Success story: Breaking New Terroir

May 20, 2015 | Intercom

Collaborative Viticulture Students Reach Beyond the 45th Parallel

May 20, 2015

Kurtis Berry

Like a grapevine twining up a trellis, NMC’s collaborative viticulture program is growing tendrils of its own and is poised for a growth spurt this summer.

Two students in the five-year-old program are breaking new terroir with their summer internships. Kurtis Berry (right)(above) is the first to intern overseas, at Vignamato winery and vineyard in Marche, Italy, while Ethan Baker (below) is the first to head to the Pacific Northwest. He’ll spend his summer at Winemakers, LLC, a vineyard management company in Washington’s Yakima Valley.

Worldwide, the wine industry traces its history back hundreds of years, so those are impressive placements for students from a program that just began in 2010. Viticulture is the newest plant science certificate option offered by Michigan State University at NMC’s University Center. About 28 students are now enrolled, simultaneously pursing an associate’s degree from NMC and an MSU viticulture certificate.

Berry and Baker will complete their internships while on hiatus from their jobs in the regional wine industry, at Brys Estate and 45 North, respectively. The latter is named for the 45th parallel of latitude, which makes both northwest Michigan and Washington suited to grow wine grapes.

“I chose Washington because, parallel-wise, it’s very similar to Michigan,” Baker said. Yet the industry there operates on a completely different scale. Winemakers LLC manages about 1,200 acres of vineyards — equivalent to almost half the wine grape acreage in the entire state of Michigan.

Ethan Baker

“It’s not an experience I could get in this area,” Baker, 22, said.

That’s exactly the point, said viticulture program coordinator Brian Matchett.

“Our industry, the grape and wine industry in Michigan, is going to be stronger if you have experiences in another part of the country, or another part of the world,” Matchett said.

Berry, 25, is equally enthusiastic, even though he doesn’t speak much Italian.

“I’m thrilled. I think it’s going to open my eyes about old world viticulture,” he said. “It’s going to open my eyes to the industry as a whole.”

Both students will return to Traverse City in August. Baker plans to graduate from the viticulture program this December and Berry in May 2016.

Learn more about the NMC-MSU viticulture and other plant science programs »

Success Story: Alumna, Parent, Volunteer Says All Facets Of NMC Shine

May 6, 2015 | Intercom

May 6, 2015

First comes love, then comes marriage. Then comes a baby carriage, satisfying careers, buffalo burgers, saving money through dual enrollment, and supervising the beanbag toss.

That’s Barb Mort’s story, anyway. The alumna and Traverse City resident has a bird’s eye view of NMC, having seen the college as a student, parent, volunteer and colleague. Whatever lens she’s looking through, Mort says the view is always the same: Impressive.

“I’m just so proud that such a small community has a world-class college in it,” said Mort, whose story began with a fairy-tale start when she moved into the NMC apartments in 1979. Across the hall lived another student named Greg, from Charlevoix.

“It was truly love at first sight,” she said. “The very first time I met him, I knew I was going to marry him.”

They tied the knot in 1982, and then bride and groom enrolled in what was called Ferris State University’s “off campus program,” a predecessor to the University Center located in the old Maritime building (now site of the Great Lakes campus.)

“Neither one of us would have the careers we have without NMC and the off-campus program,” said Mort, who is now donor relations specialist at the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy. Husband Greg is the business manager of a tool and die company. “It literally saved us tens of thousands of dollars in tuition.”

Fast-forward a few decades. The couple’s youngest son, Jackson, a senior at Traverse City West, is now dual-enrolled at NMC. He’s even had one of the same professors his parents did: Math instructor Ernie East.

“It’s been the best thing for him,” said Mort.  “He loves the independence, how the professors teach. The one-on-one help he’s been getting is amazing.”

Mort also sees evidence of NMC’s value when she goes to work. The Conservancy hired an intern through NMC’s business department. He went on to earn a staff position, due to his strong performance which NMC supported, she said.

Mort’s latest role at NMC came about thanks to another quirk of proximity. The Conservancy’s office adjoins Oleson’s, the grocery store chain whose founders started the NMC Barbecue in 1956. The third generation of the family now continues that tradition, led by Brad Oleson, who recruited Mort for the Barbecue Board.

“I saw serving on the BBQ board as an avenue to give back to the college that has made such a difference to my family and community. I am also inspired by the Oleson family, who quietly contribute to so many worthwhile organizations in our region,” Mort said.

Set for May 17 this year, Barbecue Day is the culmination of nine months of work by the Board, and Mort will be busy co-supervising kids’ games. She’ll make sure to find time to squeeze in her own buffalo burger, though.

“I’m a really picky eater but I love the buffalo burgers,” she said.