We’re bringing the staff appreciation sale back to the NMC Bookstore — this time with an even bigger discount!
Take 30% off your regularly priced purchases April 10–13! Sale includes apparel, gifts, tech — it’s all on sale!
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College has chosen Davenport University as its exclusive partner in a first of its kind bachelor’s degree nursing (BSN) program that will start in May and aims to increase Michigan’s nursing workforce.
The concurrent program, in which students will be enrolled two years at NMC and a third year at Davenport, gives nursing students a faster, less expensive path to a BSN. Munson Medical Center requires its nurses to earn a BSN within five years of hire.
NMC will be among the first of Michigan’s 28 community colleges to roll out a BSN program under state legislation passed last summer. NMC issued a request for BSN proposals in mid-October. Nine universities submitted proposals seeking to partner with NMC.
“Meeting changing employer needs is a critical part of our work as a community college. I am proud of NMC’s fast response to this opportunity from the state and the high level of interest we received from potential university partners. It speaks volumes about the quality of our college, our nursing program and our graduates,” said Northwestern Michigan College President Dr. Nick Nissley.
NMC Director of Nursing Tamella Livengood said that Grand Rapids-based Davenport was selected due to their commitment to NMC’s strategic plan, as well as to offering an in-person option and local student support in Traverse City.
“One of the big differences will be the level of support we’ll be able to provide students,” Livengood said. “I think retention and completion will improve.”
“We have a decade-long partnership with NMC and Munson Healthcare to grow the talent needed to support the communities we serve,” said Dr. Richard J. Pappas, president of Davenport University. “We are grateful to be chosen by NMC to grow our partnership to address the nursing talent shortage and create greater opportunities for our students to achieve academic and career success.”
Davenport has offered a robust and high-quality nursing program since 2006. All graduates are hired within six months of graduation.
In the new program, students could earn their bachelor’s in as little as a year after earning their associate degree at NMC and passing the registered nursing licensure exam, the NCLEX. In 2022, 95 percent of NMC’s associate degree graduates passed it on the first attempt, exceeding both Michigan and national averages.
Under the legislative initiative, community colleges can receive up to $2 million in state funding. NMC plans to hire three new professional nursing support staff: an adviser/recruiter, who will guide students through the four stages of nursing credentials; a nursing student navigator who will provide tutoring support, and a researcher responsible for tracking student success through the completion of the BSN. Funds will also be used for new equipment, including virtual reality and simulation equipment, Livengood said. Another $100,000 will be dedicated to student scholarships.
Haven Hall will be one of the first students. She will graduate from NMC’s associate degree program in May and plans to enroll immediately in the BSN program. NMC’s faculty and staff have encouraged her, she said.
“They challenge you to further your education,” said Hall, 20, who already works as a nurse technician in the emergency department at Munson Medical Center.
“Being able to work while I was in college helped so much,” said Hall, who also earned two nursing scholarships and a study abroad scholarship while at NMC. “I did not want to have to pull out a bunch of loans and be in a ton of debt.” She plans to remain in Traverse City, working at Munson, while completing her BSN.
The BSN cohort that includes Hall would graduate in 2024. Nurses with bachelor’s degrees are in-demand at Michigan’s hospitals. NMC has the largest associate degree nursing program north of Grand Rapids. In the last two years, NMC has graduated 91 ADN students; 64 of whom are employed at Munson.
“Munson Healthcare has long supported all strategies that promote the availability of highly trained nurses in our region. This includes partnering with Northwestern Michigan College to provide clinical instruction support to promote nursing graduates in our region. We appreciate the legislature for making this investment that will help to remove barriers for degree and career advancement and provides us with a new tool to support replenishing our healthcare talent pipeline,” said Ed Ness, president and CEO of Munson Healthcare.
Grand Rapids-based Davenport University is already a partner at NMC’s University Center, offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business, technology and health. The private, non-profit university serves about 5,500 students at campuses across Michigan and online. With tuition among the lowest private universities in the state, Davenport provides high academic quality, small class sizes, conveniently located campuses, faculty with real-world experience, and more than 60 dynamic undergraduate and graduate programs.
NMC:
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 392-6082 (mobile – text preferred)
Davenport University:
Amy Miller
Executive Director, Communications & Public Relations
amy.miller@davenport.edu
(616) 443-9800
Sereta Fager (Download a high-resolution photo) 
Kayla Wittkop (Download a high-resolution photo) TRAVERSE CITY — NMC students Sereta Fager and Kayla Wittkop are among eight Michigan students who will travel to Washington, D.C. for the National Student Leadership Academy as a part of Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates (JMG).
They will join around 600 other students from across the country at the academy Nov. 30–Dec. 4.They will attend leadership training sessions each day and participate in other activities, such as laying a JMG wreath at Arlington National Cemetery.
Students applied and wrote an essay about why they should be chosen, as well as submitted letters of recommendation. In 2021, NMC became the first college in the state of Michigan to offer a Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates program and only the third college in the country.
Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates equips young people with the skills to overcome barriers and succeed in education, employment and life. It is the leading program of Youth Solutions, Inc., a youth opportunity organization delivering employability and education services to young people across the state.
The program helps set up students for initial career success. Financial assistance with job equipment such as tools or work boots, uniforms, bus passes or gas cards for transportation to work is also available.
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
TRAVERSE CITY — Business students at Northwestern Michigan College will distribute 150 Thanksgiving meals to fellow students and community families on Monday, Nov 21. This is the result of the ninth annual Food For Thought project, which teaches students to communicate professionally through experiential learning. Each student was taught how to write a professional letter to businesses and organizations, requesting an item donation or monetary donation to help meet the goal of feeding 150 families.
Distribution will take place at two locations:
Michael Wittman
Marketing Team Leader
(231) 866-1386
wittmam@mail.nmc.edu
Kristy McDonald
Business Instructor
(231) 995-1059
kmcdonald@nmc.edu
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College invites the campus and community to attend its annual Veterans Day ceremonies beginning at 8 a.m. Friday, Nov. 11. The ceremony will include:
The three-volley salute will commence shortly after the flag is raised, between 9 and 10 a.m. The Three-Volley Salute, accompanied by the playing of Taps, is performed in honor of veterans/soldiers who are no longer with us. This is an important ceremony for veterans as they honor all those who came before them, served alongside them, and gave their lives in the line of duty. These are blank rounds (gun powder in a copper casing) with no actual bullet being fired.
Serving those who have served is a year-round priority for NMC. About 5 percent of students are either veterans or active-duty military. NMC has many services specifically designed for veteran student success, including veteran-specific scholarships and opportunities to convert military service to academic credit. Find out more at nmc.edu/veterans.
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
TRAVERSE CITY — A new, $30 million state scholarship fund to train more police officers is coinciding with major changes to NMC’s Police Academy, setting up an enrollment- to- employment pipeline that will ultimately benefit community safety.
Announced last month, the Public Safety Academy Assistance Program was established to help address the critical need for additional police officers statewide by reducing or eliminating the cost associated with basic police training. Law enforcement agencies are eligible for up to $20,000 per recruit for tuition and other training costs, plus $4,000 in salary.
“It serves both the agency and the student,” NMC Police Academy director Gail Kurowski. “There are a lot of people that might be considering a career in law enforcement that don’t have the financial wherewithal to put themselves through a program.”
Grand Traverse County Undersheriff Mike Shea said that will be a boost to his department, which earlier this year had 10 vacancies in the patrol division. He recently attended the Michigan Sheriffs Association conference and of the 70 counties represented, all but one or two were struggling with vacancies.
“We are bleeding police officers. They are leaving the profession at an alarming rate,” said Shea, a 2005 NMC Police Academy alumnus himself.
Applications are now open for agencies who intend to enroll recruits in an academy session beginning after January 1. Next fall is also when NMC debuts a new, four-month structure for its academy. That cuts in half the current time needed to complete the program and will allow NMC to better compete for students it might have previously lost to condensed academies.
“The 16-week program is going to be huge,” said Shea, who already has a candidate in mind as Grand Traverse County’s first employed recruit to start next fall.
NMC is also the only academy to offer drone certification to its recruits, and far exceeds the minimum requirement for scenario training, which simulates real-world situations, set by MCOLES, the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards.
“We are going to have over 60 hours of scenario training,” Kurowski said. “That is huge. There is no academy in Michigan that’s going to have that.”
The $20,000 per recruit would more than cover NMC’s tuition. NMC is also the northernmost academy in the lower peninsula, making it an attractive option for agencies regionwide, as well as the UP.
Shea said another plus is that NMC’s instructors are all either law enforcement officers or attorneys.
“There is no one better to teach than those who are living it,” he said.
For more information on NMC’s program, visit nmc.edu/police.
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
TRAVERSE CITY — The community is invited to join NMC students and Goodwill Northern Michigan on the 7th annual Walk for Health and Housing, a guided tour of downtown Traverse City from the perspective of people experiencing homelessness and the providers who serve them, departing from NMC’s Great Lakes campus parking lot at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16.
The walk is a part of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, happening Nov. 12-20, and brings together students and community partners to raise awareness about the increasing affordability crisis in Northwest Michigan. Lasting about two hours, the guided walk through downtown Traverse City illuminates the problems of food insecurity and homelessness. Along the route, participants will stop to hear stories from service providers about their efforts to mitigate these problems in region.
The walk is an example of Experiential Learning at NMC. EL actively engages the learner through relevant and ongoing experiences, critical problem solving and reflective practices. Community partners include the organization National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, Goodwill NM, Northern Michigan Supportive Housing, Jubilee House, Central United Methodist Breakfast program, Food Rescue of Northern Michigan, Traverse City Police Department, Safe Harbor, and the Northwest Michigan Coalition to End Homelessness.
NMC’s Great Lakes campus is located at 715 E. Front St., Traverse City.
Brandon Everest
Faculty, Social Sciences Area
Director, Experiential Learning Institute
beverest@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1985
The Health & Science Building atrium on NMC’s main campus will be used as a polling place from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 8 for Precinct 9 voters to cast their ballots in the general election. Some parking in the Cedar lot will be set aside for voters at those times.
The NMC Bookstore will be closed that day as well, and will reopen with normal hours Wednesday, November 9.
TRAVERSE CITY — Five education and nonprofit partners this week announced they have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a Freshwater Research and Innovation Center on West Grand Traverse Bay on the current site of the Discovery Center & Pier.
The five partners are the Discovery Center & Pier, Michigan Technological University, Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse Connect and 20Fathoms.
Once complete, the Freshwater Research and Innovation Center will establish the Grand Traverse region as a hub for applied freshwater innovation offering research, education, commercialization, incubation, and acceleration programs. Phase 1 of development is currently underway and includes fundraising, pier development, campus design and planning, and governance.
Each partner brings expertise and resources to the effort.
Discovery Center
“The Discovery Center will serve as the conduit between the community and the research, educational opportunities and activities at the Center,” said Matt McDonough, CEO of the Discovery Center.
The Discovery Center will develop public-facing programs highlighting the research underway, new technologies being developed at the Center, and the academic programs in marine technology and freshwater sciences available at NMC and MTU. “Our goal will be to educate the public about what is happening at the Center and inspire tomorrow’s workforce,” said McDonough.
Michigan Tech
As established regional leaders in freshwater research and education, Michigan Tech will help develop marine technology and operations plans for the new center in Traverse City. Additionally, the university will collaborate on research projects, workforce development programming and professional development projects that will highlight the freshwater science and technology developed by Tech and other partners. Michigan Tech President Rick Koubek believes the new center in Traverse City is a perfect complement to the world-class work already being done by the university at its Great Lakes Research Center in Houghton and at the Michigan Tech Research Institute in Ann Arbor.
“We are delighted to continue growing our partnership with the Greater Traverse region,” said Koubek, who was first to sign the memorandum of understanding between the five partners. “This latest MOU supports our mutual commitment to advancing research focused on the Great Lakes ecosystem.”
Northwestern Michigan College
“NMC views the Freshwater Research & Innovation Center as an accelerator for our strategic plan goals related to the Great Lakes Water Studies Institute,” said Jason Slade, NMC vice president for strategic initiatives.
Slade noted that NMC has been active in academic programming and professional development training in all focus areas of the new collaboration, including autonomous and remote technology, freshwater and marine technologies and emerging environmental technologies.The Center will also provide experiential learning opportunities for NMC students and research projects for students in NMC’s bachelor’s degree in Marine Technology.
Traverse Connect
Traverse Connect is the lead economic development organization for the Grand Traverse region and supports business growth and development by encouraging the growth of our existing assets – healthy partner relationships, the scaling up of our existing companies – and attracting new business.
“The development of the Freshwater Research and Innovation Center will ensure that the Grand Traverse region is well positioned to be the global epicenter for freshwater research, industry, and innovation,” said Warren Call, president and CEO of Traverse Connect. “The partnership of key educational institutions and nonprofit organizations will generate tremendous economic opportunity for our region by attracting entrepreneurs and innovators working to protect and improve the Great Lakes ecosystem.”
20Fathoms
20Fathoms is a tech startup incubator and coworking space in Traverse City, providing resources to help entrepreneurs and tech professionals grow their businesses and careers. The organization plans to locate their incubation program in the innovation center when complete.
“The innovation center in Traverse City will support emerging startups drive the commercialization of freshwater and marine technology applications that solve problems affecting the Great Lakes and other freshwater systems throughout the world,” said Eric Roberts, Executive Director of 20Fathoms. “This is a strong partnership with Michigan Tech, NMC, Discovery Pier, and Traverse Connect, and we’re all working together to create something that our community will be proud of.”
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
TRAVERSE CITY — The NMC community is invited to attend the 47th annual Mariners Memorial Service. The service will take place in the courtyard of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy on NMC’s Great Lakes Campus at 715 E. Front Street.
This Memorial Service, held to remember and honor mariners who have perished on the Great Lakes and oceans, is sponsored by the Student Propeller Club, Port 150, of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy.
The service begins at noon on Thursday, November 10, 2022. Guests are invited to enter the facility through the glass exhibition hall and proceed into the outdoor courtyard on the north side (harbor side) of the Academy.
For more information, call the Great Lakes Maritime Academy at (231) 995-1200.
Scott Fairbank
Great Lakes Maritime Academy
sfairbank@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1200
Good afternoon NMC community,
We have some important changes ahead with the admissions team at NMC. After many years as Director of Admissions, Cathryn Claerhout has made the decision to transition to become the Customer Relations Management specialist within the Admissions Department. Cathryn has been a valued member of the Enrollment Services team who worked with many departments across the college toward our common goals. During her leadership she:
Cathryn will stay on as Director of Admissions until the College hires her replacement. Please take a moment to thank Cathryn for her leadership and accomplishments and wish her well in her new role.
—
Todd Neibauer
Vice President for Student Services and Technologies
Northwestern Michigan College
(231) 995-1671
The NMC Board of Trustees recently completed an evaluation of President Nissley. This year the Board of Trustees contracted with the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) to coordinate its review process. The process included a core leadership competency evaluation, an evaluation of progress toward the strategic plan and ACCT-facilitated interviews with each trustee.
Overall, the board agreed President Nissley is meeting expectations. They pointed to several 2022 successes, including the successful negotiation of a collective bargaining agreement with the Michigan Education Association, the development of new maritime certifications in the Great Lakes Culinary Institute, and the focus on the implementation of the strategic plan, NMC Next. The Board of Trustees also complimented President Nissley’s leadership skills in improving morale at the College, specifically with the faculty, and serving as an advocate for NMC in the community and in government affairs.
Mike Chrypinski, NMC’s Director of Facilities, is retiring from NMC at the end of October. Mike managed several key projects during his 2+ years here including the opening of Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center and The Greenspire School’s relocation to the University Center. Mike oversaw a wide variety of roofing, painting, HVAC, and infrastructure improvements across campus. He also helped keep our students, faculty, and staff safe during the COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring proper signage and ongoing availability of PPE across the College. Please take an opportunity to thank Mike for his service to NMC, and wish him well in his retirement down in Florida!
Mike is replaced by Patrick Quinlan, a US Air Force veteran and Traverse City native who brings strong facilities expertise and leadership to the College. Patrick most recently served as the Director of Engineering at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa. Patrick is also an NMC and University Center alumni, and was a former math tutor during his time here as a student. Welcome, Patrick!
Hello NMC community,
As we emerge from the pandemic, we can (literally) breathe a little easier knowing that we have met an enormous challenge and are better and stronger as we move forward. The reasons for this are rooted in our NMC values. You have lived these values in large projects like co-creating and implementing the new strategic plan, NMC Next and in your daily interactions with your colleagues.
Our college community also worked to protect our greatest resource, our people, and understand that we need time to disconnect in order to recharge and get back to full capacity. In an effort to continue our commitment to the values of collaboration, respect and innovation we are pleased to share that President’s Council has decided to close the college this year during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Specifically the following days will be treated as additional holidays in 2022:
This is a concrete example of the college’s commitment to its employees, to their well-being and their ability to maintain a healthy work/life balance.
We hope that these additional days off at the end of the year will help to ensure that the high performance and engagement levels of our people remain strong.
I’m also pleased to announce that President’s Council will submit to Policy Council a proposal to formally amend Staff HR Policy D-718 to include a closure of the college from December 24 through January 1 each year!
Thank you again for all you do to help our learners and our college community. We hope you are having a successful fall semester.
Mark
—
Mark Liebling
AVP of Human Resources
1701 East Front Street, Traverse City, MI 49686
(231) 995-1342
Our NMC October Conference is back face to face! Faculty and staff will come together Tuesday, Oct. 11 for a full program of professional development led by colleagues and guest speakers. This year’s theme is Unlock Your Full Potential based on the NMC Next strategic plan.
Renowned author and learning specialist Todd Zacrasjek will deliver the morning keynote with ways to unlock our learning potential. Zacrasjek, director of the Lilly Conferences on College and University Teaching and Learning, will speak on “Uncovering Learning Myths That Waste Time and Money.” He will also lead four workshop presentations for faculty and staff.
Other presenters will deliver a variety of sessions with hands-on learning for improving your teaching, your work, and your work life as we unlock our potential and implement the college mission. Topics include Creating Community Partnerships, Disruptive Innovation at NMC: Introducing the Office of Possibilities (OOPS), Learning Without Thinking, and ALIVE! Embracing Life and Thriving After Pandemic Losses. View the complete schedule for this year’s event.
The day starts at 8 a.m. with coffee and donuts at the Dennos and the opening talks in Milliken Auditorium and ends with a game of kickball on campus grounds. In between, there will be four workshop sessions, lunch, and cider and apples.
Our October Conference, sponsored by the Center for Instructional Excellence and the Professional Development Institute, is a unique opportunity for faculty and staff to collaborate and learn together. The campus is closed for business and classes on Oct. 11, so shut your office door and join your colleagues for a day of food, fun and learning!
I want to share an update on how we are driving innovation at NMC, and how you can get involved. As many of you know, we have been very fortunate to rely on the NMC Foundation for the support of Innovation Grants to improve teaching and learning at the college. But the landscape of higher education is changing, and disruptive innovation has become more critical to ensure NMC’s long-term success. We are fortunate to have dedicated faculty and staff who have always been willing to take risks and embrace new ideas. We are also experiencing a growing entrepreneurial ecosystem in Traverse City as more start-ups, incubators and collaborative spaces take root in our region.
With all of this in mind and in partnership with the Foundation, we are moving forward with a more disruptive and exciting innovation framework at the college. The Office of Possibilities (or OOPs) will allow students, faculty and staff to explore and develop the next “big idea.” Unlike the previous innovation process, it will involve mentoring to challenge and flesh out the idea, connecting back to the entrepreneurial community and focusing on a growth-driven mindset to expand innovation at NMC. We know there will be failures, and that is okay (and why we are called OOPs), and this development will provide the resources and space needed to push, experiment and disrupt how we will meet the needs of NMC and our community.
So how do you get involved? That’s easy!
After mentoring and development, projects that are ready for review will be part of an active pitch. High potential, disruptive ideas will hopefully get funded. The first pitch event is Friday, Oct. 21 from 1–3 p.m. in IC 104/105.
We look forward to hearing your ideas and appreciate the support of the NMC Foundation as we drive innovation and challenge the norm at NMC.
Best regards,
Jason Slade
Vice-President for Strategic Initiatives
The Traverse City Parking Patrol will begin issuing warnings at NMC Saturday, Aug. 27 and start issuing citations for parking violations on Monday, Sept. 5. All NMC students and employees must have their 2022-2023 permits displayed then. If you haven’t received your permit, they’re available at the Campus Safety & Security office in the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center (#9 on the Main Campus Map) and the Enrollment Services office on the main level of the Tanis Building (#5 on the Main Campus Map).
The Traverse City Police Department has provided the following information on how to avoid parking tickets on campus by properly displaying your parking permit:
If you do get a ticket, payment can be made at the red drop-off payment box at the east end of the Cedar lot in front of the Health & Science Building on main campus. You can also mail the fine in to the city, or pay at the parking services office in the public parking garage at 303 E. State St. Payment information is also on each ticket.
If you have any questions about parking enforcement on campus, please call Campus Safety & Security at (231) 995-1111.
The Health & Science Building atrium on NMC’s main campus will be used as a city polling place for Precinct 9 voters again this year, including for the Tuesday, August 2 primary election from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Some parking in the Cedar lot will be set aside for voters at those times.
(The NMC Bookstore will be closed that day as well, and will reopen with normal hours Wednesday, August 3.)