Employee anniversaries – April
The following employees are celebrating an anniversary soon. Please join us in congratulating them!
Kudos!
Kudos to Michael Anderson! Huge kudos to Michael Anderson for his exceptional leadership of the English Faculty recruitment committee. Michael managed to lead us through one of the most efficient and successful faculty searches yet. His organization and clear communication turned a typically complex process into a seamless experience. Thank you, Michael, for setting a new gold standard for hiring! Your leadership is simply outstanding!
Experts suggest maintaining an “attitude of gratitude” increases positivity for yourself and for others. Please encourage your colleagues by submitting a KUDOS. Let them know you appreciate their hard work and are thinking of them!
Celebrating new chapters
These colleagues have moved on to a new chapter in their lives. We wish them the very best as they navigate a new adventure, and we thank them for their time and dedication to NMC!
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- Kirk Rose, student employee – Engineering Tech Lab Assistant
- Alexander Lane, supplemental employee – Test Proctor
- Luis Qian – Adjunct Certified Flight Instructor
- Steven Schmitt – Adjunct Certified Flight Instructor
Welcome our newest hire!
Mariam Alavidze recently started working at the college as a student Tutor. Welcome to the NMC community!
Kudos!
Kudos to Amy Burns Bailey and Maggie West! In partnership with the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO), Amy Burns-Bailey (Workforce Programs Director) and Maggie West (Tutoring Coordinator) helped arrange for two NMC students, Maggie Vansickle (Culinary Arts – Baking & Pastry) and Harley Waldron (Welding Technology) to participate in filming a video to promote Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in Michigan. Amy and Maggie were recognized by Virginia Zimmerman, from LEO’s workforce development office, for their efforts to help inspire other students to participate in CTE programs. NMC is one of two spotlight colleges that will be featured in the CTE video. Kudos to Amy and Maggie for shining a light on the perseverance and success of our students and for efforts with NMC’s Perkins programs to expand CTE opportunities for students in our region.
Kudos to Avery Verschaeve, Niusha Rahjoo, and McKenna Davids! Immense gratitude and appreciation to the Advising office student employees McKenna Davids, Niusha Rahjoo, and Avery Verschaeve. Not only are they the first voice callers hear and the first point of contact when calling the switchboard line, they have also project managed as a group to create resources for students who visit advising and have stepped up to take on additional responsibilities that are traditionally handled by the office assistant.Each of them has shown admirable dedication towards learning how better to support their fellow students. From the thoughtful questions they ask, to how they problem solve – they don’t just answer phones – they are providing genuine customer service and compassionate support.
In addition to answering phones and responding to emails, McKenna has stepped up to support with inventory management and is supporting the streamlining process; Niusha is our office’s steadfast anchor of calming support when assisting students who need help with scheduling or registering; and Avery has grown into an adept problem solver and is learning to think outside the box and create solutions quickly.
These three incredible people make my job easier and I look forward to every day I get to work with them. I’m so incredibly proud of their growth and the way they conduct themselves with integrity and respect for themselves, their fellow staff and students. They have taken on multiple projects and challenges over the past four months and leveled up their skills. I’m thrilled to see what they accomplish next!
If you see them around, please take a moment to thank them for being amazing NMC ambassadors.
Kudos to Lil Anderson! Lil was able to diagnose and rectify a technical issue during concurrent events serving our stakeholders.
Welcome our newest hires!
These employees recently started working at the college. Let’s welcome them to the NMC community!
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- Micah Daniel, student employee – Maritime Assistant
- Keiara Pettengill, supplemental employee – Banquet Server Hagerty Center
- Matthew Raymond, supplemental employee – Hagerty Center Banquet Server
Spring professional development opportunities
NMC is hosting several upcoming training opportunities for employes. Seats are limited! Register for all courses through NeoEd Training using these instructions. For questions, contact professionaldevelopmentinstitute@nmc.edu
Advanced AI Prompting
Wednesday, March 25, from 3–4 p.m. (Zoom)
Elevate your prompt engineering skills with this focus on advanced skills designed to teach you five distinct prompting styles. You will move beyond simple queries to master the RODE framework for structured role-based output and the Ask Gemini dialogue method for iterative refinement, while also learning industry standards like Chain-of-Thought, Few-Shot, and Prompt Chaining. After briefly reviewing these AI prompt engineering skills, there will be dedicated time for hands-on practice.
Exploring the Evolving AI Landscape
Tuesday, March 31, 3–4 p.m. (Zoom)
This advanced workshop is designed for faculty and staff who are already familiar with AI LLM’s and basic AI prompting but want to deepen their understanding of the newest developments in AI. Participants will explore powerful new tools and features—including Gemini Nano Banana, ChatGPT-5, Study and Learn, Agent Mode, storybooks, and real-world applications that are reshaping education and productivity. (Please be familiar with AI Prompting before signing up for this class. Please email athornton@nmc.edu if you have questions.)
Crucial Conversations for Accountability
Friday, May 15 AND Friday, May 22, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. (on campus)
This course is strongly recommended for all supervisors, academic chairs and program coordinators, but all regular employees are welcome with supervisor approval. While Crucial Conversations for Accountability may sound like a “gotcha” approach, it is exactly the opposite. The training provides practical tools grounded in mutual respect, active listening and collaborative problem-solving. During this two-day training, learn how to have difficult conversations in a way that solves problems while improving relationships. Attendance is required both days for course completion.
For questions, email professionaldevelopmentinstitu
Nominations open for Staff and Team Excellence Awards
Every day, we see colleagues who go above and beyond, not for recognition, but because they care deeply about our students, our colleagues, our community, and our mission. Now is our chance to say “thank you.”
Who to nominate?
A staff member or a team who:
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- Consistently embodies NMC’s values?
- Has made a clear, positive impact on NMC this year?
- Inspires you with their dedication?
Who is eligible?
- Staff: Full-time, part-time, or supplemental.
- Teams: Departments, committees, or project groups (2+ employees).
How to nominate
Complete and submit the Staff Excellence Nomination Form or the Team Excellence Nomination Form by Thursday, April 2, 2026
Help us highlight the incredible work happening across our campus! Recipients will receive a monetary award and an engraved plaque to be presented at the You Made It Possible Celebration on May 13, 2026.
NMC Employee Recognition Committee: Lori Hodek, Chair, Marcus Bennett, Hollie DeWalt, Les Eckert, Kim Gourlay, Craig Hadley, Taylor Nash, Denny Nguyen, Nancy Parshall and Lisa vonReichbauer.
Photos of past retirees sought for 75th celebration
We need your help! Click to view the list of photos needed of past NMC retirees for our 75th celebration. If you have photos of any of these retired employees, please scan or send links to Lori Hodek at lhodek@nmc.edu.
Photos will be added to the Awards & Recognition page on NMC’s website under the NMC Retiree Recognition section.
Employee anniversaries – March
The following employees are celebrating an anniversary soon. Please join us in congratulating them!
Kudos!
Kudos to Amy Shamroe! Last Friday, the NOMIAC team hosted an Industry Navigator Lunch and Learn. Industry Navigator Amy Shamroe delivered a compelling and informative presentation that clearly outlined the breadth of training opportunities available through Extended Education, workforce training programs, and partner institutions across the 10-county region. Attendees walked away with a deeper understanding of available resources and a renewed appreciation for the collaborative strength behind the NOMIAC and Sixty by 30 initiatives. Thank you, Amy, for leading our industry partners in training with NMC and the NOMIAC!
Kudos to Emily Crull! Emily has recently gone above and beyond in providing support to our department. She laid out an entirely new webpage that was needed for a tight turnaround while her team was short-staffed – and it looks fantastic! She has also created extensive graphic libraries for several different initiatives that our department is involved with, so our materials look professional and polished. We truly appreciate all you do!
Celebrating new chapters
These colleagues have moved on to a new chapter in their lives. We wish them the very best as they navigate a new adventure, and we thank them for their time and dedication to NMC!
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- Gabriella Baldino, supplemental employee – Food Service Front of House
- Andre Dean, supplemental employee – Instructional Tech Specialist
- Jillian Kaley, student employee – Residence Hall Front Desk
- Steven Miles – Adjunct Math Instructor
Welcome our newest hires!
These employees recently started working at the college. Let’s welcome them to the NMC community!
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- Bee Kelly, student employee – Ceramic Studio Lab Assistant
- Kim Ockert, supplemental employee – Test Proctor
- Charlotte Davis, supplemental employee – Banquet Server. Hagerty Center
- Mitchell Gingras, supplemental employee – Tutor
Employee Wellness: Cornhole Tournament
Step up and join the fun! Compete in our upcoming cornhole tournament for a chance to win the trophy and a free one-year membership to the NMC Fitness Center. Gather your colleagues and get ready to toss your way to victory!
Sign up here today and let the games begin!
Embrace Creativity and Focus: Craft Your Own Analog Bag
In today’s digital age, it’s easy to get lost in screen time. The “analog bag” offers a simple way to step back and enjoy offline activities.
Picture a bag filled with hobbies that bring you joy. Whether it’s a sketchbook, novel, knitting supplies, or a puzzle, your analog bag is limited only by your imagination. The goal: provide a tangible alternative to mindless scrolling.
Creating your own analog bag is fun and rewarding. Here’s why every employee should try it:
- Boost Creativity and Productivity
Hands-on activities stimulate creativity and problem-solving. Doodling, writing, or crafting can spark new ideas that benefit your work. - Enhance Focus and Mindfulness
Analog activities require focus, making you more present and reducing stress—improving effectiveness both at work and personally. - Encourage Work-Life Balance
An analog bag helps set boundaries between work and personal time, improving mental health and refreshing your mind. - Personalize Your Downtime
Your bag reflects your interests. Fill it with items that resonate with you, creating a personalized escape from the digital world.
To start, consider hobbies you’d like to explore. Gather materials and keep your analog bag near where you often use your phone. This way, when tempted to reach for your device, you’ll have an enticing alternative.
Create your own analog bag and enrich your personal and professional life by fostering a more balanced, focused, and creative mindset. Let’s embrace the power of analog and make room for meaningful moments.
Kudos!
Kudos to Megan Bylsma, Ryan Deering, Carl Shangraw, Dan Goodchild, Shelly VanderMeulen, Jeff Fouch, Michael Nachazel, and Georgenia Hromada! This is the “it takes a village” kudos! NMC’s surveying program was honored for winning the NCEES Surveying Education Award grand prize in the two-year program category. The program was recognized last night at the Michigan Society of Professional Surveyors conference. In addition to winning this program award, Ryan Deering also won the Ralph Moore Berry recognizing a non-licensed individual giving back to the profession. Couple this with our own graduates earning their professional surveying license and a scholarship recipient and it was a fulfilling event!
But what makes it special? This doesn’t happen without the support of the Foundation finding funding to support program growth, the college leveraging these funds for recruitment, a strong advisory board advocating to the State that this program is needed, strong faculty developing a 2-year program from scratch and industrial professionals continuing to teach these classes. And none of this happens without the support from the division to keep the program running, scheduled and available to students.
Great job!!!
Kudos to Katie Sommer-Ford, Hannah Rodriguez, Maggie Miron, Tait Ricks, and Tali Morrison! Hats off to the Student Success & Retention team who pulled together NMC’s first ever “Fail Forward” week, meant to normalize setbacks, reduce fear of failure, and build resilience. Events and promotion for Fail Forward week helped students to reframe mistakes as learning opportunities through a series of events including an adaptability workshop, offered by Tait Ricks from Student Life, and a session on asking for help offered by Hannah Rodriguez and Maggie Miron, from the coaching and success team. Throughout the week students could contribute to “fail boards” to share times they failed but learned from their experience and moved forward. Faculty and staff shared their own testimonials via the NMC Student Success social media. The week of events culminated in a Success Fair where students could learn about the many help resources available at NMC. Kudos to Katie Sommer-Ford and Tali Morrison for organizing, supporting, and leading the charge.
Kudos to Stephanie Liss! The Ed Tech department is giving Stephanie heartfelt kudos for the work she does to keep all the areas of the TJNIC building sparkling clean. Every morning, we enter the basement to the sound of a vacuum or the wooshing of the tables or whiteboards being cleaned in a learning or study space. We appreciate her dedication to keeping TJNIC a welcoming, clean environment! Thank you, Stephanie, for modeling NMC’s values of stewardship and excellence.
Welcome our newest hires!
These employees recently started working at the college. Let’s welcome them to the NMC community!
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- Kelsey Tornga, supplemental employee – Hagerty Center Banquet Server
- Harrison Willow, student employee – Tutor
- Evelyn Harden, student employee – Maritime Assistant
- Colin Burris – Supplemental Aviation Maintenance Technician
Food for the Soul
Bring your team and join us in February for these Food For The Soul events as we continue to Embrace the Dream and celebrate Black History Month.
Thursday, February 26, 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. and 4:30–6 p.m.
Hawk Owl Café
$6.00/NMC staff & students; $12.00/community members
- Shrimp and Grits or blackened tofu (vegetarian)
- Collard Greens (with and without ham)
- Corn bread (Jiffy)
- Cherry cheesecake
- Drink option (sweet tea)
For full details, to add events to your Google Calendar, or to watch for new opportunities, visit the NMC Embrace the Dream calendar.
If you have an event or activities to add, please contact lhodek@nmc.edu. Thank you for supporting inclusion and community at NMC!