Current Projects - Center for Rural Health

In celebration of National Rural Health Day, recognized each year on the third Thursday of November, the Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan, the Michigan Center for Rural Health (Michigan's State Office of Rural Health) and the Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health partner and host the National Rural Health Day Essay Contest. The contest is open to high school seniors who reside AND attend school in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, are college/university bound the following fall semester and intend to pursue a healthcare career in human medicine. 

November 19th, 2025

The NMU Center for Rural Health is excited to host the second annual U.P. Community Health Worker Symposium. The event is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, November 19th, from 10:00am-4:30pm (EST) at the Northern Center on Northern Michigan University’s campus in Marquette, MI. The symposium is designed to provide a space for CHWs to convene, share stories, and learn more about regional resources. Sessions topics will include presentations on local housing resources, information on disability resources across the U.P., a tutorial on the usage of CHW registry platforms, time for networking and roundtable discussions with CHWs around the region, bystander and stop the bleed training, and more. A light continental breakfast and lunch will be provided and the event is free to attend. 

On August 1, 2022, Upper Peninsula Workforce Innovation Network (U.P WIN) project partners learned they received a $1.4 million dollar grant over a three-year period from the Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration. This collaborative effort will increase Upper Peninsula residents’ access to healthcare by expanding relevant workforce training, education and employment. Elise Bur, Director of the Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health, is the Project Director. One of the central elements of U.P. WIN is to create stronger links between training programs and the health care entities that will ultimately employ or rely on these public health professionals.

Mission: To empower and unite Upper Peninsula Community Health Workers

Network Objectives:

• Make Connections
• Share Resources
• Discuss Challenges
• Brainstorm Solutions

You do not need a CHW certification to participate in the network!

2026 dates to be announced soon!

Each year, March is Reading Month in Michigan is celebrated by the Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health in partnership with the Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan, Copper Shores Community Health Foundation and the Student Leadership Advisory Council of the Keweenaw (SLACK). This collaborative effort improves oral health literacy and educates close to 1,000 elementary students in communities across the Central and Western Upper Peninsula about life-long, best practices for developing and maintaining a healthy smile and mouth.

A camp dedicated to health education and health career exploration!

Who: Open to all fall 2025 high school freshmen & sophomores

When: Sunday, July 20th to Friday, July 25th     Where: NMU

What: Join us for a fun week of camp to learn about various aspects of health, meet health professionals, explore simulation labs, learn hands-on techniques and get a glimpse into healthcare careers and life on campus.