TRAVERSE CITY — The Audit Committee of Northwestern Michigan College’s Board of Trustees will meet at 2:30 p.m. Monday, June 1 in the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center, room 104/105 on NMC’s Front Street campus, 1701 E. Front St., Traverse City. The official meeting notice is available here.
For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
Good afternoon NMC community,
I’m sad to share that NMC recently lost an important connection to our earliest days.
George Comden
George Comden passed away at the age of 92. George was one of the original 23 graduates in NMC’s first graduating class in 1953 and, until his passing, one of the last living members of that class.
I first met George in 2020 during my first year at NMC. At the time, we were still in the thick of the pandemic, and I had the opportunity to spend time with him on campus. I left that conversation feeling like I’d been given a rare opportunity, the chance to hear directly from someone who was here when NMC first opened its doors.
Over the years that followed, I stayed in touch with George and had the opportunity to visit with him several times. He loved talking about NMC and often shared what he thought mattered most about the college.
He spoke about faculty who cared deeply about students and wanted to help them succeed. He shared the opportunities NMC created in his own life through access and affordability. And he talked proudly about the college’s connection to and service to the community.
What stayed with me was that more than 70 years after graduating, George never stopped being proud to be part of NMC. He followed the college closely, celebrated what was happening here, and continued to believe deeply in our mission and in the opportunities NMC creates for students.
As we mark NMC’s 75th anniversary, George’s passing feels especially significant. Each year, there are fewer and fewer members of our first graduating class still with us. It’s a reminder that we inherit something larger than ourselves and are called to leave it stronger for those who follow. George and his classmates helped establish who we are as a college. Generations of students, employees, and supporters have carried that work forward since then, and today we have the privilege and responsibility of continuing to steward NMC’s mission for those who come next.
I’ll always be grateful that I had the chance to know George and learn from him. More than anything, he reminded me that the impact of a college extends far beyond graduation and can stay with someone for a lifetime.
Please join me in keeping George’s family and loved ones in your thoughts.
Nick
—
Nick Nissley, Ed.D. | President | Northwestern Michigan College | 231.995.1010
The NMC Board of Trustees Policy Committee will meet Thursday, May 28 at 9 a.m. in Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center Room 104/105. More information is available here.
For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
To honor Memorial Day, we pause to remember the service members who gave their lives in defense of our country. At NMC, supporting veterans, active-duty service members and military families is part of who we are. We’re proud to be recognized as a military-friendly school for 2026 and remain committed to creating meaningful pathways, strong support systems and opportunities for those who have served.
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.
New lecture series to honor press freedom, and the TC couple who stood for it
Record-Eagle, May 26
(more…)
TRAVERSE CITY — Registration is now open for College Edge, a free program NMC is hosting this summer to help college students prepare for their fall semester.
Running July 13-Aug.7, College Edge is a four-week program to help prepare students to succeed before they start or continue college at NMC this fall. Interested students can register for one of two options:
Students will also receive success coaching tips and tools like time management and studying smarter. For completing the program, students will earn a $250 scholarship toward NMC’s fall semester and a free graphing calculator. Find out more at nmc.edu/edge
College Edge hosted by NMC debuted in 2023. It is part of the investment the state of Michigan is making in its student-age population. State scholarships available now include the Community College Guarantee for the high school class of 2025 and 2026, and Michigan Reconnect for adults 25 and older who don’t already have a degree.
Diana Fairbanks
NMC Public Relations
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1020
Traverse City Central High School will host a track meet on Tuesday, May 26 at 4 p.m. Please be aware that there may be some congestion in the Cedar Lot during this time.
Do you want to get some extra steps in to meet your goals while connecting with colleagues? Brittany from Human Resources is hosting 2 employee walks around the Civic Center loop (this is approximately a 1 mile walk). These group walks are completely optional but can be a fun way to chat and catch up with colleagues so we hope you’ll join us for one or both times!
We will meet in front of the Dennos and plan to leave promptly at the scheduled time so grab your water and we will see you there!
Kudos to Lindsey Dickenson! Lindsay Dickinson does a great job of summarizing Campus Safety and Security during school orientations. I appreciate the detail she provides and saying, “See Something Say Something” as it reflects our security posture.
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!
The NMC Board of Trustees Presidential Performance & Compensation Committee will meet Tuesday, May 26 at 10:30 a.m. in Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center Room 104/105. More information is available here.
For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
TRAVERSE CITY— Northwestern Michigan College congratulates the 1,066 students who made the spring semester Dean’s List, earning a grade point average of 3.5 or above out of a possible 4.0 while taking five or more credits.
The full list is available here.
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
Media on deadline, call or text (231) 392-6082
Non-deadline inquiries: (231) 995-1020
At the May 18th meeting of the Board of Trustees, Jason Slade presented a summary of Strategy 3: Vibrant College Community: Improve the places, systems, and supports that shape life at NMC, making it easier for students and employees to connect, succeed, and take pride in their work and learning.
Objective 1: Deliver near-term master-plan projects, Osterlin student hub, and new student housing, as visible commitments to a modern, student-centered campus.
Success Metrics: Completed Master Plan projects
Objective 2: Renew and improve campus spaces, addressing aging facilities in need of renewal, and enhancing landscaping and gathering areas to create a functional, welcoming environment that reflects NMC’s quality and community.
Success Metrics: Completed campus projects
Objective 3: Strengthen the student experience outside the classroom by improving connection, community, and support across all campuses, creating consistent opportunities for students to engage with each other and with NMC in ways that enhance satisfaction and persistence.
Success Metrics: Increased student belonging, satisfaction, and engagement. Slice by student house (ie: analyze each student type.
Objective 4: Engagement: Strengthen NMC’s reputation as an employer of choice by reviewing, prioritizing, and implementing improvements to staffing, workload, and compensation systems to ensure they continue to support a healthy, high-performing organization and a culture of professionalism and pride.
Success Metrics: Employee retention and satisfaction
Objective 5: Processes/Systems: Assess and modernize NMC’s core operational systems including budgeting, human resources, information technology, and decision-making workflows to reduce friction, improve coordination, and strengthen efficiency and trust across the college.
Success Metrics: Process time reduction, accuracy improvements
The Board of Trustees provided feedback that will be addressed prior to the next reporting of Strategy 3 in December:
The full memo can be found here. Next up — Strategic Drivers Living Our Brand and People First at the July 20 meeting of the Board. (No Strategic Plan update in June.)
Dear NMC faculty and staff,
For those of you who have downloaded the Microsoft Office suite to your personal computers, you may have encountered a notice similar to the following:
This message is a result of recent licensing updates by Microsoft for educational institutions. Without delving into technical details, these changes have affected our ability to provide direct access to the downloaded applications for students, staff, and faculty. Most of you who registered their Office suite on personal devices did so under a license that previously offered full access. However, with Microsoft’s recent licensing adjustments, the current license that most of us are using now only allows access via the Office online applications (office.com), rather than the full desktop versions.
Please note that these licensing changes do not affect NMC-owned devices. If you use an NMC laptop or desktop, your existing license remains valid and unaffected.
Most of us use the Google suite of applications for our work, which we are not losing access to, and we encourage you to continue using. For those who require the desktop versions of Microsoft Office on personal devices, if you encounter a message indicating the application has been deactivated, please submit a helpdesk ticket or contact the help desk at (231) 995-3020 for assistance.
David Hosler
Director of Systems & LAN Management
Congratulations to the 1,066 students who made the Dean’s List for the spring 2026 semester, earning a grade point average of 3.5 or above out of a possible 4.0 while taking five or more credits.
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.
Students research for capstone project at National Marine Sanctuary
Alpena News, May 18
A huge thank you to the Human Resources and Employee Recognition teams for putting on Wednesday’s wonderful You Made it Possible celebration. The event gave us a chance to come together as a college and celebrate all of our employees, including those earning excellence and service awards and our retirees. The warmth and community spirit felt throughout the event is a direct reflection of the care and hard work you put into supporting and recognizing NMC’s faculty and staff.
Show your NMC spirit and join us in the 100th Annual Cherry Royale Parade on Saturday, July 11! Employees, families and kids are all invited to walk with the college in this beloved community tradition. We’ll have fun with the 75th anniversary themed float; just bring your enthusiasm and pride!
To participate, learn more and provide your shirt size, contact Zach Whitaker, Manager of Alumni Relations, at zwhitaker@nmc.edu.