Logo gift delivery underway; recycling deadline extended

Facilities is delivering all the logo gift items ordered after Opening Conference to department/office managers. If you find anything missing or incorrect, please let PRMC know at publicrelations@nmc.edu. The deadline for recycling old logo items (and entering a raffle to win a new water bottle or cup) has been extended to Oct. 31. Please bring old items to the PRMC office, located in room 104 of the Les Biederman Building.

Thanks for your partnership in living the refreshed NMC brand. New name tags are expected in November. In the meantime, visit the brand hub tile on your MyNMC page to download new logos, letterhead, presentation templates, videoconference backgrounds, update your email signature, order business cards and more. 

Stop the Bleed course

The Campus Safety department, along with the Facilities department, are in the process of installing “Stop the Bleed” kits next to every AED machine cabinet. 

All employees are encouraged to take the interactive “Stop the Bleed” course in NEOED to learn how to use the kit effectively. This is important.

The course guides you through the methods of bleeding control using video demonstrations, interactive learning, and quizzes. This course is estimated to take 25 minutes. Take the course here!

Mobile food pantry

NMC Mobile Food Pantry

NMC is hosting a mobile pantry on from 3–5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 3 in the Maple Lot at the Front Street campus.

NMC’s mobile pantry program is designed specifically for NMC students and their families. Mobile pantries provide 7-10 days worth of fresh and shelf-stable goods to supplement family incomes. While this is intended for students, all are welcome. There are no financial requirements or means tests. Drive-thru and walk-up options are both available. 

Campus Safety Reminder — Bicycle theft alert

Several bicycles have been reported stolen from campus over the past four months. As a precaution, please remember to always lock your bicycle (and vehicle) securely or, if possible, store it inside your residence.

If your bicycle is stolen, take the following steps:

  1. Report the theft to the Traverse City Police Department at (231) 922-4550.
  2. Notify NMC Security at (231) 995-1111 after filing your police report.

Your vigilance helps keep our campus community safe. Thank you for taking steps to protect your property.

Welcome our newest hires!

These employees recently started working at the college. Let’s welcome them to the NMC community!

    • Krista McCarty — EES Marketing Coordinator
    • Everett Howell, student employee — Communications Office Assistant

It’s here! It’s here! It’s heeeere! NMC logo gift items

The new NMC logo gift items have arrived! Apparel and drinkware will be delivered to the designated campus contacts (typically your office manager) beginning on Friday. Thanks for your patience with the ordering and delivery process. We look forward to seeing you sport or carry these items around campus.

New NMC name tags will arrive in November. This turned out to be a longer process than expected. Thanks to Facilities for picking up the logo gift items so that they could get distributed as soon as possible.

 

Special order apparel

The Campus Bookstore is expanding the professional apparel options available through a new special order program! Check out our special order pieces at bookstore.nmc.edu. Special order apparel is available in men’s and women’s cuts; men’s sizing can range from Small-5XL and some include tall sizing. Women’s cuts can range from X-Small-3XL.

All items are made to order and can be shipped to the bookstore and picked up at the bookstore or sent to your office via campus mail. To take your employee discount, please use the coupon code SPECIALORDER at checkout. Please let us know in the notes of the order if you’d like us to campus mail your order.

NMC October Conference: That’s a wrap!

fall bowThank you to all who helped make October Conference a success! We appreciate all who led sessions, served on a panel, supported pre-conference arrangements, those who helped out during the day and all who attended. What a great day of connection and learning about the impact of AI!

View the photo gallery.

Disc Golf tournament

Campus Life will host a Disc Golf tournament at 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24. Participants will meet in front of East Hall. Prizes will be given for the top participants with the lowest score for 9 holes. Register

For more information, contact Marcus Bennett at mbennett@nmc.edu.

Thanks-for-Giving

To the Professional Communications (BUS 231) students supporting local families again this Thanksgiving through the 12th annual Thanks-for-Giving experiential learning project. Students strive to alleviate regional food insecurity by providing 175 Thanksgiving meal boxes to families in need. You can donate in the red bins on campus or make a cash donation at nmc.edu/give and enter to win prizes. Read more.


Who’s been a Hawk Owl Helper or Hero for you? Let us know at publicrelations@nmc.edu!

Media mentions for October 20, 2025

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.

7 Most Comfortable Michigan Towns For Seniors For 2025
World Atlas, Oct. 19 (more…)

Strategic Plan 2026–29

Much of September and October has been focused on presenting the emerging strategies and strategic drivers to many internal and external stakeholders: Student Government Association, University Partners, Judicial Affairs, ESIMP, Faculty Council, Board of Trustees, NMC Foundation Board, the general public, SwOOPs Student Group, industry groups, and the All Employee Virtual Connection, with several additional groups scheduled in the coming weeks.

Input on diverse topics has been collected during these sessions as well as through the strategic plan feedback form. Please take a moment to share your thoughts if you haven’t already done so.

President’s Council, Leadership Council, and the Strategic Plan Steering Committee continue to shape the framework for strategies and objectives. Objective development will be in full swing around the three strategies, so please provide your input.  Leadership Council deserves kudos for their continued support in developing the plan and brainstorming potential objectives. Development of specific actions will occur later this semester with a projected launch of the new strategic plan in early 2026.

Monthly updates will be posted to the Strategic Plan webpage.

Kudos!

Kudos to Scott Goethals, Lisa Von Reichbauer, Lisa Baldyga, Merrick Adams, Amy Burns Bailey, Joe Deater, Hollianne McHugh, Denver Peters, Laura Stevens, Shirl Martin, Heather VanStratt and Amy Shamroe! Thanks to support from Scott Goethals, Lisa Von Reichbauer, Lisa Baldyga, Merrick Adams, Amy Burns Bailey, Joe Deater, Hollianne McHugh, Denver Peters, and Laura Stevens, the Sixty by 30/NOMIAC Training Fair at Michigan Works was a success! Kudos also to Shirl Martin, Amy Shamroe and Heather VanStratt for planning and setting up the event.

Kudos to Heather VanStratt! Heather VanStratt, Extended Education & Training’s new Grant Manager & Community Coordinator, oversaw her first NoMI Attainment Collaborative (NOMIAC) meeting on Friday, October 10 (the new collaborative’s fourth in-person meeting within 14 months). The in-person meeting convened at GROW Benzie, hosted by Josh Stoltz and Maggie Bacon (BEST Benzie). Individuals reviewed their organizations’ strategic plans to draw alignment with the NOMIAC’s initiative of Sixty by 30. This meeting was full of enthusiasm for the good work that these organizations are already doing in our communities, and for the potential of continued and elevated collaboration between organizations.

Kudos to the October Conference Collaborative Partners: Kristi Hallett, Tracy Welch, Megan Holtry, Maria Ulrich, Judy Albers, Chef Matt King, Chad Schenkelberger, Angie Adamick & the NMC Facilities Team, and the NMC Food Services Team!  Thank you to all of our NMC October Conference collaborative partners that helped us host such a great opportunity to learn and connect with each other. We appreciate you and your support of this successful event!

Kudos to Hollie DeWalt, Lori Hodek, Laura Stevens, Eric Carlsson, Hollianne McHugh, Scott Goethals, Ali Thornton, Taylor Nash, Mark DeLonge, Caroline Schaefer-Hills, Tami Livengood, Heather VanStratt, Nick Roster, Dylan Schaub, Lisa Blackford, Kristen Salathiel, Ryan Bernstein, and Mark DeLonge! A huge thank you to the NMC faculty and staff who helped on the day of the conference. These folks schlepped supplies, greeted and directed crowds, facilitated presentations, and popped corn. Special thanks to the Swag Squad — Kristen, Mark, Ryan, and Lisa — for their championship slinging. The training paid off!

Kudos to Emily Crull! Thank you for all your work designing the beautiful NMC October Conference trifold schedule with a really tight turnaround time. We appreciate your coordination and facilitation to brand the event well to create a sense of NMC pride both internally and for the broader community. You exemplify collaboration and excellence in all you do!

Kudos to Carolyn Andrews, Ryan Bernstein, Skylar Berry, Mark DeLonge, Lindsey Dickinson, Brandon Everest, Jennifer Ewing, Pat Kawula, Janet Lively, Kristy McDonald, Kyle Morrison, Nicco Pandolfi, Kristen Salathiel, Melissa Sprenkle, Sherry Trier, Lisa vonReichbauer, Rachel Wilczewski, and Kerrey Woughter! Kudos to each of our NMC October Conference Session Leaders! Thank you for sharing your time and expertise to make this a great day of learning for everyone! We are hearing great things about your presentations. We appreciate you!


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!

Welcome our newest hires!

These employees recently started working at the college. Let’s welcome them to the NMC community!

    • Emma Griffith, supplemental employee — Tutor
    • Eldas Asheber, supplemental employee — Front of House food service

12th annual Thanks-For-Giving

Dear NMC students, faculty and staff:
 
I hope your fall semester is off to a strong start. As the fall colors peak and the leaves begin to fall, I hope that you’re looking forward to the Thanksgiving break as much as I am. As we prepare for this important time of connection and gratitude, I’m asking your help to make sure everyone can enjoy this meaningful tradition.
 
For the twelfth annual year, Kristy McDonald’s Professional Communications class is partnering with the NMC Food Pantry and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Michigan to donate to 175 families in the Traverse City community. Boxes–each of which feeds approximately six people–will be distributed at the NMC gym on November 24.
 
If you are enrolled at NMC as a student (part-time or full-time), or are a faculty or staff member who could use a meal, you can apply to receive a full Thanksgiving meal for you and your family. The process will be confidential and convenient. The boxes also provide support in the days following the holiday, easing any uncertainty families might have.
 
By donating $10 or more at nmc.edu/give during our month-long drive, donors will have the chance to win exciting prizes, including: a two-night stay at the Great Wolf Lodge and a $250 hotel credit, a six-course wine dinner for two, brunch for two at Aerie (Grand Traverse Resort), and a lunch for two at Lobdell’s. (Choose the amount, select “designate my gift to other,” and type in “Thanks For Giving.”) Donors can only enter the prize drawing once. Winners will be announced after the Thanksgiving holiday.
 
Community members also have the option to donate at a spooky glow skate event hosted by our class on October 25 between 6 and 8 p.m. at the Howe Ice Arena in the Traverse City Civic Center. Admission will be $10 to enter and $5 to rent ice skates. Costumes encouraged.
 
The final option to assist is to donate peanut butter or granola bars in their marked red bins, found in NMC’s Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center, Parsons-Stulen Building, and the Great Lakes Campus.
 
With your help, we can ensure every Hawk Owl enjoys a meaningful and memorable Thanksgiving.
 
Nick

Ext. Ed director receives Top 20 recognition nationally

Laura Stevens, Director of Extended Educational ServicesLaura Stevens (download high-resolution photo)TRAVERSE CITY — Laura Stevens, director of Extended Education and Training at Northwestern Michigan College, has been named one of the top 20 continuing educators in the country for 2026 by the Learning Resources Network (LERN).

She is the only individual recognized in Michigan. The recognition is for her pioneering research and work in documenting new financial contributions to the college, including continuing education student alumni donations.

“Ms. Stevens is on the cutting of our field and is making a significant contribution to the field,” said William A. Draves, president of LERN.

Stevens’ work will be showcased in a session, Know Your Value to the Institution, at the LERN 2025 annual conference Nov. 17–20, the largest conference in continuing education, with 1,500 attendees.

Release date: October 16, 2025

For more information:

Cari Noga
NMC Communications Director
cnoga@nmc.edu
(231) 392-1800 (Call or text)

 

Non-Discrimination Policy Notice

Northwestern Michigan College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, disability, genetic information, height, weight, marital status or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions. nmc.edu/non-discrimination

Thanks-for-giving fundraiser runs thru Nov. 18

TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) Professional Communications students are supporting local families this Thanksgiving through the 12th annual BUS 231 Thanks-for-Giving experiential learning project.

Students strive to alleviate food insecurity within the area by providing 175 Thanksgiving meal boxes to families in need. In collaboration with Big Brothers Big Sisters, 50 of the meals will be donated to families selected by the organization, while the remaining meals will be given to NMC families.

With the help of local organizations, the students are raising funds and collecting food donations to provide dinner boxes containing a turkey and all the traditional side dishes to serve a family of six. Each box includes a pan for cooking the turkey, along with a family activity. To become a donor, email the student contact listed below.

“We are excited to give back to our community while learning and improving our business communication skills.” said business student Kally Sluiter.

To fund this community project, the BUS 231 class is hosting a Halloween-themed Spooky Glow Skate at Howe Ice Arena in the Grand Traverse County Civic Center on October 25, from 6 to 8 p.m. There will be a $10 entrance fee and a $5 ice skate rental fee for the event. There will be prizes for the best costumes and a bake sale put on by NMC culinary arts students.

A prize giveaway is also available for donors who contribute $10 or more. Prizes consist of a two-night stay at the Great Wolf Lodge (along with a $250 gift card); a six-course wine dinner for two at Chateau Chantal; brunch for two in the Aerie Restaurant at the Grand Traverse Resort; and lunch for two at Lobdell’s, NMC’s teaching restaurant.

Donations can be made as follows:
● Visit nmc.edu/give
● Choose an amount to donate
● Select ”designate my gift to other”
● Enter “Thanks-for-Giving

In addition to monetary donation the community can donate boxes of granola bars or jars of peanut butter. Students are also stocking the boxes with a few healthy snacks for the Thanksgiving break. Donations can be dropped off in any red bin located on NMC’s Front Street campus in the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center lobby or at the Great Lakes campus through Nov. 18.

Meal boxes will be distributed on Monday, November 24.

Release date: OCTOBER 15, 2025

For more information:

Tyler Kastens
Marketing Team Leader
Thanks-for-Giving 2025
Northwestern Michigan College
kastent@mail.nmc.edu
(616) 377-9111 (Call or text)

Kristy McDonald
Business Instructor
kmcdonald@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1059

 

Non-Discrimination Policy Notice

Northwestern Michigan College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, disability, genetic information, height, weight, marital status or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions. nmc.edu/non-discrimination