May 11, 2026 | Intercom, Student Events
Every summer, Traverse City hosts talented college students who intern at local businesses, take seasonal jobs and begin imagining what their future could look like in northern Michigan.
To help students and young professionals connect with the community, the Traverse Area Human Resources Association (TAHRA) and Michigan’s Creative Coast are hosting a free networking event from 5:30–7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 3, at the Hagerty Garage.
The evening will include local stories from people who chose to build their lives and careers in northern Michigan, good music, catering by Las Lagunas and the Hagerty Garage’s incredible lineup of classic cars. Housing connection resources will be provided by Liv in TC. Learn more by emailing hbaugh@livcommunities.com or at Livintc.com.
If you are interning or employing an intern this summer, attending this event event is a great opportunity to plant seeds for future careers and connections in the Traverse City region.
Please RSVP if you plan to attend.
May 11, 2026 | HR Corner, Intercom
The following employees are celebrating an anniversary soon. Please join us in congratulating them!
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May 11, 2026 | HR Corner, Intercom
Kudos to Heather VanStratt! NOMIAC in September of 2024—This quarterly meeting took place at Baker College in Cadillac. Attendees included representation from HBA, NWMiW!, GVSU, MMTC, Baker College, and more. Heather VanStratt, Grant Manager & Community Coordinator through the Sixty by 30 grant initiative, leads the NOMIAC; the common agenda planning, and the identification of six regional strategic pathways that align with the Hot Jobs Report, MCCA data, and other regional data and industry input.
Kudos to Dan Hoesit, Max McColl, Jeremy Maloney, Cam Palmer and Tom Caswell! Dan, Max, Jeremy and Cam were performing spring clean up around Scholars Hall during Finals Week and as a part of that work they were using leaf blowers, and happened to be working right underneath the windows of my public speaking class as they were delivering final speeches. Concerned that the noise was distracting my students during their last speeches I walked downstairs and asked them if they could work somewhere else until 3 p.m. when our class ended. They were all really, really gracious and agreed to work in a different area to minimize the disturbance, allowing our class to finish up. The students appreciated their flexibility!
Kudos to Cathy Warner, Brandon Everest, Kristy McDonald, Becca Richardson and Charles Macphee! Kudos to Cathy Warner (ENG 111), Brandon Everest (SOC 201), Kristy McDonald (BUS 231), Becca Richardson (MTH 120), and Charles Macphee (EGY 105) for opening their final class presentations to NMC and the community for the 5th Annual NMC Learning Symposium. Their student presentations were outstanding!
Kudos to Caroline Schaefer-Hills, Kyle Morrison and Sarah Montgomery-Richards! Kudos to those who participated in the 5th Annual NMC Learning Symposium Reflective Table Talk session! Caroline Schaefer-Hills had her Studio Visual Communicarions students share their final projects. Kyle Morrison shared the accomplishments of this year’s E-Sports team. Sarah Montgomery-Richards had three students share their reflections from the GVSU Interfaith Learning Lab. It was a pleasure to hear the students’ reflections and pride in their work!
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!
May 11, 2026 | HR Corner, Intercom
These employees recently started working at the college. Let’s welcome them to the NMC community!
- Julie Merchant, supplemental employee – Test Proctor
- Remy Carlson, supplemental employee – Hagerty Center Banquet Server
- Jack Hlavach, student employee – Aviation Line Crew
May 8, 2026 | Intercom, Student News
Yesterday, May 7, Instructure, owner of the Canvas Learning Management System utilized by NMC, experienced additional unauthorized activity relating to the same security breach reported earlier this week in Intercom. At this time, there remains no indication that NMC student data has been compromised. Our information security teams are continuing to investigate and monitor this fluid situation, and we will provide updates as they become available.
After a brief outage last night, NMC’s Canvas system is online and fully functional. As Instructure and the media continue to commmunicate on a wider scale, the best place to get information about how this situation affects NMC students, staff and faculty will be communicated directly through NMC channels like Intercom. Thank you.
May 7, 2026 | Intercom
TRAVERSE CITY — The International Affairs Forum (IAF) at Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) announces the launch of the Giles Press Freedom Lecture, a new annual program championing integrity in journalism and the essential role of a free press in democratic society. The lecture is made possible through a generous legacy gift from the late Robert “Bob” Giles and Nancy Giles, whose lives and work reflected a deep commitment to rigorous, ethical journalism and a compassionate worldview steeped in curiosity.
“Our parents always had a wide-angle lens of the world,” shared Megan Giles Cooney, daughter of Bob and Nancy. “Each of us still carries that sense of curiosity and respect for other cultures that our parents embedded in us. When our father led the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard, that same expansive worldview found its fullest expression. He invested in expanding opportunities for international fellows, recognizing that a truly global program required a diversity of voices. Our mother embraced that mission with characteristic warmth, helping trailing spouses and children settle into their year in Cambridge. Growing that international dimension of the Nieman Program brought them both tremendous joy — and kept their eyes, and ours, wide open to the world.”
The inaugural IAF event on May 28, 2026, generally timed to commemorate United Nations World Press Freedom Day, will feature acclaimed journalist Deborah Amos and serve as a tribute to the Giles’ enduring impact on journalism and public life.
“Bob and Nancy Giles believed deeply in the power of education to enlighten, connect, and strengthen communities,” said Alexander Tank, Director of the International Affairs Forum at NMC. “This annual lecture honors their legacy through thoughtful, fact-based dialogue at a time when journalism practice and democratic integrity are being challenged.”
Bob Giles, who served on the IAF Advisory Board and the Editorial Board of the Traverse City Record-Eagle, was an impactful figure in American journalism. As curator of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University for 15 years, he helped shape generations of journalists and championed the highest standards of reporting and press freedom. His earlier leadership as editor and publisher of the Detroit News earned national recognition for journalistic excellence via his 2nd Pulitzer Prize. Giles’ first Pulitzer was awarded for his team coverage of the Kent State University shootings in 1970.
Nancy Giles, a psychologist and advocate for mental health and education, was an equally vital partner in this work, known for her intellectual engagement, compassion, and steadfast support of journalism’s public mission. Together, their legacy reflects a shared belief in truth, accountability, and an informed civic life.
About the event & speaker
Veteran international correspondent Deborah Amos brings decades of reporting from global conflict zones to northern Michigan for this inaugural lecture. A longtime voice on National Public Radio, Amos has covered the Middle East, migration, and the human consequences of war with depth and clarity. Amos’ work exemplifies the courage, rigor, and integrity at the heart of the Giles Press Freedom Lecture. In conversation, Amos will explore the evolving challenges facing journalists today—from disinformation and declining trust to increasing threats against press freedom worldwide.
Amos will be in conversation with Elizabeth Jensen, Knight-Wallace Great Lakes News Fellow 2025-’26. Jensen is the co-chair of Press Forward Northern Michigan, an organization working to support local journalism in the region. A longtime media beat reporter, Jensen is an expert on U.S. public media and served as NPR’s fifth public editor/ombudsman. In that role, she represented the interests of the public in the newsroom, and created a series of live events where NPR journalists discussed their newsgathering processes and ethical decisions.
Event Details
Date: Thursday, May 28, 2026
Time: 6 p.m. reception | 7 p.m. hybrid event
Location: Dennos Museum Center Milliken Auditorium, 1701 E. Front St., Traverse City
Format: In person with online livestream available.
Tickets: $15 advance, $20 at the door, $10 livestream. Open to the public. Free for students and educators. Tickets & details at tciaf.com
Sponsors & Support
International Affairs Forum programming at Northwestern Michigan College is supported by gifts from community members and sponsors. The Giles Press Freedom Lecture is made possible through the generosity of the Giles family and supporters who believe in the vital role of journalism in sustaining democracy. IAF thanks the following for their support of its 32nd season:
Central Michigan University | IAF Gold Sponsor
Grand Traverse Pie Company | IAF Gold Sponsor
Thompson Retractor | IAF Gold Sponsor
IAF Members | Across northern Michigan & across the country
Learn more about event sponsorship and opportunities to support here: tciaf.com/support
Release date: May 7. 2026
For more information:
Alexander Tank
Director, International Affairs Forum at Northwestern Michigan College
atank@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1844
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
May 6, 2026 | Intercom, Student News
May 6, 2026
NMC’s class of 2026 increased by 10% and the number of degrees and certificates those graduates earned rose nearly 12% over 2025, a rise most likely due to two state scholarship programs.
An NMC graduate receives her diploma during the 2026 Commencement ceremonyA total of 579 students earned 632 degrees and certificates over the 2025–26 academic year, pending final grades. More than a third of the graduates are recipients of the Community College Guarantee or Michigan Reconnect, the statewide scholarship programs. The CCG offers free tuition to recent high school graduates, while Reconnect is for adults 25 and older who don’t already have a degree or certificate.
The CCG was first offered in fall 2024. It imposes no income or GPA requirements, but does require full time enrollment (minimum of 12 credits per semester.) Research shows that the likelihood of graduation is associated with full-time enrollment, due to the momentum students establish.
“Scholarship programs like the Michigan Community College Guarantee are the spark for many students,” said Lindsey Dickinson, NMC’s director of student success and retention. “But their ability to shift their attention from financial burdens to ‘completion mode,’ where they can focus on the finish line of graduation, is the engine that keeps them moving forward.”
Reconnect started in 2021 and requires students to be enrolled in at least 12 credits for the academic year. Both programs were implemented to meet Michigan’s Sixty by 30 goal of having 60% of the working population with a post-high school degree or certificate by 2030. The region started at 34.2% in 2017 and now stands at 53%.
The high school class of 2026 is eligible for the CCG for 15 months. Class of 2025 graduates are eligible until the start of the fall 2026 semester.
Commencement ceremonies also honored NMC’s 75th anniversary. Each graduate wore special green cords with their caps and gowns, in recognition of the anniversary. Watch the recorded ceremony on NMC’s YouTube channel.
May 5, 2026 | Intercom, Student News
Instructure, the company that creates Canvas, NMC’s Learning Management System, experienced a security breach April 30. The organization claiming the attack released a list of 8,800 K-12 schools, community colleges and universities whose potentially Personally Identifiable Information (PII) was leaked. NMC was not included in the list.
Instructure has not corroborated the list, but at this point, to the best of our knowledge, no NMC student, faculty or messaging information stored on the Canvas servers was compromised. We will update you if that changes. Instructure also maintains a public status record.
May 5, 2026 | Intercom, Student Events
TRAVERSE CITY — The International Affairs Forum (IAF) at Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) is proud to partner with On The Ground Global for a screening of the documentary Land of Canaan with filmmaker Q&A on May 14 at Milliken Auditorium in Traverse City.
“This project – and interaction with visiting filmmakers – represent a rare opportunity to bring humanity and compassion into public dialogue, around a region that has seen so much inhumanity, today and over many generations,” said Alexander Tank, Director of the International Affairs Forum at NMC. “Our partners at On The Ground Global have developed lasting, impactful relationships with Dr. Nasser Abufarha, the film’s protagonist. We are so honored to collaborate and shine light on this story for our community. This free event is a continuation of IAF’s investment in public discourse on the difficult issues we face as Americans and global citizens.”
On The Ground Global, founded by Chris Treter, has developed a long-standing partnership with Nasser Abufarha through shared work supporting Palestinian olive farmers, including expanding fair-trade markets, replanting olive trees, and strengthening farmer cooperatives through Canaan Fair Trade. This collaboration—also central to The People and the Olive—has connected Midwestern communities directly with growers in the West Bank, bringing depth and lived experience to the film Land of Canaan and the dialogue this event encourages.
About the film & filmmakers
May 14 | Land of Canaan
This documentary feature film presents a rare and intimate view of Palestinian farmers and their ancient olive trees – symbols of resilience, heritage, and home. Faced with ongoing political violence and the loss of their land, a visionary olive farmer in the occupied West Bank brings thousands of small-scale olive farmers together in fair trade cooperatives that connect them to global markets and create a future for their families, one that is life-affirming and nurtures their ancestral relationship to the land and the ancient olive trees they serve.
Nasser Abufarha, Ph.D., Protagonist & Producer, Anthropologist
Dr. Nasser Abufarha was raised among the olive groves of Jenin. Abufarha founded Canaan Palestine, the world’s first fair‑trade and organic olive oil company. Through his work he has connected more than 2,000 small‑scale Palestinian farming families to global markets, brought Palestinian olive oil to international recognition and funded scholarships and women’s cooperatives. His vision of sustainable, community‑based trade has been celebrated worldwide and is even more relevant today as conflict threatens to sever farmers from their land.
Maggie Lemere, Director
Award‑winning filmmaker and oral historian Maggie Lemere is a National Geographic Explorer and co‑founder of the Rhiza Collective. Lemere’s storytelling focuses on the intersections of humanity and the environment; she is currently directing Land of Canaan, “a National Geographic Society‑supported feature film about Palestinians’ relationship with ancient olive trees” . In a recent interview, she said that making the film has become one of the hardest things she has ever done; as violence escalated in the West Bank the project “became a historical document … because of the horrible escalation of violence in the communities where we filmed”. Lemere’s approach uses oral history to foreground love, joy and connection rather than trauma alone, revealing a seldom‑seen side of contemporary Palestine.
Event Details
Date: May 14
Time: 6 p.m. reception w/ olive oil sampling | 6:30 p.m. film screening | 8 p.m. filmmaker Q & A
Location: Milliken Auditorium, The Dennos Museum, 1410 College Dr, Traverse City
Cost: This event is free and open to the public. Register in advance at tciaf.com.
Reception in-kind donors
- Canaan Palestine Olive Oil
- Common Good Bakery
- Higher Grounds Trading Co.
Release date: April 30, 2026
For more information:
Alexander Tank
Director, International Affairs Forum at Northwestern Michigan College
(231) 995-1844
atank@nmc.edu
Chris Treter
Co-founder, On The Ground Global
chris@highergroundstrading.com
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
May 4, 2026 | Intercom
The NMC Board of Trustees Building & Site Committee will meet Wednesday, May 6 at 2 p.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.
May 4, 2026 | Intercom, Student News
To find these selections and many other new titles, see the NMC library catalog.
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May 4, 2026 | Announcements & News, Intercom, Student News
On Monday, May 4 from noon to 8 p.m., and Tuesday, May 12 from 4 to 8 p.m., Central High School will host track meets.
Campus Safety Coordinator Garrett Croon has given verbal permission for the organizers (Traverse City Area Public Schools) and attendees to park on NMC’s campus. School buses will park on the south side of the Maple Lot.
Be aware that parking may be difficult in the Cedar Parking Lot during these times.
May 4, 2026 | HR Corner, Intercom
Thank you to everyone who participated in our first ever Wellness tournament! Congratulations to our 2026 Employee Cornhole Champion Nathan Richey! And a huge shout-out to our runner-up Ashleigh Fender for an amazing competition!
This was an incredible end to the Spring semester, and we can’t wait for the next wellness event!
May 4, 2026 | HR Corner, Intercom
These employees recently started working at the college. Let’s welcome them to the NMC community!
- Kendall Spratt – Library Services Specialist
- Nathan Fewins – Custodian
- Katie Radtke, supplemental employee – Test Proctor
- Bobby Blome, supplemental employee – UAS Flight Staff
- Mason Nichols, supplemental employee – GLMA Vessels Assistant Engineer
- Jeff Polek, supplemental employee – GLMA Vessels Chief Engineer
- Evan Wallace, supplemental employee – GLMA Vessels Assistant Engineer
May 4, 2026 | Hawk Owl Helpers and Heroes, Intercom
To the 579 students who earned 632 degrees and certificates that were presented at the 2026 Commencement Saturday. Congratulations and best of luck in the next phase of your lives and careers. You can watch a recording of the ceremonies on NMC’s YouTube channel.
Who’s been a Hawk Owl Helper or Hero for you? Let us know at publicrelations@nmc.edu!
May 4, 2026 | Intercom, Media Mentions
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.
Northern Michigan’s most iconic eats (GLCI)
Northern Express, May 2 (more…)
Apr 30, 2026 | Intercom, Student Events
NMC will host it’s last mobile food pantry distribution of the semester on Monday, May 4 from 3–5 p.m. in the Maple Lot on the Front Street campus. We have 6,251 pounds of goods including mushrooms, potatoes, cottage cheese, milk, oranges, granola, applesauce, peanut butter and pears.
We ask that recipients queue up in the car line in a counter-clockwise circle around the edge of the parking lot. Please do not block the main access roads, be aware of other students using the parking spaces and watch for children being picked up at the Oleson Learning Center adjacent to the Maple Lot.
This program is designed for NMC students and is open to anyone in the community who is in need. Interested in volunteering? Email Cathy Warner at cwarner@nmc.edu.
Apr 30, 2026 | Intercom, Student News
The Hawk Owl Café will switch to summer hours of operation on Friday, May 1.
SUMMER HOURS:
Friday, May 1:
OPEN
8 a.m.–2 p.m.
Saturday, May 2–Sunday, May 17
OPEN: SELF-SERVICE KIOSK ONLY
24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Monday, May 18–Friday, August 14*
NORTHWEST GRIND:
Espresso Bay coffee, bakery items, and Swoop ‘N Go items available
Monday–Thursday: 8 a.m.–1 p.m.
KIOSK:
Swoop ‘N Go items available
24 hours a day, 7 days a week
*subject to change for holidays & special events
