Thank you to everyone who attended the You Made it Possible Employee Luncheon on May 13, helping us celebrate all of our employees including those receiving excellence and service awards and our retirees!
Congratulations to NMC Aviation for their registration and upcoming participation in the historic Air Race Classic! We’re proud to cheer on the Cherry Capital Cruisers (Team #33), featuring flight instructor Emma Dyer alongside student Grace Soneral and team lead Rachael Kornoely. Representing NMC in one of the world’s oldest and most competitive all-women air races, this talented crew will be piloting a Cessna Skyhawk 172SP aircraft (N921BB) dedicated to legendary NMC flight instructor and aviation program director Bob Buttleman during the June 23–26 race.
They won’t be flying solo either, backed by a dedicated Traverse City ground support team managing weather, airspace and logistics every step of the way. Best of luck to our amazing aviators as they prepare for this incredible milestone—clear skies ahead, and Go Team 33! Follow along with the flyers starting June 23 here.
Who’s been a Hawk Owl Helper or Hero for you? Let us know at publicrelations@nmc.edu!
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.
Abra Berens & Erik Hall to Launch Teaching Kitchen in TC
Ticker, June 15
(more…)
Walk MS Traverse City will take place on Saturday, June 20, beginning at approximately 9 a.m. The event will start and end at Traverse City Central High School and will impact areas surrounding NMC’s Front Street Campus.
The event includes both a 1-mile and a 2.4-mile route. The 1-mile route enters campus through the US-31/College Drive entrance, while the 2.4-mile route travels around the perimeter of the Front Street Campus.
If you plan to be on campus during the event, please anticipate increased pedestrian traffic and possible delays. We encourage everyone to use caution when driving and allow extra time for travel. Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we support this community event.
Don’t leave Swoop on the sidelines! As we look ahead to 2027, we know many exciting events and celebrations are already in the works. If you’d like Swoop to make an appearance and bring the energy, now is the time to let us know! Help us plan ahead by submitting your Swoop appearance request as soon as possible.
Submit your request by filling out the Swoop Appearance Request Form
The following employees are celebrating an anniversary soon. Please join us in congratulating them!
Kudos to Dave Weaver! Dave brought together a team for Smart Commute Week and coordinated all of the tracking and reporting. It was so much fun to hear and see all the ways people got to work in a way that reduced the carbon footprint. Thanks for keeping us all sustainable!
Kudos to STT Security/Robert Basso! On Saturday, May 23, STT Security did a great job protecting the campus and visitors during the Bayshore marathon event which drew 8,500 runners. STT planned for the event and collaborated with multiple departments to ensure a smooth running operation! Great Job.
Kudos to Nicco Pandolfi! Nicco presented at the Friends of Traverse Area District Library Annual Meeting Thursday, May 28. He gave a timely and well informed presentation about the current state of AI and book publishing. His willingness to share his knowledge on the topic with a group at our regional library was appreciated by all, as was the conversation he guided with the members of the public in attendance.
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!
These colleagues have moved on to a new chapter in their lives. We wish them the very best as they navigate a new adventure, and we thank them for their time and dedication to NMC!
These employees recently started working at the college. Let’s welcome them to the NMC community!
Join NMC Wellness and Yen Yoga for an invigorating outdoor yoga class beneath the pines. This course is free to NMC employees and will be led by Leslie Simionescu from Yen Yoga. Embrace the fresh air, connect with nature and rejuvenate your mind and body. All skill levels are welcome. Start your journey to relaxation and wellness with us today. One lucky attendee will win a brand new yoga bag!
Wednesday, June 24, 11 a.m.
Outside of the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center
In the event of rain we will relocate to the gym in the Rajkovich Physical Education Building
Register
Questions? Email bhanbury@nmc.edu
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 (remember, you must be logged into your student account to view) and browse classes for you and yours this spring!
Head to the Elmwood Marina and meet up for a morning of Lake Michigan fishing fun. Ply the West Bay waters as you work to land a mighty king salmon or the powerful lake trout. Cap off the day as you enjoy a meal served with a Lake Michigan flare and prepared by Harrington’s on M22. Read more about Catch & Cook.
Saturday, June 20; 8 a.m.–2 p.m.
Tuition waiver price: $63 per person (Public price: $199)
New! Explore the fundamental principles of line, form, shading, and perspective. Through guided, hands-on practice, we will move steadily from sketching to basic shapes to creating objects with realistic depth and dimension. Read more about Drawing Fundamentals: Try It Out!
Tuesday, June 30; 5:30–7:30 p.m.
Tuition waiver price: $22 per person (Public price: $75)
Aerobic exercise is not enough to keep the body well-conditioned; research shows the need for the addition of weekly weight strengthening. We will focus on all major muscle groups resulting in increased strength, better posture, greater mobility, improved metabolism, and a slowing of the development of osteoporosis. Read more about Weight Strengthening.
14 sessions; Tuesdays & Thursdays, June 23—August 6; 7–8 a.m.
Tuition waiver price: $46 per person (Public price: $249)
TRAVERSE CITY — The NMC Board of Trustees Executive Committee will meet Monday, June 15 at 1 p.m. in Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center Room 104/105. The meeting agenda is available online.
For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
The NMC Bookstore will be closed June 29-30 for annual inventory and will reopen Wednesday, July 1. All web orders placed between June 29-30 will be processed on Wednesday, July 1.
Good morning NMC community,
I’m writing to share an important leadership transition and several organizational changes that will help position NMC for the future.
After more than a decade of service to NMC and more than 30 years in education, Todd Neibauer has announced his intention to retire in December, 2026.
Todd joined NMC in 2013 and has served as Vice President for Student Services and Technologies since 2016. Throughout his career, he has brought a learner’s mindset to every role he has held, from teacher and technology leader to vice president. That unique combination of experiences allowed him to successfully lead one of the most distinctive portfolios in higher education, overseeing both student services and technology during a period of significant change for our college. This unicorn-like skill set allowed Todd to lead two portfolios (student services and technology). Most colleges have these roles as separate portfolios with two distinct leaders.
On behalf of NMC, I want to thank Todd for his steady leadership, commitment to students, and dedication to the College. Fortunately, we will continue to benefit from his knowledge and leadership throughout the coming year as we prepare for this transition.
Todd’s retirement also provided an opportunity to thoughtfully consider how we position NMC for the future. One of NMC’s strengths has always been our ability to adapt and respond to changing needs. Higher education continues to evolve rapidly, and student success, enrollment, technology, and AI are becoming increasingly important to our future. As we looked ahead, it became clear that these areas have grown in both scope and complexity and would benefit from dedicated leadership focus.
As part of this transition, Lindsey Dickinson will become Vice President of Student Success and Services effective November 2, 2026.
Many of you know Lindsey through her work across advising, enrollment, and student success initiatives. Over the course of her career at NMC, she has served in a variety of leadership roles supporting students and has become a trusted leader, collaborator, and advocate for student success. Lindsey brings deep experience, strong relationships across the college, and a genuine commitment to NMC’s mission. I am excited for the leadership she will bring to this role as we continue advancing our goals around student success, enrollment, and the overall student experience.
We will also return technology leadership to a dedicated Executive Director of Technology role, which will report to the Vice President for Finance and Administration, Troy Kierczynski, and serve as a member of President’s Council. In fact, this was the structure NMC used before Todd assumed his current vice president role. As technology has become increasingly important across teaching and learning, college operations, cybersecurity, data, and the responsible use of AI, we believe dedicated leadership and focus will best position us for the future.
Additional reporting changes associated with this transition include moving the Bookstore operations and Apartments into the Student Success and Services division (under Lindsey’s leadership) to better align student-facing services.
Over the past several weeks, we have been meeting with the departments most directly affected by these changes and discussing what this transition will mean for their teams. While much of the day-to-day work across the college will remain unchanged, these leadership decisions are important because they help ensure NMC is positioned to meet the needs of students and employees for years to come.
This transition is not about changing direction. It is about creating the leadership capacity needed to advance the priorities we have already identified together through our strategic plan. It reflects our commitment to student success, operational excellence, and future readiness, while building on the strengths that have long defined NMC.
Please join me in thanking Todd for his many contributions to NMC, and congratulating Lindsey on this well-deserved opportunity.
More information will be shared as we move through the transition period over the coming months.
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TRAVERSE CITY — More than 250 young anglers and their families are expected at the annual Rotary Kids Free Fishing Day, set from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturday, June 20 at Northwestern Michigan College’s Great Lakes campus.
Kids accompanied by an adult are invited to join in the free fishing fun. Under the supervision of the Department of Natural Resources, 500 brown trout 10 inches or longer will be stocked in the campus harbor for the event. Fishing rods, reels and bait are all provided. Children may also bring their own fishing gear. Experienced volunteers including Rotarians and cadets from the Great Lakes Maritime Academy will help with baiting hooks and fishing skills. Members of the Northwest Michigan Fishing Club will clean the fish for the young anglers. The Great Lakes Children’s Museum will host a free fish painting activity for kids waiting to fish. There will also be a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter flyover. Parking is available at NMC’s Great Lakes Campus, 715 E. Front St., Traverse City, located just east of the Delamar Hotel on U.S. 31. Free Fishing Day is sponsored by Traverse City Rotary Clubs, Rotary Camps & Services, NMC, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Rhonda & Michael Estes, Great Lakes Children’s Museum and the Northwest Michigan Fishing Club.
Christopher DeGood
Traverse City Rotary Clubs
cdegood@bria2.com
(231) 420-5601
Thank you to all who joined the June 3 Budget Town Hall meetings to discuss NMC’s FY 27 budget with Vice President for Finance & Administration Troy Kierczynski. Watch a recording of the morning session here.
NMC will host a number of events on Friday, June 19 to commemorate the Juneteenth holiday.
EVENT SCHEDULE
11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Juneteenth Community Day.
Free.
Dennos Museum
4 p.m.
A Water Trail film screening.
Free.
Dutmers Theater, Dennos Museum.
5–6 p.m.
Youth activities, vendors, food trucks
Free.
Founders Hall courtyard and Cedar Lot
5:30 p.m.
Children’s story time with TADL
Free.
Founders Hall courtyard
6–7 p.m.
Juneteenth program featuring special guest speaker Tyasha Harrison and guest performer Crystal Woodward-Turner
Free.
Founders Hall courtyard
8–9:30 p.m.
Family Freedom Skate
$5 admission; $5 skate rental
Civic Center, 1213 W Civic Center Dr.
