President's Perspective: Spring/Summer 2026
Dear NMU Alumni and Friends,
I hope this edition of Northern Magazine finds you well. If I haven’t had the chance to meet you yet, I’m Chris Olsen, president of Northern Michigan University since January. It is an honor to lead a great, thriving university like Northern, and I’m grateful to the Board of Trustees for their confidence and trust. My family and I are looking forward to many years ahead in Marquette, and we’re already humbled by the gracious welcome we’ve received from so many alumni and friends in the U.P. My short tenure has affirmed that Northern is an institution with world-class faculty and staff, amazing facilities, and adventurous and engaged students. I also can honestly say, too, that I’ve never experienced a university work so well with its home community as NMU does with Marquette and the U.P. It is such an honor to be here at Northern after more than thirty years in higher education, and I promise to do everything I can to help the university thrive in the years ahead.
It has been my delight to meet some of the innovators featured in this issue of Northern Magazine. It’s exciting to learn about NMU alumni who are solving problems and shaping the future. These are great examples of the type of critical thinking, creativity, and action that is the NMU mission and legacy. As many of you know, I’m an historian, and stories such as these highlight for me the ability of creative, committed people to navigate significant periods of change. They remind us that it takes insight to realize when change is needed, the boldness to explore new options, and the essential willingness to let go of something known for something unknown. Innovation and change can be difficult and sometimes scary, but also rewarding.
Like many things in today’s world, higher education is in the midst of significant transformation due to a variety of factors. In the coming months and years, you’ll hear about changes taking place at Northern, and I promise to keep you informed about what is happening. I hope that you will follow our efforts to remain a dynamic and respected place of learning. Please know that when we consider any changes, we will balance how to embrace innovation while still retaining the essence of what makes NMU the special place it has been for 126 years. The financial return on investment of a Northern degree is clear, but I also believe we help create engaged citizens who move their communities forward toward the promise of widespread success and fulfillment for everyone.
There are certainly challenges in higher education right now, but I urge everyone in the NMU community to remember that those challenges also give us the chance to evolve and emerge stronger than ever before. Please don’t hesitate to reach out and connect with me personally. I want to hear your stories and your ideas about how we can move Northern forward together. Go Wildcats!
- Chris Olsen, President
