Jan 29, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
NMC will host two Mobile Food Pantries during the month of February on February 3 and February 24. The distributions will occur from 3-5 p.m. in the Maple Lot at the Front Street campus.
We anticipate 8-10 different items; recipients can expect to receive approximately 60 pounds worth of goods—a value up to $200. We average 4,000-6,000 lbs of goods per distribution—come get some fresh fruits, veggies, and other foods for FREE. The program is free to participate with no financial means tests. This program is specifically designed to support NMC students (and their households) by supplementing their diets with fresh, healthy produce while helping to free up financial resources to cover other household expenses. Everyone is welcome.
Walk-up and drive-thru options are both available. Come over and drive-thru OR bring a backpack or reusable bag and take what you and your household can use in the next 7-10 days.
Additional pantries will be on March 3, March 17, April 7 and April 21. These pantries are made possible in partnership with Feeding America.
Jan 29, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
JANUARY 29, 2025
Business Instructor Kristy McDonald and her students shop for thanksgiving meal items as part of an experiential learning project.NMC now has an answer for student job seekers who confront an enduring conundrum: Employers want experience. But how do you show experience if you haven’t had a job yet?
The NMC Experience Transcript, or nEXt, will give students a way to demonstrate that they’ve gained experience during their education, particularly in sought-after soft skills like communication, teamwork and problem solving.
“It presents evidence around that,” said Jennifer Ewing of Human Resource Partners in Traverse City. She likened the nEXt endorsement to a portfolio, a standard for fields like graphic design or architecture.
“It’s really giving the student a way to go into the employer and demonstrate what they’re learning in a more tangible way,” said Ewing, who’s worked in HR for more than 30 years.
Debuting as a pilot this semester, nEXt will roll out collegewide this fall. It’s a project of NMC’s Experiential Learning Institute, created in 2019. Led by faculty members Kristy McDonald and Brandon Everest, the Institute formalized NMC’s commitment to experiential learning, which actively engages learners through relevant, hands-on experience, critical problem solving and reflective practices.
Emma Herrington is a member of the pilot cohort. The 2024 Traverse City West High School graduate has taken three EL classes with McDonald so far, starting as a dual-enrolled high school student, and said they affirmed her desire to open her own business after she graduates this fall.
“I’ve never heard of a school doing this much hands-on learning before,” Herrington said. “A lot of universities will just make you do the textbook information. You can’t apply that to the workforce until you’ve graduated or had an internship.”
In addition to taking EL-designated classes, students must earn points for the nEXt endorsement from four different domains which make up the EL cycle: discovery, exploration, mastery and reflection. Options include presenting at a conference, being a member or leader of a campus student group, conducting community research, mentoring, honors projects, independent study, registered apprenticeships, internships, community service and campus or community events.
Kenzie Kazim, another member of the pilot cohort, looks forward to the variety. Thanks to a contact she made with a commercial real estate first through her EL class, Kazim plans to get her real estate license this summer and hopes to get an internship there.
”It felt like a more meaningful learning experience to me, instead of feeling I had crammed all this information from a textbook and forgotten it as soon as I had a test,” Kazim said.
“I fully support it. I wish more schools would do that,” said Jennifer Anderson, HR Generalist at Traverse City manufacturer TentCraft. “I really think it gives students an edge, having that extra learning piece and have it for their interviews later on.”
Jan 28, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
NMC is currently reviewing what the Trump Administration’s freeze on federal aid and grants could mean for the college and our students. While the impact of this order is expected to be broad and remains uncertain, NMC has determined that student financial aid is exempt.
Rest assured, NMC will disburse federal financial awards for spring as planned beginning Monday, Feb. 3. NMC will continue to advocate for our students to minimize learning disruption, and we will continue to communicate with the NMC community as we learn more.
If you have any questions, please contact NMC’s Student Financial Services team at (231) 995-1035 or sfs@nmc.edu.
Jan 28, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
Join representatives from NMC’s Financial Aid and Admissions teams Wednesday, Feb. 12 from 4–7 p.m. to learn about the various types of financial aid and how to receive this aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The event will be at the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center on NMC’s Front Street Campus.
The whole community is invited — current and prospective students and their parents and anyone no matter what college they are planning on attending. Get one-on-one planning for financing your college journey — at NMC and beyond. Learn more and register here.
Jan 24, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
Brr! It’s cold out there! Take $10 off all regularly priced adult hoodies from Jan. 27–Feb. 6.
Jan 23, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
To find these selections and more, browse our full collection of Library of Things in the online catalog.
Games & Puzzles
Game – Mausritter
Take up the sword and don the whiskers of a brave mouse adventurer in Mausritter, a rules-light fantasy adventure roleplaying game. Character creation is speedy and simple, designed to get you playing as soon as possible. Your mouse is defined by their randomly assigned background, ability scores, and the gear they carry. A tactile card-based inventory system makes managing your gear a fun challenge. Mausritter is built on the chasis of Into the Odd, with new rules for setting, character generation, magical artefacts, and mouse-scale adventures. GMs are provided with procedures for running a mouse-scale sandbox, along with a bestiary and numerous tables for quickly creating adventures in the mouse kingdoms.
Game – Wavelength
Wavelength is a social guessing game in which two teams compete to read each other’s minds. Teams take turns rotating a dial to where they think a hidden bullseye is located on a spectrum. One of the players on your team — the Psychic — knows exactly where the bullseye is, and draws a card with a pair of binaries on it (such as: Job – Career, Rough – Smooth, Fantasy – Sci-Fi, Sad Song – Happy Song, etc). The Psychic must then provide a clue that is *conceptually* where the bullseye is located between those two binaries. For example, if the card this round is HOT-COLD and the bullseye is slightly to the “cold” side of the centre, the Psychic needs to give a clue somewhere in that region. Perhaps “salad”?
Game – Monopoly: Hello Kitty and friends
Buy, sell, and trade locations where all your favorite characters work and play in this all-new, custom version of the classic game featuring My Melody, Keroppi, Badtz-Maru, Chococat, Cinnamoroll, and many others. Seven collectible tokens feature Hello Kitty and Friends as the cutest vehicles, and Celebrations and Adventures are in store as you collect Kuromi’s Candy Shop, Doki-Doki’s Burger Shack, and more to be the last player standing to win!
Game – Catchphrase
This is a fully electronic re-implementation of the classic team word-guessing hot-potato game Catch Phrase! Players divide into two teams. One team selects the category and presses the start button. An audible timer beeps a count-down while the person holding the device tries to get their team to say the word or phrase on the screen. If they are successful, they hand the device to the next person on the opposite team. The goal of the round is to not be holding the device when the timer goes off — though those last furtive seconds can get dicey! When the timer goes off, the opposing team gets a point and (based on what version of the game you are playing) may also have a chance to steal the phrase for an extra point. The first team to reach seven points wins!
Puzzle – Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
This jigsaw puzzle captures the breathtaking beauty of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan. The towering, sandy dunes stand against the clear blue sky and the tranquil waters of Lake Michigan in Vintage poster Style, creating a stunning and serene landscape.
Instruments & Music
Bongo drums
The soft and warm tone of the buffalo head, combined with the Birch wood body and metallic rim, enhances sound projection, resulting in a clearer and brighter sound. Its neutral sound is suitable for a variety of music styles, including Cuban, Latin, world music, and jazz, making it an ideal choice for exploring different genres and rhythms.
Boombox with CD, cassette, and radio
The Sony CFD-S01 offers an all-in-one, portable way to go old school with your tunes! Highlights include AM/FM radio tuning as well as CD and cassette playback. In addition, the unit features Sony’s Mega Bass Sound System for deep bass tones. All controls are located on the top of the boombox, as is an LCD for track and station info. The convenient carry handle folds down when not in use.
Arts & Crafts
LED tracer opaque art projector
The tracer projector enlarges any design or pattern onto a wall or easel from 2 to 14 times the original size. The projected image can be traced and colored as desired. Use it for artwork sketches, outlining, posters, signs, small murals, home wall decor and decoration, quilt patterns, and more.
Calligraphy pen set
This set will enable you to develop your calligraphy skills to express your creativity through a wide range of lettering styles. The handy instruction and exercise booklets included with this set can be photocopied and offer a letter-by-letter introduction to the art of calligraphic writing as well as a lot of handy tips.
Art print – Feathering the nest by Qavavau Manumie
Qavavau Manumie was born in Brandon, Manitoba in 1958 where his mother, Paunichea, was hospitalized for treatment of tuberculosis. He returned to Cape Dorset as a very young child and has lived there since. Qavavau has demonstrated a range of stylistic abilities over the years – from the very literal to the more expressive. His work is idiosyncratic and often amusing in his depictions of Inuit legends and mythology, Arctic wildlife and contemporary aspects of Inuit life.
Summaries and images adapted from publishers.
Jan 20, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
Melanie Griffith
(download high-resolution photo) 
Bonnie Shumaker
(download high-resolution photo) TRAVERSE CITY — NMC staff members Melanie Griffith and Bonnie Shumaker have been named NMC’s recipients of the annual NISOD Excellence Awards for 2024–2025.
Affiliated with the University of Texas at Austin, the National Institute for Staff and Organization Development is committed to promoting and celebrating excellence in teaching, learning, and leadership at community and technical colleges. The NISOD Excellence Awards provide member colleges with the opportunity to honor the contributions of faculty, staff and administrators who shape their students’ futures.
The awards have been made since 1991. Criteria include professionalism, relationships with students and colleagues, and commitment to learning. Below are NMC’s 2024-2025 recipients, along with highlights from their nomination statements.
Melanie Griffith, Nursing Office Assistant:
“Melanie has been a most remarkable addition to our Health Occupations and Nursing team. Her positive attitude and outlook are noted by her peers and appreciated during our recent leadership transition. She has been of incredible assistance under some challenging situations and exudes kindness and caring through her support to both staff and students. She shares ideas for improving workflow and processes both internally and with our community partners…. With a site visit preparation ahead, I am comforted knowing she is such a key part of this team.”
Bonnie Shumaker, Curriculum and Scheduling Coordinator. An NMC employee for 16 years, who worked as the Business Academic Area Office Manager prior to her current role:
“I could always count on Bonnie to assist me, and she demonstrated this same to commitment to the other departments with any needs or projects that were being worked on. She was always professional and willing to assist in any way possible.”
“She helped with many of the CIT projects that we worked on over the years. She was present and assisted with our annual IT Olympics event each year that she was the office manager of the business academic area.”
“In her new role within academic scheduling, she was faced with learning a new system that was unfamiliar to her. She continues to learn and support all academic areas of the college. She has student success and the success of each academic area in her best interest.”
Release date: JANUARY 20, 2025
For more information:
Cari Noga
NMC Communications Director
cnoga@nmc.edu
(231) 392-1800 (Call or text)
NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY NOTICE
Northwestern Michigan College does not discriminate in admission, campus activities, education, employment, housing, public accommodation or public service on the basis of age, color, creed, disability, gender identity/expression, handicap, height, marital or familial status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, service in the military, veteran’s status, weight, or any other legally protected status under federal, state, or local law. No act of retaliation shall occur to any person making a charge, filing a complaint, testifying or participating in any discrimination investigation or proceeding. nmc.edu/non-discrimination
Jan 17, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
The Board of Trustees Building and Site Committee will meet at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 21 in the President’s Office Conference Room in the Tanis Building on NMC’s Front Street campus. The official meeting notice is available here.
For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY NOTICE
Northwestern Michigan College does not discriminate in admission, campus activities, education, employment, housing, public accommodation or public service on the basis of age, color, creed, disability, gender identity/expression, handicap, height, marital or familial status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, service in the military, veteran’s status, weight, or any other legally protected status under federal, state, or local law. No act of retaliation shall occur to any person making a charge, filing a complaint, testifying or participating in any discrimination investigation or proceeding. nmc.edu/non-discrimination
Jan 17, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — Tickets are now on sale for A Taste of Success, the premier annual fundraiser for students at NMC’s Great Lakes Culinary Institute, which will be held Friday, April 25 at NMC’s Great Lakes Campus.
At the strolling tasting event, guests will enjoy international cuisine prepared and served by culinary students along with local wines and beverages. First held at the Park Place Hotel in 1994, the 2024 event raised more than $157,000 for student scholarships and the greatest needs of the program.
The Great Lakes Culinary Institute at Northwestern Michigan College offers both degree and certificates. It is accredited by the American Culinary Federation, one of fewer than 200 U.S. colleges to receive that distinction. Students are eligible to become ACF Certified Culinarians upon graduation.
Tickets are $150 each. Sponsorships are also available. Call (231) 995-1021 or buy online at nmc.edu/taste-of-success.
Release date: JANUARY 17, 2025
For more information:
Chef Les Eckert
Director, Great Lakes Culinary Institute
(231) 995-1197
leckert@nmc.edu
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
Jan 14, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
NMC kicks off its 2025 Embrace the Dream programming, a series of events marking Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month, on January 20. A calendar of events is available at nmc.edu/embrace-the-dream.
Monday, Jan. 20, Martin Luther King Jr. Day:
- Free admission to the Dennos Museum Center, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
- The 2025 Marching for Justice exhibit, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. in the museum’s sculpture court. This extraordinary exhibit showcases over 150 original artifacts, highlighting pivotal moments in Black history—from the Transatlantic Slave Trade to contemporary social justice movements.
- Free MLK Day Lecture featuring Dr. Khalid el-Hakim, 2–3 p.m. A former social studies teacher, Dr. Khalid el-Hakim’s expertise encompasses Black History, DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), Implicit Bias, Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, and Hip Hop Pedagogy. Get free tickets and learn more about the lecture here.
- Building Bridges with Music presents An Evening of Voices to Commemorate Dr. King, City Opera House, 6:30 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.) Featuring The Brazea Dennard Chorale, NMC Chamber Singers and NMC Children’s Choir: Cantus. Learn more and get free tickets to the concert here.
January 30, February 4, 20 & 25: Food for the Soul meals at the Hawk Owl Café. 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m. and 4–6 p.m. (No 4–6 p.m. serving February 20)
Thursday Feb. 6, 4:30–6 p.m.: NMC Library Read-Aloud & Craft Night. Children ages 3–12 are invited to an Embrace the Dream Read Aloud and Craft Night hosted at the library. The books have been selected with an eye for great stories and diverse characters and are written and illustrated by Black authors and artists. In addition to a read-aloud with our volunteers, each child will complete a craft and receive their own copy of the book to keep. Accompanying adults can browse the library collection but should plan on remaining close by in the building. The library is also recruiting volunteers to serve as readers or craft station facilitators, interested folks can sign up here.
For more information visit nmc.edu/embrace-the-dream, which will be updated with more events as they are added.
Jan 13, 2025 | Student News
NMC offers open recreation in the Rajkovich Physical Education Building (#16 on the Front Street campus map) on Mondays and Thursdays from 7–10 p.m. as well as Saturdays and Sundays from 6–9 p.m. Join us for basketball, soccer, volleyball, dodgeball, badminton, pickleball, ping pong and more!
All NMC students and employees are welcome. Please bring your NMC ID and clean shoes.
For any questions, please contact mbennett@nmc.edu or cschneider@nmc.edu.
Jan 8, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY— Northwestern Michigan College congratulates the 1,078 students who made the fall semester Dean’s List, earning a grade point average of 3.5 or above out of a possible 4.0 while taking five or more credits.
The full list is available here.
Jan 7, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — The community is invited to join students at NMC’s updated, expanded 2025 Career & Majors Fair at the Park Place Hotel & Conference Center Thursday, March 6 from 1-6 p.m..
Several hundred students and community members are expected to attend and experience a new, guided pathway format. Employers will be clustered with faculty and staff from NMC’s relevant academic areas to showcase how NMC programs can lead to employment opportunities in northern Michigan. More than 80 employers will be recruiting for all kinds of opportunities, from full time positions to summer internships. (See the list at nmc.edu/careerfair.)
“We expect this format to better serve both employers and attendees,” said Academic and Career Advisor Katie Sommer-Ford. “Prospective and undecided students can better explore their options, while those already on a career path can conveniently find and identify relevant employers.”
The for-credit academic areas attending are:
The Career & Majors Fair will also feature a dedicated space for veterans and military members offering services such as resume review, as well as information from NMC’s Financial Aid and Extended Education and Training (noncredit) offices. It is free to attend. Transportation aboard BATA’s Bayliner is available free of charge.
The event is presented in partnership with Northwest Michigan Works and Networks Northwest. and sponsored by Tentcraft, North Arrow ABA Services, Park Place Hotel, World Magnetics. Highpoint, Vanenkevort Tug & Barge Inc., Fox Motors-Fox Grand Traverse, Grand Traverse Plastics Corp, Truly Free Inc. UA Local 85 Plumbers, Steamfitters, HVACR Technicians, Aflac and Molon Excavating & Asphalt. Find out more at nmc.edu/career-fair.
Release date: FEBRUARY 17, 2025
For more information:
Cari Noga
NMC Communications Director
cnoga@nmc.edu
(231) 392-1800 (Call or text)
NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY NOTICE
Northwestern Michigan College does not discriminate in admission, campus activities, education, employment, housing, public accommodation or public service on the basis of age, color, creed, disability, gender identity/expression, handicap, height, marital or familial status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, service in the military, veteran’s status, weight, or any other legally protected status under federal, state, or local law. No act of retaliation shall occur to any person making a charge, filing a complaint, testifying or participating in any discrimination investigation or proceeding. nmc.edu/non-discrimination
Jan 6, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
Versiti Blood is having another blood drive in the big pink bus on Thursday, Feb. 6 from 1 to 5:30 p.m. Versiti is hoping to get at least 18 donors this time around as their donations drop significantly over winter. Every eligible donation will get a $10 e-gift card!
Make sure you eat a healthy meal and drink plenty of water before donating. You can call 1-866-642-5663 or go here to register for an appointment. Feel good about helping your fellow friend and get a small reward as well! Thank you for your time and donation!
Jan 6, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
NMC Campus Life will host an ice skating event Saturday, Jan. 18 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Grand Traverse County Civic Center’s Howe Arena (1125 W Civic Center Dr, Traverse City, MI). For more details, contact Marcus Bennett at (231) 995-1401 or mbennett@nmc.edu, or CJ Schneider at cschneider@nmc.edu.
Must present a valid NMC ID to participate. This event is free to all current NMC employees and students.
This event is sponsored by NMC Residence Life and Campus Life. Refreshments provided by NMC student groups Ratio Christ, His House, and Multicultural Club.
Dec 20, 2024 | Intercom, International Affairs Forum, Student News
Dick Grout, one of the founding members of the International Affairs Forum, passed away on December 19 at the age of 104.
The Record-Eagle published a retrospective on his life and accomplishments (a PDF-friendly version of the article can be found here). Additional information about his valorous D-Day service is available on the International Affairs Forum’s website.
Dec 18, 2024 | Intercom, Student News
December 18, 2024
For two more weeks, 21- to 24-year-olds can join the 325 NMC students who already have saved more than $750,000 in tuition through Michigan Reconnect.
Dec. 31 is the deadline for that age group to apply for Reconnect, which offers free in-district tuition to adults who don’t already have a college degree. They can start in spring or summer 2025 semesters, and continue to receive the scholarship until they complete. But Jan. 1, Reconnect eligibility reverts to ages 25 and up.
Current Reconnect student Mitchell Mosley (right) urged eligible students not to let that window of opportunity close.
“If it’s even on your mind, you might as well put the application in. It’s quick, it’s easy, it’s responsive,” said Mosley, 27, who stepped back in an NMC classroom this fall for the first time in eight years. In the interim he discovered his lack of a degree hindered his job advancement. Now he has a drive he didn’t have before.
“I really want it now. I want to be educated,” said Mosley. In just one semester he said he’s learned business math skills, like paying payroll taxes, that will help him better run his business, Swabbies, a yacht cleaning business, but also self-discipline and collaboration skills.
Combining the credits he earned at NMc after high school graduation in 2015 plus others from an Oregon community college, he’ll only need to attend for a year before earning his associate degree in business next year.
“Education is bigger than a diploma. There’s a lot more to it,” said Mosley, who has organized study groups for his classes, and attended on-campus and professional events like the regional Economic Summit (pictured).
“I want more out of life and NMc has kind of helped me,” he said, adding he plans to continue his studies.
“It won’t end here, I can promise you that,” he said.
Students 21 to 24 can start their journey to a tuition-free degree at NMc by applying online by Dec 31. They must have lived in Michigan for at least a year and not have previously earned a degree. They can start classes in spring or summer 2025 semesters. Reconnect eligibility continues until the degree is completed, as long as requirements are met.
Dec 16, 2024 | Student News
Spring textbooks are now available. Stop by the NMC Campus Bookstore or check them out online at bookstore.nmc.edu. Looking to use financial aid for your books? Spring financial aid will be available Dec. 9–Jan. 30.
The fall textbook rental deadline has been extended to Wednesday, Dec. 18. All rentals should be returned to the NMC Campus Bookstore located in the Health & Science Building on NMC’s Front Street Campus.
Books that have been purchased can be sold back during Dec. 9-13.
