New books at the NMC library
To find these selections and many other new titles, see the NMC library catalog.
Board of Trustees Building & Site Committee and Special meetings
The NMC Board of Trustees Building & Site Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13, in the President’s Office Conference Room in the Tanis Building on NMC’s main campus.
The Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting at 2:30 p.m. in the same location.
Notices for both meetings are available here.
For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
Six eligible to fill vacancy on Board of Trustees
TRAVERSE CITY — Six candidates are eligible to fill the Board of Trustees seat vacated by former trustee Rachel Johnson last month.
The applicants, who must reside in Grand Traverse County, are:
- Jordan Ascione-Broad, Traverse City
- Jamie Gallagher, Williamsburg
- Pamela Horne, Interlochen
- Mark Keely, Traverse City
- Bill Marsh, Traverse City
- Merek Roman, Traverse City
Johnson resigned from NMC’s Board of Trustees effective Jan. 22. The new trustee will serve until the next regular community college election in November 2024. At that time voters will choose a candidate to serve the remainder of the term held by Johnson, which expires December 31, 2026.
In accordance with the Michigan Open Meetings Act, interviews and the final appointment will be conducted by the full NMC Board of Trustees at a special meeting set for 3 p.m. Monday, Feb. 19 in the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center, rooms 106–107, on NMC’s Front Street campus.
Release date: February 7, 2024
For more information:
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President 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-discriminationPitch event to be held March 15
Do you have an idea or project that needs resources to reach its full potential? If so, the Office of Possibilities wants to hear from you! OOPS seeks to provide resources for education-related projects as well as projects related to community partnerships with NMC.
The next pitch event will be held on March 15, 2024 from 3-4:30 p.m. in the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center, room 104/105.
Those interested in pitching an idea should submit an application in order to be connected with an OOPs team member who can assist in planning your pitch.
Honors project submissions
Considering submitting an honors project? Students who have completed at least 12 credits and have a 3.0 GPA or higher qualify to complete an honors project. Honors projects allow students to dive deeper into a topic of interest and work with their instructors to develop content for any course. Honors projects can include research papers, art projects, 3-d models and many other unique ideas! Those who successfully complete their project and finish class with at least a 3.5 grade will qualify as an honors graduate and potentially receive scholarship money.
Contracts are due by February 16 for the spring 2024 semester. More info is available at nmc.edu/honors.
On the menu: Daily specials at the Hawk Owl Café
The Hawk Owl Café serves specials daily on Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 4:30–6:30 p.m. The protein option is $9.99 and the vegetarian option is $7.99.
Monday, Feb. 5
Entrée: italian pasta bake with meatballs
Sides: roasted brussel sprouts and crostini
Tuesday, Feb. 6
Food for the soul menu (protein option $6.00; vegetarian option is $5.00)
Entrée: shrimp or blackened tofu and cheesy grits
Sides: collard greens, cornbread and cherry cheesecake
Wednesday, Feb. 7
Entrée: tandoori grilled chicken thighs with rice
Sides: broccoli and naan bread
Thursday, Feb. 8
Entrée: baked chicken or roasted cauliflower steak with chimichurri
Sides: potatoes and green beans
Friday, Feb. 9
Entrée: beer battered cod sandwich with tarter sauce
Sides: french fries and cole slaw
Quick Bytes spring 2024 training classes
Join Alison Thornton at an upcoming Quick Bytes class to learn about technology available to employees at NMC. Each class is one hour, full of information and includes time for questions. To support collaboration and connection, please ensure your camera is on during our session.
Quick Bytes courses can now be found in NEOED.To register via NEOED Learn, please follow this easy 5 step process: NeoEd Learn – Registering for Courses Instructions – for Quick Bytes.
All courses are offered on Thursday at 3pm via Zoom. To support collaboration and connection, please ensure your camera is on during our session.
Join Alison Thornton at an upcoming Quick Bytes class to learn about technology available to employees at NMC. Each class is one hour, full of information and includes time for questions. To support collaboration and connection, please ensure your camera is on during our session.
Quick Bytes courses can now be found in NEOED. The classes are listed at the beginning (*) of the Course Catalog (to search ALL Quick Bytes courses, go to Tags > Quick Bytes). To Enroll, click on View Classes under the course you are interested in to see the session times, then click on the session time you would like (you must CLICK the session to activate the Enroll button) and then click Enroll.
Introduction to AI for Staff
February 28, 3–4 p.m.
Are you curious about AI, but don’t know where to start? Come find out about various AI tools (I’ll demo Google’s Bard), writing prompts for AI tools, integrating AI with Google searches, and AI tools available in our everyday software (like Zoom, Canva, etc.).
Google Docs New & Unused Features
February 29, 3–4 p.m.
Covering new and not very often used features in Google Docs such as multiple signatures, templates (canned responses), voice typing, comparing documents, smart chips, dropdowns, editing/suggesting/commenting, table formatting, setting up a time to meet, and more!
Canva Advanced
Date TBA
Canva has new and exciting potential! This is an advanced class on using Canva techniques such as photos, frames, color palettes, and filters, as well as, creating a reusable custom template. This course will be scheduled if there is interest. Please email athornton@nmc.edu to let me know if you are interested!
Swiss-inspired fundraiser dinner at Lobdell’s
TRAVERSE CITY — NMC’s Great Lakes Culinary Institute will host a Swiss-inspired dinner Friday, Feb. 23 as a fundraiser for a culinary student study abroad trip to Switzerland later this semester.
The four-course menu will feature local Leelanau raclette cheese, soup, entree and a limoncello style tiramisu for dessert. Tickets are $95 per person, including tax and gratuity, with all proceeds going to scholarships for the trip scheduled for May. A wine pairing package ($25)or non-alcoholic beverage package ($20) are also available for purchase at time of booking.
Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23 in Lobdell’s Teaching Restaurant. Tickets are available online at nmc.edu/lobdells.
Release date: February 6, 2024
For more information:
Chef Mike Skarupinski
Great Lakes Culinary Institute
(231) 995-1194
mskarupinski@nmc.edu
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-discriminationComplete the new FAFSA
4–7 p.m., Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center. Bring a laptop. Learn more here.
Providing FAFSA help to the community
Thanks to NMC’s Financial Aid staff for offering free assistance with the new FAFSA to the entire community. The service even won a compliment from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who saw a billboard when she was in Traverse City last month. NMC’s next Financial Aid workshop is Feb.12. Walk-in and drop-in appointments are also available every Wednesday throughout February.
Who’s been a Hawk Owl Helper or Hero for you? Let us know at publicrelations@nmc.edu!
Upcoming Extended Education classes for employees
Did you know that your tuition waiver benefits extend beyond credit classes? Take a fitness class, learn a new hobby, or even enjoy a date night with your partner. Check out these upcoming classes! Place the class in your shopping cart in order to see the discount. Need help setting up your profile? Look for “EES” in the Help Desk drop down menu.
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Learn & Play Tabletop Games |
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CPR/AED/Basic First Aid |
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Knife Skills |
Need help setting up your profile? Look for “EES” in the Help Desk drop down menu.
Board of Trustees Executive Committee meeting
The NMC Board of Trustees Executive Committee will meet at 4 p.m. Feb. 8 in the Gray Conference Room (202F) of the University Center, 2200 Dendrinos Drive, Traverse City, Mich. More information is available here.
For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
Game night with Lantern Games
Save the Date!
Join fellow NMC students and employees on Wednesday, March 13 from 5–7:30 p.m. in the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center room 106/107 for a fun evening of board games and card games with Lantern Games. Come and learn a new game, make a friend and relax.
Any questions—reach out to athornton@nmc.edu.
College for Kids registration open
Registration is now open for NMC’s College for Kids summer program, which engages students aged 3-17 in fun, experiential learning. Weekly classes run from June 17 through August 2. Special, one-day-only classes are also available. Browse the digital catalog and register now at nmc.edu/kids.
Held at either NMC’s main campus or one of several offsite partner facilities, classes are taught by passionate, experienced instructors that provide a safe and exciting learning environment. Developing their own curriculum, teachers make each class unique, of high interest to students, and experiential with hands-on engagement. Young learners are introduced to adventures in art, science, sewing, technology, theater, culinary, dance, and more.
Classes range from Becoming a Dragon through Kid’s Quilt Camp to the annual GRASP Math & Reading summer bridge program. From outdoor recreation like Stand Up Paddleboarding to art classes like Wheel and Hand-built Pottery, to cooking, robotics, Bucket Drumming and much more—there is something for every learner.
New and returning partnerships such as Drama Kids International, Quarkmine, Grass River Natural Area, and Inland Seas offer specialized classes: Acting Up, VEX IQ Robotics, Shelter Building, Beaches and Streams, and more.
Regular weekly classes start at $149. Thanks to generous donors and a partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Michigan, partial financial assistance for classes is available for those who qualify.
To register or to learn more, visit nmc.edu/kids or contact NMC Extended Education at (231) 995-1700. Please create your household profile online before registering.
Take the DEIB challenge
Left to right: Alex Jones, Ben Post, Sherry Trier, Terri Gustafson, Ryan Bernstein, Mark DeLonge
This year, employees have the opportunity to pilot NMC’s new DEIB professional development goal as part of the college’s strategic plan. The Educational Technology team was the first group to participate in the DEIB Professional Development Challenge! They volunteered for the Special Olympics to learn more about this diverse population, supporting DEIB learning and creating a sense of belonging in their department. Congratulations on being the first team to lead the way in this new DEIB learning strategy!
Join the challenge
How does it work?
- Identify an area related to DEI that you/your team want to learn more about.
- Choose a learning opportunity to participate in for your development.
- Reflect on your learning (using this form) and share it within your area.
- Record your reflections in your performance review summary at the end of the spring semester.
Want some ideas?
Check out the Embrace the Dream calendar or click on this list of DEIB Learning Opportunities. Feel free to add your ideas to this list to encourage others to participate too!
Use this form to reflect on your experience (reading or learning event/activity participation). Provide your feedback to influence how we incorporate these learning experiences into our goals for 2024–2025.
Thanks for participating in this pilot project, which will be incorporated into each of our goals for 2024-2025!
Questions? Contact Marcus Bennett at mbennett@nmc.edu or Lori Hodek at lhodek@nmc.edu.
Crucial Conversations for Accountability training
Registration is open for Crucial Conversations for Accountability! This course is strongly recommended for all supervisors and anyone who wants to improve their relationships.This in-person, experiential learning based course provides a step-by-step process, tools, and support for resolving performance gaps, enhancing accountability, reducing resentment, eliminating inconsistency, and improving performance both at a professional and a personal level. During this 2-day training, learn how to have those difficult conversations in a way that solves problems while improving relationships. Note: Both days are required for course completion.
Dates/times:
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- Thursday, February 22, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Friday, February 23, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
There is no cost to employees for this course (the course retails for $799 at U of M). Participants receive a free copy of the book Crucial Accountability.
Follow these instructions to sign up now for this effective, experiential learning based course.
For questions, contact professionaldevelopmentinstitute@nmc.edu or call (231) 995-1143.
Employee Anniversaries – February
The following employees are celebrating an anniversary soon. Please join us in congratulating them!
Kudos!
Kudos to Doug Sieffert. Doug took time away from his primary responsibilities to work with Media Services on a time-sensitive project. The right place at the right time, Thank you Doug!
Kudos to Katie Sommer-Ford. Kudos on Katie’s planning and pre-work on the Career Fair coming up in March. A lot of work goes on behind the scenes to offer the opportunity for our students and local employers to meet. Great job, Katie!
Kudos to Elizabeth Sonnabend, Lisa Molmen, Ben Post and Ali Thornton. Extended Education & Training supports academic departments by filling nearly 300 seats with community member enrollments each year. This is no easy feat! One of the biggest challenges threads across four departments and involves Moodle. The heroes behind this are Elizabeth Sonnabend, Lisa Moleman, Ben Post, Ali Thornton and certainly a few others who step in as needed. This past term has gone the smoothest; this team is improving the Moodle integration each time! Thank you, “Team Joint Offering Moodle Magic!”
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!