Jan 14, 2021 | Intercom, Student Events
Monday, Jan. 25, 5 p.m. ET via Zoom
IAF hosts a special evening to honor the late Vice Admiral John Currier, career aviator and former IAF board member.
VADM Currier was the recipient of the Harmon International Trophy for aviation, which resides in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. He shares this accolade with the likes of Charles Lindbergh, Chuck Yeager, and “Buzz” Aldrin.
U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City Commander Charles “Chuck” Webb will provide remarks. A first-person interview with VADM Currier describing his most daring and commendable rescue mission will also be aired.
Join us for this virtual event via Zoom. All proceeds go to the Vice Admiral John P. Currier Aviation Scholarship at Northwestern Michigan College.
Free to students and educators.
Jan 13, 2021 | Intercom, Student News
Good afternoon NMC students,
Welcome to the start of the Spring 2020 semester! President Nick Nissley has a special message for you as we begin the new semester and a new year together. While this is an unusual time, we are still so excited and proud to have you as members of our NMC community. We look forward to helping you keep reaching your goals.
Find more information on nmc.edu, including a registration checklist, updates on how the college is working to limit the disruption to learning during the pandemic and resources to help you including virtual and online tools. You can also find important information on how we can all continue working together to keep safe on campus at nmc.edu/keep-safe.
If you have any questions, please let us know and our student services experts will work to get back with you in less than 24 hours.
Welcome again to the spring semester and we look forward to seeing you soon, whether virtually or in person!
Jan 12, 2021 | Intercom
NMC students both past and present, along with faculty, staff and alumni, are achieving success in the classroom and their chosen fields. This section showcases just a few of those successes. Sign up for NMC Now below to get these stories (plus upcoming campus events and media mentions) delivered to your inbox every other week during the fall and spring semesters. You can unsubscribe at any time. (Check out past issues here and below.)
Jan 12, 2021 | Intercom, Student News
January 6, 2021
An NMC nursing alumna is among the northern Michigan healthcare leaders guiding the region’s response to COVID-19 as the pandemic enters the hopeful stage of vaccination.
Last August, Tami Putney, a 2002 graduate of NMC’s associate degree in nursing program, became Chief Nursing Officer and vice president of patient care services at Munson Medical Center. She also serves as chief of operations for the hospital’s Incident Command team responding to COVID-19. Working through a pandemic has been a life-changing, humbling experience, she said.
“What I’ve seen is this (Munson) team come together like you can’t even imagine,” she said. The Traverse City hospital, the largest in northern Michigan, has had to adjust its model of care and become flexible and nimble in order to fulfill its duty to the community amid a pandemic.
“It’s so important for us to get it right. It’s so important for us to help each other,” Putney said. It was at NMC where lessons like respect for others, self-discipline and the value of diversity were instilled.
“Their expectations were very high. They do a great job of helping students realize their potential,” Putney said of NMC’s nursing instructors.
In addition, NMC taught a holistic approach to health care that includes patient families. That’s been important during COVID, which has changed normal visiting procedures.
“The family structure is stressed,” Putney said. “(We are) nursing patients back to health, but never forgetting about the families along the way.”
The circle of care then widens from families to the broader community, who may still need surgery or cancer treatment or labor and delivery services.
“We still want to serve the community,” Putney said. “We want to continue all normal operations, but we have this whole other unexpected population we have to care for.”
That has led to the creation of multidisciplinary teams and staff working in areas outside their usual assignments, like obstetric nurses serving as PPE buddies, ensuring that personal protective equipment is donned and discarded correctly.
After NMC Putney earned both a BSN and an MSN from Ferris State University in 2013 and 2016, respectively, and then her nurse executive certification in 2018. She worked as a bedside nurse for several years before transferring to clinical informatics at Munson from 2011 to 2014.
“That’s bridging the gap between the technology world and bedside care delivery,” she said, including transitioning the hospital from paper to electronic health records. “That was kind of groundbreaking work for the time.”
At Munson Putney said the vaccine rollout has been smooth. As of Tuesday, 5,371 staff, physicians and contract workers had received their first shot of the two-shot series. That’s 50 percent of those eligible at Munson in the tier that the state of Michigan has designated as first priority: health care workers and long-term care facility residents.
Putney has received the first shot herself, but only did so after she made sure all the bedside nurses and staff had an opportunity to schedule theirs.
“We can’t run the hospital and serve the community without those folks at the hospital,” she said.
When it comes time for the general public to be vaccinated, Putney said Munson expects to announce partnerships with area pharmacies to distribute the vaccine. Munson, NMC and the Grand Traverse County Health Department are all part of Grand Traverse County’s Joint Operations Center coordinating a community-wide response.
Current NMC nursing students may also join the COVID front lines to help with vaccination. Nursing Director Amy Jones said the department is working with the Grand Traverse County Health Department to allow students to participate in administration of the vaccine.
“It will be a benefit for both the community and our students,” Jones said.
Jan 11, 2021 | Hawk Owl Helpers and Heroes, Intercom
Thank you to the Aero Park Professional Testing Center, which provided professional testing to more than 66 individuals during a very short December testing window due to COVID-19 orders. Alana Peters, Testing Center lead, optimized the offerings of all six test houses while complying with the state requirements for limited occupancy.
She prioritized testing while still providing much-needed assessments and credentials to numerous individuals including FAA exams to future pilots (manned and unmanned aircrafts), IT and computer related industry certifications, auto mechanics seeking recertification and adult learners seeking their GED.
Who’s been a Hawk Owl Helper or Hero for you? Let us know at publicrelations@nmc.edu!
Jan 11, 2021 | 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.
New year’s wellness makes the jump, leap and squat online
Record-Eagle, Jan. 10 (more…)
Jan 11, 2021 | Announcements & News, Intercom, Student News
The Traverse City Parking Patrol will begin issuing citations for parking violations at NMC on Monday, January 18. All NMC students and employees must have their 2020-2021 permits displayed by that date. If you haven’t received your permit, they’re available at the Campus Safety & Security office in the West Hall Innovation Center (#9 on the Main Campus Map).
The Traverse City Police Department has provided the following information on how to avoid parking tickets on campus by properly displaying your parking permit:
- Place your permit in the bottom left-hand corner of your windshield.
- Place your permit right side up. An upside-down permit will be considered invalid.
- Hang tags must be on the rear view mirror.
- Be sure that the expiration date on your permit can be seen from the outside of your vehicle. (Some vehicles have a tint on the edges of their windshield, so be sure your permit is not behind a tint, as it will make it difficult to see from the outside.) When it doubt, get out of your vehicle and be sure you can see the entire permit from the outside.
If you do get a ticket, payment can be made at the red drop-off payment box at the east end of the Cedar lot in front of the Health & Science Building on main campus. You can also mail the fine in to the city, or pay at the parking services office in the public parking garage at 303 E. State St. Payment information is also on each ticket.
If you have any questions about parking enforcement on campus, please call Campus Safety & Security at (231) 995-1111.
Jan 8, 2021 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College is pleased to announce its Dean’s List for the Fall 2020 semester.
Published at the end of each semester, the Dean’s List recognizes outstanding academic achievement based upon a student’s semester grade point average. To be eligible, students must have a grade point average of 3.5 or above out of a possible 4.0 while taking five or more credits in a semester.
RELEASE DATE: January 8, 2020
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Diana Fairbanks
Executive Director, NMC Public Relations, Marketing & Communications
(231) 995-1019
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
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
Jan 8, 2021 | Intercom, Student Events
MONDAY, JAN. 18, 7–9 P.M. VIA ZOOM
In honor of MLK day, join the Student Life office for a showing of “John Lewis: Good Trouble” — an intimate account of legendary U.S. Representative John Lewis’s life, from his teenage years on the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement, to becoming a legislative powerhouse.
Local musician Seth Bernard will be joining us in the beginning with a new song to kick off the evening.
Jan 7, 2021 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College today announced that it has canceled the spring opening of Lobdell’s: A Teaching Restaurant due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Great Lakes Culinary Institute Executive Director Les Eckert said the cancellation is due to current statewide restaurant restrictions and ongoing concerns for the safety of students, faculty, staff and guests as cases in northwest Michigan continue to climb.
“We are saddened to lose this semester at Lobdell’s, but know that this is the right decision, consistent with NMC’s overarching goal of keeping students and employees safe,” Eckert said. “I am so proud of the way the college community has found new ways to meet the needs of our learners during the pandemic. We remain dedicated to their success, even if we need to make adjustments along the way to keep everyone safe.”
By order of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, restaurants in the state have been closed for indoor service since Nov. 18, 2020. That closure has been extended twice, on Dec. 7 and again on Dec. 18. The uncertainty of future extensions and the fact that Lobdell’s operates as a class made it impractical to open.
Located on NMC’s Great Lakes Campus just east of downtown Traverse City, Lobdell’s offers culinary students a comprehensive, hands-on experience in running a restaurant, from menu planning to preparation to service. It typically offers lunch service three days per week in the fall and spring semesters. In the summer it functions as a bakery cafe, serving coffee and pastries three mornings per week.
“As of now, we look forward to being fully operational for Cafe Lobdell’s in the summer and Lobdell’s lunches in the fall,” Eckert said. “We can’t wait to bring our student chefs and community together again over a shared love of great food!”
Release date: January 7, 2021
For more information:
Diana Fairbanks
Executive Director, NMC Public Relations, Marketing & Communications
(231) 995-1019
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
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
Jan 7, 2021 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College today announced that it has canceled the spring opening of Lobdell’s: A Teaching Restaurant due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Great Lakes Culinary Institute Executive Director Les Eckert said the cancellation is due to current statewide restaurant restrictions and ongoing concerns for the safety of students, faculty, staff and guests as cases in northwest Michigan continue to climb.
“We are saddened to lose this semester at Lobdell’s, but know that this is the right decision, consistent with NMC’s overarching goal of keeping students and employees safe,” Eckert said. “I am so proud of the way the college community has found new ways to meet the needs of our learners during the pandemic. We remain dedicated to their success, even if we need to make adjustments along the way to keep everyone safe.”
By order of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, restaurants in the state have been closed for indoor service since Nov. 18, 2020. That closure has been extended twice, on Dec. 7 and again on Dec. 18. The uncertainty of future extensions and the fact that Lobdell’s operates as a class made it impractical to open.
Located on NMC’s Great Lakes Campus just east of downtown Traverse City, Lobdell’s offers culinary students a comprehensive, hands-on experience in running a restaurant, from menu planning to preparation to service. It typically offers lunch service three days per week in the fall and spring semesters. In the summer it functions as a bakery cafe, serving coffee and pastries three mornings per week.
“As of now, we look forward to being fully operational for Cafe Lobdell’s in the summer and Lobdell’s lunches in the fall,” Eckert said. “We can’t wait to bring our student chefs and community together again over a shared love of great food!”
Release date: January 7, 2021
For more information:
Diana Fairbanks
Executive Director, NMC Public Relations, Marketing & Communications
(231) 995-1019
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
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
Jan 6, 2021 | Intercom
Good afternoon NMC community,
Thank you to the more than 250 employees who joined our virtual January conference earlier this week! Below is some additional information to help make your spring semester even more successful.
Classes begin as planned January 11. Courses will be delivered as scheduled. Student Services such as advising, financial aid, registration and more are available virtually. Buildings will be open one hour prior to classes starting and one hour after they are finished. West Hall will be open 6 a.m.-10 p.m. and by calling the phone number on the door outside of those hours.
COVID-19
Covid Safety Protocols:
Thank you for your work to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the fall semester, there were relatively few cases on campus and only minimal exposure. With your continued commitment to safety, we hope to see similar success this semester. If you gathered in groups over the holidays, please self-monitor for symptoms. Everyone coming to campus should also continue to use this screening checklist before coming on to campus. NMC remains in stage 2 of its re-opening plan. We continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our community. We hope not to need to return to online-only courses this spring, but if we do, we remain committed to working to limit the disruption to learning as much as possible.
Covid Communication:
As COVID-19 cases have surged in our area in the last few months, the Grand Traverse County Health Department has had to change its approach to contact tracing. As a result, we will also change how we report possible exposures to you. Last semester, we confirmed every positive COVID-19 on campus with the health department. Now, to make sure we are getting information to you as quickly as possible, we will report presumed positive cases so those who might be impacted can take action as quickly as possible to stay safe and limit further spread. This information will continue to be updated on NMC’s COVID-19 dashboard.
New this semester, please use the Campus Clear smartphone app to report your symptoms to Human Resources every time before you come to campus. As you know, the state added this reporting requirement in November. The app is simple to use and we have had good participation. If you cannot use the smartphone app, you can also access it on your desktop computer at www.campusclear.com. You can also continue to email your supervisor that you have passed all screening questions before you come to campus. Thank you for your help with this state requirement.
The college is working with the local health department to coordinate vaccine distribution when it is available and permitted. We will continue to communicate with you as more details become available.
Spring Break
Last fall, NMC communicated the decision to cancel Spring Break in 2021 to limit the spread of COVID-19 and its potential disruption to learning at NMC. As a result, classes will end a week early with the last day scheduled for April 26.
Commencement
The Commencement committee is also hard at work looking for new ways to hold this ceremony safely in spring 2021. We will communicate with you as soon as a decision is made so you can plan for this important event with your families.
New Dining Service
NMC’s Hagerty Center team will now also be running the Hawk Owl Cafe and all dining services at the college.
Some of the highlights of the change include:
-
Daily themed menu specials: Mediterranean Monday, Taco Tuesday, Italian Wednesday, World Fusion Thursday and Backyard BBQ Friday.
-
A focus on student engagement to enhance the overall dining experience. Staff will seek menu and promotional input from student groups as well as address any concerns.
-
Re-hiring 5-8 Hagerty Center employees who were furloughed in the spring due to pandemic shutdowns.
-
Consolidate all campus food service under one kitchen, creating efficiencies in everything from purchasing to staffing
In November, NMC ended its contract with Sodexo in order to make food service on campus more cost-effective and enable the college to rehire employees.
Parking
Parking Enforcement will begin January 18. Permits are available in the following locations on main campus:
- West Hall
- main entrance by the security desk
- Tanis Building
- main atrium entrance
- outside the Enrollment Services Office
- Osterlin Building
- Student Success Center desk
Thank you for being an important part of our NMC community. We wish you a safe and successful spring semester!
Jan 6, 2021 | Intercom, Student News
January 6, 2021
An NMC nursing alumna is among the northern Michigan healthcare leaders guiding the region’s response to COVID-19 as the pandemic enters the hopeful stage of vaccination.
Last August, Tami Putney, a 2002 graduate of NMC’s associate degree in nursing program, became Chief Nursing Officer and vice president of patient care services at Munson Medical Center. She also serves as chief of operations for the hospital’s Incident Command team responding to COVID-19. Working through a pandemic has been a life-changing, humbling experience, she said.
“What I’ve seen is this (Munson) team come together like you can’t even imagine,” she said. The Traverse City hospital, the largest in northern Michigan, has had to adjust its model of care and become flexible and nimble in order to fulfill its duty to the community amid a pandemic.
“It’s so important for us to get it right. It’s so important for us to help each other,” Putney said. It was at NMC where lessons like respect for others, self-discipline and the value of diversity were instilled.
“Their expectations were very high. They do a great job of helping students realize their potential,” Putney said of NMC’s nursing instructors.
In addition, NMC taught a holistic approach to health care that includes patient families. That’s been important during COVID, which has changed normal visiting procedures.
“The family structure is stressed,” Putney said. “(We are) nursing patients back to health, but never forgetting about the families along the way.”
The circle of care then widens from families to the broader community, who may still need surgery or cancer treatment or labor and delivery services.
“We still want to serve the community,” Putney said. “We want to continue all normal operations, but we have this whole other unexpected population we have to care for.”
That has led to the creation of multidisciplinary teams and staff working in areas outside their usual assignments, like obstetric nurses serving as PPE buddies, ensuring that personal protective equipment is donned and discarded correctly.
After NMC Putney earned both a BSN and an MSN from Ferris State University in 2013 and 2016, respectively, and then her nurse executive certification in 2018. She worked as a bedside nurse for several years before transferring to clinical informatics at Munson from 2011 to 2014.
“That’s bridging the gap between the technology world and bedside care delivery,” she said, including transitioning the hospital from paper to electronic health records. “That was kind of groundbreaking work for the time.”
At Munson Putney said the vaccine rollout has been smooth. As of Tuesday, 5,371 staff, physicians and contract workers had received their first shot of the two-shot series. That’s 50 percent of those eligible at Munson in the tier that the state of Michigan has designated as first priority: health care workers and long-term care facility residents.
Putney has received the first shot herself, but only did so after she made sure all the bedside nurses and staff had an opportunity to schedule theirs.
“We can’t run the hospital and serve the community without those folks at the hospital,” she said.
When it comes time for the general public to be vaccinated, Putney said Munson expects to announce partnerships with area pharmacies to distribute the vaccine. Munson, NMC and the Grand Traverse County Health Department are all part of Grand Traverse County’s Joint Operations Center coordinating a community-wide response.
Current NMC nursing students may also join the COVID front lines to help with vaccination. Nursing Director Amy Jones said the department is working with the Grand Traverse County Health Department to allow students to participate in administration of the vaccine.
“It will be a benefit for both the community and our students,” Jones said.
Jan 4, 2021 | Hawk Owl Helpers and Heroes, Intercom
Thank you to the more than 250 NMC employees who logged in to Monday morning’s Virtual NMC January Conference for two hours of information and inspiration, as we join together again to help our students succeed this Spring.
Attendees were introduced (virtually) to 16 new employees and heard enrollment, budget, strategic priority and planning updates, among others, and had a chance to share their department’s own recent successes during an open mic session. View a recording of the conference here.
Here’s wishing everyone a great Spring semester!
Who’s been a Hawk Owl Helper or Hero for you? Let us know at publicrelations@nmc.edu!
Jan 4, 2021 | 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.
What To Watch In Traverse City In 2021: NMC Student Surge
The Ticker, Jan. 3 (more…)
Dec 22, 2020 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — We look forward to starting the spring semester with you Monday, Jan. 11, 2021 as scheduled. Recently Governor Whitmer announced some changes to the start date for universities, but that does not apply to community colleges, like NMC. Your courses will be delivered as planned.
New this year, the college will be closed for the holiday break from December 24, 2020–January 3, 2021. During that time, there are many virtual tools available to help you prepare for the upcoming semester like this registration checklist.
Also, as you plan your semester, remember Spring Break has been canceled this year, but classes end a week early with April 26 the last day. We are also working on commencement planning and will keep you updated as this progresses.
We hope you have a safe and restful holiday break. We look forward to having you as part of our NMC community in 2021!
Release date: December 22, 2020
For more information:
Diana Fairbanks
Executive Director, NMC Public Relations, Marketing & Communications
(231) 995-1019
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
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
Dec 22, 2020 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — We look forward to starting the spring semester with you Monday, Jan. 11, 2021 as scheduled. Recently Governor Whitmer announced some changes to the start date for universities, but that does not apply to community colleges, like NMC. Your courses will be delivered as planned.
New this year, the college will be closed for the holiday break from December 24, 2020–January 3, 2021. During that time, there are many virtual tools available to help you prepare for the upcoming semester like this registration checklist.
Also, as you plan your semester, remember Spring Break has been canceled this year, but classes end a week early with April 26 the last day. We are also working on commencement planning and will keep you updated as this progresses.
We hope you have a safe and restful holiday break. We look forward to having you as part of our NMC community in 2021!
Release date: December 22, 2020
For more information:
Diana Fairbanks
Executive Director, NMC Public Relations, Marketing & Communications
(231) 995-1019
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
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
Dec 21, 2020 | 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.
GT Pulse: GLCI grad/food truck operator moves to storefront
TV 9 & 10, Dec. 15 (more…)
