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.
TRAVERSE CITY — NMC trustees unanimously approved job training agreements with five companies Monday, carrying the region over the 1,000 mark for new jobs created under a state program begun in 2008.
Including Monday’s agreements, 1,013 new jobs in northwest Michigan are now attributed to partnerships created through the New Jobs Training Program (NJTP).The newest, 25 new jobs by 2031, was approved with Iron Fish Distillery Monday, while existing agreements with Britten, Inc., Century, Inc, Elmer’s Crane and Dozer, Inc., and Strata Design were amended with extensions.
The statewide program, which grew out of a 2008 bipartisan effort to stimulate job creation, allows companies to divert payroll taxes into a fund to train new hires. NMC receives 15 percent of the funds to administer the program and is also a training provider.
“NJTP continues to be one of our important tools in supporting regional economic development,” said Marguerite Cotto, NMC’s vice president for Lifelong and Professional Learning. “We’re proud to be the only community college in the state to bring agreements for Board approval in every cycle since the program’s inception.”
NMC inked its first agreement with Electro Optics Technology in 2010. All jobs must pay 175 percent of prevailing minimum wage. As of January 1, 2022, that amounts to $17.27 per hour.
Legislation is now under consideration to expand the program by raising the statewide cap on deferred payroll taxes under contract from $50 million to $100 million.
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
TRAVERSE CITY — NMC trustees unanimously approved job training agreements with five companies Monday, carrying the region over the 1,000 mark for new jobs created under a state program begun in 2008.
Including Monday’s agreements, 1,013 new jobs in northwest Michigan are now attributed to partnerships created through the New Jobs Training Program (NJTP).The newest, 25 new jobs by 2031, was approved with Iron Fish Distillery Monday, while existing agreements with Britten, Inc., Century, Inc, Elmer’s Crane and Dozer, Inc., and Strata Design were amended with extensions.
The statewide program, which grew out of a 2008 bipartisan effort to stimulate job creation, allows companies to divert payroll taxes into a fund to train new hires. NMC receives 15 percent of the funds to administer the program and is also a training provider.
“NJTP continues to be one of our important tools in supporting regional economic development,” said Marguerite Cotto, NMC’s vice president for Lifelong and Professional Learning. “We’re proud to be the only community college in the state to bring agreements for Board approval in every cycle since the program’s inception.”
NMC inked its first agreement with Electro Optics Technology in 2010. All jobs must pay 175 percent of prevailing minimum wage. As of January 1, 2022, that amounts to $17.27 per hour.
Legislation is now under consideration to expand the program by raising the statewide cap on deferred payroll taxes under contract from $50 million to $100 million.
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
An NMC Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Black History MonthDr. Martin Luther King, Jr., most famous for his leadership during the civil rights movement and his “I have a dream” speech,” once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’ ” In honor of King’s legacy, NMC will observe its first campus-wide commemorative event, Embrace the Dream, from January 17 through February 14, 2022. NMC faculty, staff and students are invited to participate in these learning activities and volunteer opportunities.
Check out the Embrace the Dream page and Google Calendar and add these activities to your own calendar, including new volunteer activities each week! Please use these opportunities to connect, discuss, reflect, and engage with our community to make a difference in the lives of our underrepresented populations as part of our diversity, equity, and inclusion commitment and our NMC strategic direction. We hope these activities will provide opportunities to learn and share new perspectives with our students, faculty, staff and community members.
We look forward to this important event and to sharing the stories of what we learn and accomplish together along the way. How will you “Embrace the Dream”?
TRAVERSE CITY — NMC’s Visual Communications department invites area non-profit groups to submit graphic design, art direction and new media projects for consideration as pro bono class projects during the spring semester. Submissions are due by January 3, 2022.
Part of the Visual Communications curriculum, the class project is free to the non-profits selected. The goal is a real-world assignment that allows students to interact with clients and exposes them to the commercial printing and production worlds, including film and new media production, creative advertising, graphic design and packaging. Projects will be completed by the end of the spring semester in April.
Potential projects could include logos, brochures, ad campaigns, packaging, graphic design, branding, posters, infographics, announcements, invitations, film, web animations, Flash animations, exhibition design, TV commercials or anything relating to visual communications, commercial art, illustration and film or web design. The department is especially interested in conceptually-driven projects that will offer the students substantial opportunity for interaction with the client and process. 2019 projects included logos for the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce, Northwest Michigan Arts & Culture Network, and Wagbo Farm & Education Center.
Interested non-profits with valid 501(c)(3) status in Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Benzie, Antrim, Kalkaska and Wexford counties should direct questions to Visual Communications instructor Caroline Schaefer-Hills at (231) 995-1334. A brief description of the project and the organization’s needs are required and should be sent via email to cschaefer@nmc.edu by Jan. 3.
Caroline Schaefer-Hills
Visual Communications Department Chair
(231) 995-1334
cschaefer@nmc.edu
TRAVERSE CITY — NMC’s Visual Communications department invites area non-profit groups to submit graphic design, art direction and new media projects for consideration as pro bono class projects during the spring semester. Submissions are due by January 3, 2022.
Part of the Visual Communications curriculum, the class project is free to the non-profits selected. The goal is a real-world assignment that allows students to interact with clients and exposes them to the commercial printing and production worlds, including film and new media production, creative advertising, graphic design and packaging. Projects will be completed by the end of the spring semester in April.
Potential projects could include logos, brochures, ad campaigns, packaging, graphic design, branding, posters, infographics, announcements, invitations, film, web animations, Flash animations, exhibition design, TV commercials or anything relating to visual communications, commercial art, illustration and film or web design. The department is especially interested in conceptually-driven projects that will offer the students substantial opportunity for interaction with the client and process. 2019 projects included logos for the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce, Northwest Michigan Arts & Culture Network, and Wagbo Farm & Education Center.
Interested non-profits with valid 501(c)(3) status in Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Benzie, Antrim, Kalkaska and Wexford counties should direct questions to Visual Communications instructor Caroline Schaefer-Hills at (231) 995-1334. A brief description of the project and the organization’s needs are required and should be sent via email to cschaefer@nmc.edu by Jan. 3.
Caroline Schaefer-Hills
Visual Communications Department Chair
(231) 995-1334
cschaefer@nmc.edu
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College’s International Affairs Forum will spotlight China, populism and climate change among other timely topics at its monthly lecture series running February through June, 2022.
All events will be livestreamed, with in-person viewing available at the Dennos Museum Center Milliken Auditorium dependent upon local pandemic conditions. Check tciaf.com for the most current information. The lecture schedule includes:
February 17: “China: Is Détente Possible?” featuring Kenneth Jarrett, distinguished diplomat whose positions included service as Consul General in Shanghai, and as Deputy Consul General in Hong Kong. His 26-year Foreign Service career also included postings in Beijing, Chengdu, and Singapore. His government roles in Washington, D.C. included serving as Director of Asian Affairs at the White House National Security Council.
March 17: “The Rise of Populism and Germany’s New Role” featuring Jeff Rathke, President of the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies at Johns Hopkins University. Rathke had a 24-year career with the U.S. State Department as a Foreign Service Officer, dedicated primarily to U.S. relations with Europe.
April 21: Climate Change speaker TBD.
May 19: “Cybersecurity: The Quiet War” featuring Joshua Larocca. Now in the private sector, Larocca’s career includes serving as trial attorney in the Counterterrorism Section at the Department of Justice, assistant district attorney in New York County, and work at Citibank Russia.
June 16: “Foreign Policy Mashup” featuring a planned in-person event with Bill Clifford, President and CEO, World Affairs Councils of America, and a panel of local/regional guests.
A donation of $10 is suggested for livestreamed presentations. Tickets for in-person viewing are $15. Check tciaf.com for event details. IAF also welcomes new members for the 2021-22 season and beyond. Membership starts at $100 for individuals or $160 for families and includes in-person and livestream access to all regular season events. Consider giving IAF membership as a gift. Learn more about IAF membership, event sponsorship, and student outreach at tciaf.com.
Alex Tank
Communications & Events Program Officer
International Affair Forum
Northwestern Michigan College
atank@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1844
Good morning, NMC community:
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, NMC’s top goals have been the safety of the college community and limiting the disruption to learning. To that end, when cases on campus occur, the college has done the following:
As we prepare to enter the third year of the pandemic, the COVID response team is making some adjustments to the notification process. With the conclusion of the fall 2021 semester, NMC will no longer send out college-wide emails for each case on campus. The online COVID dashboard will be the primary source of information. The dashboard will be linked from nmc.edu under “News and Events” and on the employee and student sites (MyNMC.). The dashboard will be updated by 4 p.m. daily when there are new cases on campus. NMC will also add a “cases by building” tracker and eliminate the distinction between student and employee cases. That will ensure greater privacy to individuals without compromising the goal of keeping people safe. Close contacts to the positive case will continue to be notified by NMC Health Services or Human Resources.
This update in notification will streamline the reporting process and brings NMC in step with the dashboard reporting system other institutions have already made, including TCAPS and higher education institutions across the country.
Thank you for all you have done and are doing to keep our NMC community safe.
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College’s International Affairs Forum will spotlight China, populism and climate change among other timely topics at its monthly lecture series running February through June, 2022.
All events will be livestreamed, with in-person viewing available at the Dennos Museum Center Milliken Auditorium dependent upon local pandemic conditions. Check tciaf.com for the most current information. The lecture schedule includes:
February 17: “China: Is Détente Possible?” featuring Kenneth Jarrett, distinguished diplomat whose positions included service as Consul General in Shanghai, and as Deputy Consul General in Hong Kong. His 26-year Foreign Service career also included postings in Beijing, Chengdu, and Singapore. His government roles in Washington, D.C. included serving as Director of Asian Affairs at the White House National Security Council.
March 17: “The Rise of Populism and Germany’s New Role” featuring Jeff Rathke, President of the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies at Johns Hopkins University. Rathke had a 24-year career with the U.S. State Department as a Foreign Service Officer, dedicated primarily to U.S. relations with Europe.
April 21: Climate Change speaker TBD.
May 19: “Cybersecurity: The Quiet War” featuring Joshua Larocca. Now in the private sector, Larocca’s career includes serving as trial attorney in the Counterterrorism Section at the Department of Justice, assistant district attorney in New York County, and work at Citibank Russia.
June 16: “Foreign Policy Mashup” featuring a planned in-person event with Bill Clifford, President and CEO, World Affairs Councils of America, and a panel of local/regional guests.
A donation of $10 is suggested for livestreamed presentations. Tickets for in-person viewing are $15. Check tciaf.com for event details. IAF also welcomes new members for the 2021-22 season and beyond. Membership starts at $100 for individuals or $160 for families and includes in-person and livestream access to all regular season events. Consider giving IAF membership as a gift. Learn more about IAF membership, event sponsorship, and student outreach at tciaf.com.
Alex Tank
Communications & Events Program Officer
International Affair Forum
Northwestern Michigan College
atank@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1844
Good morning, NMC community:
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, NMC’s top goals have been the safety of the college community and limiting the disruption to learning. To that end, when cases on campus occur, the college has done the following:
As we prepare to enter the third year of the pandemic, the COVID response team is making some adjustments to the notification process. With the conclusion of the fall 2021 semester, NMC will no longer send out college-wide emails for each case on campus. The online COVID dashboard will be the primary source of information. The dashboard will be linked from nmc.edu under “News and Events” and on the employee and student sites (MyNMC.). The dashboard will be updated by 4 p.m. daily when there are new cases on campus. NMC will also add a “cases by building” tracker and eliminate the distinction between student and employee cases. That will ensure greater privacy to individuals without compromising the goal of keeping people safe. Close contacts to the positive case will continue to be notified by NMC Health Services or Human Resources.
This update in notification will streamline the reporting process and brings NMC in step with the dashboard reporting system other institutions have already made, including TCAPS and higher education institutions across the country.
Thank you for all you have done and are doing to keep our NMC community safe. If you have any questions about any COVID-19 related topic please use the coronavirus feedback form.
We would love you to Help Us Grow! A Campus Garden is being planned to raise produce for our student food pantry, herbs and edible flowers for the Great Lakes Culinary Institute and our food service team.
Please complete the Google form here (it should take less than two minutes) by Monday, Dec. 20 regardless of your gardening experience. We need to show campus interest to gain final approval and be able to access our proposed Innovation Grant funding.
We piloted three raised beds and the brick planter behind the powerhouse this past summer and we’re ready to expand. Help Us Grow! If you have any questions or would like to join our work team, please reach out to Kari Kahler, Kirk Waterstripe, Katie Sommer Ford, Les Eckert, Lisa Baldgya, Taylor Nash, Chad Schenkelberger, Dale Elshof, Tom Stiles, or Shea O’Brien. Thank you!
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College is proud to announce the four 2021 recipients of the college’s Outstanding Alumni Award.
Alex Brace ( download a
high-resolution version here) Alex Brace, Engineering 2017: Since NMC, Brace earned his bachelor’s in engineering at the University of Michigan and has begun PhD studies at the University of Chicago. As part of research teams at Oak Ridge and Argonne National Laboratories, he has been applying artificial intelligence to molecular biophysics. This work led to his team winning the 2020 Gordon Bell Prize for discoveries related to the infection of human cells by the COVID-19 virus, bridging computational studies with experimental biology.
Dr. Amanda Kiessel (download a
high-resolution version here) Dr. Amanda Kiessel, 1995: Post-NMC, Kiessel studied at Boston University, Brandeis and the University of California, Santa Cruz, completing her PhD in agroecology and sustainable food systems. Kiessel helped co-create the Good Market, a platform of social enterprises and responsible businesses that started in Sri Lanka and moved online in 2016. It now features businesses, cooperatives and community organizations from more than 70 countries, including many from northern Michigan. https://www.goodmarket.global/
Dr. Clifford McClain (download a
high-resolution version here) Dr. Clifford McClain, Associate in Arts 1971: Following NMC, McClain received degrees from the University of Idaho and a Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska. As a career and technical educator, he taught and led state programs in Wyoming, Nebraska and Idaho, and was on the faculty of University of Nevada-Las Vegas from 1988-2015. He authored nearly 150 publications and presentations, and was honored as the 2015-16 Career and Technical Postsecondary Educator of the Year.
Cindy Warner (download a
high-resolution version here) Cindy Warner, 1980-1983: An executive technology leader, Warner has spent her career applying technologies to solve operational challenges in global enterprises. Most recently, she was the global leader for Cloud Advisory for Amazon Web Services. She worked at IBM and FedEx and has served as an advisor to GE, Microsoft and HP, among other Global 1000 clients. Throughout her career, Warner has maintained a commitment to get women into technology. She currently serves on the Michigan Strategic Fund within the Michigan Economic Development Corp., investing in the future of work in Michigan.
Established in 1988, NMC Outstanding Alumni Award honorees are chosen for their professional achievements and/or leadership in the local or global community. Visit nmc.edu/alumni for more information and a nomination form. Nominations received by March 1, 2022 will be considered for 2022 recognition.
NMC Alumni Relations
alumni@nmc.edu
(231) 995-2825
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College is proud to announce the four 2021 recipients of the college’s Outstanding Alumni Award.
Alex Brace ( download a
high-resolution version here) Alex Brace, Engineering 2017: Since NMC, Brace earned his bachelor’s in engineering at the University of Michigan and has begun PhD studies at the University of Chicago. As part of research teams at Oak Ridge and Argonne National Laboratories, he has been applying artificial intelligence to molecular biophysics. This work led to his team winning the 2020 Gordon Bell Prize for discoveries related to the infection of human cells by the COVID-19 virus, bridging computational studies with experimental biology.
Dr. Amanda Kiessel (download a
high-resolution version here) Dr. Amanda Kiessel, 1995: Post-NMC, Kiessel studied at Boston University, Brandeis and the University of California, Santa Cruz, completing her PhD in agroecology and sustainable food systems. Kiessel helped co-create the Good Market, a platform of social enterprises and responsible businesses that started in Sri Lanka and moved online in 2016. It now features businesses, cooperatives and community organizations from more than 70 countries, including many from northern Michigan. https://www.goodmarket.global/
Dr. Clifford McClain (download a
high-resolution version here) Dr. Clifford McClain, Associate in Arts 1971: Following NMC, McClain received degrees from the University of Idaho and a Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska. As a career and technical educator, he taught and led state programs in Wyoming, Nebraska and Idaho, and was on the faculty of University of Nevada-Las Vegas from 1988-2015. He authored nearly 150 publications and presentations, and was honored as the 2015-16 Career and Technical Postsecondary Educator of the Year.
Cindy Warner (download a
high-resolution version here) Cindy Warner, 1980-1983: An executive technology leader, Warner has spent her career applying technologies to solve operational challenges in global enterprises. Most recently, she was the global leader for Cloud Advisory for Amazon Web Services. She worked at IBM and FedEx and has served as an advisor to GE, Microsoft and HP, among other Global 1000 clients. Throughout her career, Warner has maintained a commitment to get women into technology. She currently serves on the Michigan Strategic Fund within the Michigan Economic Development Corp., investing in the future of work in Michigan.
Established in 1988, NMC Outstanding Alumni Award honorees are chosen for their professional achievements and/or leadership in the local or global community. Visit nmc.edu/alumni for more information and a nomination form. Nominations received by March 1, 2022 will be considered for 2022 recognition.
NMC Alumni Relations
alumni@nmc.edu
(231) 995-2825
Legislation to allow Michigan community colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees in nursing moved forward Tuesday, putting NMC another step closer to helping fill hundreds of staff shortages at Munson Medical Center, among other hospitals.
The BSN bills, introduced by state representatives John Roth, R-Traverse City, and John Damoose, R-Harbor Springs, advanced from the House Education Committee to the full House.
In video testimony to the committee last month, Munson Healthcare CEO Ed Ness (right) said the legislation is “critical” to Munson’s ability to serve half a million northern Michigan residents. As the COVID-19 pandemic persists, Traverse City’s Munson Medical Center, the largest of the system’s nine hospitals, is short nearly 200 bedside nurses, Ness said.
“Now, more than ever, we need to do everything we can to encourage new students to enter the nursing profession and remove barriers for degree and career advancement,” he said.
Roth knows the need personally. His wife has worked as a floor nurse at Munson for more than 30 years. She is currently taking on extra shifts to help cover the shortage, he said at a November press conference introducing the legislation.
“We have a need, and a dire need at this time,” Roth said. “It’s a practical fix. We just have to empower (community colleges) through law.”
BSNs were originally part of a 2012 bill that permitted a few community college bachelor’s degrees to be awarded, but wound up being stripped due to opposition from four-year colleges and universities.
NMC went on to become the first community college in the state to offer a bachelor’s degree, in maritime technology. A decade on, it’s imperative to add BSNs, said NMC President Nick Nissley, Ed.D.
“Community colleges like NMC play a very pivotal role in addressing the need for more health care workers in the communities that we serve,” he said.
Interim NMC Nursing Program Director Tami Livengood (right) with a nursing classNMC nursing students already perform well on licensure exams. Scores released just last month showed that for the second year in a row, more than 90 percent of NMC nursing students pass the national NCLEX exam required to obtain an RN license. That exceeds both state and national averages, most recently 83 percent.
Ness said Munson hires more than 100 nurses per year with an associate degree. The goal is that 80 percent earn their BSN. Currently, only 50 to 60 percent do.
“This legislation would allow our existing workforce the access and convenience they need. And making BSN degrees more accessible and affordable would not only support our existing nurses, but will also help increase the talent pipeline of new nurses,” Ness said.
TRAVERSE CITY — Legislation to allow Michigan community colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees in nursing moved forward Tuesday, putting NMC another step closer to helping fill hundreds of staff shortages at Munson Medical Center, among other hospitals.
The BSN bills, introduced last month by state representatives John Roth, R-Traverse City, and John Damoose, R-Harbor Springs, advanced from the House Education Committee to the full House on a vote of 8-2-2. The bipartisan committee support included that of State Rep. Jack O’Malley, R-Lake Ann.
In video testimony to the committee last month, Munson Healthcare CEO Ed Ness said the legislation is “critical” to Munson’s ability to serve half a million northern Michigan residents. As the COVID-19 pandemic persists, Traverse City’s Munson Medical Center, the largest of the system’s nine hospitals, is short nearly 200 bedside nurses, Ness said.
“Now, more than ever, we need to do everything we can to encourage new students to enter the nursing profession and remove barriers for degree and career advancement,” he said.
It is possible that the legislation would receive a full House vote prior to Christmas. If not, it will be taken up in January.
In 2012, BSNs were originally part of a bill that permitted a few community college bachelor’s degrees to be awarded. They wound up being stripped due to opposition from four-year colleges and universities.
NMC went on to become the first community college in the state to offer a bachelor’s degree, in maritime technology. A decade on, it’s imperative to add BSNs, said NMC president Nick Nissley.
“Community colleges like NMC play a very pivotal role in addressing the need for more health care workers in the communities that we serve,” he said at a Nov. 10 news conference announcing the introduction of the legislation.
NMC nursing students already perform well on licensure exams. Scores released just last month showed that for the second year in a row, more than 90 percent of NMC nursing students pass the national NCLEX exam required to obtain an RN license. That exceeds both state and national averages, most recently 83 percent.
Ness said Munson hires more than 100 nurses per year with an associate degree. The goal is that 80 percent earn their BSN. Currently, only 50 to 60 percent do.
“This legislation would allow our existing workforce the access and convenience they need. And making BSN degrees more accessible and affordable would not only support our existing nurses, but will also help increase the talent pipeline of new nurses,” Ness said.
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
TRAVERSE CITY — Legislation to allow Michigan community colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees in nursing moved forward Tuesday, putting NMC another step closer to helping fill hundreds of staff shortages at Munson Medical Center, among other hospitals.
The BSN bills, introduced last month by state representatives John Roth, R-Traverse City, and John Damoose, R-Harbor Springs, advanced from the House Education Committee to the full House on a vote of 8-2-2. The bipartisan committee support included that of State Rep. Jack O’Malley, R-Lake Ann.
In video testimony to the committee last month, Munson Healthcare CEO Ed Ness said the legislation is “critical” to Munson’s ability to serve half a million northern Michigan residents. As the COVID-19 pandemic persists, Traverse City’s Munson Medical Center, the largest of the system’s nine hospitals, is short nearly 200 bedside nurses, Ness said.
“Now, more than ever, we need to do everything we can to encourage new students to enter the nursing profession and remove barriers for degree and career advancement,” he said.
It is possible that the legislation would receive a full House vote prior to Christmas. If not, it will be taken up in January.
In 2012, BSNs were originally part of a bill that permitted a few community college bachelor’s degrees to be awarded. They wound up being stripped due to opposition from four-year colleges and universities.
NMC went on to become the first community college in the state to offer a bachelor’s degree, in maritime technology. A decade on, it’s imperative to add BSNs, said NMC president Nick Nissley.
“Community colleges like NMC play a very pivotal role in addressing the need for more health care workers in the communities that we serve,” he said at a Nov. 10 news conference announcing the introduction of the legislation.
NMC nursing students already perform well on licensure exams. Scores released just last month showed that for the second year in a row, more than 90 percent of NMC nursing students pass the national NCLEX exam required to obtain an RN license. That exceeds both state and national averages, most recently 83 percent.
Ness said Munson hires more than 100 nurses per year with an associate degree. The goal is that 80 percent earn their BSN. Currently, only 50 to 60 percent do.
“This legislation would allow our existing workforce the access and convenience they need. And making BSN degrees more accessible and affordable would not only support our existing nurses, but will also help increase the talent pipeline of new nurses,” Ness said.
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
TRAVERSE CITY — NMC has received a $90,000 aviation workforce development grant to train 40 high school teachers in Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) fundamentals, as well as equip each with a multi-rotor unit to use with their own students.
The grant, from the Federal Aviation Administration, is intended to address the need for operators and technicians in the growing UAS field. By equipping high school teachers with the skills, knowledge, technology and certifications required to develop new UAS programs or update existing ones, alignments will occur between the high school programs and NMC, making the pathway to industry and employment more attainable.
The grant builds upon NMC’s selection as a UAS Collegiate Training Program, the only one in Michigan, by the FAA in 2020. Competition for the grant was “rigorous.”
“Requests for project support far exceeded the $5 million Congress made available in fiscal year 2020. You are to be commended for an extraordinary response to the FAA opportunity,” grant manager Miranda Haywood said in the award letter.
“NMC has been on the forefront of UAS education since we launched the program in 2010,” said NMC UAS Program Manager Tony Sauerbrey. “This is another great example of how the program continues to innovate and lead for the benefit of our students.”
The grant coincides with a statewide push for high school career and technical education programs to begin UAS training. A preliminary statewide articulation agreement valid for any high school UAS program allows students to earn NMC credit for those classes. NMC currently has a strong relationship with the Char-Em ISD and Harbor Springs High School, and has created pathways for students there to continue their education at NMC.
Teachers from around the state will be able to participate in the training, expected to occur in summer 2022 at NMC’s private airfield in Yuba. Upon completion, the 40 teachers will be able to safely conduct a complete flight from startup to shut down, without instructor intervention. System calibration, set-up, troubleshooting, and best operating practices will be included to address typical issues seen in the field and with new pilots. Each teacher will also take a 10-week Remote Pilot Test Preparation course online. Passing the FAA Remote Pilot Certification exam constitutes completion and is required to operate drones commercially.
In addition to the training on drone operations, NMC will also consult with high schools to increase awareness of the UAS industry and assist in curriculum and program development. The goal is to create more career options and education pipelines for students entering this new industry.
Since NMC’s UAS program (nmc.edu/uas) began in 2010, it has produced graduates who are currently working in all aspects of the industry including launching startup companies and assisting private businesses and public institutions. NMC operates a fleet of unmanned aerial systems that rivals much larger universities. NMC’s small class size allows the program to innovate and remain responsive to the ever changing industry of Unmanned Aerial Systems.
Tony Sauerbrey
UAS Program Manager
tsauerbrey@nmc.edu
(231) 995-2925
TRAVERSE CITY — NMC has received a $90,000 aviation workforce development grant to train 40 high school teachers in Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) fundamentals, as well as equip each with a multi-rotor unit to use with their own students.
The grant, from the Federal Aviation Administration, is intended to address the need for operators and technicians in the growing UAS field. By equipping high school teachers with the skills, knowledge, technology and certifications required to develop new UAS programs or update existing ones, alignments will occur between the high school programs and NMC, making the pathway to industry and employment more attainable.
The grant builds upon NMC’s selection as a UAS Collegiate Training Program, the only one in Michigan, by the FAA in 2020. Competition for the grant was “rigorous.”
“Requests for project support far exceeded the $5 million Congress made available in fiscal year 2020. You are to be commended for an extraordinary response to the FAA opportunity,” grant manager Miranda Haywood said in the award letter.
“NMC has been on the forefront of UAS education since we launched the program in 2010,” said NMC UAS Program Manager Tony Sauerbrey. “This is another great example of how the program continues to innovate and lead for the benefit of our students.”
The grant coincides with a statewide push for high school career and technical education programs to begin UAS training. A preliminary statewide articulation agreement valid for any high school UAS program allows students to earn NMC credit for those classes. NMC currently has a strong relationship with the Char-Em ISD and Harbor Springs High School, and has created pathways for students there to continue their education at NMC.
Teachers from around the state will be able to participate in the training, expected to occur in summer 2022 at NMC’s private airfield in Yuba. Upon completion, the 40 teachers will be able to safely conduct a complete flight from startup to shut down, without instructor intervention. System calibration, set-up, troubleshooting, and best operating practices will be included to address typical issues seen in the field and with new pilots. Each teacher will also take a 10-week Remote Pilot Test Preparation course online. Passing the FAA Remote Pilot Certification exam constitutes completion and is required to operate drones commercially.
In addition to the training on drone operations, NMC will also consult with high schools to increase awareness of the UAS industry and assist in curriculum and program development. The goal is to create more career options and education pipelines for students entering this new industry.
Since NMC’s UAS program (nmc.edu/uas) began in 2010, it has produced graduates who are currently working in all aspects of the industry including launching startup companies and assisting private businesses and public institutions. NMC operates a fleet of unmanned aerial systems that rivals much larger universities. NMC’s small class size allows the program to innovate and remain responsive to the ever changing industry of Unmanned Aerial Systems.
Tony Sauerbrey
UAS Program Manager
tsauerbrey@nmc.edu
(231) 995-2925