Congratulations to the White Pine Press and Faculty Adviser Jacob Wheeler for winning three First Place awards and seven total awards this year from the Michigan Community College Press Association, for stories published between March 1, 2020, and February 28, 2021:
First Place, Best News Story, Kathryn DePauw — “Women in Welding Forging a Path into the Future” March 6, 2020
First Place, Best In-depth Enterprise Reporting, Kathryn DePauw — “Poll Challengers Prepare for Election Day” October 23, 2020
First Place, Best Personality Profile, Emily Slater — “Nissley Pushes Through Difficult First Year” January 28, 2021
Second Place, Best Column, Randi Upton — “The Argument for Universal Basic Income”
Third Place, Best In-depth Enterprise Reporting, Micah Mabey — “Creativity Rises to the Challenge of COVID” December 11, 2020
Honorable Mention, Best News Story, Nick Moug — “The Troubling Rise of QAnon”
Honorable Mention, Best Photo Essay, Courtney Ockert — “Local Seasonal Cheer”
Make a difference in a few hours that can last decades! ReLeaf Michigan, a non-profit tree organization, in collaboration with Northwestern Michigan College, will be planting 15 trees along the Dogwood lot at Northwestern Michigan College on Friday, April 30 between 8:45 a.m. and noon to increase tree canopy, with funding from the DTE Foundation.
ReLeaf Michigan’s tree experts will be there to show volunteers how to plant a tree and oversee the event. Covid protocols will be followed. Volunteers are asked to sign up as a ‘family’ or a ‘team’ of 3 to 4 folks who have been social distancing together. Masks are required and gloves recommended. Please wear closed toe shoes and bring a shovel if you have one. Event occurs rain or shine (we’re a hearty group!). No planting experience necessary. We hope to see you there!
Check out Genius Scan! It’s an easy to use scan to Email or PDF application that is available on Android and iOS and is supported by Technology Help Desk and Student Success Center. Using the Genius Scan app on Android or iOS, you are able to take pictures, create a PDF document, and export to Gmail.
In an effort to facilitate the submission of documents to Instructors, Human Resources, and the Business Office, please recommend the use of Genius Scan. Directions on how to use it on Android and iOS Devices are linked below.
If you have any questions, please reach out to the NMC Technology Help Desk at (231) 995-3020 for assistance.
Amid abundant challenges, bright spots and silver linings are still plentiful as NMC’s first full academic year under COVID-19 restrictions draws to a close.
Recapping the challenges: For safety, about 85 percent of NMC’s classes were offered remotely in both fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters, a complete flip of the usual proportions. College and student events both pivoted to virtual, changing the feel of the campus community. Two brand-new state workforce investment programs, Futures for Frontliners and Michigan Reconnect, were built and unveiled, and COVID safety precautions kept Dennos volunteers at home.
Classes and student events
Due to their accreditation requirements, health programs like dental assisting and nursing were among the few holding face to face classes in 2020–21.
“We had a great group of students who realized there might be a few bumps in the road, but were always grateful to be face-to-face,” said Dental Assistant Program Director Deb Kaser.
There were no cases of COVID-19 among her students, thanks to social distancing and triple precautions: masks, face shields, and eye protection. Just two students had to quarantine due to household members’ illness, but they were able to keep up thanks to online instruction and proctored testing.
Director of Advising Lindsey Dickinson said that virtual options have been a silver lining for her office, too, especially for students who are parents or have transportation issues.
“It has leveled the playing field in terms of access. Sometimes, getting people to campus was the biggest barrier,” Dickinson said. “We can still build relationships with our students.”
She is especially proud of the fact that the annual Career Fair — one of the last in-person college events in March 2020— carried on in a virtual format in March 2021.
“We had 12 students who got interviews off the back of that Career Fair,” Dickinson said.
Financial aid
2021 opened with three immediate priorities: Distributing $1 million in federal emergency student aid approved in 2020; awarding aid for the state’s Futures for Frontliners program, and aid for Michigan Reconnect. Both Frontliners and Reconnect cover in-district tuition for students who worked during the initial pandemic shutdown in spring 2020 (Frontliners) or are age 25 and lack a college degree (Reconnect.)
The two programs were the first new aid in decades, said NMC Financial Aid Director Linda Berlin. In addition, Frontliners drew a much larger response than expected— more than 1,800 students, according to admissions director Cathryn Claerhout. For spring, 529 enrolled at NMC.
“We had no system set up to handle it,” Berlin said. But NMC’s Information Technology Services stepped up.
“NMC is better positioned than a lot of schools. Our IT, they rocked,” Berlin said. Using the new systems, NMC has awarded $403,000 in Frontliners scholarships with another $83,000 pending for fall.
Awards for Michigan Reconnect start this summer. Also coming up for Berlin’s team: Awarding another $2 million in emergency student aid through the federal American Rescue Plan.
After an initial shutdown, since August 2020 the museum has remained mostly open to the public, albeit with limited hours. Events like concerts and artist workshops are still virtual, however.
“We’ve gotten really good at Zoom programs,” said Executive Director Craig Hadley, noting the Dennos has virtually presented artists from as far away as Iceland.
A silver lining has been new partnerships. The Dennos recently pooled grants funds with Manistee’s Ramsdell Center for the Arts to present Windy City Blues, a virtual concert featuring two Chicago artists neither could have afforded on their own. Offered free online, it led to about 35 new subscribers to the Dennos YouTube channel.
“We definitely are reaching new audiences,” Hadley said. “It’s been an opportunity to expand our reach, and who we’ve been able to engage.”
Volunteers have begun to return to the museum, and Hadley looks forward to increasing their numbers, which will allow the museum to expand hours beyond the current Sunday–Thursday.
“That’s going to get us weekend coverage,” Hadley said.
“It was amazing. It was a sort of out of body experience,” said chapter president Amber Marsh of the countdown at the PTK conference where the No. 7 rank was revealed.
On the heels of the rank, Marsh also learned that the NMC chapter’s honors in action project, Deconstructing the Binary Complex in Racism, was selected to be published in Civic Scholar, PTK’s journal of undergraduate research, this summer. She’s thrilled that “the work that we became so passionate about” as the nation began to reckon with racial justice last summer will now reach a wider audience.
“You have a great chance to change minds,” she said.
The classes of 2020 and 2021 will both graduate in a modified, COVID-compliant walk-through commencement ceremony on May 1.
Diana and Richard Milock (download a high-resolution version here)TRAVERSE CITY — The Northwestern Michigan College Foundation today announced it has received a $3 million gift commitment from community members Diana and Richard Milock. This gift will support the college’s Audio Technology program, Great Lakes Culinary Institute and Dennos Museum Center.
This is the largest single gift from a living donor in the college’s history. Richard and Diana Milock have now given more than $5.3 million to the NMC Foundation as part of the current Be What’s Possible campaign, making them the lead donors in this effort. With this gift, the campaign has raised more than $37 million to date. The campaign will continue through June 30, 2021 to raise support for scholarships, programs, facilities, and the Fund for NMC.
“The generosity of Richard and Diana will support student success and the sustainability of a treasured cultural asset—in turn making so much possible for the entire community,” said NMC President Nick Nissley. “This multidisciplinary gift reflects the scope of NMC’s offerings—arts and culture, technical education, and emerging programs.”
This new gift will:
Establish an endowed fund to support the greatest needs of the Dennos Museum Center with $1.5 million;
Create an endowed fund to support students at NMC’s Great Lakes Culinary Institute through scholarships and the greatest needs of the program with $1 million;
Support the current needs of the Audio Technology Program and the Dennos Museum Center, including key equipment updates to the Milliken Auditorium and support for the Audio Technology Program to encourage student success with $500,000.
“It is an honor to work with Diana and Richard—two amazing and generous leaders—to achieve their philanthropic goals through the NMC Foundation,” said Rebecca Teahen, Executive Director of the NMC Foundation. “This gift speaks to their belief in NMC and the power of philanthropy to make a difference for our students and the whole community.”
The Milocks have supported both the Dennos Museum Center and NMC’s Great Lakes Culinary Institute for nearly two decades, most notably with a $2 million gift to expand the museum in 2015. Diana Milock serves on the board of the NMC Foundation and as a member of the campaign steering committee for Be What’s Possible, the Campaign for NMC. The Milocks were named NMC Fellows, the college’s highest honor, in 2014.
Northwestern Michigan College is a publicly funded community college that offers associate degrees, professional certificates, and bachelor’s degrees in more than 80 areas of academic study including the Great Lakes Culinary Institute and the Audio Technology program. For more information, visit Northwestern Michigan College at nmc.edu.
The Michael and Barbara Dennos Museum Center at Northwestern Michigan College is the region’s premier cultural center offering world class programming in the visual and performing arts. The museum offers a changing array of exhibitions in three galleries and a sculpture court; features a hands-on Discovery Gallery; and a Gallery of Inuit art, the museum’s major permanent collection. The museum’s 367-seat Milliken Auditorium offers concerts in blues, jazz, chamber and world music and hosts the productions of numerous performing arts groups in the region. For more information, visit the Dennos Museum Center at dennosmuseum.org.
Release date: APRIL 21, 2021
For more information:
Rebecca Teahen Associate Vice President for Resource Development Executive Director, NMC Foundation rteahen@nmc.edu (231) 995-1855
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
Diana and Richard Milock (download a high-resolution version here)TRAVERSE CITY — The Northwestern Michigan College Foundation today announced it has received a $3 million gift commitment from community members Diana and Richard Milock. This gift will support the college’s Audio Technology program, Great Lakes Culinary Institute and Dennos Museum Center.
This is the largest single gift from a living donor in the college’s history. Richard and Diana Milock have now given more than $5.3 million to the NMC Foundation as part of the current Be What’s Possible campaign, making them the lead donors in this effort. With this gift, the campaign has raised more than $37 million to date. The campaign will continue through June 30, 2021 to raise support for scholarships, programs, facilities, and the Fund for NMC.
“The generosity of Richard and Diana will support student success and the sustainability of a treasured cultural asset—in turn making so much possible for the entire community,” said NMC President Nick Nissley. “This multidisciplinary gift reflects the scope of NMC’s offerings—arts and culture, technical education, and emerging programs.”
This new gift will:
Establish an endowed fund to support the greatest needs of the Dennos Museum Center with $1.5 million;
Create an endowed fund to support students at NMC’s Great Lakes Culinary Institute through scholarships and the greatest needs of the program with $1 million;
Support the current needs of the Audio Technology Program and the Dennos Museum Center, including key equipment updates to the Milliken Auditorium and support for the Audio Technology Program to encourage student success with $500,000.
“It is an honor to work with Diana and Richard—two amazing and generous leaders—to achieve their philanthropic goals through the NMC Foundation,” said Rebecca Teahen, Executive Director of the NMC Foundation. “This gift speaks to their belief in NMC and the power of philanthropy to make a difference for our students and the whole community.”
The Milocks have supported both the Dennos Museum Center and NMC’s Great Lakes Culinary Institute for nearly two decades, most notably with a $2 million gift to expand the museum in 2015. Diana Milock serves on the board of the NMC Foundation and as a member of the campaign steering committee for Be What’s Possible, the Campaign for NMC. The Milocks were named NMC Fellows, the college’s highest honor, in 2014.
Northwestern Michigan College is a publicly funded community college that offers associate degrees, professional certificates, and bachelor’s degrees in more than 80 areas of academic study including the Great Lakes Culinary Institute and the Audio Technology program. For more information, visit Northwestern Michigan College at nmc.edu.
The Michael and Barbara Dennos Museum Center at Northwestern Michigan College is the region’s premier cultural center offering world class programming in the visual and performing arts. The museum offers a changing array of exhibitions in three galleries and a sculpture court; features a hands-on Discovery Gallery; and a Gallery of Inuit art, the museum’s major permanent collection. The museum’s 367-seat Milliken Auditorium offers concerts in blues, jazz, chamber and world music and hosts the productions of numerous performing arts groups in the region. For more information, visit the Dennos Museum Center at dennosmuseum.org.
Release date: APRIL 21, 2021
For more information:
Rebecca Teahen Associate Vice President for Resource Development Executive Director, NMC Foundation rteahen@nmc.edu (231) 995-1855
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
This gift is the culmination of many years of the NMC Foundation and many of you across our campuses working with the Milocks to understand how their philanthropic goals best align with college priorities. Thank you for all that you have done to build trust and confidence in NMC to make this gift possible.
This is the largest single gift from a living donor in the college’s history. Richard and Diana Milock have now given more than $5.3 million to the NMC Foundation as part of the current Be What’s Possible campaign, making them the lead donors in this effort.
With this gift, Richard and Diana join you in supporting student success as well as the sustainability of the Dennos Museum Center, a treasured cultural asset. This gift makes much possible for the entire community as it:
Commits a planned gift to create an endowed fund to support the greatest needs of the Dennos Museum Center with $1.5 million;
Commits a planned gift to create an endowed fund to support students at the Great Lakes Culinary Institute through scholarships and the greatest needs of the program with $1 million;
Supports the current needs of the Audio Technology Program and the Dennos Museum Center, including key equipment updates to the Milliken Auditorium and support for the Audio Tech program to encourage student success with $500,000.
Your dedication to student success and the arts have inspired the Milocks to support the Dennos Museum Center and NMC’s Great Lakes Culinary Institute for nearly two decades.
The relationships that you build every day at NMC not only help our students succeed, but also inspire others to trust NMC to make a difference with their philanthropic gifts.
Thank you,
Nick
—
Nick Nissley, Ed.D. | President | Northwestern Michigan College
The pandemic has changed a lot of your plans. We don’t want college to be one of them! It’s not too late to apply — to NMC or any other college you may be considering!
During the week of April 19–23, many Michigan colleges and universities will waive their application fees to remove this potential barrier to prospective students. (NMC eliminated its student registration and application fee in 2017.)
Last Wednesday NMC held their annual recognition celebration to honor this year’s retiree’s, service award recipients, and excellence award recipients. This year’s event was held virtually, with employees across the college gathering late in the afternoon.
NMC has thirteen employees who are retiring this year – seven of whom were awarded Emeritus for having over twenty years of service. These employees are greatly cherished for their contributions to NMC and will be greatly missed. We asked their colleagues to submit farewell videos for each retiree; compilations of these videos can be found on the 2021 Retirement Recognition page.
During the celebration, President Nick Nissley announced the annual Staff and Team Excellence Award winners. Each year, one employee at NMC is presented with The Staff Excellence award for exhibiting exemplary NMC values in their daily work while one department at NMC is selected for having gone above and beyond expectations to make a significant impact on the college in the past year.
This year, the Staff Excellence Award went to Lori Hodek (right), the Talent Development Coordinator at NMC. In her role, Lori focuses on what she can do for the employees at NMC, striving to make each and every one of us all better at our jobs. She maintained this focus even during the pandemic, re-imagining our October Conference and introducing Fed-Ex Day, an event that re-energized projects in every department on every campus. To quote some of the many nominations submitted on her behalf, Lori is “always willing to help bolster employee success.” She “is the oil for our squeaky joints. She helps things move smoothly so the rest of us can attend to our business.” She is self-motivated, “an organizational wizard”. On top of all that, she knows the name of every single one of her colleagues. She brings grace, warmth and friendliness to every interaction, qualities that were cited over and over again in the multiple nominations she received for this award.
Meanwhile, the Hagerty Center/Hawk Owl Cafe staff took the 2021 Team Excellence Award. Their work was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and since they were essential workers, they were among the small number of employees whose jobs require them to come to campus. Not only did they take on this challenge, they also shifted to a completely different campus. In addition to their work environment changing, the business model for this team also flipped. At the Hagerty Center, they focused on group service, whereas at their new location in the West Hall Innovation Center, it became individual service. They executed this transition seamlessly and in barely a month over the holiday period, updating the menu while making it more affordable for students, improved scheduling efficiency as well as digital signage. (Below, clockwise from left: Chad Shenkelberger, Lee Nelson, Crystal Bailey, Jo Gallegos, Lauren Marchany, Christine Arnold, Trisha Strahan, Scott Williams and Nancy Schaefer)
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.
Thank you to the organizers of the main campus cleanup happening from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. this Thursday, April 22 in recognition of Earth Day. This spring tradition dates back many years. Volunteers are welcome; check in at the Student Success table on the West Hall lawn the day of the event. Cleanup options are available all over campus, allowing room to spread out and something for everyone. NMC’s Audio Tech program will provide live music, and a book swap and on-site e-waste recycling will also be available. Read more here.
Kudos to Katie Sommer-Ford: A student injured their hand and needed assistance drawing charts for an exam being proctored in the Student Success Center. Katie stepped in and helped by holding an instrument for the student, while wearing PPE and sitting with a plexiglass shield, so they could complete their exam. Katie is always willing to step in and help wherever needed, and we’re so grateful to have her as a part of our team!
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!
NMC is excited to announce that a modified, in-person Commencement ceremony is being planned for both the Class of 2021 and the Class of 2020. It will take place Saturday, May 1, 2021, between 1-4 p.m. at Milliken Auditorium in the Dennos Museum Center on NMC’s main campus. Students were asked to RSVP for the ceremony by April 16, and were assigned walk-through times via email.
The walk-through Commencement will be held in accordance with NMC’s safety protocols, as well as state and local COVID-19 guidelines, which are subject to change. Details as we now know them are below. Current state guidelines run through April 19, 2021.
Students have been assigned a walk-through time between 1 and 4 p.m. Graduates will most likely be grouped by program area in order to be able to celebrate with classmates and faculty.
Each graduate will walk across the stage and receive congratulations from college officials.
Up to two guests may accompany each student into the Dennos Museum and Milliken Auditorium. (This number was recently updated.)
The ceremony will be streamed online for those who cannot attend in person at youtube.com/NorthwesternMichiganCollege. Following the walk-through, graduates may continue their celebration outside the museum, where additional guests may join, following social distancing guidelines. Additional photo opportunities and congratulations stations will be available under tents.
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.
Congratulations to the 13 NMC employees who are retiring as well as those who have achieved excellence and career service milestones this year, who will be honored at Wednesday’s annual Retirement & Recognition ceremony. Yes, it’s a busy time of year, and yes, another Zoom meeting probably doesn’t make your Top 10 list for the week, but as we wrap up this COVID semester, the ceremony a great way to recognize and celebrate our colleagues. Join the celebration here from 4–5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Make a difference in a few hours that can last decades! ReLeaf Michigan, a non-profit tree organization, in collaboration with Northwestern Michigan College, will be planting 15 trees along the Dogwood lot at Northwestern Michigan College on Friday, April 30 between 8:45 a.m. and noon to increase tree canopy, with funding from the DTE Foundation.
Check out Genius Scan! It’s an easy to use scan to Email or PDF application that is available on Android and iOS and is supported by Technology Help Desk and Student Success Center. Using the Genius Scan app on Android or iOS, you are able to take pictures, create a PDF document, and export to Gmail.
Due to their accreditation requirements, health programs like 
Despite a mostly virtual year, 
This year, the Staff Excellence Award went to Lori Hodek (right), the Talent Development Coordinator at NMC. In her role, Lori focuses on what she can do for the employees at NMC, striving to make each and every one of us all better at our jobs. She maintained this focus even during the pandemic, re-imagining our October Conference and introducing Fed-Ex Day, an event that re-energized projects in every department on every campus. To quote some of the many nominations submitted on her behalf, Lori is “always willing to help bolster employee success.” She “is the oil for our squeaky joints. She helps things move smoothly so the rest of us can attend to our business.” She is self-motivated, “an organizational wizard”. On top of all that, she knows the name of every single one of her colleagues. She brings grace, warmth and friendliness to every interaction, qualities that were cited over and over again in the multiple nominations she received for this award.
Thank you to the organizers of the main campus cleanup happening from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. this Thursday, April 22 in recognition of Earth Day. This spring tradition dates back many years. Volunteers are welcome; check in at the Student Success table on the West Hall lawn the day of the event. Cleanup options are available all over campus, allowing room to spread out and something for everyone. NMC’s Audio Tech program will provide live music, and a book swap and on-site e-waste recycling will also be available. 
The NMC Technology Help Desk has plenty of gadgets to borrow if you need some help wrapping up your final projects.
Violence against Asian Americans is increasing at an alarming rate. Read more here:
Experts suggest maintaining an “attitude of gratitude” increases positivity for yourself and for others. Please encourage your colleagues by