Employee Anniversaries
The following employees are celebrating an anniversary soon. Please join us in congratulating them!
Get your capes ready to make a difference
TRAVERSE CITY — Business students at Northwestern Michigan College will be hosting the third annual Big Little Hero Race in support of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Michigan on Saturday, April 15.
The superhero themed race will be on NMC’s main campus and includes:
- 1 mile fun run/walk (free registration and free collectible cape for children)
- 5K run/walk – $20 for students $30 for adults ($25 for students and $35 for adults after March 20)
- 10K run – $20 for students $30 for adults ($25 for students and $35 for adults after March 20)
The one-mile fun run will start at 9 a.m. and the officially timed 5K and 10K will begin at 9:30 a.m. Participants who register before April 1 will receive a free collectible technical running shirt.
Awards given for:
- Best male costume
- Best female costume
- Best child costume
- Best team costume
Medals given for:
- Top 3 best times for each age group for males
-
Top 3 best times for each age group for females
Prizes given for:
- Top overall time for male 5K and 10K
-
Top overall time for female 5K and 10K
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Michigan helps match at-risk youth with mentors. The organization aims to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally-supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better.
Every year the Big Little Hero Race honors a local hero. The 2017 race will be in memory of Sonja Olshove, a beloved NMC professor who passed in September 2016. Olshove received the Imogene Wise Faculty Excellence Award twice for her significant impact on the lives of her students.
After the race there will a wide variety of children’s activities along with live music and a silent auction.
The race will be timed by Endurance Evolution. For more information and registration, visit www.biglittleherorace.com. Sponsorship and volunteer opportunities are available and encouraged.
Release Date: March 6, 2017
For More Information:
Kristy McDonald
NMC Instructor
kmcdonald@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1059
Abby Gudith
Project Marketing/Media Director
guditha@mail.nmc.edu
(231) 409-7347
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-discriminationDental Assistants Recognition Week
March 5 to March 11, 2017 is Dental Assistants Recognition Week.
Thank you to the students in NMC’s Dental Assistant program – we are glad you are part of NMC and the dental assisting profession!
Aviation to partner with Crosswinds
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College will begin offering aviation classes this summer in Howell, Michigan, through a new partnership with Crosswinds Aviation called the Taking Flight Initiative.
The agreement is expected to help meet demand for flight training in the region between Lansing and Detroit as well as provide a pipeline to NMC’s aviation program, which currently enrolls 5 former Crosswinds students.
In cooperation with the Howell Public Schools, the Livingston Educational Services Agency, and the Capital Area Career Center, Crosswinds Aviation, a private flight school, currently offers a number of high school aviation courses that reached enrollment capacity in 2015.
“Crosswinds sees NMC as an exceptional choice for collegiate flight training in Michigan, and has become powerful advocates of ours,” said Aviation Division Director Alex Bloye. “We see Crosswinds as a school with excellent standards in training, a modern fleet similar to that of NMC’s, and a capacity in talent to train professional pilots.”
“The aviation industry is experiencing a significant pilot shortage which is creating an environment of extraordinary career earning potential for new pilots,” said Crosswinds Aviation owner Matt Dahline. “This agreement with NMC is about removing barriers for students who are interested in becoming a pilot. The Taking Flight Initiative gives students the ability to enroll in a college aviation program and take advantage of Federal Aid to help fund their flight training.”
The first course, AVF 111, Private Pilot Flight, will be offered in May at the Crosswinds campus in Howell. NMC Aviation will provide oversight of flight instructors employed by Crosswinds, and retain all tuition and a percentage of instruction fees. Crosswinds would hold all operational control and liability of aircraft, and would retain all aircraft rental fees.
There will be a signing ceremony at Crosswinds Aviation Wednesday, March 8, 2017. Students and parents are invited to an informational open house about the Taking Flight Initiative Thursday, March 9, 2017 at 6 p.m. at Crosswinds Aviation. Crosswinds is located at 3808 W. Grand River, Howell, Mich.
About NMC Aviation: Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2017, NMC Aviation allows students to begin flying their first semester and earn Private, Instrument, Commercial, Multi-Engine, Flight Instructor, Instrument Flight Instructor and Seaplane ratings as well as an associate degree. Articulation agreements facilitate easy transfer to a four-year school for a bachelor’s degree. A robust international aviation partnership allows students to study abroad. NMC is also a leader in the growing field of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) training and offers certification exams.
Release Date: March 1, 2017
For More Information:
Alex Bloye
NMC Director of Aviation
abloye@nmc.edu
(231) 995-2929
Matt Dahline
Crosswinds Aviation owner
matt@crosswindsaviation.com
(517) 552-1101
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
Tech Tips: James Beckett 214 Lab
James Beckett 214 is a computer lab where students, instructors, and staff are able to be productive and use the many technology services. The following tools are available in the lab:
Printers (B&W Free & Color for $.25)- Mac Computers
- Windows Computers
- Scanner
The NMC Technology Help Desk Assistant is available in the Lab to help find answers on technology tools such as Password Resets, Self-Service, Google, Microsoft, Microsoft Imagine, and others. The lab is located right by the Cafe on the second floor of the James Beckett building. Some of the specific programs on the computers in the lab are listed below:
- Microsoft Office 2016
- NotePad++
- Python 3.x
- Visual Studio “Professional” 2015
- Quickbooks Accountant 2015
- GameMaker
- ArcGIS
- SNAP
- And many more!
**For more information contact the Technology Help Desk at 231-995-3020 or visit nmc.edu/help.**
Not Sure What To Do With Your Stuff?
Announcement from the NMC Green Team:
Check Out The New & Improved RecycleSmart Take It Back Recycling Directory
The Take-It-Back Recycling Directory is now searchable and intuitive. Learn where to reuse, recycle, return, compost, donate or throw away your unwanted items. Click here to go to the directory.
New Books at the Library- February highlights
The library has purchased many new books so far this new year. You can view a handful here along with partial descriptions or go here to see the full listing. These books are on display in the library’s lobby.
Benefits Corner
Reminder that 1095-C forms are available through self-service if you elected electronic delivery. Please let Hollie know if you have any questions, 5-1350.
Prescription Reminders
A quick recap of two changes to the prescription coverage for 2017.
- A 90 day prescription will now require two co-pays, instead of one.
- If your doctor wants you to take a brand name drug when a generic is available they will have to submit a letter of medical necessity that will go through the preauthorization process for approval. Blue Cross Customer Service is 877-671-2583.
Kudos!
KUDOS- (praise or respect that you get because of something you have done or achieved) defined by Merriam-Webster.com
Submit a Kudos here
Kudos to Judy Arnold- The best form of praise comes unsolicited from a customer (student). A student came in specifically to thank Judy for going above and beyond to help him. He had a particularly challenging process to get his financial aid in place, which stretched over a couple of months. At some point Judy became his “go-to” person, patiently helping him through it. This is just one example of Judy’s caring and thorough customer service.
Kudos to Sheila Rupp, Deb Maison, Sue Newman, Jason Smith, Judy Arnold, Kevin D’Alessandro, Georgenia Hromada, Scott Herzberg, Jessica Johnson, Cathryn Claerhout, Linda Berlin, and Katie Malone- Thanks so much for your efforts to make our first Financial Aid Fair on February 16, 2016 a success. It truly reflected a holistic approach to recruiting and retention. It was great to have the staff from Admissions, Advising, Records and Registration, and Student Financial Services all bringing something to the interaction with prospective and returning students centered on financial aid. We heard many comments from students and families about how much they appreciated the staff expertise and friendliness! We had 30+ people at the event. All 6 sessions were a go with up to 17 people attending each. Existing students had an opportunity to sit down with someone in a casual environment and talk about things like loan debt, scholarships, etc. Prospective and newly admitted students were treated to information about admission, programs, and finances and just felt a general celebratory feeling about how NMC values and wants to serve them.
Kudos to Kelsey Wright- Kelsey is always willing to pick up and do any task to help keep our offices running smoothly. No matter what the task or what else she may have going on she is always willing to learn new things and help out when, where and however needed. And she does it with a smile on her face! 🙂 Thank you for all you do!
Wellness at NMC
Blue Cross Health & Wellness Packets
You will be receiving packets in the mail to your home address regarding Wellness, if you are actively enrolled in Blue Cross Insurance. Please read over the information, and reach out to Hollie in HR (5-1350) or Chris Barr (Blue Cross Wellness Coordinator) with any questions. Chris can be reached on his cell (231) 969-8753, or at cbarr@nmc.edu.
Position Vacancies
Are you looking for career opportunities? Find them here! jobs.nmc.edu. Current openings include:
- Clinical Nursing Adjunct Faculty
- Nursing Instructor – Medical Surgical
- Admissions Office Assistant
- Psychology Instructor
- Geography Adjunct Faculty
Employee Anniversaries
The following employees are celebrating an anniversary soon. Please join us in congratulating them!
Pure A Cappella Concert
The 6th Annual Pure A Cappella Festival will take place on Sunday, March 5, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. in the Milliken Auditorium. Enjoy a wonderful evening featuring multiple a cappella groups from the Grand Traverse Region.
Part of the proceeds from this event are donated back to NMC to fund scholarships and financial aid for the NMC Children’s Choir. Tickets are $13 and available at mynorthtickets.com
President’s Update for Feb. 21, 2017
Thank you all for everything you do in pursuit of “Keeping Learning at the Center.”
Notable Accomplishments provided by Faculty and Staff
This section recognizes the good work being done and linkages to the Strategic Directions (SD) and Institutional Effectiveness Criteria (IE) are provided where possible. (more…)
Success Story: Math 120 builds confidence and skills
February 22, 2017
NMC math instructor Mary Burget and student Lauren HayesDriven to catch the Soviets in the space race of the 1950 and ’60s, black female NASA mathematicians solved the problem of putting astronauts into orbit, a story told in Hidden Figures, nominated for Best Picture* at this weekend’s Academy Awards.
Driven to offer NMC students more pathways to meet math graduation requirements, the math department solved the problem with Math 120, a class that, a la NASA, turns students into problem-solvers. Not just for the course, but for life.
“Our whole goal is that it’s more than math — they become good problem-solvers,” department chair Deb Pharo said of Math 120, added to the curriculum just two years ago as a way for liberal arts students whose programs don’t require additional math to fulfill graduation requirements.
But now and then a funny thing happens on the way to simply checking off the requirement: A student discovers a hidden passion for figures, and their whole career trajectory changes. Lauren Hayes (above, right) is Exhibit A.
Becoming a problem solver starts with students having confidence in their abilities. When she enrolled at NMC in 2015, Hayes, 27, didn’t. She failed her last math class before she graduated from Traverse City West High School in 2008 and wound up in a developmental math course. Her instructor, Mark Nelson, started building her confidence. In 120, officially titled Math Explorations, it took off.
“Math 120 made me feel proficient, like I could figure things out,” Hayes said. The course teaches students the “beauty and utility of mathematics” by presenting practical problems like personal finance and budgeting.
She enrolled in another math course, Probability and Statistics, which she’d been dreading. Instead, she “breezed” through it. Encouraged by Mary Burget, her 120 instructor, who turned to math herself after a first career in social work, Hayes switched her major from psychology to engineering.
“Once I had in my head that I was good at it, it was almost like I was,” said Hayes, who’s now enrolled in college algebra.
In fact, she’s craving more math than her engineering classes currently offer.
“I don’t really want to build things so much as understand how things work. I feel like math does that for me,” Hayes said.
That’s music to Burget and Pharo’s ears. While Math 120 exists so students can meet requirements, it’s also a practical, real-world course that can help students with lifelong decision making.
“It’s good for everybody. It’s a real class with real benefits,” said Pharo. “We want them to see it not as a math class, but something that’s more useful.”
Probability of Hidden Figures winning Best Picture - 1:25, per OddsChecker.
Success Story: Math 120 builds confidence and skills
February 22, 2017
NMC math instructor Mary Burget and student Lauren HayesDriven to catch the Soviets in the space race of the 1950 and ’60s, black female NASA mathematicians solved the problem of putting astronauts into orbit, a story told in Hidden Figures, nominated for Best Picture* at this weekend’s Academy Awards.
Driven to offer NMC students more pathways to meet math graduation requirements, the math department solved the problem with Math 120, a class that, a la NASA, turns students into problem-solvers. Not just for the course, but for life.
“Our whole goal is that it’s more than math — they become good problem-solvers,” department chair Deb Pharo said of Math 120, added to the curriculum just two years ago as a way for liberal arts students whose programs don’t require additional math to fulfill graduation requirements.
But now and then a funny thing happens on the way to simply checking off the requirement: A student discovers a hidden passion for figures, and their whole career trajectory changes. Lauren Hayes (above, right) is Exhibit A.
Becoming a problem solver starts with students having confidence in their abilities. When she enrolled at NMC in 2015, Hayes, 27, didn’t. She failed her last math class before she graduated from Traverse City West High School in 2008 and wound up in a developmental math course. Her instructor, Mark Nelson, started building her confidence. In 120, officially titled Math Explorations, it took off.
“Math 120 made me feel proficient, like I could figure things out,” Hayes said. The course teaches students the “beauty and utility of mathematics” by presenting practical problems like personal finance and budgeting.
She enrolled in another math course, Probability and Statistics, which she’d been dreading. Instead, she “breezed” through it. Encouraged by Mary Burget, her 120 instructor, who turned to math herself after a first career in social work, Hayes switched her major from psychology to engineering.
“Once I had in my head that I was good at it, it was almost like I was,” said Hayes, who’s now enrolled in college algebra.
In fact, she’s craving more math than her engineering classes currently offer.
“I don’t really want to build things so much as understand how things work. I feel like math does that for me,” Hayes said.
That’s music to Burget and Pharo’s ears. While Math 120 exists so students can meet requirements, it’s also a practical, real-world course that can help students with lifelong decision making.
“It’s good for everybody. It’s a real class with real benefits,” said Pharo. “We want them to see it not as a math class, but something that’s more useful.”
Probability of Hidden Figures winning Best Picture - 1:25, per OddsChecker.
NMC’s Spring 2017 Transfer Fair is March 14
Over 25 university representatives will be on NMC’s main campus on Tuesday, March 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. to talk with students, staff and faculty about their programs and the transfer process. The university representatives will be located in the Health & Science Building lobby on the main level.
This is your opportunity to discuss transfer requirements and get information on degrees available at a variety of schools without having to travel to each university. Bring your questions and explore your options! A list of colleges attending and a list of questions to ask at a transfer fair is available at nmc.edu/student-services/advising-center/college-visits.html
See you there!
Advising Staff
GVSU Walk-In Advising Day and Health Care Programs Showcase – New Date!
Grand Valley State University will have an open Advising Day for all students. Please join us on Wednesday, March 15 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. at the NMC University Center in room 06. Representatives from advising, admissions, financial aid, study abroad and the library will be available to answer any questions.
On Saturday, March 18, between 10 a.m. and noon, learn more about the career-building degree programs available from Grand Valley State University in Traverse City. (Note that this date has changed.) Our Health Care Showcase in University Center room 217 will feature representatives from undergraduate programs such as: Liberal Studies, Allied Health Science (which both CAN BE designed for PreOT, PrePT, PrePA, & PreMed), and Nursing, as well as graduate programs such as: Public Health, Physician Assistant Studies, Social Work, and Occupational Therapy.
RSVP for either or both events at gvsu.edu/traverse.