The NMC Board of Trustees Executive Committee will meet at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18 in the President’s Office confernence room in the Tanis Building on NMC’s Front Street campus. More information is available here.
For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
The NMC Board of Trustees Executive Committee will meet at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17 in the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center, room 14. More information is available here.
For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
Gather your colleagues and get ready to toss your way to victory!
Compete in the cornhole tournament at 11 a.m. on March 18 in the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center, room 106/107 for a chance to win the trophy and a free one-year membership to the NMC Fitness Center.
Questions? Email bhanbury@nmc.edu
These employees recently started working at the college. Let’s welcome them to the NMC community!
TRAVERSE CITY — The International Affairs Forum (IAF) at Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) is proud to launch a new partnership with the Central Michigan University Hart-Milliken Speaker Series to bring a nationally recognized voice on democracy, the civil-military relationship, and executive power to northern Michigan. The collaboration highlights IAF’s 32nd season of programs addressing global issues and fostering vital public dialogue in the region.
“This partnership builds upon a strong relationship between NMC & CMU,” said Alexander Tank, Director of the International Affairs Forum at NMC. “We share a commitment to open dialogue based on rigorous research, practice, and expertise. We will engage in an important civic exercise with this discussion, a continuing investment in public discourse on the difficult issues we face as Americans and global citizens.”
About the event & speaker
February 19 | Long Arm or Strong Arm: Executive Power in Foreign Policy & At Home with Kori Schake, Ph.D., Senior Fellow & Director of Foreign and Defense Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute. Schake is author of The State and the Soldier: A History of Civil-Military Relations in the United States (Polity Press 2025). She is also the author of Safe Passage: The Transition from British to American Hegemony, and a contributing writer at the Atlantic, War on the Rocks, and Bloomberg. Event presented in partnership with Central Michigan University Hart-Milliken Speaker Series. Book sales provided by Bay Books.
Before joining AEI, Dr. Kori Schake was the deputy director-general of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. She has had a distinguished career in government, working at the US State Department, the US Department of Defense, and the National Security Council at the White House. She was also a senior policy advisor on the 2008 McCain campaign. She has taught at Stanford, West Point, Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, and the University of Maryland, and is currently the Henry A. Kissinger Chair in Foreign Policy and International Relations at the Library of Congress.
Dr. Schake is the author of five books: “The State and the Soldier: a History of Civil-Military Relations in the United States” (Polity Books, 2025); “America vs the West: Can the Liberal World Order Be Preserved?” (Penguin Random House Australia, Lowy Institute, 2018); “Safe Passage: The Transition from British to American Hegemony” (Harvard University Press, 2017); “State of Disrepair: Fixing the Culture and Practices of the State Department” (Hoover Institution Press, 2012); and “Managing American Hegemony: Essays on Power in a Time of Dominance” (Hoover Institution Press, 2009).
Event Details
IAF hybrid events, including February 19, are ticketed and open to the public. Students, educators, and active-duty military members attend at no cost thanks to community support. Most programs start at 7 p.m. Eastern at the Dennos Museum Center Milliken Auditorium, 1701 E. Front St., Traverse City with a welcome reception at 6 p.m. Secure tickets at tciaf.com.
Events are presented in hybrid format; in-person events are available to livestream online. Programming continues throughout the academic year through June 2026. All IAF events on campus at NMC are free for students and educators, including all NMC employees and employees of all local schools. Find more information at tciaf.com.
IAF’s educational programming at NMC is free for students and educators, and open to the public thanks to its supporting members, regional partners, business sponsors, and Northwestern Michigan College. Learn more about membership, event sponsorship, and opportunities to support here: tciaf.com/support
About the International Affairs Forum at Northwestern Michigan College
The mission of the International Affairs Forum is to advance the understanding of critical global issues through education and public dialogue. IAF is a community-supported program of Northwestern Michigan College and an affiliate of the World Affairs Councils of America.
All regular season events are open to the public. Tickets are required. Presentations begin at 7 p.m. & receptions begin at 6 p.m., unless otherwise noted. Visit tciaf.com for advance in-person tickets and online livestream access: $15 per person purchased in advance, $20 per person at the door, or $10 for online livestream access. For in-person tickets on event days, purchase at the door while seats remain. Current students, educators, and active-duty military members receive free admission with required check in. For in-person tickets, online livestream tickets, and all event details, visit tciaf.com.
About the Central Michigan University Hart-Milliken Speaker Series
Central Michigan University established the Philip A. Hart and William G. Milliken Endowed Speaker Series for Integrity in Politics to encourage a civil approach to politics, by hosting individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to encouraging positive change in American politics and policy-making.
This endowed speaker series is named in memory of former U.S. Senator Philip A. Hart and former Michigan Governor William G. Milliken. A legendary trait of the careers of Senator Hart, a Democrat, and Governor Milliken, a Republican, was their ability to work together with members of opposing political parties.
This speaker series challenges interested parties — students in particular — to approach politics in a way that embraces America’s diversity of ideas and perspectives and to strive to replace negativity and partisanship with creativity and innovation in shaping public policy.
“For over two decades, the Hart-Milliken series has shown our students and our community members how our common beliefs about complex policy challenges are stronger than our political differences, “ said Thomas Greitens, Chairperson of the CMU School of Politics, Society, Justice, and Public Service. “By showcasing the power of bipartisanship, the series helps maintain the foundations of our country’s political ideals.
Sponsors & Supporters
International Affairs Forum programming at Northwestern Michigan College is supported by gifts from community members and sponsors. 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
Alexander Tank
Director
International Affairs Forum at Northwestern Michigan College
(231) 995-1844 | atank@nmc.edu
Sarah Buckley
Communications Coordinator & Web Developer
College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
Anspach 114A | Central Michigan University
989-774-1788 | Sarah.J.Buckley@cmich.edu
Do you have an innovative idea that would be beneficial to NMC and aligns to the NMC Strategic Plan?
For instance, this could include:
If so, please submit a proposal to the Office of Possibilities (OOPs) for Education by March 20, 2026. The top scoring proposals will move forward to a pitch competition on April 23, 2026. Awarded projects will typically receive between $500-$10,000 from the NMC Foundation. Review the RFP and complete the application.
Please note: We welcome all ideas that align with the NMC strategic plan! You do not need to be interested in starting a business or commercializing a product to be eligible.
Questions? Email oops@nmc.edu.
It’s that time of the semester again! Instructors—please mention the student feedback surveys in class or via a course announcement. Doing so can significantly boost participation rates!
Here are some dates to keep in mind regarding the student feedback surveys:
For a detailed breakdown of specific dates for all sessions, please refer to the Student Feedback Schedule. It’s the best way to ensure you’re aligned with the timeline for your specific roster.
We need your help! Click to view the list of photos needed of past NMC retirees for our 75th celebration. If you have photos of any of these retired employees, please scan or send links to Lori Hodek at lhodek@nmc.edu.
Photos will be added to the Awards & Recognition page on NMC’s website under the NMC Retiree Recognition section.
NMC is hosting several upcoming training opportunities for employes. Seats are limited! Register for all courses through NeoEd Training using these instructions. For questions, contact professionaldevelopmentinstitute@nmc.edu
Tuesday, February 17, 5–6 p.m.
Osterlin Building, room 205
Instructor: Eric Darling, Fife Lake Fire Chief
Learn how to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and use an automated external defibrillator (AED) to respond to sudden cardiac arrest. This is a non-certification training that will provide attendees with hands-on learning opportunities. For questions, contact Garrett Croon at gcroon@nmc.edu or (231) 995-1747.
Wednesday, February 18, 3–4 p.m.
Instructor: Alison Thornton
Are you curious about AI and how it can help you? Learn about working with the AI Large Language Models (LLM’s like Gemini, ChatGPT, and Perplexity.ai) to brainstorm, summarize, explain topics, find information on the web and respond to complex prompts. Come to this session where you will see a demonstration and get hands-on practice in AI Prompting!
Wednesday, February 25, 3–4 p.m.
Instructor: Alison Thornton
This advanced workshop is designed for employees who are already familiar with AI LLM’s and basic AI prompting but want to deepen their understanding of the newest developments in AI. Participants will explore powerful new tools and features—including Gemini Flash 2.5 Image, ChatGPT-5, Study and Learn, Agent Mode, storybooks, real-world applications that are reshaping education and productivity and other new launches. (Please take AI Prompting before signing up for this class or ask athornton@nmc.edu for a waiver, if you are familiar with AI Prompting.)
Monday, March 16, 4–6 p.m.
Osterlin Building, room 205
Instructor: Eric Darling, Fife Lake Fire Chief
When acts of violence occur, you can’t always wait for EMS to arrive. AVIRT Training was developed with law enforcement and medical experts to empower everyone to become an immediate responder. This course is designed to equip individuals with the skills and knowledge to respond effectively to active violence and emergency situations. AVIRT teaches both active shooter response skills and emergency bleeding techniques. Certification period: 2 years. For questions, contact Garrett Croon at gcroon@nmc.edu or (231) 995-1747.
Thanks to Extended Education & Training, which opened registration for College for Kids last week, including a new option of full-day programming for first through sixth graders. In a community where child care demand outpaces supply, this offers families an important additional quality option for the summer months.
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.
Remembrance: A community pays tribute to Jack Segal
Record-Eagle, Feb. 7
(more…)
To find these selections and many other new titles, see the NMC library catalog.
Submissions are open for the Spring 2026 issue of NMC Magazine which focuses on the evolution of an idea, highlighting the creative process and celebrating not just finished work, but the sketches, prototypes, mishaps and breakthroughs that shaped them. NMC students, employees and alumni can enter their submissions thru Saturday, February 21.
Visit nmc.edu/nmcmagazine for more information. Please complete a submission form for each entry.
In partnership with the NMC Foundation, an NMC Student Managed Investment Fund has been created to permit students to invest a portion of Foundation assets through their own efforts. This has been done to promote good financial stewardship and learning opportunities among the student population. The goals of the group are as follows:
If you know a student who might be interested in joining this group, please have them contact Steve Rice at srice@nmc.edu for more information.
The following employees are celebrating an anniversary soon. Please join us in congratulating them!
Kudos to Shannah Vergote! Shannah expertly represented NMC Extended Education & Training in a live interview on Good Day Northern Michigan on Wednesday, January 28. Watch the interview here. Thank you, Shannah, for stepping in to showcase all of the fun summer learning that awaits our youngest Hawk Owls this year!
Kudos to the Facilities Grounds Team! For all of the hard work they do to maintain our roads and sidewalks.
Kudos to Anna Bachman and Lisa Boike! Lisa Boike and Anna Bachman finalized a report that they have been working on for Human Resources for some time. Thank you!
Kudos to Kristy Jackson! College for Kids registration for the 2026 season opened yesterday, February 2. Kristy Jackson, Program Manager with Extended Education & Training, has put together over 90 classes from “Bucket Drumming With the Archipelago Project,” to “Taylor Swift Bracelet Making Party,” to “Power Up! Hydraulics & Circuits,” to so much more! Kristy has collaborated with over 35 instructors—NMC staff, faculty and community members, including area K-12 teachers. Kristy worked with each instructor to extend the learning day to 3 hours per class for Grades 1-6 (camps run from 9-noon or 1-4 p.m.) Thank you, Kristy, for providing such high-interest, enriching summer camps here at NMC for our community’s youth.
Kudos to Krista McCarty! Krista McCarty, Marketing Coordinator under the Sixty by 30 initiative, developed and is now implementing the Work & Career Marketing Plan. She has put into motion several key strategies to reach the adult learner and industry partners. Information about the NoMI Attainment Collaborative, as well as entry points for students and industry partners seeking training opportunities, can now be found on a new website: www.NOMIAC.com. In addition to the website, regular E-newsletters are now reaching adult learners in our region. These promotional emails highlight learning pathways that build upon a person’s previous experience (when applicable), offer an affordable “next step” to upskilling, and lead to higher-paying, living-wage jobs in our region. LinkedIn and social media campaigns will continue to gain momentum and bring potential students to the next step in their learning and career pathways. The goals of the initiative are to promote the following: Pathways for high-wage fields, identify employers for upskilling opportunities, industry-informed educational programming and funnel students into the best fit for them: NMC, Extended Ed & Training or other education partners in the 10-county region. Thank you, Krista, for your dedication to this life-changing Sixty by 30 initiative!
Kudos to Heather VanStratt! Last month, Heather VanStratt, Grant Manager & Community Coordinator through the Sixty by 30 initiative, hosted a quarterly NoMI Attainment Collaborative (NOMIAC) meeting at the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center. Thirty-six new and existing partners from the educational, community, and industry sectors engaged with recent metrics, event updates and unveiled prioritized strategic career pathways. Partners include Keen, War Bird, West Shore Community College, North Central Michigan College and more. Strategic Pathways include: Manufacturing; Business/Information Services, Healthcare; Energy, Transportation & Construction. Agriculture & Natural Resources and Education & Public Service. The collaborative is optimistic about current and future collaborations and events such as the Industry Navigator Lunch and Learn on Feb. 27 and participation in the Career & Majors Fair on April 10. The next NOMIAC in-person meeting is scheduled for April 23 at Baker College of Cadillac. Thank you, Heather, for your leadership and organization of the NoMI Attainment Collaborative and its initiatives!
Kudos to Emma Dyer, Chase Childers and Noah Thomas! I would like to express my gratitude for Emma Dyer, Chase Childers and Noah Thomas, all Flight Instructors for NMC, for their help with hosting the Cherry Festival’s Junior Royalty group! This event was to expose the children participating in Junior Royalty to aviation. Emma and Chase did a fantastic job demonstrating to these children how an airplane flies when each one had an opportunity to fly one of our flight simulators. Noah was demonstrating to these children how to preflight an airplane and showing them what all of the buttons and switches do in the cockpit. I wouldn’t have been able to host this group without the help of these three Flight Instructors so Kudos to you each!
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!
Don’t forget—the Campus Bookstore has a different sale every Thursday! Stop by to get great deals!