Nov 27, 2022 | Intercom
TRAVERSE CITY — NMC invites the community to attend its annual Veterans Day ceremonies virtually beginning at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, via Zoom: https://nmc.zoom.us/j/93088013765
The schedule is as follows:
9 a.m.: Opening Remarks by Student Veterans of America President, Alex Swainston and Northwestern Michigan College President, Nick Nissley, Ed.D.
9:15: Posting the colors, playing of “Taps” and three volleys by VFW Cherryland Post 2780
9:20: Coining Ceremony for VFW Veterans
9:25: Closing remarks by POC, Military & Veteran Services/Advisor, Scott Herzberg
Serving those who have served the nation is a year-round priority at NMC, where about 5 percent of students are veterans or active duty military. This year, for the third year in a row, NMC is ranked as the No. 2 community college in the country for veterans by Military Times magazine in its annual Best for Vets list.
Release date: November 5, 2020
For more information:
Scott Herzberg
POC, Military & Veteran Services
sherzberg@nmc.edu
(231) 995-2526
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
Nov 27, 2022 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — Rachel Johnson, Laura Oblinger and Ken Warner were elected to six-year terms on the Northwestern Michigan College Board of Trustees Tuesday, in an election that attracted the largest slate of candidates in 30 years.
Rachel Johnson
(click for high-resolution version)
Laura Oblinger
(click for high-resolution version)Current board vice-chair Johnson was re-elected, and first-time candidates Oblinger and Warner received the three highest vote totals from Grand Traverse County voters. Oblinger and Warner will succeed K. Ross Childs and Jane T. McNabb, who did not seek re-election. All three will be sworn in Jan. 1, 2021, for six-year terms expiring in 2026.
“We are excited to welcome these new trustees, and appreciate the interest in the college shown by all the candidates,” said NMC President Nick Nissley. “We’re also grateful for the service of Trustees Childs and McNabb, and wish them well.”
Johnson was appointed to fill a vacancy in 2016 and first elected in 2018 to fill the remainder of her current term. She serves on the NMC Audit Committee, the Policy Committee and the Presidential Performance & Compensation Committee and is the member relations manager at Cherryland Electric Cooperative.
Oblinger, an NMC alumna, is a Traverse City native. The past executive director of the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce, she now is director of client services and business development for Rehmann.
Ken Warner
(click for high-resolution version)
Warner is retired from the University of Michigan, where he spent 45 years as a professor, including 15 as a department chair and School of Public Health dean.
Childs was one of NMC’s longest-serving trustees, appointed to the board in 2001 and first elected in 2002. McNabb was appointed in 2017 and elected in 2018 to fill the remainder of a term that expires Dec. 31.
Release date: November 4. 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
Nov 27, 2022 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College’s J.H Rogers Observatory will partner with the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society and host a virtual astronomical viewing session Friday, Sept. 25, celebrating Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore’s 50th anniversary.
Sleeping Bear Dunes has been the site of in-person “star parties” for the last 10 years. To celebrate the park’s anniversary and still observe COVID-19 restrictions on in-person gatherings, live images from the NMC Observatory’s telescope will be sent to guests via Zoom beginning at 9 p.m. (If it is cloudy, backup footage will be shown.) Astronomers will be available to answer questions.
The projection of actual live video images is an innovative approach to allowing for viewing safely through the college’s telescope by students. Applying a new low-light sensitive video camera, images normally seen through the eyepiece can be projected real-time to data projector or computer screens. The moon, bright planets, star clusters, nebulae and even faint galaxies are shown as they would appear in the eyepiece of the telescopes at the Observatory. This allows students to continue use of the telescopes at Rogers Observatory safely, as well as providing more in-depth discussions on the objects they are observing.
Work began on this concept in late spring 2020 due to the restrictions of the COVID-19. The system has been utilized for NMC’s Astronomy students beginning at the start of this Fall 2020 semester.
Release date: September 24, 2020
For more information:
Jerry Dobek,
NMC Astronomy Department
jdobek@nmc.edu
(231) 342-4545
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
Nov 27, 2022 | Intercom, Student News
NOTE: The Oct. 16 event featuring Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has been canceled.
TRAVERSE CITY — Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and several academic speakers will appear at four virtual events this fall commemorating the centennial anniversary of the 19th amendment granting women the right to vote.
An in-person voter registration drive Sept. 22 on NMC’s main campus will also be part of “100 Years of the 19th Amendment: Observing the Past and Looking Toward the Future.” Volunteers from the League of Women Voters – Grand Traverse Area will be available to register new voters from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center.
The virtual events are as follows:
- Thursday, September 17: The Constitution’s Suffrage Amendments: Giving Voice to Those Who Were Not Silent.
7 p.m.— Panel discussion in conjunction with Constitution Day. Presenters and NMC instructors Mindy Morton and John Zachman will discuss the 15th, 19th, and 24th amendments and the individuals and groups whose political actions saw those amendments become political reality, and evaluate how these amendments impact our current political climate and elections. Morton is an adjunct instructor of history and Zachman is an instructor of political science and philosophy. Zoom Link: nmc.zoom.us/j/98632067245
- CANCELED: Friday, October 16: A Discussion on Elections and Voting with Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson
7 p.m.— Hosted by Rachel Wilczewski, NMC sociology instructor, Secretary Benson will share information and her expertise on issues surrounding voter access in Michigan as well as information regarding the upcoming election and the recent actions in the state to reduce partisan gerrymandering. Live Q and A to follow a 30-minute presentation. Elected in 2018, Benson is the author of State Secretaries of State: Guardians of the Democratic Process, the first major book on the role of the secretary of state in enforcing election and campaign finance laws.
- Thursday, November 12: “A Century of Gender Justice Activism” with Caroline Heldman, Ph.d. Chair of Critical Theory and Social Justice Department, Chair of Gender, Women, & Sexuality Studies at Occidental College.
7 p.m.—Hosted by Shilo Smith, NMC psychology instructor, Heldman will present a timeline of the last century of gender justice activism with a focus on progress and pitfalls. She will analyze the current status of women in the U.S. after a century of pushing for gender justice. Zoom Link: nmc.zoom.us/j/94968308718
- Friday, December 4: “The Lesson of the Lark” Virtual Choral Concert
7 p.m. — Hosted by Jeffrey Cobb, Director of Music Programs
The NMC Music Department, Audio Tech and Visual Communications programs are premiering a new concert work celebrating the centennial anniversary of women’s suffrage. This piece, which is meant to uplift and unify us, is a multi-movement work composed for narrator, soloists, chorus, and jazz orchestra. It is based on local author Laura Knight Cobb’s recently published book of the same name, a dramatic interpretation of the struggle for women’s voting rights.
Release date: September 3, 2020
For more information:
Diana Fairbanks
NMC Executive Director of Public Relations, Marketing and 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
Nov 27, 2022 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — Showcasing its expertise in water issues, Northwestern Michigan College will virtually co-host two major professional water conferences in the coming weeks.
First, in conjunction with the Marine Technology Society, NMC will host Great Lakes TechSurge: Lakebed 2030 Sept. 30–Oct. 2. This major international virtual conference brings together scientists and researchers, policy makers and government officials and industry professionals.
Lakebed 2030 is an initiative led by NMC’s Great Lakes Water Studies Institute to map the Great Lakes by 2030. Institute director Hans Van Sumeren will give the opening keynote address at 12:30 p.m. Sept. 30. In addition to mapping, technology, coastline and habitat are other conference topics.
NMC offers a bachelor of science degree in Marine Technology.
NMC hosted the same conference in-person at the Great Lakes campus in 2019.
Second, the 13th Annual Freshwater Summit will be held virtually this year over four October Fridays between 10 and 11:30 a.m. each day. Themes are:
- Oct. 2 – Great Lakes water levels
- Oct. 9 – Good Harbor Bay research
- Oct.16 – Whose Water Is It? Equity Concerns with Water Access & Management
- Oct. 23 – Local initiative lightning talks. Great Lakes Water Studies Institute Program Coordinator Constanza Hazelwood will talk about NMC’s Freshwater Studies program, in which students can earn the nation’s only associate degree.
The Freshwater Summit is a product of the Freshwater Roundtable and is organized by multiple organizations including GLWSI. Registration is free.
Release date: September 28, 2020
For more information:
Diana Fairbanks
Executive Director of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
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
Nov 27, 2022 | Intercom, Student News
May 24, 2017
Brandon Krohn of Bad Axe was one of eight students to take part in uncrewed aerial systems in agriculture training at NMC’s facility in Yuba.Future farmers from around the state converged in Traverse City this month for the culmination of a first-of-its-kind training in uncrewed aerial systems applications for agriculture.
Eight students co-enrolled in Michigan State University agriculture certificate programs and partner community colleges participated in a two-week training taught by NMC UAS instructors. Using four different drones, they conducted flights over a range of crops, collected aerial imagery and integrated sensor data, and then analyzed it for potential applications in the agriculture industry
It was the finale of an innovative, semester-long course that met in Muskegon, Traverse City and online and offered students elective MSU credit, remote pilot certification from the FAA, and a certificate in UAS in agriculture.
Currently, regulations limit most of the applications to imagery. Drones can’t yet be used to spray or treat crops. But the students, who came from farms that raised everything from dairy and beef cattle to row crops like corn and wheat to specialty crops like asparagus and Christmas trees, said they learned plenty to take home.
“It’ll be useful for counting trees, seeing which ones are ready for harvest,” said Micah Woller of Montague, who works on a Christmas tree farm in winter.
Nathan Beyerlein of Frankenmuth works for Star of the West Milling Co. in addition to his family’s corn, sugar beet and cucumber farm. He foresees using aerial imaging as a scouting tool, using imaging data to make traditional crop protection — on-the-ground spraying and fertilizing — more effective.
“For crop health, and getting a visual of the whole field, being able to pinpoint where a disease is, or water damage,” Beyerlein said.
Brian Matchett, coordinator of NMC’s plant science and viticulture programs, which partners with MSU’s Institute of Agriculture Technology, said he foresees huge demand for the training. This first course was only open to students enrolled in two-year MSU partner schools including NMC, Delta College, Muskegon Community College and Southwest Michigan Community College.
“We’re just scratching the surface,” Matchett said.
The course was taught in three parts: A five-day UAS build and flight training course in January at Muskegon Community College, a 12-week online training in remote piloting, and the two-week hands-on training in Traverse City earlier this month, at sites including apple and cherry orchards, vineyards, and hops, corn, soybeans and wheat fields.
Visit nmc.edu/uas for more information.
Nov 27, 2022 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — Front-line workers may receive a scholarship to attend NMC free of charge starting in January through the Futures for Frontliners program unveiled today by Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
Futures for Frontliners offers Michiganders who worked in essential industries during the April 1–June 30 period but do not have a college degree free tuition to their local community college. They may pursue an associate degree or a skills certificate on a full-time or part-time basis while they continue to work.
Those without a high school diploma or equivalency are eligible for services to help them prepare for and complete this credential and go on to a community college or job training program. The application period runs through December 31, 2020, with enrollment available beginning in January of 2021.
Essential industries include health care, financial services, food and agriculture, law enforcement and first responders, water and wastewater, transportation and more.
“Providing these front-line workers in essential industries with access to tuition-free community college — even if they don’t have a high school diploma or equivalency — to pursue their career and personal dreams is a wonderful way to say ‘thank you’ — they certainly earned it,” NMC President Nick Nissley said.
To apply and learn more about Futures for Frontliners, visit nmc.edu/frontliners.
Release date: SEPTEMBER 10, 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
Nov 27, 2022 | Intercom
TRAVERSE CITY — Thank you for all of your work to keep our NMC community safe during the pandemic. While the safety protocols and scheduling changes are very different than a normal fall semester, with your support we have been able to greatly limit the spread of COVID-19 on NMC’s campuses.
As we look ahead to spring semester, our goals remain the same—to keep our students and employees safe and to limit the disruption to learning as much as possible. To meet these goals we have some important updates to help you plan your spring schedule as you prepare to register for spring classes this week.
- Course format options will remain the same including, lecture, hybrid, livestream and on-demand. We have worked to refine the definitions to make it easier for you to find your best option.
- The spring semester start and end dates will remain as scheduled (unchanged).
- Spring Break will be cancelled and classes will be held March 28–April 1.
- Friday, April 2, will remain a college holiday. NMC will be closed and there will be no classes.
- Spring semester classes will conclude Monday, April 26. Instructors may use the rest of the week to meet with their students at the faculty’s discretion.
- Grades Submission deadlines will remain as scheduled.
- The dates for events such as Honors Convocation and Commencement will remain as scheduled, but may need to be changed depending on safety protocols.
You can view the complete spring (and summer) course schedule here. Registration for both semesters begins this week.
You have done good work in limiting the spread of the coronavirus on our campuses. We believe that, by making these changes to the spring semester, we can continue to stay safe and keep learning. While we hope to not have to return to 100% virtual instruction like last spring, we are better prepared to make the shift, if necessary. We will continue to closely monitor the spread of COVID-19 at NMC and in our region. Limiting the spread of the virus is a shared responsibility. Thank you for doing your part. For more information regarding NMC’s response to COVID-19 visit nmc.edu/coronavirus.
Release date: September 29, 2020
For more information:
Diana Fairbanks
Executive Director of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
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
Nov 27, 2022 | Intercom, Student News
Number of student recipients rises 45 percent
Traverse City — Northwestern Michigan College has awarded a record amount of scholarship dollars to a record number of recipients this academic year, another example of NMC’s commitment to break down barriers to education, including financial.
As of Feb. 3, the college had awarded $1.28 million in scholarships to 964 recipients for the 2019-20 school year. That’s a 12-percent increase in dollars awarded and a whopping 45 percent increase in recipients. In 2018-19 the college awarded $1.14 million to 662 recipients.
NMC Director of Financial Aid Linda Berlin said the increase is the result of process enhancements undertaken to encourage more scholarship applications, so that available funds are fully awarded. Enhancements included a second application cycle, a communication plan to students and a reformatted, more user-friendly application.
As a result, applications grew from 22 percent of students in 2016-17 to 28 percent last year. Simultaneously, scholarship funds awarded rose from 74 percent of available to 82 percent. Berlin expects to see those numbers continue to improve this year and next.
“We’re trying to make (scholarships) more accessible to all our students, and we’re trying to get the message out, it’s not just about merit,” Berlin said. Financial need, area of study, and hometown are all common scholarship award criteria.
Scholarship funds are donated through the NMC Foundation, which has made scholarships one of four priority areas in its current $35 million Be What’s Possible comprehensive fundraising campaign. Read more.
Recipient Dani Valentine, 26, is in her second semester at NMC. For the fall 2019 semester, she got a $500 scholarship. This spring, she was awarded two more totaling $1,500. After earning her associate’s degree at NMC, Valentine plans to complete her bachelor’s through NMC’s University Center, and then complete a graduate degree in optometry at Ferris State.
“It’s definitely a long road, but because of scholarships I feel like I can do this,” Valentine said.
One of her spring scholarships is the Global Opportunities scholarship for students studying abroad. Valentine will use the $1,000 to participate in NMC’s first-ever trip to Iceland. She plans to earn NMC’s Global Endorsement in addition to her degree.
“I think it will help set me apart for anything I apply for in the future, as far as jobs or grad school,” she said.
The average 2019-20 scholarship award is $1,327. Berlin said that her office is trying to keep the average above $1,000. Tuition and fees for a student like Valentine — a Grand Traverse County resident enrolled in 12 contact hours per semester and studying an NMC general program — total $1,714 per semester.
“I’m really just super grateful for all these scholarships, not just for me, but anybody,” Valentine said. ‘It really does make a huge difference. Any small amount really helps.”
- To help students and families learn how to pay for college, NMC will hold its annual Financial Aid Fair from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12 in the Osterlin Building. This event is a comprehensive overview of the cost of college, types of financial aid, finding and applying for scholarships, and a special session for Native American students. Individual assistance is also offered.
- A culinary scholarship-specific workshop will be held from noon-2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14 at Lobdell’s Teaching Restaurant on the Great Lakes campus.
- A tech-aviation scholarship-specific workshop will be held from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26 in Parsons-Stulen 217/219 on the Aero Park Campus.
Release date: February 5, 2020
For more information:
Diana Fairbanks
Executive Director of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
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
Nov 27, 2022 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — NMC’s International Affairs Forum will host 18 area high school teams at its annual Academic WorldQuest from noon-5 p.m. February 6, at the Hagerty Center.
The teams will compete for the chance to participate in the national competition, the flagship youth education program of the World Affairs Councils, to be held in Washington, D.C. in April. Topics in the 2020 competition include preventing violent extremism, ocean protection and US-Russia Relations.
“Academic WorldQuest has a great atmosphere of friendly competition. Studying current topics in foreign affairs helped me expand my view of the world, and traveling to Washington, D.C. was a fantastic experience,” said Ted Roe, a 2019 Traverse City Central High School graduate and member of the Trojans’ winning team. Currently a freshman at the University of Notre Dame, Roe participated in AWQ for three years.
The event is free and open to the public. Sponsors include: The Traverse City Record-Eagle, Jimmy John’s, Shanty Creek Resort, Target, Best Buy, Common Good Bakery, Mundos Roasting & Co, Cicero’s Pizza. State Theater, Cherry Republic, Grand Traverse Pie Co. and Paesano’s Pizza.
Release date: JANUARY 27, 2020
For more information:
Julie Doyal
juliedoyal@yahoo.com
(231) 649-1781
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
Nov 27, 2022 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — The Northwestern Michigan College alumni program is seeking nominations for the 2020 Outstanding Alumni award. Nominations will be accepted through Feb. 28.
Celebrated since 1988, the Outstanding Alumni award recognizes alumni for significant professional achievements and/or exemplary leadership in the local or global community. The award(s) will be presented at NMC’s annual Commencement ceremony May 2.
Nomination forms are available online. Nominations may also be e-mailed to Director of Alumni Relations, Cameron Penny, at alumni@nmc.edu or mailed to NMC Alumni Relations, 1701 E. Front St., Traverse City, MI 49686.
The 2019 Outstanding Alumni recipients were Terry Beia, Frank Dituri and Marie Socha.
Release date: JANUARY 9, 2020
For more information:
Cameron Penny
Director of Alumni Relations
cpenny@nmc.edu
(231) 995-2825
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
Nov 27, 2022 | Intercom
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College’s highest honor, the NMC Fellow award, has been bestowed for 2020 on NMC Foundation Board member Bill Marsh Jr. and longtime college administrator Roberta Teahen.
Bill Marsh Jr.
(click for high-resolution photo)Marsh, of Traverse City, joined the Foundation Board in 2010 and served as chair from 2016-2018. A partner with his brothers in the Bill Marsh Auto Group, a multi-franchise dealership group with more than 300 employees, he served as annual fund co-chair before joining the executive committee as an officer.
Marsh said he admires NMC’s wide reach and profound impact on northern Michigan, as well as the “strategic, entrepreneurial spirit” he sees among college faculty and staff.
“This college sees its role as beyond what a traditional community college does. (We’re) seeking to invest in the human capital of northern Michigan,” he said.
And those investments pay off every day, whether it’s a veteran coming to NMC to transition back to civilian life, a traditional college student saving money before transferring or a business like the Marsh Group tapping into professional development and training programs.
“You hear those stories of transformed lives through education and it really provides the fuel to be advocates,” said Marsh, who also writes a blog, Making You Matter, and is active in his church.
Roberta Teahen
(click for high-resolution photo)Teahen, also of Traverse City, dedicated more than 30 years of her professional life to NMC in roles ranging from business faculty member to academic chair to director and dean. She established important outreach and relationships and fostered technical and occupational programs and certificates across multiple disciplines.
“Education is never lost. Once you have it, it’s yours forever, and it opens doors,” said Teahen, who retired from NMC in 2001. Serving at Ferris State University since then, she dedicated her talents to helping other institutions improve and is now director of the doctorate in Community College Leadership program, which counts three NMC staff as alumni. Teahen has also made nearly 100 site visits to evaluate colleges of all types as a consultant for the Higher Learning Commission.
“I am sold on the community college,” said Teahen, whose own education path started at what is now St. Clair Community College and culminated in 2010 when she earned a PhD in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education from Michigan State University.
At NMC Teahen also served as a champion for student success and was instrumental in the writing of a grant to the state of Michigan which resulted in the creation of the Parsons-Stulen M-TEC Center, now the centerpiece of NMC’s Aero Park campus.
Today, higher education is faced with many challenges, from public skepticism to a lack of funding to changing demographics, but Teahen believes NMC can meet those challenges.
“NMC has always invested in innovation, so my biggest hope would be it continue to be responsive,” Teahen said.
The Fellow is Northwestern Michigan College’s highest honor, awarded annually since 1964. Fellows may be nominated because they have demonstrated influential networking on behalf of the College, have demonstrated a pattern of outstanding financial or personal time contributions to NMC, or as a retiree of the College continue to contribute back to their academic or professional fields as volunteers, mentors or advisors. Exceptional contributions in one or more of these areas may justify nomination.
See a list of past recipients.
Release date: FEBRUARY 24. 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
Nov 27, 2022 | Financial Aid Fair, Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — Enrollment Services at Northwestern Michigan College will offer several “pop-up” scholarship events this winter in addition to its annual Financial Aid Fair for prospective college students, parents, alumni, and current NMC students.
Two of the pop-up events will focus on NMC scholarships available to culinary students and will be held at Lobdell’s Teaching Restaurant on NMC’s Great Lakes campus, 715 E. Front St.
- Tuesday, January 21, 5–7 p.m.
- Friday, February 14, Noon–2 p.m. (NOTE NEW TIME)
A pair of nursing-specific workshops will be held 8:30–9:30 a.m. and 10:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m. Monday, Feb. 17 on NMC’s Main Campus, with the exact location still to be determined.
A tech-aviation scholarship-specific workshop will be held from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26 in Parsons-Stulen 217/219 on the Aero Park Campus.
The Financial Aid Fair will be held from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12 in room 113 of the Osterlin Building. It offers half-hour workshop sessions and time for students to meet individually with a financial aid representative. Snacks will be included!
Sign up for half-hour workshop sessions at nmc.edu/financial-aid. Walk-ins are also welcome.
- Counting the Cost of College – comparing schools (4–4:30 p.m., 5:30–6 p.m.)
- Waivers and scholarships for Native American Students (4–4:30 p.m., 5:30–6 p.m.)
- Types of Financial Aid (4:30-5 p.m., 6-6:30 p.m.)
- How to Find and Apply for Scholarships (5–5:30 p.m., 6:30–7 p.m.)
Before or after the workshops, get one-on-one help with:
- Completing the FAFSA by the March 1 State deadline
- Applying for Scholarships
- Completing financial aid requirements (for current NMC students)
- Comparing award letters
- Student loan counseling
RELEASE DATE: January 16, 2020
For more information:
NMC Enrollment Services
(231) 995-1035
sfs@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
Nov 27, 2022 | Intercom, Student News
Lisa Blackford
(click for high-resolution photo) 
Tamara Coleman
(click for high-resolution photo) 
Sarah Montgomery-Richards
(click for high-resolution photo) 
Caroline Schaefer-Hills
(click for high-resolution photo) 
Brian Sweeney
(click for high-resolution photo) 
John Velis
(click for high-resolution photo) TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College has selected six faculty members as the first recipients of an Experiential Learning fellowship intended to accelerate the prevalence of the high-impact instructional style across disciplines.
Each recipient will substantially convert or create a course based on EL principles, which include students working in teams, immersive experiences, project-based assignments and online. The recipients and courses are:
- Lisa Blackford and Tamara Coleman: The Science of Stress (new course)
- Sarah Montgomery-Richards: Western Religions
- Caroline Schaefer-Hills: Art Appreciation (online course)
- Brian Sweeney: Basic Metallurgy
- John Velis: Systems Analysis and Design
“It is exciting to see such a diverse group of faculty focused on innovation, collaboration and high impact teaching practices, as we uniquely prepare our students to live and work in the world of the 21st century,” said Kristy McDonald, director of NMC’s Experiential Learning Institute.
Montgomery-Richards said she hopes to overhaul Western Religions in order to boost enrollment. Currently the course draws half the enrollment of her Eastern Religions class.
“I think students feel like they know western religions,” she said. She hopes a new design will challenge that assumption and increase the relevance of the philosophy course, which most students take as an elective.
“How is an understanding of religion in general, and diverse religious perspectives, going to help them in the future?” Montgomery-Richards said.
Social work and psychology instructor Blackford and biology instructor Coleman are combining their disciplines into a new course, the Science of Stress. Slated to be offered in the fall 2020 semester, students will explore current research on stress and its impacts on body systems. It will meet in an anatomy and physiology lab, as well as in a simulation lab, and is intended to have practical applications, too, as students gain an experiential understanding of stress on learning, anxiety and depression and tools for resilience.
“The whole campus, we talk about how students’ stress has gone up,” Blackford said.
“We saw it as an epidemic,” Coleman added.
Each recipient will receive a $1,500 stipend. The fellowship, is one of the first initiatives of NMC’s Experiential Learning Institute, which launched in 2019 as a way to formalize efforts to expand experiential learning college-wide, which date to 2016. It will collaborate with both on-campus and community stakeholders to engage students and the community, locally, nationally and globally. The Institute will connect the community and NMC by seeking creative partnerships, serving ongoing community needs, and preparing learners for future employment.
Release date: FEBRUARY 3, 2020
For more information:
Kristy McDonald
Director, Experiential Learning Institute and Business Instructor
kmcdonald@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1059
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
Nov 21, 2022 | Hawk Owl Helpers and Heroes, Intercom
Experiential Learning Institute co-directors Brandon Everest and Kristy McDonald each led a signature EL project this month. Everest’s was the 7th annual Walk for Hunger and Homelessness Awareness which drew several dozen participants to downtown Traverse City last week to gain perspective on homelessness in the region and what service providers are doing to mitigate these issues. McDonald led the Food for Thought project, which collected food and funds to provide 150 Thanksgiving meals for students and community members.
Who’s been a Hawk Owl Helper or Hero for you? Let us know at publicrelations@nmc.edu!
Nov 21, 2022 | Intercom, Student Events
The Dennos Museum is hosting Observing with NASA – Family Day on Saturday, December 3. Enjoy free admission to the museum and make your own astronomical images using the Observing with NASA Kiosk in the Discovery Gallery.
At 1 p.m. join the Astronomical Society to make a comet and learn about moon phases.
At 2 p.m. Jerry Dobek, head of the Astronomy and Science Departments at Northwestern Michigan College, will lead a presentation on the Observing With NASA Kiosk and the science behind the imaging used by the Hubble Telescope in the MIlliken Auditorium.
About Jerry Dobek: Dr. Jerry Dobek is a professional astrophysicist and faculty instructor at Northwestern Michigan College. His research interests are in variable stars and dark material, which he conducts from his own observatory north of Traverse City, Michigan. Jerry is also the site coordinator / site director for Project ASTRO and Project Family ASTRO for the Michigan and Upper Wisconsin sites, and serves as the regional Solar System Ambassador for NASA / JPL. Jerry is a founding member of and the regional representative for the International Dark-Sky Association and has been instrumental in writing lighting ordinances for townships and counties in Michigan as well as several other states.
Nov 21, 2022 | 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.
Free preschool programs still have open slots in region
Record-Eagle, Nov. 20
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Nov 21, 2022 | Intercom, Student News
Notice the Libby
tag next to a title? This means the book is available as an eBook and can be found on the Libby app. All audiobooks can be accessed through Libby. Haven’t set up your Libby account yet? Follow these easy instructions!
books available to request from MeLCat!
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