Northwestern Michigan College celebrates community support, announces $35 million fundraising campaign

Oct 9, 2019 | Intercom, Student News

TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College today announced the public phase of the College’s most ambitious fundraising initiative in its history. Be What’s Possible, the Campaign for NMC, has a goal of raising $35 million. $28 million has already been raised through leadership gifts.

The NMC Board of Trustees moved to support the campaign at a special meeting held Wednesday, October 9, 2019, following authorization from the NMC Foundation’s Board of Directors. Be What’s Possible was then announced to the public and campus community at a noon event.

President Timothy J. Nelson, speaking at the board meeting, said, “NMC has always been the community’s college. This campaign is reflective of this legacy of commitment , and the college and community will reach a new level of achievement together.”

Four priority areas have been established for the campaign:

• The Fund for NMC – To help the college meet its highest priorities and greatest needs, The Fund for NMC provides flexible funding to meet the emerging needs of the community.
• Innovative Facilities – To create places where students and the community can connect to resources and with each other. This campaign is focused on the creation of the West Hall Innovation Center and the expansion of the Dennos Museum; gifts for other facility needs are also welcomed.
• Strong Programs – To stay at the forefront of educational innovation and drive economic growth through top-notch learning opportunities in all areas and across all programs, from language arts to engineering technology.
• Scholarships – To guarantee access for motivated learners in our community. This campaign seeks to increase the number and breadth of scholarships available to students as well as increasing funding for existing scholarships, such as the Commitment Program, Global Opportunities and merit scholarships.

“The lives of virtually everyone in this community have been made better – directly or indirectly – by this amazing place’” said campaign co-chair Bruce Byl. “This is our chance to say thank you… and to continue NMC’s strong legacy. We have always counted on NMC. Now it’s time for NMC to count on us.”

Pivotal gifts to this campaign have included ten gifts for $1 million or higher, designated in support of programs, scholarships, and facilities. “We believe that the response shown by the community so far is clear evidence of the appreciation and support that the college has in our community,” said campaign co-chair Susie Janis. “We are very grateful to the donors who have already stepped forward to be the leaders of this important endeavor.”

During the public phase of the campaign, the college will reach out to all NMC alumni, as well as the regional community, to enlist support. The public phase of the campaign will intersect with three landmark events in the life of the college: the retirement of President Nelson and the transition to new leadership, the completion and opening of the West Hall Innovation Center, and the 70th anniversary of the founding of the college.

For more information about Be What’s Possible, visit nmc.edu.

Northwestern Michigan College is a publicly-funded community college that serves more than 50,000 learners annually throughout the Grand Traverse region and beyond. NMC offers associate degrees, professional certificates and bachelor’s degrees. The college is home to the Great Lakes Water Studies Institute, the Great Lakes Maritime Academy, the Great Lakes Culinary Institute as well as nationally recognized aviation and unmanned systems programs. For more information, visit Northwestern Michigan College at nmc.edu.

Founded in 1981, Northwestern Michigan College Foundation assists Northwestern Michigan College in realizing its mission and vision by securing new resources, maximizing return on existing resources, acting as ambassadors to the community, and complementing and resourcing the work of the college’s trustees in shaping NMC’s future.

Release Date: October 9, 2019

For more information:

Rebecca Teahen
Associate Vice President for Resource Development & Executive Director, NMC Foundation
rteahen@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1855

Success Story: Public phase of $35 million campaign opens

Oct 9, 2019 | Intercom, Student News

October 9, 2019

NMC today kicked off the public phase of the most ambitious fundraising initiative in its history. Be What’s Possible, the Campaign for NMC, has a goal of raising $35 million in four priority areas.

Eighty percent, or $28 million, has already been raised through leadership gifts. The priority areas are:

• The Fund for NMC – Flexible funding to help the college meet its highest priorities and greatest needs.
• Innovative Facilities – To create places where students and the community can connect to resources and with each other. Focused on the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center and the expansion of the Dennos Museum, gifts for other facilities are also welcome.
• Strong Programs – To stay at the forefront of educational innovation and drive economic growth through top-notch learning opportunities in all areas, from language arts to engineering technology.
• Scholarships – To guarantee access for motivated learners in our community. This campaign seeks to increase the number and breadth of scholarships available to students as well as increasing funding for existing scholarships.

Be What’s Possible campaign co-chair Susie JanisThe $35 million goal is more than ten times higher than the college’s most ambitious prior campaign, $3 million for the Great Lakes campus, which opened in 2003-04. Since 2016 the college has been the recipient of ten gifts of $1 million or more, designated in support of programs, scholarships, and facilities, which established the evidence of support for the $35 million goal.

“We believe that the response shown by the community so far is clear evidence of the appreciation and support that the college has in our community,” said campaign co-chair Susie Janis. “We are very grateful to the donors who have already stepped forward to be the leaders of this important endeavor.”

President Timothy J. Nelson said, “NMC has always been the community’s college. This campaign is reflective of this legacy of commitment, and the college and community will reach a new level of achievement together.”

To give to Be What’s Possible, visit nmc.edu/give or call (231) 995-1021.

NMC faculty vote to approve contract, Board of Trustees to vote at October 14 meeting

Oct 8, 2019 | Intercom, Student News

TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) Faculty Association affiliates of the Michigan Education Association (MEA) voted today 56–1 to approve a new collective bargaining agreement. The ratification vote followed a 10-hour negotiation with a state mediator last week in which a tentative agreement was reached on all outstanding issues including salary and organizational flexibility.

The NMC Board of Trustees will now review and vote on the proposed contract at an October 14 meeting.

“We are pleased to have made additional progress toward an agreement, that achieves our goal of securing a contract that supports our faculty and is responsible to our students, and taxpayers,” said NMC Associate Vice President of Human Resources Mark Liebling.

Social Sciences Instructor and NMC Faculty Association President Brandon Everest said, “the faculty look forward to being able to put their full focus on teaching and learning and on other exciting things to come for NMC.”

Bargaining teams reconvened on October 2 for negotiations after the release of a non-binding Fact Finder’s Report from the Michigan Employment Relations Commission (MERC) on remaining issues in late August. The contracts expired December 31, 2018.

Release Date: October 8, 2019

For more information:

Diana Fairbanks
Executive Director of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019

New Books at the Library – October 2019

Oct 3, 2019 | Intercom, Student News

The library has purchased many new books so far this year. You can view a handful here along with descriptions or go here to see the full listing. These books are on display in the library’s lobby.

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Tentative agreement reached in NMC faculty contract negotiations

Oct 3, 2019 | Intercom, Student News

TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) and the Faculty Association affiliates of the Michigan Education Association are pleased to announce they have reached a tentative agreement on all contract issues.

The faculty association members will be advised of the details of the agreement prior to a ratification meeting scheduled for Tuesday, October 8.

If approved by association members, the NMC Board of Trustees would review and vote on the agreement in an upcoming public meeting.

Both parties met with a state mediator Wednesday, October 2 to continue negotiations after the release of a non-binding Fact Finder’s Report from the Michigan Employment Relations Commission (MERC) on remaining issues in late August. The contracts expired December 31, 2018.

For more information:

Diana Fairbanks
Executive Director of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019

Student Health Services Walk-in Flu Clinics

Oct 1, 2019 | Intercom, Student News

No Appointment Necessary

• Tuesday, Oct. 8: 1:30–3:30 p.m.
• Monday, Oct. 14: 10 a.m.–Noon
• Wednesday, Oct. 23: 1–3 p.m.

Clinics held in Student Health Services, LB106 in the Biederman Building (#6 on the Main Campus Map). Call 995-1255 with questions.

Cost:

• Students: $15
• NMC Faculty & Staff: $ 20
• NMC Insured: free

NOTE! All flu clinics subject to change per current CDC and/or GT Co. Health Dept. health recommendations and vaccine availability.