The NMC Board of Trustees Building and Site committee will meet at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9, at Discovery Pier, 13170 S. West Bay Shore Dr., Traverse City.
More information is available here.
For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
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.
All of the fun and connection of a book club with none of the pressure to finish the same book at the same time. No assigned reading! No stress!
Starting this fall, the NMC Library invites you to come share your latest read, your favorite read or your current read! You’re also more than welcome to just to listen and hear recommendations from other readers.
The group will meet at 12 p.m. on the 3rd Tuesday of each month in the Library Fireplace Room.
Since the meetings are during lunchtime, you’re encouraged to bring your lunch. Tea will be provided!
This Constitution Day, the NMC Library invites you to the second annual ‘We the People’ trivia night! Test your knowledge of the U.S. Constitution while enjoying free pizza from Dino’s in the Fireplace Room at the NMC Library from 6–8 p.m. on Thursday, Sep. 17.
Teams will go head-to-head competing for the First Amendment Trophy as well as a prize for each member of the first place team. No advance registration required — just show up and play!
NMC’s Automotive Technology department is hosting the 1st Annual Mike McIntosh Memorial Cruise on Friday, Sept. 11, beginning at NMC’s Automotive Service Technology Building located at 2510 Aero Park Drive, Traverse City. The cruise takes place the evening before the 20th Annual Mike McIntosh Memorial Truck and Car Show and is open to those who plan to show their car or truck the next day. Participants will receive a commemorative “1st Annual Mike McIntosh Memorial Cruise” dash plaque.
Mike’s son, Kevin, will lead the cruise behind the wheel of a 1957 BMW Isetta that Mike owned but never restored to show quality. Kevin has since completed the restoration, and the little BMW will finally have its moment at the show. Before the cruise departs, a hot air lantern will be floated in Mike’s memory.
The cruise will depart around 7 p.m. and travel partway up Old Mission Peninsula. Along the way, the cars will pass through the Front Street Campus on College Drive. Students and employees are encouraged to grab a spot along the route on College Drive at the Front Street Campus and cheer on the cruisers as they make their way through campus and the community.
The cruise will finish at NMC’s Great Lakes Campus, the original home of NMC’s automotive program and the place where Mike spent much of his career. Once the cars arrive, Morganja Farms’ food truck will be on hand with food and beverages, giving everyone a chance to gather, enjoy the vehicles and celebrate Mike’s legacy together. The cruise will also support Project Feed The Kids.
If you plan to participate in the cruise, please RSVP to Wayne Moody at (231) 995-1316 or wmoody@nmc.edu.
The Northwestern Michigan College Nursing Department wishes to announce that it will host a site visit for continuing accreditation of its Associate Degree and Practical Nursing programs by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
You are invited to meet with the site visit team and share your comments about the program in person at a meeting scheduled at 4:00 pm on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, in Room 106 of the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center Building located at 1701 East Front Street, Traverse City, MI 49686.
Written comments are also welcome and should be submitted to the ACEN via email at publiccomments@acenursing.org or to the ACEN office: Attn: Accreditation Services Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing 3390 Peachtree Rd NE, Suite 1400 Atlanta GA, 30326 You must identify the full name of the program in your comments.
All written comments should be received by the ACEN by September 21, 2026
🎯 Strategic planning & institutional priorities
📊 Data, dashboards & reporting
📝 Surveys & assessment support
🎓 Enrollment & student success insights
Have a question? Start with ORPE.
We can help identify the right data, frame the question, and connect the findings to decision-making.
What helps us spot students who may need support?
As classes get underway, early information can help us connect students with support before small challenges become larger ones.
What early alert variables do you use or find most useful?
📚 Grades or academic performance
📅 Attendance
⚠️ Faculty/staff alerts or referrals
📝 Missing or incomplete assignments
💻 LMS / digital engagement
❤️ Personal, wellness, financial or support indicators
📈 Enrollment or retention signals
❓ Other / unsure
Take the September Data Wranglers Poll: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FXTVDYD
Can AI outreach improve student success?
What researchers found
✅ Students receiving AI-enabled outreach had stronger course outcomes
✅ Students were more likely to engage with academic supports such as tutoring
✅ Effects were generally similar across student groups
✅ In one microeconomics course, women receiving the intervention earned final grades about 7% higher than women in the control group
Why it matters
💡 Technology may be most valuable when it helps students connect with people, resources, and support rather than simply providing answers.
Source: NBER Working Paper 35397, July 2026. DOI: 10.3386/w35397
Start the semester fresh. Clear your browser cookies and cache, and run any pending software updates. Unpatched software is one of the most common ways malware gets onto your device.
TRAVERSE CITY — John Lutchko, director of the Great Lakes Water Studies Institute at NMC, has been named 
the 2026 recipient of the Ocean News & Technology Early Career Ocean Professional Award by the Marine Technology Society.
The award s presented to an individual within 10 years of their last degree or designation who has shown leadership in MTS and who works in a professional capacity in management, engineering or research and development in a marine technology field. It was presented at the MTS annual meeting Aug. 28.
Lutchko is an alumnus of NMC, earning his associate degree in Freshwater Studies in 2013. He was named GLWSI director in 2024.
The Marine Technology Society promotes awareness, understanding, and the advancement and application of marine technology internationally.
Cari Noga
NMC Communications Director
cnoga@nmc.edu
(231) 392-1800 (Call or text)
As part of NMC’s committment to a safe college community, we notify students, faculty and staff of emergencies, including campus delays or closures due to weather, via multiple methods including texts and phone calls. The next test of emergency communications is set for Sept. 8, so now is a great time to check NMC Self-Service to see that your personal information is entered correctly. Click Personal Details under Personal Info menu.
Thanks for helping us keep NMC safe!
Kudos to all volunteers who assisted with residence hall move in! The Residence Life team would like to say thank you to all the countless volunteers who made the Fall 2026 Move-in a success. The parents that interacted with the volunteers on Thursday, August 20, 2026 and Friday, August 21, 2026 stated they felt welcomed and comfortable knowing that NMC cares about its students based on the positive experience during move in. One parent commented that they were a little worried when they began their tract towards Traverse City, but after experiencing all the positivity on move in day they can sleep a little easier at night.
Experts suggest maintaining an “attitude of gratitude” increases positivity for yourself and for others. Please encourage your colleagues by submitting a KUDOS. Let them know you appreciate their hard work and are thinking of them!
These employees recently started working at the college. Let’s welcome them to the NMC community!
Campus Life is hosting a 3-on-3 basketball tournament on Friday, Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. in the Rajkovich Physical Education Building (#16 on the campus map). This tournament is open to all current students and employees.
If you have any questions please reach out to Marcus Bennett at mbennett@nmc.edu, CJ Schneider at cschneider@nmc.edu or Natalie Laprad at nlaprad@nmc.edu
To the International Affairs Forum, which launches its 33rd season Thursday, Sept. 3 with a free event, “Five Years After the Fall of Kabul: The Afghan Connection in Traverse City.” The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. in Milliken Auditorium. More details here.
Who’s been a Hawk Owl Helper or Hero for you? Let us know at publicrelations@nmc.edu!
The following college events and stories have appeared in the media recently. We want to share your media involvement too. Please send information about your NMC-related interview or appearance to publicrelations@nmc.edu. If possible, please include a link to the piece and information about where and when it was used.
Please note access to some stories may be limited by paywalls set up by the media outlet. This includes the Traverse City Record-Eagle, which limits free clicks to five per month. You may also read Record-Eagle articles in the print edition at the NMC Library.
NMC Extended Ed: Who’s still going to class?
The Ticker. Aug. 30
The Hawk Owl Café serves specials during the fall and spring semesters from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 4:40 to 6:30 p.m. The protein option is $10.99, and the vegetarian option (V) is $9.99. Learn more at nmc.edu/dining.
Traditional Beef Lasagna w/ Garlic Crostini & Green Beans
Roasted Veg Lasagna (V) w/ Garlic Crostini & Green Beans
Beef Tacos w/ Lettuce, Cheese & Chipotle Ranch w/ Tortilla Chips & Queso Blanco & Refried Beans
Tofu (V) w/ Lettuce, Cheese & Chipotle Ranch w/ Tortilla Chips & Queso Blanco & Refried Beans
Chicken Tikka Masala w/ Yellow Rice & Grilled Naan
Tofu (V) (w/ Onions & Red Peppers) w/ Yellow Rice & Grilled Naan
Country Fried Steak w/ Mashed Potatoes & Gravy & Broccoli
Vegetarian Option TBD w/ Mashed Potatoes & Gravy & Broccoli
Hawk Owl Cafe Sliders w/ Bacon & Cheese on Brioche w/ Asparagus & Sweet Potato Fries w/ Garlic Aioli
Impossible Burger (V) w/ Cheese & Onion Straws on Brioche w/ Asparagus & Sweet Potato Fries w/ Garlic Aioli
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College is accepting nominations for the 2027 Outstanding Alumni awards through October 30.
Since 1988, Northwestern Michigan College’s Outstanding Alumni Award has recognized graduates and past students for their significant professional achievements, leadership locally and beyond, and commitment to NMC values. To celebrate the full scope of our community’s impact, nominations are welcome for alumni from every era of NMC’s history and across all programs, certificates and fields of study. Nominees and self-nominees should meet the following criteria:
More information, a list of past honorees and the nomination form are available at nmc.edu/alumni. For more information about NMC’s Alumni program, visitnmc.edu/alumni.
Zach Whitaker
Manager of Alumni Relations
(231) 995-2826
zwhitaker@nmc.edu