Catching Up: Spring/Summer 2026 - Northern Magazine

Biology Student Selected for Top Award

NMU master’s candidate Noah Andexler is one of 20 graduate students nationwide selected to receive the Ecological Society of America’s 2026 Katherine S. McCarter Graduate Student Policy Award for their demonstrated commitment to science advocacy. This prestigious program is designed to bridge the gap between rigorous ecological research and impactful environmental policy.

Awardees received an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C., for policy, communications and career training at ESA headquarters, followed by meetings with lawmakers on Capitol Hill to discuss the importance of federal investments in the biological and ecological sciences.

“Being selected for this award to experience how the legislative process works and where the scientific field can help inform that process has truly been an honor,” Andexler said. “I had never really explored the aspect of science policy, so learning how to advocate came with a weight of responsibility and a thrill to learn a new area of communication that can help the ecological sciences.”

Andexler is a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow in Professor Diana Lafferty’s Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Science Lab at NMU. His research combines advanced DNA analysis with isotopic data to enhance understanding of brown and black bear population structure and feeding patterns in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve in Alaska. Through this work, he said he hopes to provide essential information to the National Park Service to guide management decisions, and to lay a foundation for non-invasive whole genome DNA sequencing in ecology.

“We collected bear fecal samples by walking in coastal meadows, rather than capturing them and taking samples, which is more invasive,” Andexler said. “From there, we pulled DNA from the feces and inserted it into a machine to read the whole length of DNA fragments obtained from the fecal samples. These fragments then get matched up to the species that it came from, and allows us to identify the food they are eating.

“Currently, alternative genomic methods can be expensive and limited in scope. If we can use whole genome sequencing as a new method for processing non-invasive samples, it would allow agencies and scientists to ask new questions in relation to fine-scale wildlife conservation, all at a reduced cost.”

Making It to Carnegie Hall

NMU’s Director of Choral Activities, Erin Colwitz, was selected to serve as conductor in residence at New York City’s Carnegie Hall for an April 21 Masterwork Festival Chorus performance. She took full advantage of the opportunity to bring along her own singers, creating a memorable experience for 28 students from the NMU Arts Chorale and 99 members of the Marquette Choral Society, which she also directs. Three high school choirs from across the country were also selected to join the group in concert, which Colwitz viewed as a promising recruitment opportunity. The delegation sang alongside professional chamber orchestra musicians and soloists who typically perform at the Metropolitan Opera and on Broadway. All performed the concert’s closing number, Mozart’s “Coronation Mass,” a challenging 35-minute piece widely considered the grandest and most popular of all the sacred works.

“It was a huge honor, absolutely,” Colwitz reflected. “A lot of conductors do this at some point, so at first I wasn’t considering it a big deal for me; I was more excited for my singers. But then I arrived at Carnegie, a building I had never been inside before. When you walk in, you see pictures of Maria Callas, Leonard Bernstein, Sousa–people who’ve performed there since it opened in the late 1800s. I saw my own dressing room with my name on the door.”

NMU student Michael Buhler said, “The experience impacted me immensely. I was able to witness how New York professionals get ready to perform and also gain insight into the logistics of something like this. I have never performed in such an amazing space as Carnegie Hall. These experiences teach us so much because they provide invaluable context to our fields.” Students also attended Broadway shows and explored other Big Apple attractions. Under Colwitz’s leadership, NMU choirs have toured Finland, Austria and Poland, as well as other domestic venues.
 

Thorburn on Crew of Oscar-Winning Animated Feature

NMU alumnus and Marquette native Gabe Thorburn ’07 BFA served as associate editor on Netflix’s most popular film ever, KPop Demon Hunters, which won the 2026 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. He got to hold the Oscar at a celebratory toast hosted after the ceremony at Sony Pictures Animation, which produced the film. He also joined Sony colleagues on stage in February to accept the best editorial-feature award at the 2026 Annie Awards, which recognize the greatest achievements in animation. The film swept all 10 Annie categories in which it was nominated.

“Getting an award for editing was actually very cool because usually people don’t typically notice that aspect in a movie,” he added. “The whole point of it is to kind of be invisible. So it was a fun experience to join the editing crew on stage at the Annies, which are basically considered the Oscars of animation. They’re a big deal within the animation industry out here in California. I got to network with a lot of people at the ceremony.”

Thorburn was hired by Sony Animation specifically for KPop Demon Hunters. His previous animation work included serving as an online editor at DreamWorks Animation in Glendale, Calif. He collaborated on projects such as the Netflix series Dragons: Race to the Edge and the Tales of Arcadia trilogy, which includes Trollhunters, 3Below and Wizards. He was later hired by Warner Bros. Animation, where he was online editor for Teen Titans Go!, The Looney Tunes Show, The Tom and Jerry Show and Beware the Batman. He also was assistant editor for Right Now Kapow, DC Super Heroes and Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!

His live-action experience includes serving as additional editor on the indie feature Dear Dictator, starring Michael Caine, and lead editor on the upcoming feature documentary Centenarian, which explores the science and stories behind longevity and healthy aging.

He recently founded GMT Creative Solutions as a vehicle for freelance projects between full-time studio roles, providing podcast and video production for YouTube and social media, as well as freelance editing services for films, documentaries, advertising and branded content. “This work allows me to use different skillsets beyond editing, like directing and producing,” he said.

Northern Magazine staff visited Thorburn at Sony Pictures Animation while he was in the earlier stages of editing KPop Demon Hunters. Read the resulting feature story in the Spring 2023 “The Art of Entertainment” issue at nmu.edu/northernmagazine/bringing-stories-life.

Actress Porter Kelly Appears on HBO’s ‘The Pitt’

Professional actress Porter Kelly ’93 BA appears in the second-season premiere of The Pitt on HBO Max. The show has won numerous awards, including both a Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy for best drama series. It explores the daily lives of healthcare professionals in a Pittsburgh hospital as they juggle personal crises, workplace politics and the emotional toll of treating critically ill patients. Kelly’s character is patient Margaret “Hail Mary” Walker.

According to a story in the Escanaba Daily Press, she is also scheduled to appear in an episode of CIA (CBS), a new spinoff of the FBI franchise. Kelly is a member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors Equity Association, and also an Emmy-voting member of the Television Academy. In October 2023, she was among four inaugural inductees into the NMU Theatre and Dance Hall of Fame. At that time, she had accumulated nearly 50 TV/film credits.

In an NMU alumni magazine feature story, Kelly stated unequivocally that she would not be a professional actor if she hadn’t gone to Northern. She planned to become an English teacher when she first enrolled, but added a second major in theater after getting “sucked into the program” by successfully auditioning for shows and enrolling in related classes.

Read more about Kelly’s career at nmu.edu/northernmagazine/character-driven.

NMU Giving Day Achieves Milestones

The 2026 NMU Giving Day exceeded expectations and goals. The event raised $140,000 for NMU students through gifts from more than 550 donors. It also generated $30,000 in additional support through participation challenges, a “Power Hour” and match gifts.

“NMU Giving Day once again demonstrated the incredible generosity of the Northern community. We are deeply inspired by the outpouring of support from alumni, students, faculty, staff, families and friends who came together to make a meaningful impact in a single day,” said Nicole Blemberg '03 BS, NMU Foundation CEO.

“Each gift will have a lasting effect on our students by expanding access to scholarships, enhancing academic and athletic programs, and providing services and opportunities that help shape their future success,” she added. “This collective effort is a testament to the pride and commitment our community has for Northern Michigan University, and we are sincerely grateful to everyone who helped make this year’s Giving Day such a success.”

More than 150 donors gave during Power Hour. They helped to unlock an additional $5,000 for the winning programs of Theatre & Dance and NMU Women’s Soccer, thanks to generous gifts from NMU alumni and Foundation Board of Trustees Lisa Mueller ‘80 BS and Jesse Bell ‘00 BS.

Jerry Molitor ‘74 BS, a proud College of Business alumnus and longtime supporter, offered a special $2-for-$1 matching gift challenge, pledging up to $10,000 to inspire Giving Day support for the College of Business. The full amount was reached by noon on NMU Giving Day.

As the Wildcat community made progress toward surpassing the goal of 500 donors, it unlocked participation challenges along the way, thanks to NMU supporters including Bill Digneit ‘08 BS,  \Steve Latus ‘78 BA, Ruth Stevens and Pat Honch.

New NMU Trustees

Susan Corbin of Petoskey and Glenn Stevens Jr. of Royal Oak have been appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, with terms beginning January 1, 2027. Corbin is director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. Stevens, originally from Marquette, is executive director of MichAuto and chief automotive and innovation officer for the Detroit Regional Chamber. 

Corbin and Stevens will replace trustees Stephen E. Young and Melissa A. Holmquist, whose terms are expiring. 

Welcome to the Wildcat Alumni Clowder!

The May 2 commencement ceremony celebrated the success of 1,105 graduates. Mark Ruge ’80 BS was the keynote speaker. He is a partner at K&L Gates, one of the largest global law firms. His practice includes a focus on the American maritime industry and the Great Lakes. He encouraged graduating students to resolve to make kindness a guiding principle of their lives as they move forward.
 

The Feather Wars

By James H. McCommons

The Feather Wars is an entertaining and expansive work of American history, an incredible story about how disparate characters—progressive politicians, free-thinking society belles, nature writers and artists, bird-loving U.S. presidents, gunmakers, business titans, and brave game wardens—came together to save hundreds of species of birds.

Submersed

By Matthew Gavin Frank

Weaving together elements of true crime, the strange history of the submarine, the mythology of the deep sea, and the physical and mental side effects of sinking to great depth, Frank attempts to get to the bottom of this niche compulsion to chase the extreme in our planet’s bodies of water.

Possession(s)

By John Smolens

In settings familiar and foreign, from the shores of the Great Lakes to rural Ireland and Scotland, the boulevards of nineteenth-century Paris, and an ancient Italian hill town, John Smolens’s stories delineate our fears, doubts and uncertainties, tempered by irony, humor and tenacity.

And the Heart Will Not Quicken

By Russell Thorburn

“Walt Whitman and His Lake Superior Baptism.” “John Lennon at the Old Marquette Inn.” These are some of the titles in Thorburn’s latest collection populated by imaginative scenarios of pop culture, artistic and literary legends who move across decades and countries. (Russ is also the father of Oscar-winning Gabriel Thorburn in our first news story.)