For the latest information on NMC’s response to the coronavirus crisis as well as updated lists of frequently asked questions for NMC students, employees and the community, visit nmc.edu/coronavirus.
More than a year’s worth of efforts to ramp up student employment readiness and meet area employer needs will debut at a retooled Career Fair Thursday.
It’s the first fair since Employment Readiness Specialist Lisa Baldyga (right) joined NMC’s Academic and Career Advising Center last fall. Her addition to the advising staff — and her shared employment status with Michigan Works — was an intentional step to enable NMC to offer more comprehensive career preparation services.
“We are here to serve our community, not just community members but employers,” said director of advising Lindsey Dickinson. “Part of that is helping students become employed after they’re finished with us.”
Baldyga, who had five years of connections and contact with regional employers through Michigan Works, was the ideal person to take employment readiness to the next level, Dickinson said. Her work is on top of college-wide efforts to ensure students have the skills and credentials they need to become employed.
In her first semester Baldyga conducted more than 150 mock interviews with students, helping to prepare them for the real thing, which is expected to occur on-site Thursday, when more than 80 employers gather. For students with limited work experience, she also helps them translate skills learned in the classroom, such as time management or communication, onto a resume.
“It’s the soft skills the employer is looking for. They’re looking for that you’re going to work well in their work culture, that you’re going to be polite, prompt and on time,” Baldyga said.
Other changes to the 14th annual fair, to be held at the Hagerty Center on NMC’s Great Lakes campus from 3-6 p.m., are aimed at benefiting employers:
Also new at the fair: Students can get professional photos taken to use on a LinkedIn account. Baldyga, NMC advisers and student success coaches will staff an on-site resource room where students can get pep talks, print resumes or practice pitches before approaching an employer.
The fair is open to community members as well as students.
“Everybody we’re putting together is hiring right now,” Baldyga said.
The Health & Science Building atrium on NMC’s main campus will be used as a city polling place for Precinct 9 voters again this year, including on Tuesday, March 10. Some parking in the Cedar lot will be set aside for voters at those times.
(The NMC Bookstore will be closed that day as well, and will reopen with normal hours Wednesday, March 11.)
The Office of Residence Life is looking for student leaders to be Resident Assistants during the 2020-21 school year. If interested, please apply online at nmc.edu/jobs and attend one of the RA information Nights listed below.
Students! Do you have accommodations?
Good news! Starting with the fall semester, you will need to renew these only once a year instead of once a semester.
Contact Leanne Baumeler in Disability Support (LBaumeler@NMC.EDU) for more details.
TRAVERSE CITY — Grab your capes, put on your masks, and join local running legend Tony Anderson for the sixth annual Big Little Hero Race Saturday, April 18 on the main campus of Northwestern Michigan College (NMC).
NMC Professional Communications students host the event as an experiential learning project to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Michigan (BBBS), which provides professionally supported mentoring services to at-risk children. This year’s race will honor Traverse City resident Tony Anderson, who will join the field and run his final race before his 51st marathon.
As 2020 marks the end of Anderson’s journey to run a marathon in each state, it represents the start of many children’s own journey alongside a Big Brother or Big Sister. Anderson’s endeavor has raised $500,000 for BBBS.
“Would I run 51 marathons to change the cycle of poverty for one kid? Absolutely, yes. There’s nothing more important than changing the cycle of poverty for one kid,” Anderson said.
With the 2020 event, the Big Little Hero Race is expected to surpass $100,000 in funds raised for BBBS.
All races will begin and finish near the Health & Science Building on NMC’s campus. Options include:
● One mile fun run/walk: Free. All participants will receive a gold cape
● 5K run/walk: $20 for students, $30 for adults
● 10K run: $20 for students, $30 for adults
The costume-encouraged Fun Run will begin at 9 a.m. and is followed by the 5K and 10K which simultaneously start at 9:30 a.m. Register by March 8 to receive a $5 discount and free race T-shirt. To register and for more information, please visit biglittleherorace.com.
Food, a children’s carnival and an awards ceremony will follow the races.
Kristy McDonald
NMC Instructor
kmcdonald@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1059
Molly Thomas
Student Marketing Leader
thoma593@mail.nmc.edu
(810) 335-7481
TRAVERSE CITY — Grab your capes, put on your masks, and join local running legend Tony Anderson for the sixth annual Big Little Hero Race Saturday, April 18 on the main campus of Northwestern Michigan College (NMC).
NMC Professional Communications students host the event as an experiential learning project to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Michigan (BBBS), which provides professionally supported mentoring services to at-risk children. This year’s race will honor Traverse City resident Tony Anderson, who will join the field and run his final race before his 51st marathon.
As 2020 marks the end of Anderson’s journey to run a marathon in each state, it represents the start of many children’s own journey alongside a Big Brother or Big Sister. Anderson’s endeavor has raised $500,000 for BBBS.
“Would I run 51 marathons to change the cycle of poverty for one kid? Absolutely, yes. There’s nothing more important than changing the cycle of poverty for one kid,” Anderson said.
With the 2020 event, the Big Little Hero Race is expected to surpass $100,000 in funds raised for BBBS.
All races will begin and finish near the Health & Science Building on NMC’s campus. Options include:
● One mile fun run/walk: Free. All participants will receive a gold cape
● 5K run/walk: $20 for students, $30 for adults
● 10K run: $20 for students, $30 for adults
The costume-encouraged Fun Run will begin at 9 a.m. and is followed by the 5K and 10K which simultaneously start at 9:30 a.m. Register by March 8 to receive a $5 discount and free race T-shirt. To register and for more information, please visit biglittleherorace.com.
Food, a children’s carnival and an awards ceremony will follow the races.
Kristy McDonald
NMC Instructor
kmcdonald@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1059
Molly Thomas
Student Marketing Leader
thoma593@mail.nmc.edu
(810) 335-7481
NMC library and TADL collaborative programming, with support from the League of Women Voters – Grand Traverse Area, present a discussion featuring our own Nicco Pandolfi and TADL Director Michele Howard about news and (mis)information online.
The presentation and conversation will focus on how the news ecosystem has evolved, different types of misinformation campaigns, and tools and tips for evaluating information, with time dedicated for discussion.
Next week, March 2-6, the Student Success Center will have fur friends to help you stay calm through midterms!
The dogs will be here as follows:
GVSU and JCPenney team up to offer up to 60% off select career dress apparel, shoes & accessories with coupon available at the event , which is open to all GVSU, NMC and University Center students and alumni.
Student ID required.
FREE mini makeover & sample from Sephora.
The NMC Bookstore will be closed Tuesday, March 10 as the Health & Science Building atrium is being used as a polling place for the Presidential Primary Election. The bookstore will reopen at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 11.
This returning student group is a sexual assault awareness and advocacy group for survivors and allies, a safe space for students of all genders. This student group was around previously but sadly went inactive for a couple of years. I am excited to have the student interest and support to get this started again. Attached is a short survey that I hope will help us find a good time to meet as well as get an idea of what you would like this student group to look like.
Interested or have any questions? Contact Brittany Hanbury, staff advisor, at bhanbury@nmc.edu.
The NMC Jazz Bands will be performing free concerts at West Bay Beach resort in Traverse City. On Thursday, Feb. 27, the Jazz Big Band will play a set at 7 p.m. and on Thursday, March 5, the Jazz Lab Band will play their set at 7 p.m. Hosted by the Jeff Haas Quartet with Laurie Sears, music begins at 6 p.m. with the quartet and continues after the big band set until 8:30 p.m. A dinner buffet will be offered, and all ages are welcome.
Join us for some great swing and Latin style big band music by Basie, Ellington, Miles Davis, Jerome Kern, Freddie Hubbard, Monk and Jimmy Heath!
Ten years ago, Traverse City started Restaurant Week with 18 restaurants offering special menus.
Fifteen years ago, NMC’s Great Lakes Culinary Institute moved to brand-new bayfront facilities, including Lobdell’s Teaching Restaurant.
Ten years before that, in the mid-1990s, NMC’s culinary program made a distinct shift to focus on the art and craft of cooking.
Those culinary ripple effects will crest next week, when Traverse City’s tenth annual Restaurant Week takes place with more than doubled restaurant participation. Fully one-quarter of those 40 restaurants count GLCI alumni as owners or in kitchen leadership roles. At other restaurants, current GLCI students and other alumni can be found as line cooks, sous chefs and managers, all collectively contributing to Traverse City’s stellar reputation as a food and wine destination
“Just the fact that we have so many incredible restaurants, (GLCI) is one of the sources behind it,” said Colleen Paveglio, marketing director at the Traverse City Downtown Development Authority.
The DDA originally organized Restaurant Week to be a shot in the arm to business during the lull of midwinter. To say it worked is an understatement, said 2014 Culinary Institute graduate Fletcher Gross (above), a chef partner in HM Group. Their five restaurants — Slate, Sorellina, McGee’s 72, McGee’s 31 and Harrington’s by the Bay — all participate.
“Restaurant Week is literally like pulling a week out of the middle of July and putting it in February,” Gross said. “It’s one of my favorite weeks of the year, because we can showcase what we do best.”
Gross credits GLCI for giving him the skills not only to become a chef, but to build a career in the restaurant industry. He joined HM Group in 2011 and bought into the ownership group in 2018.
“I learned how to be a better manager,” said Gross, 26, who handles all the purchasing for the five restaurants and trains the head chef for each kitchen. Between them, the five restaurants employ around 100 people this time of year, a figure that will double in the summer.
“I’m very grateful for my restaurant career,” Gross said.
He also pitches into whichever kitchen is expecting the highest volume in a given week.
Next week, that may be a tough call, as reservations pour in.
“People look forward to it,” Paveglio said.
Besides the HM Group restaurants, the others participating in Restaurant Week with GLCI alumni connections are Minervas, PepeNero, Smoke & Porter, The Good Bowl and Towne Plaza.
Are you looking for employment? Get help from NMC’s Employment Readiness Specialist, Lisa Baldyga, during Career Week! Work on your resume, get some networking tips and come to NMC’s Career Fair!
For more info and Pre-Registration, visit nmc.edu/career-fair.
All players must be current NMC students. All teams must be co-ed.
Season starts Monday, March 9 for five weeks. Two games per week played Monday–Thursday at 2:10, 3:10 or 4:10 p.m. or (new time offering) Sundays at 8:10, 9:10 or 10:10 p.m.
There is a mandatory captains’ meeting and sign-up deadline of Thursday, March 5 at 3 p.m. in the PE Lobby.
For more information or questions please contact Steven Dixon at 995-1379.
Forms can also be picked up and dropped off at the fitness center desk located in North Hall.
A public device refers to any device, such as a computer, that is available in a public space such as a school, library, government office, or any other open-access area or business and may be used or accessed by multiple people.
Traverse City — Northwestern Michigan College has awarded a record amount of scholarship dollars to a record number of recipients this academic year, another example of NMC’s commitment to break down barriers to education, including financial.
As of Feb. 3, the college had awarded $1.28 million in scholarships to 964 recipients for the 2019-20 school year. That’s a 12-percent increase in dollars awarded and a whopping 45 percent increase in recipients. In 2018-19 the college awarded $1.14 million to 662 recipients.
NMC Director of Financial Aid Linda Berlin said the increase is the result of process enhancements undertaken to encourage more scholarship applications, so that available funds are fully awarded. Enhancements included a second application cycle, a communication plan to students and a reformatted, more user-friendly application.
As a result, applications grew from 22 percent of students in 2016-17 to 28 percent last year. Simultaneously, scholarship funds awarded rose from 74 percent of available to 82 percent. Berlin expects to see those numbers continue to improve this year and next.
“We’re trying to make (scholarships) more accessible to all our students, and we’re trying to get the message out, it’s not just about merit,” Berlin said. Financial need, area of study, and hometown are all common scholarship award criteria.
Scholarship funds are donated through the NMC Foundation, which has made scholarships one of four priority areas in its current $35 million Be What’s Possible comprehensive fundraising campaign. Read more.
Recipient Dani Valentine, 26, is in her second semester at NMC. For the fall 2019 semester, she got a $500 scholarship. This spring, she was awarded two more totaling $1,500. After earning her associate’s degree at NMC, Valentine plans to complete her bachelor’s through NMC’s University Center, and then complete a graduate degree in optometry at Ferris State.
“It’s definitely a long road, but because of scholarships I feel like I can do this,” Valentine said.
One of her spring scholarships is the Global Opportunities scholarship for students studying abroad. Valentine will use the $1,000 to participate in NMC’s first-ever trip to Iceland. She plans to earn NMC’s Global Endorsement in addition to her degree.
“I think it will help set me apart for anything I apply for in the future, as far as jobs or grad school,” she said.
The average 2019-20 scholarship award is $1,327. Berlin said that her office is trying to keep the average above $1,000. Tuition and fees for a student like Valentine — a Grand Traverse County resident enrolled in 12 contact hours per semester and studying an NMC general program — total $1,714 per semester.
“I’m really just super grateful for all these scholarships, not just for me, but anybody,” Valentine said. ‘It really does make a huge difference. Any small amount really helps.”
Diana Fairbanks
Executive Director of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019