art exhibit at Olson Library is on display in the atrium through Oct. 15. A closing reception with hors d’oeuvres and light refreshments will be held from 4-6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13. The exhibit features works by 12 faculty and staff members from various campus offices and departments.

The Northern Michigan University French program will present La Table Française from 7-8 p.m. Wednesdays in room 326 at Lydia Olson Library. 

Northern Michigan University will hold its annual Uniting Neighbors in the Experience of Diversity (UNITED) Conference. UNITED is composed of a broad range of presentations and films. This year’s featured speakers and events will address such topics as Jewish communities in the United States, murdered and missing Aboriginal Canadian women, merging African heritage with American culture, shrinking cities in the Midwest and creating unity through food.

Don McPherson, College Football Hall of Fame inductee and former NFL and CFL player, will give a presentation on campus sexual assault at Northern Michigan University. His talk is titled “You Throw Like a Girl.” It will be held at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13, in room 2904 of the West Science Building.

Northern Michigan University will celebrate the 25th anniversary of its first aviation maintenance technology graduates on Saturday, Sept. 17. An open house of programs located in the Jacobetti Complex is scheduled at 1 p.m. and the final competition of the AeroSkills Tournament, in which participants compete against the clock to assemble components they fabricated, will be held at 3 p.m. The public is invited to both activities at no charge.

The Northern Michigan University Regional Police Academy will host an informational meeting at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, at Bay College. The 45-minute session will be held in room 221 of the Bonifas Building. 

You may have seen the stunning and well-circulated photo of a bride and groom who stepped into the frame as a photographer captured a Yosemite sunset. The man behind the lens was NMU business alumnus Mike Karas of Honolulu. The Allstate adjuster and amateur photographer took the shot while touring the park on vacation, but could not reach the couple in time to share it with them. Karas put social media to work in the hope of identifying them and the story was picked up by a number of news organizations. The publicity worked and the appreciative mystery couple has been identified. See the full story here. 

Northern Michigan University’s 10th day enrollment report reflects a projected decrease in total headcount attributed to declining high school demographics and larger graduating classes in recent years. But the number of concurrently enrolled high school students has increased through expanded NMU partnerships with regional school districts that enable students to complete college credits prior to high school graduation at no tuition cost.

Northern Michigan University’s psychology department plans to establish an applied behavior analysis center that will address the regional shortage of assessment and therapeutic services for young children with autism spectrum disorder, developmental disabilities and other behavioral concerns. The non-profit clinic and research facility will serve as a training site for NMU students pursuing a degree or certification in the field.

Crews this week started a renovation project on the first floor of Cohodas in preparation for Human Resources’ move to the building by mid-November. The vacancy HR will leave in the Services Building will be occupied in the spring by the new applied behavior analysis center (see related story).

Northern Michigan University’s degree programs in mechanical engineering technology and electrical engineering technology have been accredited by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET, the global accreditor of college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering and engineering technology.  

NMU Public Safety is warning that an increase in internet scams of international origin has ushered in the start of the fall semester. Two NMU students recently fell prey to what they assumed were legitimate offers and lost money. Detective Guy LaPlante said one was promised a $9,000 scholarship if he sent $250 from a credit card or checking account. The other lost nearly $2,000 in a financial shell game after applying for a job advertised on a reputable career website. 

The Northern Michigan University Regional Police Academy recently held its graduation ceremony. Twenty-one recruits earned certificates of completion. 

Northern Michigan University achieved gold-level status from the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) for supporting the academic and transitional needs of student veterans.

The Northern Michigan University Center for Native American Studies and Sault Tribe Community Health will co-host a Decolonizing Diet Project cooking demonstration. The event is scheduled from 2-7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9, at the Sault Tribe Health Clinic in Munising.

Comedian Tyler Boeh will bring his high-energy stand-up act to Northern Michigan University on Friday, Sept. 9. The show begins at 8 p.m. in 11 Jamrich Hall. It is sponsored by PrimeTime Productions. 

Northern Michigan University is moving forward with plans to develop a new academic program in forensic anthropology, the science of analyzing human remains to determine an individual’s identity and the timing and manner of death. NMU’s program will include a secured outdoor research station that would be the eighth worldwide and the first cold-weather facility.

The Beaumier Alumni Welcome and U.P. Heritage Center at Northern Michigan University has expanded hours this semester, including evening hours on Thursdays. 

Faculty members at four universities or more nationwide, including Michigan Technological University, received emails threatening an active shooter situation earlier this week. Mike Bath, director of NMU Public Safety and Police Services, said that while no Northern faculty received this notification, the email can serve NMU faculty and staff as a reminder of what to do should they ever receive a threat.

There is much to update everyone on from the Academic Affairs Division. I know most of us do not have time for long emails so I will provide a bulleted list with brief descriptions and ask that if you have questions to please email me or visit my office.

Northern Michigan University has signed an agreement with Michigan State University College of Law that will allow qualifying incoming NMU freshmen to complete both their bachelor’s degree and Juris Doctor (JD) degree in about six years, instead of the normally required seven.

The Innovate Marquette SmartZone is sponsoring an informational night for its new fall session of LaunchPad for campus and community members who may want to pursue an idea for a new business startup. The "no commitment" session will be held at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8, in the Erie Room of the University Center. 

The Beaumier Coffee House Series kicks off the 2016-2017 season with performances by singer/songwriter Dave Bett and the experimental group, Radio On. The concert begins at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, at the Black Box Theatre in NMU's McClintock Building. The suggested donation is $5 for adults and $1 for students.  Refreshments will be served.

Northern Michigan University will host a College Fair from 6-7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14, in the Jacobetti Complex.  The program will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. and is open to all high school juniors, seniors and their parents.   

Presentations on a variety of topics related to the history, life and culture of the Upper Peninsula are being offered at the Sonderegger Symposium XVI at Northern Michigan University on Friday, Sept. 9. The event is free and open to the public. The NMU Center for U.P. Studies is hosting the event, which will take place in the University Center Great Lakes Rooms. 

NMU education major Gwen Hoenke of Marquette recently completed an internship with Uncommon Charter Schools in Brooklyn, N.Y. She traveled there at the end of the school year to observe classes and teach small portions of lessons before helping to lead a three-week summer academy for middle school students struggling with mathematics.

NMU has received a $6,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Education for a project titled "Stand UP for Career and Technical Education (CTE)." The initiative is designed to increase the percentage of CTE teachers who meet certification or licensure requirements and to assist in recruiting and retaining CTE teachers in the Upper Peninsula.

High-speed internet is critical for economic vitality and education, yet many rural communities nationwide lack access. Northern Michigan University is helping to bridge the digital divide in the Upper Peninsula and potentially beyond through its innovative Educational Access Network. The EAN is available to any students taking NMU courses—whether they are on campus seeking a degree, at a partner high school offering dual enrollment or at home taking a class for continuing education, professional development or personal fulfillment.

The DeVos Art Museum at Northern Michigan University is featuring a new exhibit titled “Correlation Matrix: Vida Sacic + David Wolske." Both artists base their practice in the process of letterpress printing and showcase the creative ways designers utilize type beyond didactic communication. 

Dorceta Taylor from the University of Michigan will present "Diversity in Environmental Institutions: Trends and Challenges" at NMU. Taylor is a professor in the School of Natural Resources and Environment and U-M director of diversity, equality and inclusion. She will address the lack of racial diversity in the fast-growing environmental field and factors that have contributed to the trend. Her talk is scheduled from 5-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31, in 1320 Jamrich Hall. 

The NMU Board of Trustees approved faculty tenure and promotions that went into effect Aug. 17. 

Northern Michigan University’s surgical technology, radiography and clinical laboratory technician associate-degree programs all reported 100 percent pass rates among 2016 graduates on their respective national certifying exams. 

NMU School of Health and Human Performance faculty members Phil Watts, Lanae Joubert and Scott Drum co-directed the 3rd International Rock Climbing Research Association (IRCRA) Rock Congress held earlier this month in Telluride, Colo. They spent more than a year planning this installment of the biennial event—the first one held in the United States. Several attendees with NMU ties also gave presentations. Watts delivered the opening keynote titled “A Physiological Model for Rock Climbing: The First 2000 Years.” He also was honored in the conference program for his retirement and contributions to the field.

NMU alumnus Richard Tegge, president of Wealth Strategy Group of Marquette, has been appointed to the board of directors of the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM).

The Strategic Planning and Budgeting Advisory Committee on Thursday began its review of the budget-reduction proposals that have moved forward from the five university divisions. President Fritz Erickson guided committee members through the current list of proposals, which would meet the university’s overall reduction target of $3 million.

NMU President Fritz Erickson told fall convocation attendees that Northern is a “university on the move,” with a new residence hall complex in the works, new academic programs in high-demand job fields, new athletic teams that have brought more than 160 new students to campus and an Educational Access Network that is expanding high-speed educational broadband access. He also stressed the need for Northern to pursue “transformational change” if it hopes to counter continuing enrollment challenges.

Keith Nelsen, a 1986 NMU graduate and former Wildcat quarterback, recently established an endowed football scholarship. The Nelsen Football Scholarship will provide financial support for a student playing on the NMU football team (active roster) who is also a graduate of a Wisconsin high school. 

Increasing enrollment is a university-wide priority at NMU. The campus community is invited to a recruitment information fair with cookies and conversation from 3:30-5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31, in the Melted lounge in Hedgcock. Share ideas and find out how new students are "recruited" to NMU, what admissions counselors do, the role Intercollegiate Athletics plays, strategies being pursued by the Extended Learning and Community Engagement division and more in an information fair format.

Michigan's 21st Century Infrastructure Commission held an Upper Peninsula listening session at NMU on Friday. Gov. Rick Snyder, who created the commission, addressed participants before they broke into small discussion groups to address a series of questions related to infrastructure needs.

Helen Maroulis, who once trained at NMU's U.S. Olympic Education Center while attending Marquette Senior High School, won the first Olympic gold medal for U.S. women's wrestling in Rio Thursday. She defeated three-time Olympic gold medalist Saori Yoshida of Japan 4-1 in the 53-kilogram freestyle final. For a full story on her achievement, click here. 

Members of the Northern Michigan University Foundation Board of Trustees recently contributed more than $28,000, including a challenge gift from an anonymous trustee, to endow a new scholarship for incoming freshmen.

NMU biology professor Neil Cumberlidge took part in a week-long international workshop in Antanananrivo, Madagascar, aimed at improving the conservation of the country's unique but highly threatened freshwater biodiversity. 

Northern Michigan University’s Fall Fest is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Aug. 22, the first day of classes. The event will take place on the lawn outside the University Center.

Northern Michigan University student Patrick Schiller, U.S. Army Reserve Officer Training Corps cadet, attended a three-week culture, understanding and language proficiency course with Djiboutian Army cadets in Djibouti, Africa, July 16-Aug. 6.

NMU soccer player and construction management major Gabriella Garza secured a summer internship with Barton Malow, the firm building the Detroit Red Wings' new arena. An NMU grad is one of the lead executives on the project and requested to have a Wildcat on the team. Read the full story on Garza's experience from NMU Sports Information here. 

The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will offer "Woodworker Rally V" from 8 a.m. to noon Mondays in the NMU Jacobetti Complex room 137. Session I runs Aug. 22-Oct. 3 and Session II runs Oct. 10-Nov. 14.

The Northern Michigan University Regional Police Academy will hold its graduation ceremony at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16, in the Jacobetti Complex commons. Media are welcome to cover the event. We apologize for the late notice. 

Former Wildcat offensive lineman Kyle Steuck will get to fulfill his longtime dream of running through the Lambeau Field tunnel. With little notice, he transitioned from preparing to serve as a volunteer assistant football coach at West De Pere High School, his alma mater, to signing with the Green Bay Packers. Steuck is shown participating in the DreamDrive tradition, in which players ride childrens' bikes to practice. As a young boy, he used to bring his bike, hoping a player would select it. To see Steuck's full story on packers.com, click here. An ESPN piece can be viewed here. 

David Puskala of Marquette has been hired as interim director of Northern Michigan University’s entrepreneurial innovation center, Invent@NMU.  

The Michigan Tax Tribunal’s practice of “dark store assessing” is the subject of a new documentary produced by Northern Michigan University students and a faculty member. The premiere of “BOXED IN” is scheduled at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 24, at Peter White Public Library, with a reception to follow. The film will also air on WNMU-TV at 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1.

Marquette native Brad Canale has been appointed chief executive officer of the Northern Michigan University Foundation. He most recently served as executive director of advancement and senior adviser to the dean for the University of Michigan College of Engineering.

NMU diving coach Milton Braga will provide color commentary on the Olympic diving competition for a television sports network in his native Brazil. He is well-qualified for the role, not only because of his coaching experience, but because of the perspective he brings as a former athlete who achieved the Olympic dream. Braga was the first Brazilian diver to compete in two Summer Games: 1976 in Montreal and 1980 in Moscow.

Former NMU student Mikaela Mayer is one of only two U.S. women boxers who will compete in this month’s Olympics. Securing a spot on the team avenges her narrow miss in 2012, when women’s boxing made its debut as an Olympic sport in London.

NMU alumnus Andy Bisek, who graduated in 2010 with a bachelor's degree in physical geography, will compete in his first Olympics in Greco-Roman wrestling. He is one of several Olympic athletes with an NMU connection. 

The 21st Century Infrastructure Commission created by Gov. Rick Snyder will hold an Upper Peninsula town hall listening session at Northern Michigan University on Friday, Aug. 19. Residents are encouraged to attend and provide feedback on infrastructure needs from 9-11 a.m. in 1100 Jamrich Hall.

Media are welcome to cover the following event: More than 20 Upper Peninsula teachers will visit Northern Michigan University's Seaborg Center to learn how to build and program their own 3D printers from scratch. 

A 6-foot chain link fence secures the perimeter of the site where new residence halls will be constructed at Northern Michigan University. Site clearing and preparation work will begin to ramp up Aug. 1. The attached map shows the closed area, the sidewalks that will remain open to pedestrians and the vehicle access routes for material and equipment delivery.

NMU’s English Language Institute (ELI) is hosting a four-week summer program for 27 students from partner universities in South Korea, China and Japan. The participants attend daily, intensive English as a Second Language classes, complete an academic service learning project with local non-profit organizations, go on several cultural field trips and interact with community members.

S&P Global Ratings affirmed its “A” long-term rating on Northern Michigan University’s series 2012 general revenue bonds and its “A” underlying rating (SPUR) on NMU’s series 2008 general revenue bonds.

Percussive Attack Camp will wrap up a week-long study of music at Northern Michigan University with a free public concert on Friday, Aug. 5. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. in Reynolds Recital Hall

When student Whitney Kulich reported to her job at the NMU Golf Course one afternoon, there was an intriguing handwritten phone message left on the counter in the clubhouse. It said that a “62-year-old visually impaired woman wanted to learn to hit a ball off a tee.” Gretchen Preston had accepted a challenge to play in a Leader Dogs for the Blind charity tournament next year and wondered if anyone at the course might be able to give her lessons. Kulich was eager to return the call.

Three major themes emerged from the results of a campus sustainability survey and three public forums. According to a report summarizing these activities, the themes are: promoting sustainability could help to drive future enrollment; improved communication is necessary to share some of the steps Northern is taking to reduce its carbon footprint; and NMU could more effectively sustain its related initiatives through the formation of a permanent, campus-wide sustainability committee.

As indicated in the Sustainability Survey Report released after a campus-wide survey and public forums, NMU is “striving to become a leader in sustainability and the goal is clearly outlined in the new strategic plan.” The university has already implemented a number of sustainability actions on campus, ranging from LEED-certified facilities to biodegradable eating utensils in Dining Services to bio-based products and specialized plant materials used for water conservation at the NMU Golf Course.

NMU student Ellen Lindblom of Negaunee was elected national vice president of the College Democrats of America. The group held its annual convention in Philadelphia, just ahead of the Democratic National Convention. Lindblom also was recently elected to serve as a delegate to the DNC, so she will be attending the convention in two capacities. 

Students, faculty and volunteers salvaged and relocated native plants from the portion of the Outdoor Learning Area (OLA) that will be impacted by the new residence hall project. The Earth, Environmental and Geographical Sciences Department supervises the OLA. It hired several student environmental science technicians to help with the native plant mitigation effort this summer.

The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will host a presentation titled "Architecture Today," featuring Studio RAD architects and founders Joe Rom and Joy Carcillo. They will discuss their current projects, including the renovation of a local house, a 19th century barn conversion and the Ore Dock BotEco Center. 

NMU is among the organizations that supported the recent installation of three self-serve lifesaving stations on the shore at Little Presque Isle Recreation Area. The stations include personal flotation devices and rescue rings. They were constructed with volunteer labor shortly after two people tragically drowned in the area.

The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will host a tour of the Humboldt Ore Processing Mill, formerly utilized by Cleveland Cliffs Iron. It had numerous occupants until 2006, when it was purchased by Rio Tinto. Ore processing began again in 2014 after a $275 million investment to bring the historic mill back into operation.

NMU alumnus and current student Tyler LaPlaunt is one of two Sault Tribe Community Health Educators to gain national attention for successful initiatives to improve the health of youth in the Upper Peninsula. LaPlaunt was selected as a panelist for the 2016 Building Michigan Communities Conference in Lansing

As part of the UP4Health Challenge, Northern Michigan University will host a presentation titled "It Takes a Village: Going Tobacco-free at NMU." The university is celebrating its second anniversary as a tobacco-free campus. 

Northern Michigan University has been named a 2016-17 College of Distinction for its “engaged students, great teaching, vibrant community and successful outcomes.” Those are four qualities that Colleges of Distinction considers in releasing its annual recommendations designed to match parents and students with the right college.

The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will offer a tour of BSB Farms in Skandia on Tuesday, Aug. 2. Owners Luke and Heather Bell will guide participants around their farm, which has about 4,000 cage-free Isa Brown chickens that lay eggs for NMU and other local outlets. 

NMU was one of 15 colleges and universities recently honored for their commitment to helping student veterans transition from the military to college life through the Michigan Veteran Education Initiative. 

NMU ranks 15th nationwide among “Best Value Colleges for Online Human Resources Degrees.” Northern offers a concentration in human resources as part of its MPA program. The rankings are compiled by SR Education Group, a research publisher founded in 2004, and posted at www.onlineu.org. Academic strength scores—calculated using standardized average SAT and ACT exam scores—were combined with tuition data to determine the rank order. 

Beaver Island is located on Lake Michigan, a two-hour ferry ride from Charlevoix. Its residents have included Native Americans, French fur trappers and traders, a Mormon sect called the Strangites whose leader declared himself king, and Irish immigrants. There was even a “secretive émigré from Russia who dispensed medical help to the islanders without charge,” according to the Beaver Beacon. Despite its unique and fascinating past, relatively little physical evidence of the island’s early history exists. NMU’s summer archaeological field school is helping to fill that void while giving students hands-on experience in excavation techniques and artifact analysis.

NMU students who participated in a recent field ornithology class recorded interactions with more than 175 bird species in various habitats. They saw raptors pepper the sky over Brockway Mountain during the spring migration, owls being banded by researchers at the Whitefish Point Bird Observatory and barn swallows nesting beneath the bridge where the AuTrain River spills into Lake Superior. Some were surprised to spot American white pelicans this far north.

NMU Professor Kurt Galbreath and four students depart for Mongolia July 17 to study the biodiversity of mammals and parasites in remote regions. They will collect specimens and extract DNA for genetic clues as to how climate change and other factors influence population patterns. 

Please note that the formal business session of the NMU Board of Trustees originally scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Thursday, July 21, is being postponed until Thursday-Friday, Sept. 22-23. An advance notice with a link to the agenda and supporting materials will be distributed closer to that date. Thank you.

The sixth annual Blueberry Classic golf outing will be held Friday, July 22, at the Northern Michigan University Golf Course in Chocolay Township. Funds raised at the event benefit NMU students who encounter unexpected financial challenges. Golfers of all levels are welcome to participate.

The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will present "A Political Primer in a Year of Political Phenomena" from 6-7:45 p.m. Tuesday, July 12, in room B101 of the Superior Dome. 

Editors: Please note the July 6 registration deadline.  The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will tour Negaunee's Carp River Gardens, the largest perennial garden in the Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin region, on Thursday, July 14.

Alumnus Clark Stanton is credited as a playback animator on "Independence Day: Resurgence," which opened at movie theaters this weekend. He was among six team members from Twisted Media in Chicago charged with creating "the dazzling alien holograms, more than 400 futuristic-looking human and alien computer interfaces and other high-tech device screens" in the film, according to reelchicago.com.

Editors: Please note the July 1 registration deadline.  The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will sponsor a tour of Bay Cliff Health Camp from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, July 7. Bay Cliff provides therapy services for children with various disabilities. The summer camp will be in full swing, with about 160 kids plus staff.  

The new Barnes & Noble at NMU Bookstore wrapped up its first week of operation. Perhaps the most noticeable change is the pervasiveness of the new NMU logos on signage and available products. The store has not had any structural renovations at this point—just fresh paint on the pillars near the entrances—but it appears roomier. 

ESPN The Magazine has announced that NMU alumnus and Team USA duathlete Chris Mosier will be the first transgender athlete featured in its annual “Body Issue.” Mosier also made sports history June 19 by becoming the first out transgender athlete to compete in an International Triathlon Union championship, when he ran and biked in the world duathlon championship.

NMU hosted a display of the American Veterans Traveling Tribute Vietnam Wall outside the Superior Dome June 22-26. The wall is an 80-percent replica of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. and the largest reproduction in the United States, paying tribute to the 58,286 lives lost in Vietnam. Mike Rutledge, NMU veterans resource representative, served on the planning committee. He also is a member of the Marquette County Veterans Alliance, which along with veteran organizations in Marquette, Baraga, Alger and Dickinson counties, brought the wall to campus and coordinated daily ceremonies to honor the fallen. 

Northern Michigan University’s Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship (CEEE) presented its inaugural U.P. Economic Education Teacher of the Year Award to Erika Fix, a high school social studies teacher with Gladstone Area Public Schools. She was honored at a CEEE advisory board luncheon held June 17 on NMU’s campus. 

“Building Madness,” a slapstick comedy by Kate Danley, is the winner of the 2016 Mildred and Albert Panowski Playwriting Award at Northern Michigan University. 

Value Colleges has ranked Northern Michigan University at number 45 in its 2016 rankings of the Top 50 Best Value Online MPA Programs.

Wells Fargo representative Alisha Janquart presents a $2,500 ceremonial check to Hugo Eyzaguirre, director of the NMU Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship (CEEE). The money will be used to improve K-16 financial literacy in the Upper Peninsula through teacher workshops and student competitions. Wells Fargo has contributed nearly $20,000 to the CEEE since 2011. Janquart is manager of Wells Fargo's NMU branch. 

Northern Michigan University’s commitment to expand its Invent@NMU program throughout Michigan was published in a White House fact sheet released as part of the National Week of Making. Invent@NMU Founding Director David Ollila also has been invited by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to attend a related Maker-to-Manufacturer Stakeholder event Monday, June 20, in Washington, DC.

The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees today approved a 2016-17 tuition and fees schedule and agreed to restructure the university’s flat-rate tuition program. The combined average annual cost for full-time resident undergraduates will be $10,086, an increase of $406—or 4.2 percent—from last year’s rate of $9,680. NMU will maintain its longtime rank as having the second-lowest tuition and fees among Michigan’s public universities and the lowest in the Upper Peninsula. Northern’s rate also adheres to the tuition restraint language in the state’s higher education bill.

The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees will hold its next meeting on Friday, June 17. The formal session is scheduled from 9:30-10:20 a.m. in the University Center Marquette/Nicolet/Cadillac rooms. For the agenda and supporting materials, visit www.nmu.edu/boardbook.

The NMU Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship's Advisory Board will meet Friday, June 17. Activities that may be of interest to media include a check presentation from Wells Fargo in support of the center's activities and the presentation of the Outstanding U.P. Economics Education Teacher of the Year Award to Erika Fix from Gladstone Area Public Schools.

Northern Michigan University's DeVos Art Museum, School of Art & Design and the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center will host an open house from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, June 22, as part of Marquette's Art Week celebration. Admission is free. Refreshments will be served.

Northern Michigan's Adam Martin was recently selected to the 2016 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America® At-Large First Team. The mathematics and computer science major from Wausau, Wis., is the 20th Wildcat to be named a CoSIDA Academic All-American. He is the second Northern Michigan skier to earn a spot on the At-Large First Team, joining Doug Beaman (1985). Read the full story here. 

The Olympic Training Site at NMU is hosting its third annual Superior International Camp this week. The event is filled to capacity, with about 115 cadet and junior-age wrestlers, including a team from Sweden, staying on campus. The wrestlers will learn Greco-Roman technique, improve their skills and knowledge and compete in multiple matches under the guidance of NMU-OTS coaches Rob Hermann and Aghasi Manukyan. To read a feature story on the event, click here. 

The transition to the new Barnes & Noble at Northern Michigan University Bookstore will take effect Monday, June 20. The last day of operation for the current NMU Bookstore will be Thursday, June 9. The company announced its selection as the new operator and outlined related benefits for NMU students and faculty in a recent press release. 

Gavin Leach, vice president for finance and administration at Northern Michigan University, is the only U.P. representative and one of 27 members statewide serving on the 21st Century Infrastructure Commission created by Gov. Rick Snyder. The commission will develop a comprehensive, long-term vision that guides strategic infrastructure planning, investment and prioritization in Michigan.

Northern Michigan University is hosting a Cyber Camp for high school-age students from 1-4 p.m. Monday, July 18, through Friday, July 22. Students will participate in a hands-on, challenge-based introduction to computer coding, programming and creating through technology.

The Upper Peninsula Area Education Center (UP-AHEC) has been working to identify the primary health care needs in Gogebic and Ontonagon counties. The center is looking for additional community members in business or health care to join a stakeholders group. UP-AHEC also completed a “Primary Care Provider Retention Survey” and will present the results during a public Health Care Recruitment Roundtable on Tuesday, Aug. 9, in Ironwood.

Northern Michigan University's Recreational Services will offer two summer day camps: Wildcat Kids for ages 5 years to 5th grade; and Wildcat Tweens for 6th grade and older. Both will run June 13-Aug. 18.

Northern Michigan University alumnus Jeff Vande Zande ('93) has published his sixth novel, "Detroit Muscle." The book focuses on a recovering Oxycontin addict who returns home to Michigan to reclaim his life. Things begin to change when he agrees to a road trip across the state with his grandfather in a reconditioned '68 Firebird. To read the Deadline Detroit story on Vande Zande's novel, click here. 

Joseph Sova, who is pursuing an MPA from Northern Michigan University, has been promoted to the role of utilities director for the City of Midland, effective July 1. According to the "Midland Daily News," Sova was selected after a competitive search process to replace the retiring director. He is an 18-year city employee, serving as assistant to the utilities director and budget analyst for the utilities department. Read the full story here.

A new professional development opportunity for Upper Peninsula 6th-12th grade teachers will help them integrate literacy into science, engineering and mathematics instruction and use technology to break down the silos between traditional content areas. The U.P. Project SMILE program partners Northern Michigan University’s Seaborg Center with four intermediate school districts across the Upper Peninsula. Its goal is to engage students in “three-dimensional learning.”  

The Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center announces two scholarship opportunities for high school students to attend the Folk Music School at Northern Michigan University. The camp is scheduled July 17 - 22, just before the beginning of the annual Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival in Marquette.

Northern Michigan University’s DeVos Art Museum presents it ninth annual “North of the 45th” juried exhibition. Featured artists live in the geographical area north of the 45th parallel in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. An opening reception will be held from 6-8 p.m. Friday, June 3.

Northern Michigan University student Adam Kall will complete a summer internship with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., June 6-Aug. 12. He will be the only intern helping to maintain the digital security of the NASA servers. 

Graham Broderson, food service worker II in NMU Dining, won the bronze award at the Midwest Culinary Challenge sponsored by the National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS). He prepared Nigerian red rice with smoked black kale and edamame fritters.

Northern Michigan University invites 10th-12th grade students to discover the wonders and complexities of the Upper Peninsula through its "The Other Michigan" residential summer program. The camp runs July 24-30. 

Northern Michigan University’s Seaborg Center will host “Summer College for Kids” programs for students in kindergarten through 8th grade. Morning and afternoon age-appropriate classes covering various topics will run June 20-24, June 27-July 1 and July 11-15.

Northern Michigan University will hold an Environmental and Sustainability Camp for high school-age students July 24-30. Students will experience first hand how scientists incorporate technology and field experiences into studies of the changing environment.

Twenty Northern Michigan University students just returned from San Ignacio, Belize, where they gained hands-on clinical experiences under the guidance of NMU professors Kristi Robinia, Yuba Gautam and Mandi Roos. They were enrolled in an NMU course titled “Interdisciplinary Study in Global Health Care-Latin America.” The students worked with a Belizean physician to deliver care to more than 200 residents in the villages of Bullet Tree Falls and Benque Viejo. 

Northern Michigan University will offer summer skilled trades camps at its Jacobetti Complex for middle school and high school students. One-day camps July 11-13 will cover either two topic areas at age-appropriate levels for grades 5-8 and 9-12 or one topic for all ages. A three-day camp with an engineering focus will be offered July 18-20 for students in grades 5-8.

Innovate Marquette SmartZone invites the campus community to a free workshop on applying for significant funding for technology ideas or tech startups from the government’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Participants can attend one of two sessions on Wednesday, May 18, in the University Center Brule Room: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. or 5:30-7 p.m. A light meal and refreshments will be served. Registration is required.

The 1967 Wildcat football team and five former NMU athletes will be inducted into the NMU Sports Hall of Fame. All will be honored during Homecoming weekend Sept. 23-25. 

Cellist Stefan Koch and pianist Robert Conway are presenting the first U.S. performances of works by renowned Austrian composer Richard Stöhr (1874-1967). They will make a stop at Northern Michigan University for a performance and multimedia lecture at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 17, in Reynolds Recital Hall. Admission is free. 

NMU alumnus Brent Madalinski was one of three 2016 Outstanding Full-Time Educators honored recently by Bay College in Escanaba. He serves as chair of the business division and instructor. 

Northern Michigan University has one of the nation’s most affordable online master’s degree programs in public administration for 2016, according to gradschoolhub.com. It ranks 11th in the “Top 30” list compiled by the site.

Invent@NMU Founding Director David Ollila was invited to Detroit to participate in a May 11 panel presentation delivered to two high-ranking dignitaries from China. The presentation was titled “Michigan’s Leading Innovation Programs” and Invent@NMU was one of only five entities selected by the Michigan Economic Development Corp. to be featured. 

Sixth-grade students from Northern Michigan University's nine charter schools attended a variety of hands-on, interactive classes this morning as part of Young Wildcat Scholars. The camp allows them to experience academics and campus life, along with highlights of the surrounding community.

Megan Pryor of Marquette, a student employee with Northern Michigan University Dining, placed second among nominees for the Midwest Student Employee of the Year Award presented by the National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS). She received $500 for the honor.

Media Advisory: The NMU Charter School Office and the School of Education, Leadership and Public Service is hosting Young Wildcat Scholars, a camp for 6th grade students from NMU's nine charter schools. Media are invited to cover the event. We apologize for the late notice; we received the program itinerary yesterday.

Ian Torchia, a member of the NMU Nordic ski team, was among 16 athletes nominated to the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team. The incoming junior plans to accept the nomination to ski for Team D (or development) and attend two summer training campus in Bend, Ore., and Anchorage, Alaska. He also plans to continue attending NMU as a full-time student en route to a degree in exercise science. Torchia is profiled in a feature article on fasterskier.com. He discusses the value of college to both a ski career and expanding options outside of skiing. Read it here. 

The Upper Peninsula has developed a more diversified economy since the mining and logging booms of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A variety of products are created and exported by U.P. companies. Many of these, both past and present, are featured in the “Made in Da U.P., Eh!” exhibit at Northern Michigan University’s Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center.

Northern Michigan University receiver Marcus Tucker was added to the Pittsburgh Steelers' 90-man roster on Monday. He participated in the NFL team's rookie mini-camp May 6-8. 

Amer Mansoor of Bloomfield Hills received the 2016 Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees’ Outstanding Male Graduating Senior Award. 

Lindsey Lieck of Rhinelander, Wis., received the 2016 Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees’ Outstanding Female Graduating Senior Award. She was a member of the NMU Honors Program and graduated magna cum laude with a degree in political science and a minor in environmental studies.

The Marquette Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) presented its 2016 Martha Griffiths Award to Grace Orstad, a spring Northern Michigan University graduate who earned a degree in biochemistry. 

Trevor Case of Chatham recently received the Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees’ Outstanding Nontraditional Student Award.

Melissa Orzechowski of Grandville was named the 2016 Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees’ Outstanding Student of any class standing. The board's student achievement awards are presented annually to recognize students for their significant contributions to the quality of life at NMU through involvement in extra-curricular activities or through work in a university department.

Northern Michigan University academic departments recognized their 2015-16 outstanding graduates—both seniors and graduate students—in advance of spring commencement. Honorees were selected based on their academic performance, campus leadership and personal qualities.

The annual Children’s Art Exhibition is on display through May 22 at Northern Michigan University's DeVos Art Museum. A reception is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. Friday, May 13.

The Transparency Project Committee continues to finalize its recommendations and plans to implement tools and resources to improve transparency in campus-wide decision-making processes.

The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees presented its annual student achievement awards in advance of spring commencement. The awards recognize students for their significant contributions to the quality of life at NMU through involvement in extracurricular activities or through work in a university department. 

The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees today approved housing and dining rates for the 2016-17 academic year. The annual cost of a standard double-occupancy room and the “gold constant meal pass” dining option will be $9,604, an increase of $534 to cover inflationary cost increases and maintenance needs for housing facilities. The board also approved a resolution for construction and operation of new residence halls through a partnership with EdR, a national collegiate housing developer and manager.

Northern Michigan University graphic communications students designed the logo and promotional materials that will be used for the International Luge Federation’s Luge World Cup on Natural Track at Lucy Hill in Negaunee. The Upper Peninsula Luge Club (UPLC), home of the only full-length natural luge track in the United States, will host the event in January 2017.

A grand opening celebration for the Beaumier Alumni Welcome and U.P. Heritage Center was held Thursday, April 28. The facility is named in honor of alumnus and retired orthopedic surgeon Dr. John Beaumier, who contributed $1 million to the NMU Foundation to make the project possible.

There are many stellar students at Northern Michigan University, but perhaps few have climbed as high or extracted as much from their educational experience as Melissa Orzechowski of Grandville. Her long list of achievements and activities is exhausting to read, much less execute. Orzechowski will graduate Saturday with a triple major and was selected as outstanding graduating senior by two of those departments. She also received the 2016 award for outstanding student of any class standing from the NMU Board of Trustees.

Amel Abbady, a Fulbright alumna from South Valley University in Egypt, completed a semester-long teaching fellowship through NMU’s College of Arts and Sciences. In her two sections of Arab literature, she shared works by predominantly female authors and addressed common misconceptions about the Middle East, Islam and Muslim women.

Area elementary students who will participate in the Marquette-Alger Young Authors' Conference May 2-5 at Northern Michigan University read their books to NMU President Fritz Erickson and his wife, Jan. 

The recipients of the 2016 Distinguished Faculty Awards at Northern Michigan University are Charles Ganzert of the Communication and Performance Studies Department, who was honored posthumously, and Brian Gnauck of the College of Business. Both were recognized at an April 26 reception. Ganzert’s wife, Patricia “Pish” Cianciolo, accepted and spoke on his behalf.

“The Round House,” a National Book Award winner for fiction by Louise Erdrich, is the 2016 One Book, One Community selection. Erdrich is a revered chronicler of Native American life and a former Pulitzer Prize finalist. In "The Round House," she transports readers to an Ojibwe reservation in North Dakota, where a boy on the cusp of manhood seeks justice and understanding in the wake of a brutal, racist attack on his mother. The incident upends and forever transforms his family.

Northern Michigan University and Gwinn High School administrators on Tuesday formalized an agreement to offer concurrent enrollment to Gwinn High School students. Concurrent enrollment is part of the Northern Promise, which gives high school students the opportunity to complete college credits prior to high school graduation at no tuition cost.

The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees will hold its next regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday and Friday, April 28-29.

Northern Michigan University’s spring commencement ceremony will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 30, in the Superior Dome. Of the 1,106 students eligible to graduate, 853 are scheduled to march in the ceremony.

NMU's visual rebrand was the featured case study in an April 27 blog post by Libris, a cloud-based media manager for photos and videos. NMU photographer Josh LeClair uses Libris to host Northern's centralized visual media library.

NMU undergraduate students are using cutting-edge DNA sequencing techniques to research the genetic diversity of blue wildebeest populations in Zambia and southern Africa. The project is one of two proposals selected to receive seed money in the inaugural year of the Northern PRIME Fund, an internal funding mechanism that provides up to $20,000 for substantive, interdisciplinary research that engages students.

Chemo Care Baskets being assembled today (April 25) by Students for the Upper Michigan Brain Tumor Center will be distributed to newly diagnosed neuro-oncology patients at UP Health System Marquette.

Northern Michigan University and Gwinn High School administrators will formalize an agreement to offer concurrent enrollment to Gwinn High School students during a visit to Gwinn High School from 8:15-9 a.m. Tuesday, April 26. Media coverage is welcome. Concurrent enrollment is part of the Northern Promise, which gives high school students the opportunity to complete college credits prior to high school graduation at no tuition cost.

Dr. James Surrell, Newberry native and board-certified colorectal surgeon at UP Health System Marquette, will be the keynote speaker at Northern Michigan University’s spring commencement on Saturday, April 30. The NMU alumnus also will receive an honorary doctor of science degree.

Amer Mansoor of Bloomfield Hills will be the student speaker at Northern Michigan University’s spring commencement on Saturday, April 30. He completed both NMU’s pre-med program and the requirements for a bachelor’s degree in communication studies. Mansoor will graduate summa cum laude, a distinction for those who have achieved a 3.8-4.0 grade point average. He also received the outstanding male graduating senior award from the NMU Board of Trustees and was named outstanding graduate of the communication studies program.

The River Valley Bank Hope Starts Here Challenge will be held on Saturday, May 7. The annual challenge raises funds and awareness for the Upper Michigan Brain Tumor Center through competitive and leisurely events geared for all ages and skill levels.

Several Upper Peninsula teams participated at the regional level of the National Personal Finance Challenge, with support from the Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship (CEEE) at Northern Michigan University.

Northern Michigan University's School of Art and Design will host a lecture event featuring Petra Giloy-Hirtz of Munich, Germany, and Terry Myers of Chicago. Their presentations begin at 6 p.m. and 6:40 p.m., respectively, on Monday, April 25, in room 165 of the Art and Design Building.

The Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center at Northern Michigan University has announced the 2016 recipients of the Upper Peninsula Folklife Award. Folk dancer, instructor and musician Kay Seppala of Chassell and the Hiawatha Music Co-op will be honored at a May 10 Scandinavian dinner.

The Northern Michigan University Foundation invites campus and community members to the grand opening of the Beaumier Alumni Welcome and U.P. Heritage Center. The event will be held from 4-6 p.m. Thursday, April 28, with a ribbon cutting scheduled at 5 p.m.

A teleconference titled “Interdisciplinary Approaches to Trauma Informed Care” will be offered Friday, May 6, at Northern Michigan University. 

A campus climate survey developed by the President’s Gender Working Group showed that women and transgender persons experienced a “considerably higher rate” of harassment, intimidation and/or discrimination. The results were reviewed at a recent forum.

The April 20 edition of The Detroit News included a feature titled "Olympic hopefuls pursue dreams and degrees at NMU." The story highlights the Olympic Training Site at Northern, the oldest of five sites nationwide that are connected to a university, allowing athletes to continue their education while they train for elite competition.

Media are invited to cover Marquette-Baraga Dental Day, an event offering free oral health care services for uninsured and underinsured adults from both counties. The event runs from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 23, at the West Ishpeming Dental Center (125 N. Pansy St.). A symbolic ribbon-cutting with volunteers and state representatives will be held at noon. 

The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will host an eight-session program that emphasizes strategies to manage falls and increase activity levels. It is designed for those who want to improve balance, flexibility and strength or have concerns about falling.

The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will host a presentation titled “Peru and Ecuador: Machu Picchu, the Amazon Basin, Galapagos Islands.” NCLL members Carole and Zane Bard will lead participants on a journey through slides and stories from their travels to the region.

A new “Remove the Label” campaign at Northern Michigan University is designed to raise awareness about the damaging impact of stereotypes. It encourages the campus community to assess people based on their individual traits rather than categorize them according to negative assumptions, misinformation or unfair generalizations. Campaign posters were put in place last week. A “Remove the Label” event encouraging students to rip off post-it notes with handwritten stereotypes from oversized posters will begin Wednesday morning at Jamrich Hall.

The cosmetology program at Northern Michigan University will celebrate and showcase recent upgrades to its salon from 2-5 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, in the Jacobetti Complex. The public is invited.

Recent Northern Michigan University graduate Stephen Tennis designed the new logo for Peter White Public Library, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary. His design was selected as the winner from about 30 submissions.

Northern Michigan University’s DeVos Art Museum is hosting an exhibition of graduating seniors’ work. A closing reception will be held from 7-9 p.m. Friday, April 29.

Logan Stauber of Lake Orion won first place in the New Business Venture Competition sponsored by the Northern Michigan University College of Business. His proposal, Upscale Energy Solutions, creates data-driven energy optimization solutions.

Northern Michigan University's mathematics and computer science department will host its final colloquium of the academic year at 3 p.m. Friday, April 22, in 3100 Jamrich Hall. 

The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will host a workshop on the art of macrame. It will cover beginning knotting techniques; basic materials will be provided. 

A six-course Scandinavian dinner with paired wines will be presented by the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center and the U.P. Chapter of the American Culinary Federation on Tuesday, May 10, at Northern Michigan University. A cocktail reception with cash bar begins at 6 p.m. in the University Center Great Lakes Rooms. Dinner will follow at 6:30. The registration deadline is May 5.

The NMU Honors Program is managing a new peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary journal open to all undergraduate students. “Conspectus Borealis”—Latin for “A Northern Perspective”—will be available online as part of The Commons, NMU’s institutional repository. Submissions can include scholarly works such as research articles, lab reports and technical papers, along with creative writing, visual art and foreign language pieces. A launch party for the inaugural issue will be held from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, April 21, in Olson Library.

At three town hall meetings this week, President Fritz Erickson addressed topics ranging from facilities and state funding to NMU securing the first of several approvals that will allow the university to deliver high-speed educational broadband across the Upper Peninsula. 

Northern Michigan University student Harrison Moynihan of Grand Haven received the Outstanding Community Impact Award from Michigan Campus Compact. He is one of six students throughout the state to receive the award, which honors those who have made community service an integral part of their college experience.

NMU alumnus Ron Fonger was named Journalist of the Year by the Detroit chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists for his reporting on the water crisis in his hometown of Flint. Fonger exposed health problems with the water system in the "Flint Journal" and for MLive.com before the story gained international traction when elevated lead levels were discovered in childrens' blood. Read the full story here or review a Q&A with Fonger that appeared in a March issue of the NMU Alumni Association's "What's New NMU?"

The Northern Michigan University English department will host a “pop-up” reading to honor the work of author Jim Harrison, who died on March 26. The event will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 19, in Olson Library.

Northern Michigan University student scholars will share their research at the next Science on Tap presentation at the Ore Dock Brewing Company. The event runs from 7-9 p.m. Thursday, April 14.

Northern Michigan University political science and criminal justice professors will participate in a panel discussion titled “The U.S. Role in Fighting ISIS.” The event will be held at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, in the Cadillac room of the University Center. 

The Northern Michigan University music department will present a concert by the NMU Orchestra, under the direction of Barbara Rhyneer. It will take place at 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 18, in Reynolds Recital Hall. Admission is free.

Northern Michigan University alumnus Brian Butler has been appointed deputy to the commander at the U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command (LCMC) in Warren. 

NMU alumnus and Newberry native Chad T. Wood portrays the late lawyer Vincent Bugliosi in "Manson's Lost Girls," a recent Lifetime movie that replays periodically. Bugliosi successfully prosecuted Charles Manson and several followers for their 1969 killing spree in Los Angeles and later wrote a best-selling book about the case. Wood earned a bachelor's degree in accounting and computer science from NMU. He describes the portrayal as his "breakout role" in a story that appears on legalnews.com. 

The NMU Students for Sustainability organization plans to send nearly 8,000 cans of water to Flint in the near future, with support from Blackrocks Brewery and Griffin Beverage Company. The project and a series of three campus presentations scheduled this week align with the group’s chosen theme for this year: water quality.

Northern Michigan University Olympic Training Site Greco-Roman wrestling team alumni Andy Bisek of the Minnesota Storm and Robby Smith of the NYAC earned spots on the 2016 Olympic Team at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials this past weekend in Iowa City, Iowa. They join fellow NMU-OTS alumnus Ben Provisor, of the Colorado Springs, Colo., OTC, who qualified for the team during yesterday’s 85-kilogram final.

A UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter will land at the Northern Michigan University campus this week. It will be on a static display from 1-3 p.m. Thursday, April 14, on the soccer fields at the corner of Wright and Lincoln Streets. Beginning at 3 p.m., it will engage in orientation flights for current military members and cadets in NMU’s Wildcat Battalion ROTC program.

The Northern Michigan University Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of James Strain, will present its annual spring concert at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 16, in Reynolds Recital Hall. Admission is free.

Northern Michigan University’s Lake Effect Show Choir will present “A Taste of Heart & Soul,” an evening of musical entertainment accompanied by appetizers, desserts and beverages. Two performances are scheduled on Wednesday, April 20, and Thursday, April 21. 

The NMU Foundation has been working with donors to design and fund a Research Institute (RI) to be housed in Lee Hall.  While still in the conceptual stage, the RI would provide unparalleled research opportunities on Northern’s campus and grow the next generation of scholars in fields related to human disorders.

Olivia Walcott of Allendale, an environmental science major at Northern Michigan University, has been named a 2016 Newman Civic Fellow by Campus Compact. The Newman Civic Fellows Award honors undergraduate and graduate students who have taken action in pursuit of long-term social change and who engage and inspire others in their communities.

Christopher Kibit, hospitality and tourism management professor at Northern Michigan University, was a semifinalist for the Hermann G. Rusch Chef’s Achievement Award, presented earlier this week at the American Culinary Federation’s (ACF) ChefConnect Convention in Hawaii.

Northern Michigan University recently earned third place among 12 state universities participating in the Gift of Life Michigan Campus Challenge. This year’s effort resulted in 235 NMU students registering as organ, tissue and eye donors.

The NMU Chemistry Department recently hosted the annual Student Research Symposium of the UP local of the American Chemical Society. The event is for undergraduate and graduate students who are from the Upper Peninsula or attending a U.P. institution. NMU students June Kowalski and Kathryn Kulju won first prize in the undergraduate division.

NMU’s newest retirees, along with employees who have reached years-of-service milestones, were honored at the faculty and staff recognition luncheon on April 6. Awards were also presented to distinguished teams, technology innovators and individuals recognized for excellence in service. 

A Northern Michigan University Quiz Bowl team enjoyed its first undefeated run and took first place at last weekend's home tournament. NMU's team A topped competitors from Lawrence University and Michigan Tech. NMU senior Paul Flaminio also was the highest-scoring individual player.

Media are welcome to cover the 17th annual Northern Michigan University programming contest from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 9, in Jamrich Hall. It is the largest such event in the Upper Peninsula and this year's will be the biggest ever with 36 teams composed of three students each scheduled to participate. 

Northern Michigan University Dining Services locations now use cage-free, pasture-raised chicken eggs from a local supplier through a new partnership with BSB Farms in Skandia.

Northern Michigan University today launched its new academic and athletic logos. The revitalized graphic identity is the result of a year-long process that included extensive research on the distinctive attributes of NMU and feedback on the designs from hundreds of university stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff and alumni.

Kaylagh Hollen, a Northern Michigan University biology student, recently received $2,517 through the scientific grant-funding website, Instrumentl, for her research project titled “A New and Rapid Way to Identify Staph Bacteria.” She is working under the guidance of biology professor Josh Sharp.

The Northern Michigan University Choir and Arts Chorale will present a spring festival concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 14, in Reynolds Recital Hall. Admission is free.

The Northern Michigan University Volunteer Center will coordinate a Be the Match bone marrow registration drive on campus. The event will take place from 5-7 p.m. Monday, April 11, in the Payne/Halverson lobby and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, in the Jamrich Hall ticket booth near the auditorium. 

The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting at 8 a.m. Wednesday, April 6, to vote on authorizing NMU to proceed with its new academic and athletic logos. Trustees will participate via telephone, but media are welcome to attend and interview university representatives following the vote. They will be available in the conference room in 602 Cohodas Hall. For more information, contact Derek Hall in NMU Marketing and Communications at 227-2720.

Northern Michigan University’s College of Business is hosting a Kevät Juhla, or spring celebration, on Thursday, April 21. The social hour with cash bar begins at 6 p.m. in the University Center Explorer Rooms, with dinner and the program following at 7 p.m.

Einav Yogev, a researcher in the terror and low intensity conflict program at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, will present "Terrorism, Feminism and Human Rights: A Personal Perspective" at NMU.

“Sexual Assault on Trial,” a scenario-based forum that compares the responses of the university and local judicial system to allegations of sexual assault, will be held on Tuesday, April 5, at Northern Michigan University. 

Northern Michigan University's 21st annual Celebration of Student Research, Creative Works and Academic Service Learning will be held from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 7, in Jamrich Hall.

The Northern Michigan University music department will host a screening of the Royal Ballet production of “Romeo and Juliet.” The show runs from 5-7:40 p.m. Sunday, April 10, in 1100 Jamrich Hall, with free pizza to follow. Admission is free for NMU students with ID, $5 for students under 18 and $15 for adults.

Pay It Forward, a Northern Michigan University student organization, will host a Care Package for Soldiers Overseas event on Saturday, April 9. 

Michael Davis, composer and trombonist most widely known for playing with the Rolling Stones since 1994, will be the featured guest artist at the Northern Michigan University Jazz Festival. He will perform the closing concert with the NMU Jazz Band and Jazz Combo on Friday, April 8.

The Culinary Students of Northern Michigan University will host their annual Chili Challenge from 3-5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, in the NMU Jacobetti Complex. The proceeds will benefit Beacon House.

The Northern Michigan University French Club will present a showing of the classic silent film, La Maison du Mystère (The House of Mystery), with live grand piano accompaniment. The event begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 5, in the Ontario Room of the University Center. It is free and open to the public.

The History Film Series at Northern Michigan University will close with “Leatherheads”  on Monday, April 4, and “North Country” on Monday, April 11. Both will be shown at 7 p.m. in Mead Auditorium in the West Science Building. Admission is free.

Northern Arts & Entertainment will present a concert featuring the groups Papadosio and The Werks on Thursday, April 7.

The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will host a presentation on the history of golf in Marquette.  It will also address golf maintenance practices and new advances in golf equipment.

The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will host a workshop on ballroom dancing, focusing on the waltz.

The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will host a program titled “Family Stories, Family Surprises.” Bruce Larson, author of “Secrets and Rivals: Wartime Letters and the Parents I Never Knew” will be the presenter.

The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will host a presentation titled “Taxes, Retirement and Legacy Planning.” 

Media are welcome to cover the Relay for Life cancer fundraiser at Northern Michigan University. It begins at noon Friday, March 26, in Vandament Arena and is scheduled to continue for 24 hours (Friday would be the best media day). In addition to participants walking laps in the gym to raise money, the event includes basketball and dodgeball tournaments, food, music and more. 

The final phase of the New Business Venture Competition at Northern Michigan University will be held on Thursday, March 31. It features three components: a trade fair display from 1-2 p.m.; a 60-second elevator pitch presentation from 2-2:15; and an oral presentation of business plans from 2:15-3:45 and 4-5:30.

Residential renewable energy will be the focus of the final seminar of the academic year hosted by the Northern Climate Network at Northern Michigan University. Steve Waller and Ian Olmsted will give the talk at noon Friday, April 8, in 1318 Jamrich Hall. It is free and open to the public.

Authors Eula Biss and Jennifer Percy will read from their latest nonfiction books during a visiting writers' program at Northern Michigan University. The event will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 7, in the University Center Marquette and Nicolet rooms.

The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will host a presentation titled “Beekeeping 101.” 

Karen Bacula, Marquette Senior High School biology teacher and NMU alumnus, received the 2016 Sigma Xi High School Science and Math Teaching Award from the NMU Chapter of Sigma Xi, the National Scientific Research Society.  Bacula graduated from NMU in 1985 with a degree in zoology. She was honored with a plaque and a $100 gift certificate at the annual Sigma Xi banquet held March 17 at the University Center.

The Northern Shores Writing Project Invitational Summer Institute is accepting applications from K-16 educators in the upper Midwest region through March 31. Educators will converge at Northern Michigan University in Marquette June 20-23 and 27-30 for an intensive professional experience.

The Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center at Northern Michigan University is seeking public nominations for the 2016 Upper Peninsula Folklife Award. The award recognizes those who make a difference in the creation and/or preservation of Upper Peninsula folk arts, including music, dance, storytelling, crafts and food. Persons or organizations can be nominated. The deadline is Thursday, April 7.

James Seelye of Kent State University at Stark will present “Researching the Venerable: Frederic Baraga and the Catholic Hierarchy” at the Central Upper Peninsula & Northern Michigan University Archives. His talk begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 24, in room 126 of the NMU Learning Resources Center.

Northern Michigan University's Forest Roberts Theatre will present “The Secret Garden” musical Wednesday, April 6, through Saturday, April 9. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m., with an additional 1 p.m. matinee performance on Saturday.

Nine research or scholarly works proposals will receive support from NMU Faculty Research Grants for the 2016-17 academic year. 

A record 20 Upper Peninsula teams participated at the regional level of the National Economics Challenge, with support from the Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship (CEEE) at Northern Michigan University. Four of those U.P. teams advanced to the Michigan state finals on Thursday, March 24, in Novi. They will vie for an opportunity to compete at nationals in New York.

The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will host a program on “Challenger” astronaut Ron McNair’s legacy and the McNair Scholars Program at Northern Michigan University.

The 26th annual International Food Festival at Northern Michigan University will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 26, in the Jacobetti Complex. 

Eric Smith, director of broadcasting and audio-visual services at Northern Michigan University, has been elected to a second term as president of the Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters (MAPB). 

Invent@NMU recently hosted an Introduction to Customer Discovery course in its continuing effort to support entrepreneurial growth in the Upper Peninsula. The course was offered in partnership with the University of Michigan’s Center for Entrepreneurship, with funding and support from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. It is part of the national Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program.

Award-winning comedian, best-selling author and TV personality Jeff Kreisler will bring his "Comedy Against Evil" to Northern Michigan University. The political stand-up comedy tour tackles the latest campaign news, along with issues and personalities shaping today's world. It is geared toward people of all political stripes and covers topics ranging from health care reform and student loans to filibusters and immigration.

A reminder that media are welcome to cover NMU's Wildcat Weekend activities on Saturday, March 19. An estimated 900-1,000 visitors (prospective students and their families) are expected to participate. 

Northern Michigan University’s music department will showcase the talents of three seniors in upcoming solo recitals. The students being featured are: Audra Hagan on saxophone at 4 p.m. Saturday, March 26; Abbie Beekman, vocalist, at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 2; and Maggie Kieckhafer on piano at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 16. 

NMU education professor K.C. Holder and two pre-service teachers, Paige Lamb and Molly Smith, were photographed and mentioned in the Santa Fe New Mexican's coverage of the recent MidSchoolMath National Conference in Santa Fe. The NMU trio also gave a presentation on the challenges of starting up a First Tech Robotics Challenge all-girls team.

The next NMU Mathematics and Computer Science Department colloquium will be titled “Future Autonomous Weapons Will Make Moral Judgments.” Philosophy professor Zac Cogley will give the presentation at 3 p.m. on Friday, March 18, in 3100 Jamrich Hall. 

Robert Glennon, one of the nation's thought leaders and commentators on water policy and law, will present "America's Water Crisis and What To Do About It" at Northern Michigan University. His talk will begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 22, in Jamrich 1322. It is sponsored by the NMU Environmental Science Organization.

NMU alumna Amy Lou Arnold is among the eight 2016 inductees in the Brighton Area Women's Roll of Honor, announced in conjunction with Women's History Month. She has earned a solid reputation as a key costumer-supervisor for major movies. Her credits include Titanic, Seabiscuit, Daredevil, Memoirs of a Geisha, Public Enemies and J. Edgar.

More than 500 students, faculty and staff have responded to the survey that will help inform sustainability planning on campus. It is not too late to register input. The survey remains open through March 20 and can be completed in about 10 minutes here. Results will be revealed at a public forum from 9-10 a.m. Friday, April 8, in Jamrich 1322. 

More than 150 ideas have come through Invent@NMU’s doors in its 17 months in operation. The organization has launched a website landing page, “Products and Propulsion,” to house and highlight some of these client success stories.  

NMU student Kimberly Norkooli is one of four artists highlighted on the Coca-Cola website for repurposing the company’s recyclable bottles, cans and bottle caps into hip jewelry. Norkooli is a health information processing major who also operates an Etsy shop, EtchingNJewelry. She was inspired by a movie to create her choker-style necklace adorned with silver Coke bottle caps.

The Beamier Coffee House Concert Series will present All Strings Considered and The Knockabouts on Saturday, April 9. The event begins at 7 p.m. in the Panowski Black Box Theatre in the McClintock Building at Northern Michigan University. The suggested donation is $5.

Northern Michigan University will host the Upper Great Lakes Collegiate Job Fair from 1-4 p.m. Wednesday, March 23, in the Great Lakes Rooms of the University Center. 

Registration has opened for the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center's inaugural Folk Music School for high school students, to be held July 17-21 at Northern Michigan University. Interested students can register for the camp and see more information at folkmusicschool.nmu.edu.  

The Upper Peninsula Area Health Education Center (UP-AHEC) has been working in Gogebic and Ontonagon Counties to identify the primary health care needs of those counties.  

Japan’s occupation of the U.S.-controlled Philippines, launched shortly after its surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, was one of the most brutal of World War II. It propelled some civilians into subversive resistance movements on behalf of the Allied effort. Angels of the Underground author Theresa Kaminski will visit Northern Michigan University to discuss her new book about four American women who risked their lives to smuggle food and supplies to POW and internment camps, relay strategic information, and serve in guerrilla bands stationed in the hills surrounding Manila. Her Women’s History Month presentation will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, March 21, in the University Center Great Lakes Rooms. Admission is free. 

Emma Finkbeiner, a Northern Michigan University senior from Marquette and Harbor Springs, has been elected 2016-17 national president of the Public Relations Student Society of America.

Registration will be open March 21-25 for Marquette-Baraga Dental Day, an event offering free oral health care services for uninsured and underinsured adults from both counties.

Mark Serreze, director of the University of Colorado National Snow and Ice Data Center, will present “The New Arctic” at Northern Michigan University. 

Northern Michigan University will present a screening of German Town: The Lost Story of Seaford Town, Jamaica, a documentary by David Ritter. The event begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 17, in 1322 Jamrich Hall. Admission is free. 

The Northern Michigan University Music Department will host a concert performed by Brian Carter, the principal horn for the Marquette Symphony Orchestra. He will present a diverse program of solo horn literature along with Kelly Haselhuhn, one of his former students.

Northern Michigan University will host World Languages Day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, March 18, in the first-floor lounge of Jamrich Hall.

The animated French film, Le Tableau, will be shown at Northern Michigan University at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 16, in 1318 Jamrich Hall. Admission is free.

Jessie Close, the author of Resilience: Two Sisters and a Story of Mental Illness, will give a presentation at Northern Michigan University on Monday, March 21. Close struggled as a young adult with symptoms that would transform into severe bipolar disorder. Her book features a running commentary and epilogue written by her sister, actress Glenn Close. 

Northern Michigan University will present Relatos Salavajes, a 2015 Oscar nominee for best foreign language film. The Argentine-Spanish co-production is composed of six separate but related shorts that explore extremities of human behavior involving people in distress. All are written and directed by Damián Szifron. 

Northern Michigan University will hold a screening of the Polish film Ida, the 2015 Academy Award winner for best foreign language film, at 7 p.m. Monday, March 14 in Jamrich 1322. Admission is free.

Results of the 2015 campus climate survey on gender issues developed by the President's Gender Working Group will be reviewed at a campus forum on Thursday, March 17. Faculty, staff and students responded to anonymous surveys that addressed such areas as career opportunities; recruitment and promotions; academics/in the classroom; parental and caretaking support; and harassment, intimidation and discrimination. 

The Northern Michigan women’s club hockey team is competing at the American Collegiate Hockey Association Women's D2 National Championships in Kalamazoo after remaining undefeated in conference play. The Wildcats won their opening round game on Wednesday, 5-1 over California University of Pennsylvania. They will play Rainy River at 5:30 p.m. today (March 10).  

NMU alumnus Aaron Payment is one of two Native education advocates selected to participate in the U.S. Department of Education's Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Negotiated Rulemaking Committee. He is tribal chairman of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. 

The Native American Student Association at Northern Michigan University will present a free concert by Keith Secola at 7 p.m. Friday, March 11, in Vandament Arena.

Author Steven Church will give a reading at Northern Michigan University as part of the Visiting Writers Series. The event will begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 10, in the Marquette/Nicolet Rooms of the University Center.

NMU students, faculty and staff members are encouraged to complete a 10-minute survey that will help inform sustainability planning on campus. The survey is available here through March 20. Results will be shared at a public forum in April. 

The DeVos Art Museum at Northern Michigan University is seeking entries for its ninth annual “North of the 45th” upper Midwest juried exhibition. All residents of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin living north of the 45th parallel are encouraged to submit works in any media and of any size for consideration by the March 14 deadline. 

The NMU Alpine Ski & Snowboard Team has qualified for the U.S. Collegiate Ski & Snowboard Association (USCSA) National Championships March 6-12 in Lake Placid, N.Y. NMU is one of 12 teams that will compete in the showcase event after scoring top finishes at six regional qualifiers. 

Northern Michigan University second-year graduate students in exercise science will host a seminar series to present their research. The talks will take place at 6:15 p.m. Mondays, March 7 through April 18, in the PEIF room 241.

The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning host a digital photography class taught by professional photographer Kim Marsh. The course will cover digital camera use, photographic techniques and composition. 

MARQUETTE, Mich. — The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will host a presentation on outcomes of the 2015 Paris Climate Conference, also known as COP21, as well as Michigan-specific climate issues. 

Northern Michigan University will host the 23rd annual “Learning to Walk Together” Traditional Pow Wow, with doors opening at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 12, in Vandament Arena. Grand entries will be at noon and 6 p.m.

The Northern Michigan University history film series will present Ohm Krüger, a 1941 film created by Josef Goebbel’s Nazi propaganda machine. It is a biopic of Paul Kruger, the Boer guerilla fighter-turned-statesman and first president of South Africa.

The next Your Health presentation at Northern Michigan University will be titled "The Growing Cost of Health Care: Can We Endure It Much Longer?" 

The Northern Nights performing arts series will close out the season with a concert by multi-award-winning Irish folk group Dervish on Wednesday, March 9. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. in Kaufman Auditorium.

Northern Michigan University will continue the 2016 Great Decisions Global Discussion Series in March. Great Decisions is a series of critical examinations of foreign policy presented by a roster of nationally known experts.

Artists Alison Reintjes and Anita Kunz will give workshops and public presentations at Northern Michigan University as part of Women's History Month. 

Northern Michigan University’s Olson Library will host  "Minopagwad (It tastes good): Decolonizing Diet Project Cookbook Signing and Reception" on Tuesday, March 8. The event is being held in conjunction with the national touring exhibition, Native Voices: Native Peoples’ Concepts of Health and Illness. It begins with a panel presentation from 4-5 p.m., followed by a cookbook signing reception featuring Great Lakes indigenous foods from 5-6 p.m. 

Northern Michigan University's social work department was awarded a $500 Meemic Foundation mini-grant to support a Professionalism Day activity aimed at preparing students for senior year field placement with social service agencies. Erik Bergh of the Bergh Agency-Meemic Insurance presented the check to Ann Crandell-Williams' direct practice methods class.

Northern Michigan University students enrolled in an international political economy course will present research papers addressing “The Future of Political Economy: Cooperation or Conflict?” The event will take place at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 15, in Mead Auditorium in the West Science Building.

Abstracts are now being accepted for the 21st Annual Celebration of Student Research, Creative Works and Academic Service Learning. Faculty members are urged to encourage students from all disciplines to submit work for presentation by the March 23 deadline.

NMU Dining is the winner of the 2016 Wildcat Wellness Health Fair "Robin Rahoi Award." The event planning committee presents the award to the entity judged to have the best fair display, based on the following criteria: clarity of health promotion message, attractiveness of display, interaction with participants, usefulness of take-home materials and encouragement of positive health change. Those results are combined with fair participants' votes for their favorite exhibit to determine the winner. The award honors the memory, dedication and energy of Rahoi, former NMU registered dietician.

Northern Michigan University's School of Health and Human Performance will present its 2016 Exercise Science Seminar Series.  Second-year graduate students will give talks on a variety of topics at 6:15 p.m. Mondays, March 7-April 18, in room 241 of the Physical Education Instructional Facility (PEIF). The public is invited.

The Akropolis Reed Quintet will be in residence at Northern Michigan University March 8-12. Its members will deliver classroom presentations at NMU and local schools and participate in mini-performances and jam sessions on campus. The residency will culminate in a public performance at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 12, in Reynolds Recital Hall.

Northern Michigan University will offer a Rape Aggression Self-Defense class (RAD) for women in March. The four-session course will cover self-defense options that may prove viable if a woman is attacked.

Kyle Steuck, a secondary education/physical education major and former Wildcat football player, will participate in an NFL regional combine in Minnesota in March. He is the subject of a recent television news feature on how he balances the rigorous training required to impress NFL scouts with his rewarding day job as a student teacher at Ashwaubenon High School. Steuck's favorite class is adaptive PE for special needs students. See the report highlighting his aspirations and success here.  

NMU Counseling and Consultation Services has received a $450 grant from the Marquette Co. Suicide Prevention Alliance to build on its existing library of bibliotherapy resources. The funding will be used to purchase books for the mental health lending library, increasing the helpful resources available to enrolled NMU students. The grant is under the direction of Marie Aho. 

The Northern Michigan University Alumni Association has chosen Saturday, March 5, as “Wildcat Night Across the Country.” Alumni groups will meet at various U.S. locations to cheer on the Wildcat hockey team as it competes at home against rival Michigan Tech at 7 p.m. EST.

The NMU Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship (CEEE) presented a full-day workshop on the "Common Sense: Economics for Life!" course package to 25 Upper Peninsula teachers. 

Northern Michigan University has announced the results of its Presidential Scholars Competition for high school seniors.

The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees has authorized NMU to enter into contract negotiations with Barnes & Noble College to operate the on-campus bookstore. A university committee unanimously selected Barnes & Noble from among three vendors that responded to a request for proposals last fall.

The Northern Michigan University Orchestra will perform a free concert directed toward an audience ages 4-14 at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24, in Reynolds Recital Hall. 

Northern Michigan’s University’s Black Student Union will present a Soul Food Taster as its final celebration for Black History Month. The event is scheduled from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24, in the Jacobetti Complex commons.  

Brad Hamel, director of alumni engagement and external relations technologies, was recently appointed to the National Educational Alumni Trust (NEAT) Executive Committee. 

NMU philosophy professor Zac Cogley wrote a piece that appears on The Critique titled “Paul Graham, Silicon Valley & Economic Inequality.” Graham, the co-founder of tech startup investment firm Y Combinator, had been getting attention for a personal essay on economic inequality on his website. Cogley’s piece dissects and responds to Graham’s views, even putting them in the context of the Flint water crisis.

Kim Barker, former South Asia bureau chief for The Chicago Tribune and author of The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan, will speak at Northern Michigan University. 

The NMU workplace campaign to support the United Way of Marquette County will wrap up at the end of the month. As of Feb. 19, employees had contributed $26,406 toward the $35,000 goal. 

Invent@NMU's entrepreneurial support is expanding beyond garage and start-up projects to corporate clients. Its latest client is the Marquette-based company, Easy Ice, a national ice subscription service.

Northern Michigan University’s outdoor recreation leadership management program will explore sustainable eco-tourism in Alger County. It has received a grant designed to support innovative economic development strategies that may yield entrepreneurship, job creation and economic innovation in distressed regions of Michigan. 

Wildcat hockey players have been lacing up their skates for a purpose beyond practice or competition. They take turns each week doing community service with Marquette Junior Hockey’s “Learn to Skate” program at Lakeview Arena. With youngsters ages 2-7 circling—and sometimes wobbling or falling—around them, the Wildcats say it’s a pleasant reminder of their early days on the ice under the guidance of adult mentors. And judging by their playful interactions with the kids, they fully embrace the importance of providing future players with a fun, enthusiastic introduction to the sport.

NMU alumnus Jay Anglin honed his outdoor skills in the Upper Peninsula while earning his wildlife biology degree. Raised on the water in Northern Indiana, he has been fly-fishing for more than 30 years and guiding hunters and anglers for the last 20. Anglin recently joined Traditions Media, a PR, media communications and social media team specializing in brands representing the outdoors industry.

Northern Michigan University Campus Cinema, in conjunction with the NMU Archives, will host a screening of “Anatomy of a Murder” at 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21 in Jamrich 1100.

Ten student members of NMU Quiz Bowl competed at the recent sectional tournament in Minneapolis. They were divided into three squads that entered different levels of competition. The highest finish was NMU’s B team, which placed 7th out of 14 schools in Division II.

The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees will hold a formal business session during its Feb. 18-19 retreat. The session is scheduled from 9-9:40 a.m. Friday, Feb. 19, in the University Center Marquette, Nicolet and Cadillac Rooms. To see the agenda and supporting materials, visit nmu.edu/boardbook. 

Optogenetic tools, which allow scientists to control neurons in the brain with bursts of light, provide a powerful new way to study the brain. These relatively recent innovations offer greater precision in targeting specific neurotransmitters responsible for behavior than traditional methods such as electrode stimulation. At the urging of a graduate student, Northern Michigan University’s neuroscience program has acquired the cutting-edge technology and genetically modified animals required to conduct research typically reserved for larger institutions.

The Transparency Project committee held a forum Thursday to share results of a campus-wide survey that gauged faculty, staff and student opinions on the transparency of decision-making processes at NMU.

Northern Michigan University ranks 18th nationwide for most affordable online teaching degrees, according to the 2016 rankings posted by the SR Education Group on its website, OnlineU. NMU is the only Michigan institution on the Top 25 list.

The Northern Michigan University Music Department will present a concert titled “Choral Music from the Western World” at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, in Reynolds Recital Hall. Admission is free.

The Innovate Marquette SmartZone will hold an informational session titled "Do You Have the Next Big Idea?" on Wednesday, Feb. 17, at Northern Michigan University. It is designed for individuals or start-up teams who might be interested in applying for the LaunchPad Tech Business Start-Up Coaching program for entrepreneurs. Sessions will begin soon.

Gov. Rick Snyder’s fiscal year 2017 executive budget released Wednesday includes an overall appropriations increase of 4.3 percent, or $61.2 million, for Michigan’s public universities. The tuition cap required to qualify for “performance funding” also has increased to 4.8 percent, compared with 3.2 percent last year. Under the governor’s plan, Northern Michigan University would receive a 3.9 percent increase: $45.1 million for operations and $1.8 million in performance funding. 

Northern Michigan University will host a panel discussion and opening reception to coincide with the national touring exhibition, “Native Voices: Native Peoples’ Concepts of Health and Illness.” Both events will be held on Thursday, Feb. 18., and are open to the public.

Northern Michigan University Dining Services will partner with Gordon Food Service (GFS) to host a Wine and Beer Pairing Event on Tuesday, Feb. 23, in the University Center Great Lakes Rooms. Attendees will travel through food sampling stations that feature wine or local beer designed to enhance the flavor profile.

The Northern Michigan University history film series continues with a showing of “In the Name of the Father” starring Daniel Day-Lewis on Monday, Feb. 15. The event begins at 7 p.m. in Mead Auditorium in the West Science Building. Admission is free.

The Academic Service Learning Advisory Board will host a celebration recognizing the service learning taking place at NMU. Employees are invited to attend the event, scheduled from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17, at the Landmark Inn.

Northern Michigan University education major Gwen Hoenke of Marquette has been awarded an internship with Uncommon Charter Schools in Brooklyn, N.Y. She will teach mathematics in a middle school classroom to students who need extra help during the summer months. The internship includes a $3,500 stipend and room and board.

Northern Michigan University's Winterfest will be held Feb. 13-18. Media coverage is welcome. Here are some of the more visual activities. The full schedule is available at nmu.edu/winterfest.

NMU’s Olson Library has restructured the university’s Chronicle of Higher Education subscription to expand campus-wide access. Anyone with an nmu.edu email address can use the chronicle.com or the Chronicle’s iPad app to view content on or off campus.

Carter Wilson, head of NMU’s political science department, will deliver a Black History Month presentation on Friday, Feb. 12. He said he will explain how the “racialization” of policies can desensitize people to the impact those policies have on all Americans.  

Northern Michigan University's Winterfest celebration will include a free open skate for campus and community members. The event is scheduled from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16, at the Berry Events Center. Participants can join Wildcat Willy and NMU athletes on the ice. There will also be music by Double Trouble DJs and a photo booth. Skate rentals are free, but it is highly recommended that attendees bring their own, if possible. For more information on other Winterfest activities, visit nmu.edu/winterfest.

The Northern Climate Network at Northern Michigan University will continue its colloquium series with “How Should We Think About Culpability for Climate Change?” NMU philosophy professor Zac Cogley will address the topic at noon on Friday, Feb. 19, in 1320 Jamrich Hall.

Northern Michigan University political science student organizations will celebrate President’s Day by hosting Poli Palooza, a voter registration and information event on Monday, Feb. 15. They invite all who may be interested in learning more about the presidential candidates from both major parties and discussing the issues and challenges facing the United States. Local elected officials and those running for local office also will attend.  

The Northern Michigan University music department will present a screening of the Royal Opera production of Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro). The event is scheduled at 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14, in the Jamrich Hall auditorium, room 1100.  

NMU Dining will transform the Wildcat Den for a four-course Sweethearts Dinner on Sunday, Feb. 14. The meal will feature a choice of three chef-selected entrées, a mocktail drink bar, dessert cart and a sweetheart photo booth.

The Marquette Police Department recognized NMU students Maria Kiilunen and Darrin Koivisto for their life-saving efforts after a man fell through the ice near the Lower Harbor Ore Dock.

The next presentation in the Your Health lecture series at Northern Michigan University will be titled “Staying Healthy: Appropriate Health Screenings for Adults.” It is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18, in Reynolds Recital Hall in the C.B. Hedgcock Building. Dr. David Walsworth of Michigan State University College of Human Medicine will be the presenter. The public is invited free of charge.

The Northern Michigan University Alumni Association will host a hospitality tent near the start gate of the UP200 sled dog race on Friday, Feb. 12. It will be open to the public from 6-9 p.m. on the corner of Washington and Fourth Street in the Upper Peninsula Health Plan (UPHP) parking lot. 

Northern Michigan University’s Career Services will host a Summer Job Fair on Wednesday, Feb. 10. The event is an opportunity for companies and organizations to hire for summer full-time positions, part-time jobs and internships. The 97 employers scheduled to participate will be the most ever represented at this event. NMU students and alumni are welcome to attend at no cost. 

An upcoming Black History Month presentation at Northern Michigan University will address  “Race and Class in America: Why What Impacts African Americans Impacts All Americans.” Carter Wilson, head of NMU’s political science department, will give the talk from 5-6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12, in 2904 West Science Building. The public is invited.

The Northern Nights performing arts series at Northern Michigan University will present Jayme Stone’s Lomax Project on Thursday, Feb. 11. Focusing on songs collected by folklorist and recording pioneer Alan Lomax, this collaboration brings together award-winning banjoist and composer Stone and some of North America’s most distinctive roots musicians to revive, recycle and reimagine traditional music.

The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will host a winter snowshoe hike around Anderson Lake on Friday, Feb. 19. It will be a simple trek at a slow to moderate pace, followed by a Dutch treat meal at the Up North Lodge.  

The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will present a South American ethnic dinner at on Thursday, Feb. 18. The event runs from 5:30-8:30 p.m. in Chez Nous restaurant in the Northern Michigan University Jacobetti Complex. It begins with a tasting buffet with foods from a variety of South American countries. Dinner will feature a soup from Brazil, a main course from Peru and desserts from Argentina and Ecuador.

The Northern Michigan University biology department has planned four events next week around Charles Darwin’s birthdate. All are free and open to the public. Darwin was born Feb. 12, 1809. He is best-known for his contributions to evolutionary theory and his related book, On the Origin of Species.

Northern Michigan University administrators will travel to three Upper Peninsula high schools—Westwood, Escanaba and Kingsford—that participate in the Northern Promise on Friday, Feb. 5. The Northern Promise gives high school students the opportunity to complete college credits prior to high school graduation at no tuition cost. 

NMU junior Haley Knight of Muskegon received the Marquette Rotary Club’s Community Citizen Award. She founded the NMU student organization, Rotaract, part of an international network of young leaders ages 18-30 who take action in their communities, develop their leadership and professional skills, and engage in social and networking opportunities.

Northern Michigan University presents Fringe Fest, a revolving combination of four different theatrical pieces performed, produced and directed by students in the theater and entertainment arts program.  

The annual Wildcat Wellness Fair for NMU students, faculty and staff will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, in the University Center Great Lakes Rooms. It includes food samples, prizes, healthy lifestyle information displays and screenings. The NMU Health Promotion Society and School of Health and Human Performance are sponsoring the fair. Past activities have included body fat assessments, blood cholesterol and glucose screenings, Rape Aggression Defense System demonstrations and tobacco cessation and substance abuse displays.

A Northern Michigan University student raised $2,000 to support Marquette Alternative High School’s planned all-female trip to Washington, D.C. as part of its “She Believed” program. Brooke Baily, a special education major from Barrington, Ill., was inspired after only two visits to the school to launch an online crowd-funding campaign while home over NMU’s winter break. She did it unbeknownst to MAHS staff. More than 60 family members or friends with no connection to Marquette either contributed to the campaign or shared it on social media.

The Northern Nights concert on March 9 with the Irish group, Dervish, is being moved to Kaufman Auditorium in Graveraet Elementary School on Front Street. The concert was originally scheduled to take place in Northern Michigan University's Forest Roberts Theatre, which is undergoing renovations that will not be completed in time. Current ticket holders should visit the NMU ticket office in the Superior Dome to return their tickets and select new seats in Kaufman Auditorium. For more information on tickets, please contact the NMU Ticket Office at 227-1032.

NMU Dining will hold a grand opening for its new location, Sundre Snack and Supply Co., on Wednesday, Feb. 3. If inclement weather closes campus, it will shift to Feb. 4. The event runs from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the store, located in the lower level of the Learning Resources Center. It will feature samples of new salads and other snacks. Sundre serves as a collective micro-market of wholesome foods and everyday supplies at the center of campus.

The Innovate Marquette SmartZone and Northern Michigan University are co-sponsoring “A Catalyst for Conversation: Driving Entrepreneurship in Northern Michigan” on Friday, Feb. 12.   

Innovate Marquette SmartZone will hold an informational session for its Tech-Entrepreneurs Coaching and Training Program on Wednesday, Feb. 3, at Northern Michigan University. Attendees can learn how to apply for the program for individuals, ideas and start-up teams. The event runs from 5:30-7 p.m. in the University Center Brule Room. It is free and open to the public. 

Northern Michigan University’s Jacobetti Complex will host an open house of its career and technical education programs on Wednesday, Feb. 10. The event runs from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Prospective students have an opportunity to win a $500 scholarship. They can also tour the learning labs and meet with faculty and current students to discuss programs and career options.  

We were just notified that the time indicated in the previous release on this theater production was incorrect. We would appreciate your help in relaying the correct time, as indicated below, between now and Saturday afternoon. Thank you. 

Northern Michigan University will present the 2016 Great Decisions Global Discussion Series. Great Decisions is a series of critical examinations of foreign policy presented by a roster of nationally known experts. NMU’s political science department and international programs office are partnering with the World Affairs Council of Western Michigan to share these presentations on campus. 

The NMU Center for Upper Peninsula Studies has published a new volume of Upper Country, a yearly journal of the Lake Superior region. Articles and authors included in the new edition include: "Photographing Upper Peninsula Waterfalls" by Todd Poirer; "Rumrunning on Lake Superior: The Arbutus Story" by Russell Magnaghi; "An Environmental History of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan: An Outline" by Robert Archibald and more. To see the full volume, visit nmu.edu/upperpeninsulastudies/upper-country-2015.

The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will partner with the Northern Michigan University Retiree Association to host a presentation by Emily Lanctot, DeVos Art Museum collections and outreach curator. She will share information about the museum’s history, programs and exhibits. Lanctot also will lead a tour of the “Metamodern” exhibit and the NMU art studios. 

Results of a survey that gauged faculty, staff and student opinions on the transparency of decision-making processes at NMU will be shared at a campus forum. The event will be held from 4-6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, in 1322 Jamrich Hall. A committee charged with developing mechanisms to enhance trust and communication between decision-makers and campus stakeholders made the online, anonymous survey available late in the fall semester.

NMU is working with a national collegiate housing development firm, EdR, to transform campus housing. The approach being considered is a public-private partnership intended to replace the Summit/Center Street apartments and the Quad I residence halls.

Northern Michigan University’s Olson Library has been selected to host a new traveling exhibition, Native Voices: Native Peoples’ Concepts of Health and Illness. Produced by the National Library of Medicine, the free exhibition explores the connection between wellness, illness and cultural life through a combination of interviews, artwork, objects and interactive media. It will be on display at NMU Feb. 3-March 17.

Bakari Kitwana, a journalist and national thought leader in the area of hip-hop activism, will speak at Northern Michigan University for Black History Month. His talk is titled "The Politics of Hip-Hop and Policing: From N.W.A. to #BlackLivesMatter." 

Alex Strobehn, a Master of Public Administration student at NMU, prepared the master recreation plan for the City of Sault Ste. Marie that goes into effect Feb. 1. What started out as a short-term directed study morphed into a more complex project incorporating a public survey and detailed analysis of the city’s recreation services. Strobehn was so committed to drafting a quality plan for a community he admires that he invested about 400 hours, enrolled in an internship class he wasn’t required to take and even worked on the project during his military deployment to Kuwait.

NMU alumna and Graveraet Elementary kindergarten teacher Erika Morrison is the recipient of the Michigan Reading Association’s K-6 Educator Award. She will be honored March 19 at the 60th annual MRA conference in Detroit. NMU professor Christi Edge nominated Morrison for the award.

The Beaumier Heritage Center at Northern Michigan University and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame are planning a Vintage Ski Day at Marquette Mountain on Saturday, Feb. 6. Participants will have an opportunity to go back in time and possibly win prizes while gliding down the hill on old skis or wearing retro ski apparel. Marquette Mountain will donate $5 to the museums for each person who buys a day ski pass in a vintage ski outfit.

The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees elected H. Sook Wilkinson of Bloomfield Hills as board chair for calendar year 2016 and Thomas Zurbuchen of Ann Arbor as vice chair.

Northern Michigan University student Tim Grams was recently honored as the Region III winner of the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) Prize for innovative work by a graduate student. Grams is completing his master's degree in English/theatre. 

The NMU Jacobetti Complex will host an event that gives Westwood High School students the opportunity to explore different Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs delivered at the Jacobetti Complex. Media are welcome to cover this activity, scheduled from about 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29. 

The new federal dietary guidelines released this month have generated mixed reviews. A notable change is a specific restriction on sugar intake—less than 10 percent of daily calories. Those who enjoy eggs and shellfish, high-fat nuts and avocados, coffee or an occasional alcoholic beverage can be reassured that the emphasis is on moderation and a healthy eating pattern “across the lifespan.” But critics say the guidelines don’t adequately address health and sustainability concerns related to red and processed meats. Assistant professor Lanae Joubert said the advice is one of many available tools and is open to varied interpretations.

The French Program at Northern Michigan University will hold weekly French speaking segments titled “La Table Francaise.” These sessions are to help students brush up on their high school French skills. They will take place from 7-8 p.m. Wednesdays through the winter semester in room 326 of Olson Library. Participants of all levels of language are welcome. This program is free. For more information, contact Nell Kupper at nkupper@nmu.edu or 227-2648.

The NMU Grants and Contracts Office reports that two biology graduate students each received $1,000 from the Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid Research Program for their research projects under the direction of professor Kurt Galbreath. The Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid Research Program is a highly competitive process; only about 15 percent of applicants receive any level of funding.

The Northern Climate Network at Northern Michigan University will continue its seminar series with “What is Bio-Char?” Heather Nobert, Marquette native and Nebraska Forest Service employee, will give the talk at noon Friday, Jan. 29, in 1318 Jamrich Hall. The public is invited.

Northern Michigan University’s Lydia M. Olson Library will host its first juried student art show from Monday, Feb. 1 through Friday, March 11. The pieces that will be on display represent a variety of media submitted by NMU students. An opening reception is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 4. 

Northern Michigan University's Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center, history department and NMU History Club are collaborating on a history film series over several weeks this semester. Faculty or staff members will introduce films set in historic eras and hold a discussion after the screening. The series opens with A Knight’s Tale, starring Health Ledger and Paul Bettany.

“Sitting is the new smoking.” This mantra has gained traction in the wake of research on the health risks of increased sedentary time. A study published in Annals of Internal Medicine reported that prolonged sitting, whether in an office chair, behind the wheel of a car or on the couch, is linked to serious health outcomes and death, even among people who exercise regularly. The prognosis is worse for those who do not engage in physical activity. NMU’s Olson Library and the Employee Wellness Committee have launched a joint initiative to help employees avoid prolonged sitting while at their desks or in their workspaces. 

Gov. Rick Snyder singled out Invent@NMU in Tuesday night’s State of the State address. The program gives students real-world experience helping clients take physical products from concept to market. Under the guidance of professional mentors, students develop competitive skill sets related to design, manufacturing and marketing. Representing Invent@NMU in the gallery at the speech and asked by the governor to stand were: Dave Ollila, executive director; and Rachel Griep, student employee from Dayton, Ohio.

Northern Michigan University's Seaborg Center will host Coder Dojo 906, an independent, community-based programming club for youth ages 7-17 who want to learn how to code and develop technology applications. Sessions will take place from 4-6 p.m. on the followings Tuesdays: Jan. 19, Feb. 2 and 16, March 1 and 15 and April 5. It will take place in the Seaborg Center Design Lab. Media coverage is welcome. For more information, contact the Seaborg Center at 227-2013.

Northern Michigan University’s College of Business has announced its winter semester schedule of events. Most will involve Upper Peninsula business professionals and employers; some are open to community members. All events are free and require advance registration, unless otherwise indicated.

Northern Michigan University will host a Diversity Common Reader Program built around Resilience: Two Sisters and a Story of Mental Illness. The book is written by Jessie Close, who struggled as a young adult with symptoms that would transform into severe bipolar disorder, with running commentary and an epilogue written by her sister, actress Glenn Close. Up to 240 free copies of the book will be distributed to NMU students beginning at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 22, in the atrium of the Hedgcock Building. NMU faculty and staff, as well as community members, are also encouraged to read this selection and participate in program activities.

The Northern Michigan University psychology department will host a presentation titled “Teaching Complex Verbal Operants to Children with Autism.” Jacob Daar, an assistant professor candidate from Southern Illinois University, will give the talk. The event begins at 3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 22, in West Science 3808. It is free and open to the public.  

The Northern Climate Network at Northern Michigan University is hosting a Climate Network Seminar Series throughout the 2016 winter semester. The series begins with “Paris Climate Talks: What’d They Say and Why?” at noon Friday, Jan. 22, in 1318 Jamrich Hall. Jenn Hill, program manager at Superior Watershed Partnership, will present the seminar. The public is invited.

The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) has contributed $10,500 to support this year's "Learning to Walk Together" traditional pow wow at Northern Michigan University. The NMU Native American Student Association submitted a proposal to the KBIC seeking support for the event. The 23rd annual pow wow will be held Saturday, March 12, in Vandament Arena, with grand entries at noon and 6 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.

The Northern Michigan University Fly Fishing Club, with support from the Fred Waara chapter of Trout Unlimited, will offer free fly tying and fly casting classes on Thursdays, Jan. 28-Feb. 25. The classes are open to students, faculty, staff and community members. Equipment and materials will be provided.

The next event in the Science on Tap series at the Ore Dock Brewing Co. will be titled "Where Did We Come From? New Genetic Evidence for Human Evolution." Neil Cumberlidge, Northern Michigan University biology professor, will give the talk at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, in the Ore Dock's community space on the second floor. Admission is free to all ages.

The Northern Center for Lifelong Learning will host a game night from 6-8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5, at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1700 W. Fair Avenue. Participants are encouraged to bring their favorite board games, a deck of cards, a cribbage board or a new game idea. Desserts and warm beverages will be served.

Monica McFawn Robinson, author and assistant professor of English at Northern Michigan University, has received a $25,000 creative writing fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. She is one of 37 fiction and creative nonfiction writers from 17 states selected to receive the grants. The NEA fellowships give writers the time and space to create, revise, conduct research and connect with readers.

The Upper Peninsula Area Health Education Center (UP-AHEC), based at Northern Michigan University, has received  $3,000 from the Delta Dental Foundation to help support Dental Day for residents of Marquette and Baraga Counties.

With the recent approval of the new strategic plan by the Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees, President Fritz Erickson today announced the first steps toward implementation, including changes across all divisions of the university.

Opportunities to collaborate and share resources are the factors driving Northern Michigan University to hold a public forum on Monday, Jan. 25, to explore the potential of a community grants office. The forum will be held from 5-6 p.m. in the Charcoal Room of the University Center.

Northern Michigan University will honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. during a week-long celebration. The public is invited to participate

Nominations are being accepted for NMU staff recognition awards for excellence in service, distinguished team and technology innovation. The nomination deadline is Monday, Feb. 1. Winners will be honored at the annual faculty and staff recognition luncheon in April. 

Northern Michigan University’s Olson Library will host its first juried student art exhibition and is seeking submissions of 2D and 3D pieces from NMU undergraduate and graduate students. The deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21.

Northern Michigan University's Forest Roberts Theatre will hold community auditions for adult roles in the musical, The Secret Garden. Children's roles have been cast. Appointments can be scheduled online for the evenings of Tuesday, Jan. 12, or Wednesday, Jan. 13, with callbacks beginning at 8 p.m. Jan. 13.