Library Book Recommendations – September, 2021

Sep 7, 2021 | Intercom, Student News

To find these selections and many other new titles, see the NMC library catalog.

Non-Fiction

The King of Confidence: A Tale of Utopian Dreamers, Frontier Schemers, True Believers, False Prophets, and the Murder of an American Monarch by Miles Harvey
In 1843, James Strang, a charismatic lawyer and avowed atheist, vanished from a rural town in New York. Months later he reappeared on the Midwestern frontier and converted to a burgeoning religious movement known as Mormonism. Strang persuaded hundreds of converts to follow him to an island in Lake Michigan, where he declared himself a divine king. The King of Confidence tells this fascinating but largely forgotten story of the charlatan’s turbulent twelve years in power.

The Cougar Conundrum: Sharing the World with a Successful Predator by Mark Elbroch
Mountain lions, once on the edge of extinction, have made a remarkable comeback. But this has led to an unexpected modern conundrum: Do more mountain lions mean they’re a threat to humans and domestic animals? Or do they need our help to survive? Mountain lion biologist and expert Mark Elbroch dismisses old myths, arguing that ecosystems depend on keystone predators to keep them in healthy balance. Humans and mountain lions can coexist, he explains, if we arm ourselves with knowledge and common sense.

George Washington’s Final Battle: The Epic Struggle to Build a Capital City and a Nation by Robert P. Watson
At the end of America’s Revolutionary War, the new nation’s government was weak and almost fatally divided by bitter disputes. Inherent in the divides was disagreement about where to place the nation’s seat of government. It is little remembered that George Washington took the lead on settling this question that moved the capital from New York, to Philadelphia, and finally to the city that bears his name. He oversaw surveying, negotiated land deals, raised funds, selected the architect, chose the plan, and changed the designs. He died less than a year before President Adams moved into the White House in 1800.

Somebody’s Daughter: a Memoir by Ashley C. Ford
For as long as she could remember, Ashley has put her father on a pedestal. Despite having only vague memories of seeing him face-to-face, she believes he’s the only person in the entire world who understands her. There are just a few problems: he’s in prison, and she doesn’t know what he did to end up there. Somebody’s Daughter steps into the world of growing up a poor Black girl. As Ashley battles her body and her environment, she provides a poignant coming-of-age recollection that speaks to finding the threads between who you are and what you were born into, and the complicated familial love that often binds them

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
The remarkable, little-known story of Belle da Costa Greene, J.P. Morgan’s personal librarian-who became one of the most powerful women in New York despite the dangerous secret she kept in order to make her dreams come true.The Personal Librarian tells the story of an extraordinary woman, famous for her intellect, style, and wit, and shares the lengths she must go-for the protection of her family and her legacy-to preserve her carefully crafted white identity in the racist world in which she lives

Fiction

Hour of the Witch: a novel by Chris Bohjalian
Boston, 1662. Mary Deerfield is twenty-four-years-old and the second wife of Thomas Deerfield, a man as cruel as he is powerful. When Thomas, prone to drunken rage, drives a three-tined fork into the back of Mary’s hand, she resolves that she must divorce him to save her life. But in a world where every neighbor is watching for signs of the devil, a woman like Mary soon becomes the object of suspicion and rumor. When tainted objects are discovered buried in Mary’s garden, when a boy she has treated with herbs and simples dies, and when their servant girl runs screaming in fright from her home, Mary must fight to not only escape her marriage, but also the gallows.

Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann
The Briscoe family is once again the talk of their small town when March returns to East Texas two years after he was caught having an affair with his brother’s wife. Within days of March’s arrival, someone is dead, marriages are upended, and even the strongest of allies are divided. The Briscoes must reckon with their choices, their capacity for forgiveness, and the confines of family. Olympus, TX combines the archetypes of Greek and Roman mythology with the psychological complexity of a messy family.

Fifteen Hundred Miles From the Sun: a Novel by Jonny Garza Villa
Jules Luna has a plan for his life: Graduate. Get into UCLA. And move away from Corpus Christi, Texas, and the suffocating expectations of others that have forced Jules into an inauthentic life. Then in one reckless moment, with one impulsive tweet, his plans for a low-key nine months are thrown out of the closet. The downside: the whole world knows. The upside: Jules now has the opportunity to be his real self. Jules accidentally propelled himself into the life he’s always dreamed of. And now that he’s in control of it, what he does next is up to him.

Don’t Hate the Player by Alexis Nedd
Emilia Romero is living a double life. By day, she’s a field hockey star with a flawless report card. But by night, she’s kicking virtual ass as the only female member of a highly competitive eSports team. Emilia has mastered the art of keeping her two worlds thriving, which hinges on them staying completely separate. When a major eSports tournament comes to her city, Emilia is determined to prove herself to her team and the male-dominated gaming community. Debut author Alexis Nedd has crafted a YA combo-punch of charming romance and virtual adventure that will win the hearts of gamers and non-gamers alike.

The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny
Louise Penny delivers with a perplexing murder mystery set in Three Pines that is also a nuanced look at conviction, delusion, and the tipping point between the two. It’s almost New Year’s in Québec when a request is made of Chief Inspector Gamache to provide security at a public event that brings a divisive figure into the orbit of Three Pines. Professor Abigail Robinson’s notoriety rests on weaponizing pandemic data in a bid to convince the public that it will become necessary to conserve resources by prioritizing some lives over others. Thoughtful, philosophical and suspenseful, The Madness of Crowds proves Penny just gets better with each novel.

Summaries adapted from publishers.

Strategic Planning update, 9/7/21

Sep 7, 2021 | Intercom, Student News

Dear NMC Community — Thank you for your continued active and engaged participation in our ongoing strategic planning process!

Since our last update, we have finished the scanning, or research phase of the process and moved into the active planning phase. This has been no small feat! Throughout July and early August, nine Scan Teams conducted research into the nine key topics to develop recommendations for the Steering Committee and Work Team.

All faculty and staff also had an opportunity to take part in an Employee Values Workshop during Opening Conference on August 23, as well as to respond to a values survey. The Steering Committee and Work Team held its first strategy workshop (Scan to Plan) the next day. Nearly two dozen potential strategies were drafted. As the fall semester gets underway, our intensive focus on NMC’s future continues. Milestones between now and Thanksgiving include the following:

• September 15: A second strategy workshop for the Steering Committee and Work Team, where strategies will be further discussed and prioritized.
• September 28-October 3: Employees complete a survey on the draft mission, vision, values and strategies.
• October 4-7: Feedback sessions (employees, students and community)
• October 25: Board of Trustees reviews strategies approved by the Strategic Planning Steering Committee.
• October and November: Two objectives workshops followed by two action planning workshops. These will specify how the approved strategies will be carried out.
• November 22: Board reviews the final mission/vision/values statements and objectives.

We will continue to provide regular updates on the strategic planning process as we work toward final plan approval by the Board of Trustees in December 2021. You can get updates any time at nmc.edu/strategic-planning and email any questions to strategic-planning@nmc.edu.

Release date: SEPTEMBER 7, 2021

For more information:

Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019

Strategic Planning update, 9/7/21

Sep 7, 2021 | Intercom, Student News

Dear NMC Community — Thank you for your continued active and engaged participation in our ongoing strategic planning process!

Since our last update, we have finished the scanning, or research phase of the process and moved into the active planning phase. This has been no small feat! Throughout July and early August, nine Scan Teams conducted research into the nine key topics to develop recommendations for the Steering Committee and Work Team.

All faculty and staff also had an opportunity to take part in an Employee Values Workshop during Opening Conference on August 23, as well as to respond to a values survey. The Steering Committee and Work Team held its first strategy workshop (Scan to Plan) the next day. Nearly two dozen potential strategies were drafted. As the fall semester gets underway, our intensive focus on NMC’s future continues. Milestones between now and Thanksgiving include the following:

• September 15: A second strategy workshop for the Steering Committee and Work Team, where strategies will be further discussed and prioritized.
• September 28-October 3: Employees complete a survey on the draft mission, vision, values and strategies.
• October 4-7: Feedback sessions (employees, students and community)
• October 25: Board of Trustees reviews strategies approved by the Strategic Planning Steering Committee.
• October and November: Two objectives workshops followed by two action planning workshops. These will specify how the approved strategies will be carried out.
• November 22: Board reviews the final mission/vision/values statements and objectives.

We will continue to provide regular updates on the strategic planning process as we work toward final plan approval by the Board of Trustees in December 2021. You can get updates any time at nmc.edu/strategic-planning and email any questions to strategic-planning@nmc.edu.

Release date: SEPTEMBER 7, 2021

For more information:

Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019

Success Story: Leadership realignment creates new executive role

Sep 1, 2021 | Intercom, Student News

September 1, 2021

Northwestern Michigan College is seeking its first-ever vice president of strategic initiatives, a newly-created executive role that will lead strategic planning implementation and innovation management at the college.

Specifically, the new vice president will be accountable for leading the college through implementation of the strategic plan that is now being drafted; leading NMC’s innovation management process, including revenue-generating ventures; and serving as a point person for business partnership and local employers.

“We’re at a unique point in our college’s history,” President Nick Nissley said in a recruiting video. “The pandemic has accelerated the transformation of higher education, allowing us to challenge our previous assumptions.”

The new vice president, Nissley continued, will be charged to “develop new ways to springboard into the future to meet the evolving needs of our diverse stakeholders.”

The position was created by realigning executive leadership responsibilities, and does not add an additional administrator. The vice president will oversee several existing departments including the NMC Marine Center, Extended Educational Services and the International Affairs Forum.

Each of these divisions serves a broader group of learners than traditional, post-high school, degree-seeking students. Demographically, that pool of students is declining in Michigan and nationwide, so the college aims to grow enrollment by reaching new populations, particularly adult learners who need credentials for advancement and professional development.

Massachusetts-based recruiting firm Spelman Johnson was retained to facilitate the nationwide search. Given the broad responsibilities, the position has drawn keen interest from dozens of applicants from around the country. NMC will begin reviewing applications this week and the position will remain open until filled.

“The ability to build strong relationships and to deliver results is at the heart of this role,” Nissley said. “I believe an entrepreneurial spirit will inspire and excite our internal and external partners as we work toward shared success.”

Success Story: Leadership realignment creates new executive role

Sep 1, 2021 | Intercom, Student News

September 1, 2021

Northwestern Michigan College is seeking its first-ever vice president of strategic initiatives, a newly-created executive role that will lead strategic planning implementation and innovation management at the college.

Specifically, the new vice president will be accountable for leading the college through implementation of the strategic plan that is now being drafted; leading NMC’s innovation management process, including revenue-generating ventures; and serving as a point person for business partnership and local employers.

“We’re at a unique point in our college’s history,” President Nick Nissley said in a recruiting video. “The pandemic has accelerated the transformation of higher education, allowing us to challenge our previous assumptions.”

The new vice president, Nissley continued, will be charged to “develop new ways to springboard into the future to meet the evolving needs of our diverse stakeholders.”

The position was created by realigning executive leadership responsibilities, and does not add an additional administrator. The vice president will oversee several existing departments including the NMC Marine Center, Extended Educational Services and the International Affairs Forum.

Each of these divisions serves a broader group of learners than traditional, post-high school, degree-seeking students. Demographically, that pool of students is declining in Michigan and nationwide, so the college aims to grow enrollment by reaching new populations, particularly adult learners who need credentials for advancement and professional development.

Massachusetts-based recruiting firm Spelman Johnson was retained to facilitate the nationwide search. Given the broad responsibilities, the position has drawn keen interest from dozens of applicants from around the country. NMC will begin reviewing applications this week and the position will remain open until filled.

“The ability to build strong relationships and to deliver results is at the heart of this role,” Nissley said. “I believe an entrepreneurial spirit will inspire and excite our internal and external partners as we work toward shared success.”