Mar 3, 2025 | Intercom, Student Events
NMC will host their annual Holi & Nowruz event from 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12 at NMC’s Front Street Campus.
11:15–11:45 a.m.: pick up lunch tickets
Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center, room 104/105
(all attendees must have a ticket to receive free Indian food in the Hawk Owl Café)
11:45 a.m. to noon
Learning lecture
Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center, room 104/105
12:15–1 p.m.
Color throwing and fun in the Cherry Lot
Open to the community. All ages are welcome. Questions? Email smontgomery@nmc.edu
This event is brought to you the the NMC’s Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, Student Life, International Student Services & Service Learning and the Multicultural Club.
Mar 3, 2025 | 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.
Adapted in TC: Thank you, Miss Esther Hart
Instructor Susan Odgers’ monthly column on living with disability, Record-Eagle, March 2
(more…)
Mar 3, 2025 | Intercom, Student Events
Versiti is holding a blood drive on the big pink bus from 1 to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9 in the Cedar Lot on NMC’s Front Street Campus. Do your part to help save lives during a vital time of need!
Make sure you eat a healthy meal and drink plenty of water before donating. Walk-ins are welcome, though scheduling an appointment is recommended.
If you have any questions or you need to cancel an appointment please email Kate Shapkaroff at kshapkaroff@versiti.org
Mar 3, 2025 | HR Corner, Intercom
Kudos to Denny Nguyen! Thank you to Denny Nguyen for his assistance with ADP and timesheets. Denny’s positivity and thoughtfulness is appreciated!
Kudos to Elizabeth Sonnabend and Ben Post! Ben Post and Elizabeth Sonnabend flexed their tech skills to connect the new LMS, Canvas, to NMC Extended Education & Training registration system, Modern Campus Lumens. This will save a great deal of time for both teams. This connection allows community members to enroll in credit classes as “cross listed” or “joint offering” classes from the academic side, bringing in over $85,000 to the academic departments annually. Thank you for going above and beyond and getting this connection solidified successfully.
Kudos to Danielle Quinlan! Danielle, Extended Education & Training’s office manager, represented NMC on Wednesday, Feb. 5, on the Good Morning Michigan show on 9&10 news. Danielle’s enthusiasm and knowledge about College for Kids shone through in her interview with the hosts of the show. Thank you for putting NMC Extended Education & Training in the best light and sharing the good news about College for Kids programming with families! Watch the 9&10 News feature here.
Kudos to Cari Noga! I began working on a project that means a lot to me and the subject matter evolves around criminal prevention and education. Throughout the course of the project, I encountered the problem of how best to distribute it to the faculty and students on campus. After I expressed this concern to Cari, she volunteered to assist me in not only distributing the project to the campus, but also revising and editing the project to become more effective and memorable. I believe the best resources of a good organization are from within and Cari affirmed this. Kindly join me in commending Cari for her actions and recognizing her skills as a subject matter expert in regards to public relations and creativity.
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!
Mar 3, 2025 | HR Corner, Intercom
These employees recently started working at the college. Let’s welcome them to the NMC community!
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- Beth Straebel, supplemental employee — EES Assistant
- Heather Hartney – Nursing Success Coach
- Mason Allard – Adjunct Clinical Nursing Instructor
- Henry Black, student employee – Tutor
- Kenny Kell, supplemental employee — Aviation Mechanic Level 1
- Hayley Davidson, supplemental employee – Food Service (back of house)
Mar 3, 2025 | HR Corner, Intercom
Back by popular demand! Don’t miss this professional development opportunity!
Join fellow NMC colleagues to enjoy lunch and learn at this live session on understanding generational differences. Katie Sommer-Ford and Bridget Munroe will lead this session as attendees explore the unique characteristics and perspectives of each generation in an effort to better understand those around us. We will not only look at the historical, social and communicative context but also discuss how this can help us work together better and better serve our students.
Friday, March 7, 2025
12:30–2 p.m.
Osterlin Building, room 0203-0205
Please RSVP by enrolling in this course in NEOED Training. To enroll, follow these instructions.
For questions, please contact lhodek@nmc.edu.
Feb 26, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
Get ready for spring with a new NMC t-shirt! All t-shirts at the bookstore are $5 off during March 3–14.
Feb 26, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
NMC will host two mobile food pantries during the month of March on Monday, March 3 and Monday, March 17. The distributions will occur from 3-5 p.m. in the Maple Lot at the Front Street campus.
This program is specifically designed to support NMC students (and their households) by supplementing their diets with fresh, healthy produce while helping to free up financial resources to cover other household expenses. Even if you’ve never come out before, check out our pantry and see how we can help support you!
All food is distributed free of charge, the only paperwork is just a sign in sheet in case of recall. There are no financial requirements or means tests. Our recent distributions have included menu items such as granola bars, pasta, oranges, grapefruit, carrots, and instant mashed potatoes. Each household should expect to receive at least 40 lbs of fresh foods and some shelf-stable products.
Walk-up and drive-thru options are both available. Come over and drive-thru or bring a backpack or reusable bag and take what you and your household can use in the next 7-10 days.
These pantries are made possible in partnership with Feeding America.
Feb 24, 2025 | 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.
From research to reality: Building a ‘blue tech’ ecosystem
Record-Eagle, Feb. 23
(more…)
Feb 24, 2025 | Intercom, Student Events
NMC Campus Life is hosting a 3-on-3 basketball tournament on Thursday, March 6 at 7 p.m. in the Rajkovich Physical Education Building (#16 on the campus map). This tournament is open to all current students and employees.
If you have any questions please reach out to CJ Schneider at cschneider@nmc.edu or Marcus Bennett at mbennett@nmc.edu.
Feb 24, 2025 | Intercom
NMC has lots of opportunities for employees to stay active. This March, the fitness center, located in North Hall, will be free for all employees to access. The fitness center is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Annual memberships to the fitness center are $40 and can be purchased through EES’ website (log in to see your employees-only fitness passes). All employees who currently hold memberships to the fitness center will receive an additional month of membership.
In addition to NMC’s fitness center, employees are welcome to come play a number of activities in the Rajkovich Physical Education Building such as basketball, soccer, volleyball, dodgeball, badminton, pickleball or ping pong on Mondays from 3-6:50 p.m. for free.
Please bring a pair of clean, non-scuff shoes to use in both spaces. For more information contact Marcus Bennett at mbennett@nmc.edu.
Feb 24, 2025 | HR Corner, Intercom
Kudos to Lynne Moritz! Kudos to Lynne Moritz for organizing the All Employee Virtual Connections! It is a wonderful way to connect with our fellow staff members and to get valuable updates.
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!
Feb 24, 2025 | HR Corner, Intercom
Hayley Davidson recently started working at the college as a supplemental in food service (back of house). Let’s welcome them to the NMC community!
Feb 21, 2025 | Intercom
The NMC Board of Trustees will hold its regular monthly meeting Monday, Feb. 24 at 5:30 p.m. in Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center, Room 106/107. More information is available here.
For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
Feb 19, 2025 | Intercom, Student News
FEBRUARY 19, 2025
At Lobdell’s Teaching Restaurant, NMC’s Great Lakes Culinary Institute has shortened the concept of farm to table to hallway to table.
The six hydroponic tower gardens that greet guests in the second floor hall on NMC’s Great Lakes campus have 1) saved money, 2) provided fresher produce, 3) improved sustainability practices, 4) offered an experiential learning opportunity and 5) benefited recruitment since they were installed in January 2024 through a donation.
The six-foot-tall towers, from which lettuce, herbs and edible flowers sprout under a purple glow, were installed as a year-round way to supply herbs and greens for use in Lobdell’s and improve sustainability practices.
“”Our instruction emphasizes the importance of minimizing food waste,” said Chef Les Eckert, GLCI director. As part of the culinary program’s recent reimagination, GLCI integrated additional principles of environmental stewardship. The Tower Gardens represent a significant focus area, reflecting current trends and challenges within the industry.
“How can we reduce our waste in general? What if we could literally start growing our more expensive items that have a short shelf life?” said Eckert.
Items like basil, used both fresh and to make popular sauces like pesto, which students make and freeze to use in the restaurant.
“We started doing the math, and came up with a rough estimate that we saved about $1,000,” on basil alone, Eckert said. At about $1,000 each, one tower — which was purchased with donated dollars – has already paid for itself.
Each tower has a 13-gallon reservoir, an automated water pump and lighting system.
“They simulate a long summer day,” Eckert said.
Students enrolled in GLCI lab courses make use of the produce cultivated in the Tower Gardens, which involves learning the correct techniques for trimming, snipping, and harvesting lettuce greens, herbs, and edible flowers. A committed team of students, the “Tower Garden Care Team” is responsible for the maintenance of the tower gardens, which includes tasks such as replenishing the water reservoirs, adjusting pH levels and lighting, as well as seeding, trimming, and harvesting the plants for use in the lab classes throughout the week.
The ultimate unexpected success of the towers lies in their ability to attract prospective students who visit GLCI.
“When the admissions team conducts their tours, it becomes a significant focal point at the entrance into the Institute,” Eckert said
Eventually, Eckert would like to have more towers to further reduce GLCI’s carbon footprint as well as to supply other campus food operations, like the Hagerty Center and Hawk Owl Cafe. For the short term, however, she just wants to get better
“This second year is taking what we learned,” she said. “What did we do right, and improving on our yields and the efficiencies the towers can bring.
“I see it as a great part of the curriculum.”
Feb 18, 2025 | Intercom
TRAVERSE CITY — NMC’s Extended Education & Training division received an international award from the Learning Resources Network (LERN) for measuring and documenting the financial contribution of Extended Education students to NMC as $2.6 million since 2020.
NMC Vice President of Advancement Dino Hernandez, left,
and Extended Education and Training Director Laura Stevens
Matchett, right. (Download a high-resolution version here.)LERN is the leading association in continuing education and workforce development. The award was one of only ten presented at LERN’s annual conference in January, attended by 1,500 professionals in lifelong learning from four countries. Working with the NMC Foundation, NMC Extended Education found that 14 percent of Extended Education students are donors to the college. Since 2020, their contributions have totaled $2.6 million.
In conducting the analysis, NMC has laid down a new benchmark for the continuing education and workforce development sector.
“The award is for innovation in the field of continuing education and serving communities,” said LERN President William A. Draves. “The NMC award is especially outstanding, since every organization can adopt this best practice.”
Laura Stevens Matchett, director of Extended Education and Training at NMC, accepted the award.
“This award gives voice and value to the hard work that continuing education units do for their college communities all over the world,” she said. “I’m proud of my team for creating high interest classes and events that meet the learning desires of NMC alumni, our community’s youth, adult learners looking to upskill in the workplace, and residents who simply wish to continue learning and engaging with the college.”
Release date: February 18, 2025
For more information:
Cari Noga
NMC Communications Director
cnoga@nmc.edu
(231) 392-1800 (Call or text)
NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY NOTICE
Northwestern Michigan College does not discriminate in admission, campus activities, education, employment, housing, public accommodation or public service on the basis of age, color, creed, disability, gender identity/expression, handicap, height, marital or familial status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, service in the military, veteran’s status, weight, or any other legally protected status under federal, state, or local law. No act of retaliation shall occur to any person making a charge, filing a complaint, testifying or participating in any discrimination investigation or proceeding. nmc.edu/non-discrimination
Feb 17, 2025 | Intercom, Student Events
Campus Life, Student Life, Residence Life and Craft Club will be hosting a craft night for employees, students and their families from 3:30–6:30 p.m. on Monday, March 3 at the open space in the Osterlin Building on NMC’s Front Street Campus (#3 on the campus map). Whether you like knitting, sand art, etc., there will something fun for everyone. The event is free and all are welcome to attend.
For more information, please contact Marcus Bennett at mbennett@nmc.edu.
Feb 17, 2025 | Intercom
Did You Hear? Campus Day is returning in 2025!
Campus Day is a community event put on by NMC Extended Education & Training that is geared toward a 50+ audience where community members experience a variety of learning opportunities. Previous sessions ranged from “Climate Change in the Great Lakes” to “Life Changing Foods” to “Never Get a Computer Virus Again.”
Campus Day will be held on Friday, May 9. Registration fee (coming soon) includes coffee and donuts, three sessions and lunch.
Here’s a sneak peek of the tentative schedule:
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- 8:30–9:30: Coffee & Connection at Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center
- 9:30–10:45: Session 1
- 11:15–12:30: Session 2
- 12:30–1:30: Lunch
- 1:30–2:45: Session 3
Add To Your Google Calendar
Sessions will be available for preview on April 2, and full details will be included in the Extended Education & Training summer catalog. Online, phone, in-person and mail-in registration options will be available beginning on April 9. The Extended Education & Training office is open to the public Monday–Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the NMC University Center.
We can’t wait to bring back this community favorite event; stay tuned for additional information!
