Mona Lisa Smile screening cancelled for March 18
Due to weather conditions, the screening of Mona Lisa Smile set for Wednesday, March 18 in the Dutmers Theater has been cancelled.
Board of Trustees Executive Committee meeting
The Executive Committee of NMC Board of Trustees will meet at1 p.m. Thursday, March 19 in room 104-105 of the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center on NMC’s Front Street campus. More information is available here.
For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
Board of Trustees Building & Site Committee meeting
The Building & Site Committee of NMC Board of Trustees will meet at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 18 in room 08 (lower level) of the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center on NMC’s Front Street campus. More information is available here.
For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
Extended Education Opportunities
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 exclusive employee passes and browse classes for you and yours this winter!
Drawing Trees with Charcoal and Graphite
Northern Michigan has more than 100 different species of trees. Learn to draw some of them in this introductory course from a local artist who is inspired by the natural beauty of our region. From sugar maples to yellow birch, create the perfect composition of a forest scene. Read more about Drawing Trees With Charcoal & Graphite.
Saturday, March 21; 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Tuition Waiver Price: $22 per person (public price $99)
DATE NIGHT: IT TAKES TWO TO SALSA
Join us for a flavorful adventure in the world of salsas! This hands-on culinary class will introduce you to the vibrant and diverse realm of Mexican sauces. Discover the secrets behind creating the perfect salsa, from balancing sweet, sour, spicy, and savory flavors to mastering knife skills by chopping fresh ingredients. Read more about Date Night: It Takes Two to Salsa.
Thursday, April 9; 6–9 p.m.
Tuition Waiver Price: $46 for two people (public price $199)
Family Dinner Fun (for adult & child 6+)
Calling all junior chefs! Ready to trade the drive-thru for delicious, healthy creations? This class is a culinary playground for chefs of all ages, where getting messy and having a blast are encouraged!. Read more about Family Dinner Fun.
Saturday, April 11; 1–3 p.m.
Tuition Waiver Price: $46 for two people (public price $149)
Spring professional development opportunities
NMC is hosting several upcoming training opportunities for employes. Seats are limited! Register for all courses through NeoEd Training using these instructions. For questions, contact professionaldevelopmentinstitute@nmc.edu
Advanced AI Prompting
Wednesday, March 25, from 3–4 p.m. (Zoom)
Elevate your prompt engineering skills with this focus on advanced skills designed to teach you five distinct prompting styles. You will move beyond simple queries to master the RODE framework for structured role-based output and the Ask Gemini dialogue method for iterative refinement, while also learning industry standards like Chain-of-Thought, Few-Shot, and Prompt Chaining. After briefly reviewing these AI prompt engineering skills, there will be dedicated time for hands-on practice.
Exploring the Evolving AI Landscape
Tuesday, March 31, 3–4 p.m. (Zoom)
This advanced workshop is designed for faculty and staff who are already familiar with AI LLM’s and basic AI prompting but want to deepen their understanding of the newest developments in AI. Participants will explore powerful new tools and features—including Gemini Nano Banana, ChatGPT-5, Study and Learn, Agent Mode, storybooks, and real-world applications that are reshaping education and productivity. (Please be familiar with AI Prompting before signing up for this class. Please email athornton@nmc.edu if you have questions.)
Crucial Conversations for Accountability
Friday, May 15 AND Friday, May 22, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. (on campus)
This course is strongly recommended for all supervisors, academic chairs and program coordinators, but all regular employees are welcome with supervisor approval. While Crucial Conversations for Accountability may sound like a “gotcha” approach, it is exactly the opposite. The training provides practical tools grounded in mutual respect, active listening and collaborative problem-solving. During this two-day training, learn how to have difficult conversations in a way that solves problems while improving relationships. Attendance is required both days for course completion.
For questions, email professionaldevelopmentinstitu
On the menu: Hawk Owl Café specials for March 16–20
The Hawk Owl Café serves specials during the fall and spring semesters from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 4:40 to 6:30 p.m. The protein option is $9.99, and the vegetarian option (V) is $7.99. Learn more at nmc.edu/dining.
Menu
Monday, March 16
Traditional Beef Lasagna served with garlic crostini & green beans
Roasted Vegetable Lasagna (V) served with garlic crostini & green beans
Tuesday, March 17
Beef Tacos with lettuce, cheese and chipotle ranch served with refried beans, tortilla chips & queso blanco
Tofu Tacos (V) with lettuce, cheese and chipotle ranch served with refried beans, tortilla chips & queso blanco
Wednesday, March 18
Chicken Tikka Masala with onions and red peppers served with yellow rice & grilled naan bread
Tofu Tikka Masala (V) with onions and red peppers served with yellow rice & grilled naan bread
Thursday, March 19
Country Fried Steak served with mashed potatoes and gravy & green beans
Roasted Cauliflower Steak (V) with chimichurri sauce served with mashed potatoes & green beans
Friday, March 20
Hawk Owl Café Sliders with bacon, cheese and onion straws served with asparagus & sweet potato fries
Impossible Burger on Brioche (V) with cheese and onion straws served with asparagus & sweet potato fries
Bookstore hours limited March 18 & 19
The Campus Bookstore will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on March 18 and 19. Normal business hours will resume on March 20.
New course: CIT 115 Intro to Generative AI
Check out NMC’s new course this fall: CIT115 – Intro to Generative AI! Learn to work with AI in your field of study. No tech background required. Use real-world applications to work smarter, think critically and stay competitive. Learn your way; CIT115 is offered online, livestream or face-to-face.
Fall registration is now open. Talk to your advisor today!
NMC Curling Night: A successful evening on the ice
On Friday, March 6, over 50 NMC faculty, staff, and students gathered at the Traverse City Curling Club for a fun night of learning a new sport, curling!
Participants were divided among the five curling sheets, and volunteers from the club led the instruction on the basics of curling and friendly competition.
Shout out to the 20 GLMA Cadets that showed up for the event! Way to represent the Academy!
Thanks to Marcus Bennett, Lynne Moritz and Terri Gustafson for organizing this event.
Suit up for the NMC Hero Race
TRAVERSE CITY — Registration is now open for Northwestern Michigan College’s Hero Race, hosted by Professional Communications students on Saturday, April 18 on NMC’s Front Street campus as a part of an experiential learning class.
This is a family-friendly chip-timed race with a superhero theme. Last year’s race earned the Traverse City Track Club’s Favorite Race of 2025 award. Race events include:
- One-mile fun run (free event and cape) 9 a.m. start
- 5k run ($30) 10 a.m. start
- 10k run ($35) 10 a.m. start
- Medals and prizes
All proceeds from the event go towards a goal of $5,000 to support scholarships for NMC College for Kids, which helps local youth attend the college’s summer educational programs.
Families and spectators can also enjoy several activities throughout the event, including:
- Carnival games and food
- Cake walk
- Sensory room
- Bake sale
- Silent auction
- Award ceremony
Each year, the race recognizes a community member as a “Local Hero” for their leadership and impact. This year’s Local Hero Award celebrates the 2026 Outstanding Alumni honorees of NMC. This is NMC’s 75th anniversary, and this year’s race will have a celebratory theme
Participants are encouraged to register early:
- Early bird pricing deadline: March 18
- Race shirt guarantee deadline: March 31
Packet pickup will be held the evening before the race, featuring a pasta dinner and mask and cape decorating from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Participants who cannot attend the evening pickup may also pick up their race packets the morning of the event.
Community members who cannot attend the race are encouraged to donate for a chance to win a two-night stay at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island with a one-time donation of $20 or more through the NMC Foundation (designate NMC Hero Race).
To register, become a sponsor, or learn more about the event, visit nmcherorace.com today.
RELEASE DATE: March 10, 2026
For more information:
Roberto Cuadra
Public Relations Specialist
(269) 930-1046
cuadrar@mail.nmc.edu
Kristy McDonald
Business Instructor
(231) 735-1055
kmcdonald@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-discriminationNominations open for Staff and Team Excellence Awards
Every day, we see colleagues who go above and beyond, not for recognition, but because they care deeply about our students, our colleagues, our community, and our mission. Now is our chance to say “thank you.”
Who to nominate?
A staff member or a team who:
-
- Consistently embodies NMC’s values?
- Has made a clear, positive impact on NMC this year?
- Inspires you with their dedication?
Who is eligible?
- Staff: Full-time, part-time, or supplemental.
- Teams: Departments, committees, or project groups (2+ employees).
How to nominate
Complete and submit the Staff Excellence Nomination Form or the Team Excellence Nomination Form by Thursday, April 2, 2026
Help us highlight the incredible work happening across our campus! Recipients will receive a monetary award and an engraved plaque to be presented at the You Made It Possible Celebration on May 13, 2026.
NMC Employee Recognition Committee: Lori Hodek, Chair, Marcus Bennett, Hollie DeWalt, Les Eckert, Kim Gourlay, Craig Hadley, Taylor Nash, Denny Nguyen, Nancy Parshall and Lisa vonReichbauer.
Food for the Soul
Thanks to the Hawk Owl Café staff and Associate Dean of Campus & Residence Life Marcus Bennett for offering a Food for the Soul menu in February. This four-week series of special menus was presented as part of NMC’s Embrace the Dream programming and in support of NMC’s goal to create a vibrant campus where everyone belongs.
Who’s been a Hawk Owl Helper or Hero for you? Let us know at publicrelations@nmc.edu!
Media mentions for March 9, 2026
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.
The People’s College: 75 years of higher learning
Baylife Magazine, March-April 2026, pp. 34-45
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March Madness basketball tournament
Campus Life is hosting a 3-on-3 basketball tournament on Friday, March 20 at 6 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.
St. Patrick’s Day sale at the Campus Bookstore
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Stop by the Campus Bookstore on Tuesday, March 17 and get 10% off all regularly priced green items.
Mobile food pantry March 16
NMC will host a mobile food pantry on Monday, March 16 from 3–5 p.m. in the Maple Lot on the Front Street campus. The menu includes potatoes, onions, cottage cheese, applesauce, pinto beans, juice, cereal, venison and pasta.
While our program is designed for NMC college students and their families, it is open to all in the community who are in need of food.
We ask that recipients queue up in the car line in a counter-clockwise circle around the edge of the parking lot. Please do not block the main access roads, be aware of other students using the parking spaces and watch for children being picked up at the Oleson Learning Center adjacent to the Maple Lot.
Photos of past retirees sought for 75th celebration
We need your help! Click to view the list of photos needed of past NMC retirees for our 75th celebration. If you have photos of any of these retired employees, please scan or send links to Lori Hodek at lhodek@nmc.edu.
Photos will be added to the Awards & Recognition page on NMC’s website under the NMC Retiree Recognition section.
Employee anniversaries – March
The following employees are celebrating an anniversary soon. Please join us in congratulating them!