Sep 24, 2025 | Intercom
The International Affairs Forum (IAF) is pleased to announce its inaugural annual Gala event, scheduled for Thursday, October 16, 2025, at the prestigious Hagerty Center on Northwestern Michigan College’s Great Lakes Campus. This landmark event will bring together community members passionate about global affairs for an evening of meaningful dialogue and celebration.
Distinguished Keynote Speaker
The gala will feature Peter Meijer, former Michigan Congressman and military veteran, as the evening’s keynote speaker. Meijer will share his unique perspectives on the value of service to our nation and provide insights into current global challenges facing the U.S. and the international community.
“We are honored to welcome Congressman Meijer to our inaugural gala,” said Major General Michael Lehnert, USMC Ret., Co-chair of the IAF Advisory Board. “His experience in both military service and congressional leadership provides invaluable perspective on the global issues that impact our local community.”
Event Highlights
The evening will begin with a cocktail reception from 6:00-7:00 PM, followed by dinner and the main program from 7:00-9:00 PM. Guests are encouraged to dress in cocktail or semi-formal attire for this special occasion.
“This special evening represents more than just a celebration – it’s an investment in fostering greater understanding of critical global issues through education and thoughtful dialogue. We’re nurturing a tradition of civic engagement – now into our 3rd decade of service – bringing expert insight to northern Michigan. At Northwestern Michigan College, IAF is part of an ecosystem of great value to our present and our future as a highly-informed community – starting with students, reaching working professionals, and folks enjoying the next phase of their lives in our region,” noted Alex Tank, Director of the International Affairs Forum. “Our goal is to welcome more Grand Traverse area citizens into our community of globally-minded individuals.”
Community Impact
Proceeds from the gala will directly support IAF’s exceptional programming and enhance the organization’s educational impact throughout Northern Michigan. Since 1994, the International Affairs Forum has been instrumental in bringing world-class speakers, educational programs, and global perspectives to the region.
Ticket Information & Sponsorship Opportunities
Individual tickets and tables are now available for purchase at tciaf.com/gala2025. The event is expected to attract significant interest from the community. Early ticket/table purchases are recommended. Gala sponsorships are available at various levels. Contact iaf@nmc.edu for sponsorship details.
Event Details
Date: Thursday, October 16, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Location: Hagerty Center, Northwestern Michigan College Great Lakes Campus, Traverse City
Attire: Cocktail Dress/Semi-formal Attire
For tickets and information: tciaf.com/gala2025, iaf@nmc.edu, (231)995-1844
Sep 23, 2025 | Intercom, Student Events
Open to students and the community! Join us!
The four-mile walk will be held Saturday, Oct. 11, at 10 a.m., starting and ending at NMC’s Boardman Lake Campus. Find more details here: uplifttravel.org/post/walk-to-end-period-poverty-in-kenya-with-nmc-multicultural-club
Location: 2200 Dendrinos Drive (the former NMC University Center building)
The goal is to raise $10,000 for 1,400 sanitary kits.
Water and snacks will be provided; music, prizes and activity stops will add to the experience.
All funds raised go directly to provide sanitary pads, reproductive health education, clean water and sanitation facilities in Kenyan communities via a partnership between Kenyan organization PadMad and U.S. partner, the Michigan-based Uplift Travel (Utopia Foundation.)
Questions? Please contact Jim Bensley at jbensley@nmc.edu.
Sep 23, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
September 17, 2025
When the elbow room gets tight inside a 33,000-square-foot building, it’s definitely a monumental moment.
That was the scene at Monday’s ribbon cutting for NMC’s newly-expanded aviation hangar. The crowd of community leaders, legislators, students and alumni was there to celebrate a milestone that illustrates NMC’s commitment to meeting the growing needs of the Grand Traverse region and the aviation industry.
The hangar was expanded by 16,500 square feet, which enabled NMC to add eight new planes to its fleet of 19 total aircraft, including a sea plane and an aerobatics plane. It is now 33,530 square feet and includes areas for maintenance, storage and offices.
I was just in awe the entire time I was standing there. It was so exciting,” said aviation student Meigan Lanning (at right, between Aviation Director Alex Bloye, left, and chief flight instructor Frank Jabour, right), who cut the ribbon. She’s the president of NMC’s Aviation Society.
“It’s very impressive. It’ll look very good to new, prospective students,” said alumna Susan Waters. A 1992 aviation graduate who is now a captain with Southwest Airlines, Waters flew in from Houston for the event.
By expanding the college’s aviation facilities, the hangar increases NMC’s capacity to train pilots significantly. This fall, 50 new students started, a 66% increase over typical fall enrollment.
Aviation students take to the skies in their first semester and can earn private, instrument, commercial, multi-engine, and flight instructor ratings, preparing them for successful careers. In her 30-year career, Waters has been a commercial, charter, corporate and cargo pilot.
“I walked out with a wonderful experience,” she said of NMC, where she also served as a flight instructor from 1994–95.
That’s one thing that hasn’t changed.
“There’s a lot of passion for this program,” said Lanning, 19, who will graduate next year. She hopes to become a flight instructor at NMC while she finishes her bachelor’s in business administration-aviation from Ferris State University and then become a commercial airline pilot.
NMC is the only Michigan two-year college to offer a flight training program. Until this year, it typically enrolled 30 new students each fall, and had up to a two-year waitlist.
“There’s never been a better time to launch your aviation career — with rising salaries, signing and retention bonuses, travel perks, and a pilot shortage projected to last another 10 to 15 years,” said Aviation Director Alex Bloye.
Total project cost for the hangar was $7 million. NMC matched a $3.75 million state grant. The project also received $550,000 in federal funding. The hangar is also the first project in NMC’s 10-year campus master plan, NMC Thrive.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support of our state and federal legislators, donors, and community partners who have made this project possible,” said NMC President Nick Nissley. “This expansion demonstrates NMC’s responsiveness to the needs of our region and our ability to deliver results.”
NMC Aviation has a proven track record of success, with exceptional job placement rates for graduates. The college is also a leader in the growing field of uncrewed aerial systems.
Sep 22, 2025 | Intercom
Did you know that all NMC flyers and program brochures are available in a digital toolkit? Here you can find the PRMC-designed program brochures (updated with the new logo!) as well as materials for events and programs like the Community College Guarantee and Michigan Reconnect (the same ones now posted in restrooms.) You can download and share with students, families, high school counselors and others in a convenient, Earth-friendly digital format.
Sep 22, 2025 | HR Corner, Intercom
These employees recently started working at the college. Let’s welcome them to the NMC community!
-
- Josee Hanna, Student – Writing Center Reader
- Gabriel Vermeer, Student – Aviation Line Crew
Sep 22, 2025 | Hawk Owl Helpers and Heroes, Intercom
To the University Partners now based in the Beckett Building. Being on NMC’s Front Street campus will allow CMU, Davenport, Ferris, Grand Valley and MSU’s Institute of Agricultural Technology to better serve NMC students seeking to transfer. Stop by from 3–5 p.m. Tuesday for an open house.
Who’s been a Hawk Owl Helper or Hero for you? Let us know at publicrelations@nmc.edu!
Sep 22, 2025 | Intercom, Media Mentions
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.
Four Adventures, One Preserve at Grass River
Northern Express, Sept. 20 (more…)
Sep 22, 2025 | Intercom
Opening doors to stronger collaboration, greater access, and a shared future.
NMC faculty and staff are cordially invited to the lobby of the James Beckett Building tomorrow, Tuesday, Sep. 23, from 3–5 p.m. Meet NMC’s University Partners and learn more about their offerings! Light refreshments will be available.
Sep 19, 2025 | Intercom
In May, NMC announced it would become the next site of Ready for Life Academy, joining Ferris State University and Hope College in offering a college experience to students with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. The program will begin in fall 2026 with a targeted enrollment of eight students. Grand Rapids-based Ready for Life is hosting the first information day for potential students at NMC from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17 in the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center, room 15.
Faculty and staff are invited to drop-in sessions before and after to find out more about the program and get their questions answered. Options are:
To find out more about how the partnership developed between NMC and Ready for Life, watch this slide show.
Sep 19, 2025 | Intercom, Student Events
Fourth semester NMC Nursing students will present on a number of topics from their Acute Care classes such as PICC lines (peripherally inserted central catheter) and the roles in a MERT team (Medical Emergency Response Team). Presentations will be held from 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 23 in the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center, room 106/107.
Sep 19, 2025 | Intercom
The NMC Board of Trustees will hold its regular monthly meeting Monday, September 22 at 5:30 p.m. in Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center room 106/107. More information is available here.
For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
Sep 19, 2025 | Intercom
The NMC Board of Trustees will hold a study session Monday, September 22 at 3:30 p.m. in the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center room 106/107. More information is available here.
For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
Sep 15, 2025 | Intercom
Tomorrow marks four weeks since NMC’s refreshed logo was introduced. It’s been great to see the enthusiastic response to the new signage and environmental branding, like the window decals in the Tanis Building and the wall decals in the Hawk Owl Cafe. To help the flyers, posters and social media posts that departments and individuals are now starting to create look just as good, we’ve created a short logo do’s and don’ts reference. The TLDR version? Keep it easy on yourself and keep the logo as is. Same colors, same fonts, same positioning. No need to add or change the elements, like stretching out a logo, or adding a department name. For your convenience, all the official logo versions are on the employee login page.and on the external site.
For those who want to dive a little deeper, Ali Thornton will hold the first class on using the new brand in Canva from 12-1 Tuesday on Zoom. Another is scheduled for Sept. 24 from 3-4. Watch for more classes to come. They’re listed in NeoEd, under the training tab, in the course catalog.
Thanks again for your partnership on rolling out this brand. When we all speak with one voice (and one logo!) it becomes that much stronger.
Sep 15, 2025 | Hawk Owl Helpers and Heroes, Intercom
To NMC Aviation, which increased its fall enrollment by 66 percent thanks to completion of the new hangar and acquisition of eight new planes. NMC celebrates completion of the hangar with a ribbon cutting ceremony today. Read more.
Who’s been a Hawk Owl Helper or Hero for you? Let us know at publicrelations@nmc.edu!
Sep 15, 2025 | Intercom, Media Mentions
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 Partners With Grand Valley, Notre Dame For Groundbreaking New Marine Technology
The Ticker, Sept. 14
Philanthropy News Digest, Sept. 14 (more…)
Sep 12, 2025 | HR Corner, Intercom
Kudos to Chad Schenkelberger and Claire Thelander! Chad and Claire have been wonderfully responsive to concerns about sustainable catering for Center for Instructional Excellence events. Two years ago they replaced plastic water bottles with a water dispenser and cups, and this year they swapped the paper boxes for paper bags. Finding an appropriate replacement for the boxes was a challenge, but they stuck with it. Thanks, Hawk Owl folks, for taking care of your colleagues and our environment!
Kudos to Betsy Boris! Betsy was my professor in 1st semester and she is an amazing teacher and human being. I took a semester off after becoming a LPN, so I had trouble accessing ATI for my third semester in the ADN program. Betsy resolved the issue within 30 minutes of me emailing her. She goes above and beyond!
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!
Sep 12, 2025 | HR Corner, Intercom
These employees recently started working at the college. Let’s welcome them to the NMC community!
-
- Tallula Morrison – Student Success & Retention Office Manager
- Nathan Sanderson – Student Dennos Museum Assistant
Sep 9, 2025 | Intercom, Student Events
Join us for a Study Abroad Lunch and Learn event at noon Wednesday, Sept. 17, in Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center Rm. 106/107. Register for the lunch here!
This event is hosted by International Services & Service Learning and the Experiential Learning Institute.
Questions? Email Marina Call at mcall@nmc.edu.
