Nov 11, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — The community is invited to join NMC students on Wednesday, Nov. 19 for the tenth 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.
Ryan Hannon, leader of Central Outreach, will lead participants on the 90-minute walk departing from the rear entrance of Central United Methodist Church, 222 Cass St., at 6 p.m. Nov. 19. Central Outreach is a hub of services for people without housing in the area. Tour stops will highlight service and volunteering opportunities, including the Government Center, where participants will learn ways citizens can provide input and get involved.
Free parking will be available beginning at 5 p.m. in Municipal Parking Lot B on North Cass Street.
The walk is a part of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, happening Nov. 16-20. Led by NMC faculty Lisa Blackford, Brandon Everest, and Melissa Sprenkle, students in NMC social work, sociology and English classes have collaborated on projects to support the week since 2015.
In addition to the walk, this year’s activities include individual and group community service, an underwear/sock drive, development of awareness posters and engagement with community leaders in a series of panel discussions on understanding homelessness, housing insecurity and food insecurity. All activities are examples of Experiential Learning at NMC. EL actively engages the learner through relevant and ongoing experiences, critical problem solving and reflective practices.
In addition to NMC and CUMC, the walk is sponsored by the Northwest Michigan Coalition to End Homelessness.
Release date: November 5, 2025
For more information:
Lisa Blackford
Faculty, Social Sciences Area
lblackford@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1294
NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY NOTICE
Northwestern Michigan College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, disability, genetic information, height, weight, marital status or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions. nmc.edu/non-discrimination
Nov 10, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
The Hawk Owl Café serves specials during the fall and spring semesters from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 4:40 to 6:30 p.m. The protein option is $9.99, and the vegetarian option (V) is $7.99. Learn more at nmc.edu/dining.
Menu
Monday, November 10
Orange Chicken & Broccoli Bowl with mandarin oranges and spinach served with rice & Bosco stick
Orange Tofu & Broccoli Bowl (V) with mandarin oranges and spinach served with rice & Bosco stick
Tuesday, November 11
Carne Asada Pulled Pork Tacos with cheddar cheese, sour cream and salsa served with Mexican street corn & Spanish rice
Carne Asada Pulled Jackfruit Tacos (V) with cheddar cheese, sour cream and salsa served with Mexican street corn & Spanish rice
Wednesday, November 12
Spaghetti & Meatballs with marinara sauce and parmesan served with garlic bread & broccoli
Tri-Color Tortellini (V) with pesto cream sauce and parmesan served with garlic bread & broccoli
Thursday, November 13
Breakfast for Dinner!
- French Toast Sticks with Syrup (V)
- Sausage Patties or Links
- Quiche Lorraine
- Fresh Fruit (V)
Friday, November 14
Sloppy Joe with brioche bun and pickles served with sweet potato fries & green beans
Jackfruit Sloppy Joe (V) with brioche bun served with sweet potato fries & green beans
Nov 6, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
Through a partnership with Anu Sushi, a refugee-founded sushi company based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, sushi purchased from the Hawk Owl Café during the third quarter provided 620 meals, along with shelter and supplies, for at-risk children in Myanmar!
Sushi is available on Tuesdays and Fridays starting at 11 a.m. in the grab-and-go cooler at the Hawk Owl Café (while supplies last).
Nov 5, 2025 | Intercom, Menu, Student News
The Hawk Owl Café will be running a Thanksgiving special on Tuesday, Nov. 18! Each meal costs $9.99 and includes turkey or tofurky, mashed potatoes with gravy, green bean casserole, fresh rolls with butter and pumpkin pie with whipped cream. The special will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 4:40 to 6:30 p.m., or while supplies last.
Nov 5, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
To find these selections and many other new titles, see the NMC library catalog.
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Nov 5, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
November 5, 2025
Next week’s fiftieth anniversary of the tragic Edmund Fitzgerald sinking in Lake Superior has renewed attention to the last Great Lakes shipwreck, but for Great Lakes Maritime Academy cadet Jeffrey Jager, no anniversary is required to remember.
“Most of us live with the Fitzgerald, especially those of us that consider the Midwest our home,” said Jager, 31, who grew up in metro Detroit before becoming a fourth-year deck cadet at GLMA, the nation’s only freshwater maritime academy.
The last ship he sailed on was built just two years after the Fitzgerald, by the same company. GLMA faculty worked with and taught others who sailed on the Fitz, at the time one of the largest ships on the Great Lakes. As a deck officer, when aboard ship he stands two four-hour watches per day, a duty he always takes seriously and which can be especially challenging on Superior, due to its size, geography and cold.
“Ultimately the vessel and its safe navigation are your responsibility,” he said. “As the watch officer, the lives of 30 people are in your hands.”
Crews are the same size now as they were then, too. The Fitzgerald went down with 29 aboard, including GLMA cadet David Weiss and alumnus Thomas Bentsen. GLMA, now a flagship NMC program but then just six years old, held a memorial service within a week. That tradition has continued every year since, and will be held again Nov. 10 at noon in the GLMA harborside courtyard. In 2023 Jager was tasked with ringing the memorial bell as each sailor’s name was read.
This year, he will spend Nov. 10 representing GLMA at another ceremony, the 26th annual Lost Mariners Remembrance, a joint U.S.-Canadian event on Detroit’s Belle Isle. But he urges the community to turn out for GLMA’s Mariners Memorial, when the often-invisible role of shipping becomes as clear as that bell tolling 29 times.
“We have a lot of people working extremely hard to keep our entire economy running, and they do it at great personal risk,” he said.
Nov 3, 2025 | Student News
Student Life will be in the Timothy J. Nelson Center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays providing free snacks. information about various wellness topics and connecting students with resources. Stop by and say hello! Students can also enter the weekly prize drawing.
Oct 31, 2025 | Student News
Are you interested in having a competitive edge in whatever comes nEXt after NMC? Whether it’s transferring to a four-year school or entering the job market, NMC’s Experience Transcript endorsement (nEXt) will help you stand out on your resume or in job applications.
NMC is a leader in offering experiential learning opportunities, which help you develop durable skills such as communication, resilience, empathy, initiative, creative problem-solving and teamwork– all essential skills for work and life. The nEXt endorsement showcases these experiences, both inside and outside the classroom, as a transcript credential, alongside the degree or certificate you’re also earning at NMC. It’s an innovative way for you to demonstrate your mastery of these essential durable skills that, heretofore, were not fully addressed by colleges but are highly sought after by employers.
Take the first step by completing the nEXt endorsement signup form.
Oct 28, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
NMC employees and students may request that Campus Security review surveillance footage to assist in identifying alleged criminal activity or misconduct, provided there is a substantiated reason to do so. Please contact Campus Security at extension (231) 995-1111 for assistance.
Oct 28, 2025 | Student News
Have you had instructors this semester who you feel really excelled? NMC has a way for you to recognize those instructors: Nominate them for a Faculty Excellence Award!
Award criteria includes teaching excellence, supportive relationship with students, innovation in the classroom, sense of class community and dedication to the students/NMC.
Tell us what makes your instructors so great using this nomination form.
Submit your nomination by Dec. 15.
Oct 27, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
Students and staff braved the rain to share the spooky spirit with trick or treaters at the annual Student Ambassador’s Trunk or Treat last week. This year’s winners of the trunk contest are:
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- 1st Place: Scooby Doo Mystery Machine (Adyn McHugh)
- 2nd Place: The Lorax (Erin Lake)
- 3rd Place: Zombies (Alyssa Irani)
Scooby Doo Mystery Machine
Thanks to the Student Ambassadors (Kylie Gibson, Holly Hayes, Eily Knight and Bradley Knight) for hosting an awesome, community-building Trunk or Treat event and to our judges (Lisa Thomas, Elise Ballinger and Lisa Blackford) who had the tough job of choosing between all the amazing submissions.
Oct 27, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
NMC offers both permanent and mobile food pantries for students and their families. This fall, usage of both has risen compared to 2024. With food assistance benefits (SNAP) potentially paused starting next week due to the government shutdown, please take advantage of these resources. The self-serve permanent
food pantry is located in the Osterlin building on NMC’s Front Street campus. Hours are 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and 3-8 p.m. Sundays. Students log their visit via QR code, then serve themselves.
Other
student resources include lunch coupons, Goodwill Inn vouchers, transportation assistance and emergency assistance.
The mobile food pantry distributes twice a month and is also open to the community. Upcoming dates are Monday, Nov. 3, Monday, Nov. 24 and Monday, Dec. 1. All are 3-5 p.m. and all are held at the Maple Lot on the Front Street campus. Users receive up to $200 worth of food per family per week, usually 8-10 different items, mostly fresh fruits and vegetables as well as other perishable foods. Any leftovers are stocked in the Osterlin permanent pantry.
To donate non-perishable food and personal care items to the Osterlin pantry, please review the
list of items most needed here. To support student basic needs financially, donate at nmc.edu/give. In the drop-down menu, select “NMC Food Pantry,” “Student Emergency Resource Fund” or “other.”
Oct 27, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
Several bicycles have been reported stolen from campus over the past four months. As a precaution, please remember to always lock your bicycle (and vehicle) securely or, if possible, store it inside your residence.
If your bicycle is stolen, take the following steps:
- Report the theft to the Traverse City Police Department at (231) 922-4550.
- Notify NMC Security at (231) 995-1111 after filing your police report.
Your vigilance helps keep our campus community safe. Thank you for taking steps to protect your property.
Oct 24, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
Stop by the NMC Campus Bookstore on Thursdays for a flash sale on apparel, gifts and more! Every Thursday is a different sale!
Oct 21, 2025 | Student News
Need a little help this Thanksgiving? The students in NMC’s BUS 231 Course are giving any Hawk Owl who could use a little extra help a free meal for the holiday season. Each meal will feed a family of six and will include a turkey, pie, and all of the traditional Thanksgiving sides. There are also a few surprises! Find the QR code around campus or fill out the form below to register for a free meal today!
The deadline for a free meal is November 7 or until we reach 120 requests. Fill out here: 2025 Thanks-for-Giving Meal Request Form
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact:
Sophie McDonald, PR Specialist: mcdon158@mail.nmc.edu
Kristy McDonald, Instructor: kmcdonald@nmc.edu
Oct 15, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
October 15, 2025
Northwestern Michigan College surpassed a financial aid and philanthropic milestone this summer, awarding more than $2 million in scholarship dollars for the first time ever.
For the 2024–25 academic year, NMC distributed $2.07 million to students. That topped the 2023–24 total of $1.98 million by $91,742. The total includes NMC institutional scholarships ($1.6 million) plus external scholarships ($469,000), which are typically awarded from local sources like community foundations, companies and churches.
As registration for spring semester begins this week, the importance of scholarship support is top of mind.
“The cost of college is one of the most common obstacles to attendance,” said Lindsey Dickinson, NMC director of student success and retention. “Scholarship support is critical for students to be able to complete their educational path and move on to life and career goals.”
Thanks to NMC scholarships, 2024 Great Lakes Culinary Institute student Caroline Clark (above) graduated debt free. Now she’s investing the money she saved on tuition in a wedding cake business, Sweet Caroline’s Confections.
“That’s the path I’m taking, an entrepreneurial path,” said Clark. Working out of her home, she baked cakes for 12 weddings this past summer. But she’s preparing to have a commercial space, hopefully by 2027.
“I was able to purchase some equipment. When the time is right, I can have a commercial space,” Clark said.
Marine Technology student Daniel Heil received an external scholarship from the Marine Technical Society. The Washington DC-based nonprofit promotes awareness, understanding, and the advancement and application of marine technology.
“This scholarship means the world to me. It’s not just recognition of where I’ve been — it’s a vote of confidence in where I’m going. I’m deeply grateful to be supported in this mission to merge deep-sea exploration with next-generation technology,” Heil said.
NMC also announced that the proportion of financial aid from grants — money students don’t have to repay — rose significantly last year. Grants totaled 62 percent of financial aid while loans made up 38 percent.
In the 2023–24 academic year it was nearly evenly split, with 51 percent grants and 49 percent loans. The shift, primarily due to state programs like the Community College Guarantee for high school graduates and Michigan Reconnect for adults 25 and older who don’t already have a degree, is highly positive for students.
Neither Heil nor Clark qualified for those programs, however. For students like them, NMC and external scholarships are vital.
“Instead of worrying about student loans or debt, I was able to focus on my career goal,” Clark said. “I’m very grateful I was able to do that.”
She keeps a list of her 10 scholarships, which ranged from $375 to $5,000. It’s a reminder to the 22-year-old to sustain her healthy financial habits.
“Not only for my career but for my lifetime, that’s a goal of mine, to continue being debt free,” she said.
NMC automatically matches accepted students with scholarships — no extra applications are required. Read more. Find out more about becoming a scholarship donor at nmc.edu/give.
Oct 14, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
The Dennos Museum Center warmly invites visitors to wander a festive marketplace on Friday, Nov. 7 and Saturday, Nov. 8 from 10 a.m.–4 p.m.. Come discover a unique variety of artful gifts and get a head start on your holiday shopping.
This vibrant juried marketplace is a cherished annual tradition that brings together 30 Michigan artists and a community that celebrates creativity and art. Visit the museum’s Sculpture Court and Milliken Auditorium lobby to discover one-of-a-kind treasures. Admission is free and guests are encouraged to linger, explore, and shop. Merlyn’s Pâtisserie will be on site for a second year, offering their Asian-French inspired artful treats.
Our Museum Store will unveil its festive Holiday Corner featuring beautiful greeting cards, handcrafted ornaments, and unique gifts from around the world. Art-inspired objects, puzzles, jewelry and toys are always right inside!
Our beloved raffle returns with proceeds benefiting children’s educational programming. And remember, DMC memberships are 10% when purchased at the market!
Learn more at shop.dennosmuseum.org
Oct 6, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
To find these selections and many other new titles, see the NMC library catalog.
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