Drop-in tutoring sessions for GLMA cadets enrolled in engine courses are available in the GLMA student enclave.
Cadets can stop by during these times and receive assistance:
Please call (231) 995-1138 or email tutoring@nmc.edu if you have any questions.
TRAVERSE CITY — Two of NMC’s performance ensembles will present the following midwinter performances:
Advance tickets are available at simpletix.com. Adults $13, seniors/students $8. At the door: Adults $15, seniors/students $10.
Jeffrey Cobb
Director of Music Programs
(231) 995-1338
jecobb@nmc.edu
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
Northwestern Michigan College has chosen Davenport University as its exclusive partner in a first-of-its-kind Bachelor of Science in 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.
Haven Hall (right) 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. Offering convenience to students like her who are already in the workforce was a goal of state legislation passed last summer that allows the partnerships.
“Munson Healthcare has long supported all strategies that promote the availability of highly trained nurses in our region,” said Ed Ness, president and CEO of Munson Healthcare. “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.”
NMC will be among the first of Michigan’s 28 community colleges to roll out a BSN program under the 2022 legislation. 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,” said Northwestern Michigan College President Dr. Nick Nissley. “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.”
“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.
NMC Director of Nursing Tamella Livengood (right) 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.”
The BSN cohort that includes Hall will graduate in 2024. NMC has the largest nursing associate degree (ADN) program north of Grand Rapids. In the last two years, NMC has graduated 91 ADN students; 64 of whom are employed at Munson. NMC graduates also have a high success rate on 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. Davenport has offered a BSN program since 2006.
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’s Engineering department, in conjunction with the Michigan Society of Professional Engineers, will be hosting the Northern Michigan Chapter of the annual MATHCOUNTS competition on Friday, February 10, 2023 at the Beckett building. The event will take place from 12:30 to 5:00 p.m. and will consist of several rounds of timed math contests undertaken by middle-school teams. Volunteers are needed to help with set-up, scoring, and/or clean-up. Interested parties may reach out to Jay Smith at jsmith@nmc.edu for more information.
NMC Engineering has hosted this event in partnership with MSPE for several years. This year’s competition is the first since 2020 due to the pandemic.
About MATHCOUNTS: The MATHCOUNTS Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that reaches students in grades 6-8 in all US states and territories with 3 extracurricular math programs. Hundreds of thousands of students participate in our programs or use our resources each year. (OUR STORY | MATHCOUNTS Foundation)
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College is seeking nominations for the 2023 Outstanding Alumni awards. Nominations will be accepted through March 1.
Since 1988, Northwestern Michigan College’s Outstanding Alumni award has recognized graduates and past students for significant professional achievements and/or exemplary leadership in the local or global community. Nominees for this award should have demonstrated accomplishments that also reflect the NMC values of dedication to life-long learning, innovation and integrity, and respect for and collaboration with others. Recognition is not solely contingent on having received a degree or certificate from NMC, but on the achievements of the nominee and positive perspective as to the role that NMC played in their lives.
More information and the nomination form can be found on the NMC website at nmc.edu/alumni. Nominations may be submitted online. To have a paper nomination form mailed, those interested can call (231) 995-1834 or email alumni@nmc.edu.
The 2022 Outstanding Alumni recipients were Richard Gray, Dr. Annie Kritcher, and Bob Sutherland.. A complete list of past honorees may be found online. For more information about NMC’s Alumni program, visit nmc.edu/alumni.
* * * * *
Northwestern Michigan College is a publicly funded community college that serves more than 50,000 learners annually throughout the Grand Traverse region and beyond. NMC offers associate degrees, professional certificates and bachelor’s degrees. The college is home to the Great Lakes Water Studies Institute, the Great Lakes Maritime Academy and the Great Lakes Culinary Institute as well as nationally recognized aviation and unmanned systems programs. For more information, visit Northwestern Michigan College at nmc.edu.
Carly McCall
Director of Alumni Engagement
alumni@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1834
Students are invited to attend events that will help them prepare for the Career Fair on March 2.
On February 27 and 28, the Academic & Career Advising Center is offering career counseling and resume help from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center lobby. For more information, email advising@nmc.edu or call (231) 995-1040.
Notice the Libby
tag next to a title? This means the book is available as an eBook and can be found on the Libby app. All audiobooks can be accessed through Libby. Haven’t set up your Libby account yet? Follow these easy instructions!
books available to request from MeLCat!
Planning to transfer after NMC? Meet with a university advisor during Transfer Tuesdays! NMC’s University Center partners will be at the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center on the first Tuesday of each month and in the Health & Science building on the third Tuesday of the month from 11 a.m.– 1 p.m. to talk about transfer opportunities in Traverse City.
If you plan to complete a 4 year program and want to stay in the area, stop by and chat with reps from Grand Valley State, Davenport University, Ferris State University and Central Michigan University.
This list of suggested accessibility extensions has been found useful in enhancing browser experience for learning, allowing users to customize how they read or view information in Chrome.
Students, alumni, community: Free LinkedIn prep sessions Feb. 23
TRAVERSE CITY — Employers are invited to register for Northwestern Michigan College’s 17th annual Career Fair, to be held Thursday, March 2 at the Hagerty Center on the Great Lakes Campus.
Held in partnership with Northwest Michigan Works and Networks Northwest, the Career Fair runs from 3–6 p.m. Employers will have the opportunity to recruit job-seekers for career-track, seasonal and entry-level positions as well as internships and service learning.
The event is open to students, NMC alumni and community members. Veterans are invited to arrive at 2:30 p.m. Employer registration is $25 (waived for non-profits) and available online. To register or for more information, visit nmc.edu/career-fair.
In preparation for the event, participants are invited to attend free preparation workshops:
Feb. 23: Speaker Chaim Shapiro will offer two sessions on using the LinkedIn social network in a job search.
Both sessions will be held on main campus in the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center, rooms 106/107. Shapiro is the director of the Office for Student Success at Touro College in New York, a freelance writer, public speaker, LinkedIn consultant and a board-certified coach specializing in career coaching. Call (231) 995-1170 or email twelch@nmc.edu or aburns@nmc.edu.
Feb. 27 and 28: Additional preparation workshops will be held from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Nelson Innovation Center lobby. These sessions will offer assistance with resume preparation, an elevator pitch and projecting confidence at the fair.
Katie Sommer-Ford
NMC Advising Center
ksommer@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1040
To find these selections and many other new titles, see the NMC library catalog.
Traverse City — A new, standalone degree for NMC’s drone education program will position it for further growth as the industry continues to expand.
Starting with the fall 2023 semester, NMC will offer an associate degree in Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS), replacing the current UAS specialization within the Engineering Technology associate degree. A UAS certificate is also offered.
Creating a standalone UAS degree creates a clearer path for students and allows NMC to prepare for future industry demand, said UAS program coordinator Tony Sauerbrey.
“Going forward, the new degree will give us more flexibility to add classes as the industry changes,” Sauerbrey said. Drone operators will need additional credentials for more advanced operations, such as Beyond Visual Line of Sight, when new federal regulations are issued. That’s expected in the next few years.
Also changing is the first word of the UAS acronym. Formerly called Unmanned Aerial Systems, switching to Uncrewed keeps the college aligned with industry, Sauerbrey said. NMC also has objectives in its strategic plan that call for inclusive and equitable language across the college by 2025.
“The entire aviation industry has begun adopting new, gender-neutral terminology, from the FAA on down. As we made plans for this degree, it was perfect timing for us to make the change as well,” Sauerbrey said. “As training on UAS is further integrated at the high school level, we expect to see an increase in interest from female students.”
Currently about 60 students are enrolled in the UAS degree program, with 25 graduating in a typical year. Another 10 students are enrolled in the certificate program.
NMC first offered drone classes in 2010. The Engineering Tech degree with UAS specialty debuted in 2013. The FAA established a commercial license in 2016, and today drones are used for inspection and monitoring in multiple economic sectors, from agriculture to infrastructure. NMC’s Police Academy also offers drone operator certification to its students, the only one in Michigan to do so.
Drone delivery services are poised to take the industry another giant step forward, but the BVLOS regulations must be in place first. Because of NMC’s early adoption of UAS, last year Traverse City was selected by the Michigan Department of Transportation as one of three sites for a feasibility study of air mobility corridors.
“Traverse City floated to the top,” said Linn Smith, manager of Air, Space and Emerging Aviation Systems at MDOT. NMC’s dozen years of UAS experience topped a list of reasons to select Traverse City, including adding a rural study area to other study sites in southeast Michigan.
“Number one was the college, the work that’s been done in UAS,” Smith said.
Find out more: nmc.edu/uas.
Tony Sauerbrey
UAS program coordinator
tsauerbrey@nmc.edu
(231) 995-2925
TRAVERSE CITY — NMC’s Office of Student Financial Services will hold a Financial Aid Fair from 4–7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8 in rooms 104/105 and 106/107 of the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center on NMC’s main campus. Topics to be covered include:
There will also be time for students to meet individually with an NMC financial aid representative for help with:
Snacks will be included! Register online.
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
Stories of Science – the newest installment of the library’s Curiosities discussion series – starts on February 2! Curiosities is a ‘book club’ for those of us who are wary of a cover-to-cover commitment but still want to talk about interesting stuff with fellow lifelong learners.
As always, we’ll explore our selected topic for four consecutive weeks, meeting weekly for a freewheeling discussion on a curated set of articles, podcasts, and videos. We welcome students, staff, faculty, and community participants!
Stories of Science
February 2–February 23, Thursdays, 3:15–4:15 p.m. @ NMC Library
Guest hosts Kristen Salathiel (English) and Nicole Speelman (Chemistry) explore seldom-told and oft-misunderstood stories of science and scientists. Like most good stories, science is full of unexpected twists, heroes and villains, happy accidents and dastardly deeds. Discover how some characters try to control the story, how seemingly minor players make major breakthroughs and the surprising ways stories of science continue to unfold today.
UAS instructor Carl Rocheleau works with students at NMC’s UAS training property in Yuba.
A new, standalone degree for NMC’s drone education program will position it for further growth as the industry continues to expand.
Starting this fall, NMC will offer an associate degree in Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS), replacing the current UAS specialization within the Engineering Technology associate degree. A UAS certificate is also offered.
Creating a standalone UAS degree creates a clearer path for students and allows NMC to prepare for future industry demand, said UAS program coordinator Tony Sauerbrey (right).
“Going forward, the new degree will give us more flexibility to add classes as the industry changes,” Sauerbrey said. Additional credentials will be needed for more advanced operations, such as Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS), when new federal regulations are issued. That’s expected in the next few years.
Also changing is the first word of the UAS acronym. Formerly called Unmanned Aerial Systems, switching to Uncrewed keeps the college aligned with industry, Sauerbrey said. NMC also has objectives in its strategic plan that call for inclusive and equitable language across the college by 2025.
“The entire aviation industry has begun adopting new, gender-neutral terminology, from the FAA on down. As we made plans for this degree it was perfect timing for us to make the change as well,” Sauerbrey said. “As training on UAS is further integrated at the high school level, we expect to see an increase in interest from female students.”
Currently about 60 students are enrolled in the UAS degree program, with 25 graduating in a typical year. Another 10 students are enrolled in the certificate program.
NMC first offered drone classes in 2010, a foresighted curricular addition. At the time, drones, were mostly a military tool. But Sauerbrey, then NMC’s chief flight instructor, and others in the college’s traditional crewed Aviation program spied opportunity ahead. The Engineering Tech degree with UAS specialty debuted in 2013. The FAA established a commercial license in 2016. Today, drones are used to inspect crop health and infrastructure integrity, photograph and sell real estate, conduct land surveys and monitor everything from shoreline erosion to invasive species.
Drone delivery services are poised to take the industry another giant step forward, but the BVLOS regulations must be in place first. Because of NMC’s early adoption of UAS, last year Traverse City was selected by the Michigan Department of Transportation as one of three sites to study the feasibility of air mobility corridors.
“Traverse City floated to the top,” said Linn Smith, manager of Air, Space and Emerging Aviation Systems at MDOT. NMC’s dozen years of UAS experience topped a list of reasons to select Traverse City, including adding a rural study area to other study sites in southeast Michigan.
“Number one was the college, the work that’s been done in UAS,” Smith said.
Delivery corridors will not necessarily happen in the study sites, Smith said. He sees NMC’s next step as researching use case scenarios for drones, which industry would eventually deploy.
“It’s an opportunity to tie communities together,” Smith said. “How do we get needed medical supplies, a device, to a rural community that might be shut in?”
“MDOT, we’re not in the business of education,” said Alicia Morrison, MDOT analyst and assistant project manager for feasibility study. “We really want to work with you.”
Can technology make you a better student? Join Alison Thornton from Technology Support Services as she covers all of the FREE time-saving and life-hacking technology that NMC offers to its students! Download a new set of skills by learning about the technology and features available to you through NMC, how to level up your tech skills, and where you can get support for all things tech-related.
Register at the link below to receive your zoom link to the course you are signing up for; your registration will ensure you receive the zoom link prior to the course. You will receive a zoom link in your student email at least 3 hours prior to the course. Please sign up for a course no later than 3 hours prior to the beginning of the course.
If you have any questions, please contact the Technology Help Desk at (231) 995-3020 or start a chat session at nmc.edu/help.
TRAVERSE CITY — Put on your glad rags and join this Roaring ’20s extravaganza Friday, January 27! Hosted by the NMC Student Success Ambassador team, the Gala to Give is a networking and fundraising event to connect students with alumni, local businesses, and the greater Traverse City community.
Held from 7–10 p.m. at the Hagerty Center, the Gala is a night of celebrating NMC’s connections with the community while benefiting the NMC College for Kids scholarship fund, so that all kids may have the opportunity to experience these great programs.
Tickets are available to NMC students, faculty, staff, alumni and the general public and include live music, dancing, mocktails, hors d’oeuvres and desserts, with raffle prize drawings throughout the evening. Tickets are $15 for current students and $30 for alumni & guests. Sponsorship opportunities for businesses are also available.
Mahli Braak
Northwestern Michigan College
Student Success Lead Ambassador
mbraak@nmc.edu
Sally Smarsty
Student Success Coordinator
ssmarsty@nmc.edu
(231) 995-3021