Oct 14, 2022 | HR Corner, Intercom
Kudos to Ed Bailey, Lisa Cooper, and Hans VanSumeren: I want to recognize a fantastic job by Ed, Hans and Lisa on the successful completion and execution of LakeBed 2030! This event returned to in-person for the first time since 2019 and resulted in a 2.5 days of seminars, keynotes, demonstrations, employer roundtables and vendor booths. The result was 141 in-person attendees and 46 virtual! Senator Peters provided a recorded opening welcome and a keynote by Captain Benjamin K. Evans, NOAA Director, NOAA Office of Coast Survey kicked off day one. Just as importantly, Marine Tech students had ample opportunities to see the latest technologies and discuss potential career opportunities. NMC is viewed as the convener of state, national and international agencies, industry leaders, and economic development organizations due to this conference. The planning and implementation of this conference takes well over a year and this team goes above and beyond to make this event happen. This aligns with our strategic plan, strategy #5 focused on growing the GLWSI and role in the “new” blue economy. Well done and I am looking forward to next year!
Kudos to Ben Post and the entire Ed tech group: Ben goes above and beyond to kindly and patiently address my tech issues. He responds quickly (even on the weekend). As someone teaching remotely, this quick help is what is keeping me going. However, it is the professionalism, patience and kindness for which I am most grateful. Ryan, Mark and Jason also “fix” my tech issues. All of these great people are very skilled and patient.
Kudos to Kim Groulay: Kim spent multiple hours in support of the Lakebed 2030 Conference and it was her work that helped ensure all the invoices were paid and the sponsorship fees were collected. What made Kim’s support so valuable was her outstanding communication skills, her willingness to go out of her way to support the event, and her constant positive attitude regardless of the complexity of the task. The conference was lucky to have someone of her caliber supporting the effort. Thanks, Kim
Kudos to NMC Faculty & Adjunct Faculty– The Fall 2022 Early Alert Progress Survey just closed, and 91% of you completed the survey! You raised almost 3,000 Kudos for students and they LOVE it! Thank you for all that you do to help our students succeed. We know it’s often difficult to integrate new technologies, but you all are seeing how My Success can help break down silos on our campus and better help our students. Great job! Let’s keep at it and get event better next semester!
Kudos to Katy Knight: Huge thanks to Katy Knight and all of her work on My Success! As the new Student Success Specialist, Katy is creating systems and workflows to help connect students to resources through their instructors. She is helping create a more collaborative, unified campus. We are so grateful for what Katy is doing for Student Success!
Kudos to Chris Hanna, Eric Carlson and Dennis Shultz: Chris, Eric & Dennis assisted in several EES classes all at once this morning. At the Innovation Center they set up our ever popular Global & Language instructor, Jack Segal, with over 35 participants in the class “Ukraine – What Does Putin Want”. At least half of these students had never been to the IC before and were very impressed! Chris ran over to the Dennos and set-up our EES instructor, Mary Gillett, for her class “Work of Art Workshop (how to run your art business)”. A HUGE kudos goes to Eric Carlson for filming our first episode of the Coffee Chats series from the Quiet Reading Room in the NMC Library. This series was originally curated by Alex Tank who is now full-time with IAF. As good fortune would have it, our very own Marguerite Cotto has graciously stepped into the role of hosting these community-centered Coffee Chats, which are now managed by EES Program Manager Christa Abdul-Karim. The very brave and knowledgeable Eric Carlson conducted the first in-person filming of the series (with a fireplace in the background and everything). Thank you, Educational Technology super heroes!
Kudos to Alex Bloye for his advocacy work related to the Aviation Hangar expansion. Alex has hosted many visitors at the hangar, providing a vision for the future of the Aviation hangar and program and demonstrating to lawmakers how we can grow it to help address the national pilot shortage.
Kudos to Tami Livengood and Craig Hadley and everyone involved in bringing the movie The Color of Care to the Milliken auditorium for viewing and the panel discussion afterwards. Kudos to Craig for making NMC an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institute giving us access to resources like this film and for facilitating the panel discussion. Kudos to Tami Livengood for bringing her expertise to the discussion as one of our four panelists.
Kudos to Marcus Bennet: Marcus organized a fun and friendly staff v. faculty kickball game. Thanks, Marcus, for arranging this!
Kudos to Skylar Berry and Sarah Frankham: Skylar and Sarah jumped on a Zoom call at the last minute to help verify the SGA Elections. They offered unbiased support to review the SGA elections and we were able to quickly verify the new officers for 2022-23. Thanks, Skylar and Sarah!
Kudos Janet Lively and Lori Hodek: Kudos to everyone involved in the planning and execution of Professional Development Day on Oct. 11. The event was well attended and the morning presentations in addition to the keynote speaker set the tone for the day. The positive energy from all attendees was very evident. We were all glad to be learning and enjoying community again. Thank you for orchestrating this event. Well done!
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!
Oct 14, 2022 | Intercom, Tech Bytes
Email-to-Print is available on any printer if the orange label on the front of the printer says “Email-to-Print Enabled”. Follow these directions to easily print documents from your laptops, tablet or phone to an NMC printer. If you are printing in the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center (TNIC) at the Technology Help Desk, the printer name is whb100-km@nmc.edu. If you have any questions on using Email-to-Print, please call (231) 995-3020, start a chat at nmc.edu/help, or stop by the Technology Help Desk.
Oct 14, 2022 | Intercom, Student Events
On Tuesday, November 1, community network We Fight will host its second “Elevate Northern Michigan: A Youth Mental Health Summit for Young Leaders – and Those Who Love Them.”
Elevate Northern Michigan is a quarterly summit series focusing on boosting knowledge regarding psychology, neuroscience, practical well-being tools, and leadership skills related to mental health. The 90-minute event will consist of three workshops with local experts:
- Dr. Michael Kern, Ph.D: School Psychologist at Interlochen Center for the Arts
- Meg Mertaugh-Graber, M.Ed., MSW, LMSW Clinical, LICSW: Founder of Care-O-Van, PLLC & AVEC Care Farm
- Jessie Perez: Family Navigator at National Alliance for Mental Illness Grand Traverse
Registration is free but required as space is limited.
All are welcome at the summit — particularly young people aged 16-24 and those who love them. No previous training or engagement with We Fight is required. The event begins at 1 p.m., and will take place at Northwestern Michigan College’s Innovation Center in Room 106/107.
We Fight is grateful to Northern Lakes Community Mental Health and NMC for their support and sponsorship of Elevate Northern Michigan.
We Fight recently underwent a strategic visioning process to better accomplish its vision: a northern Michigan where everyone plays a role in protecting our kids’ mental health.
“I hope that aspiring youth leaders leave this summit with a better understanding of the skills required to project their voice and tackle systemic change with the youthful determination that makes their advocacy so unique, to begin with,” said We Fight leadership team member, Central High School student Will Unger.
“I’m proud of the We Fight community for stepping up. And I’m grateful for our local experts for their generosity to help boost knowledge, shift attitudes, decrease stigma, build support and elevate youth voice. The Elevate Summits are a science-based, urgent and optimistic step toward a northern Michigan where everyone plays a role in protecting our kids’ mental health,” said Good Works Lab founder, Ty Schmidt.
We Fight for Northern Michigan’s Youth Mental Health, or “We Fight,” was founded in December 2021 as an initiative of Traverse City-based social change agency Good Works Lab. Since its founding, over 630+ people who care have committed to protecting youth mental health in Northern Michigan by leveraging the Surgeon General’s Youth Mental Health advisory. To get involved, visit Good Works Lab’s website.
Oct 13, 2022 | Intercom, Student Events
The Passport Student Lecture Series is a chance to explore other cultures through the experience of NMC students.
Join us as Fabiola McFarlin, a Maritime Academy student at NMC, talks about life and culture in Brazil on November 1 from 12:15–1 p.m. in the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center, Rm 106/107. Feel free to bring your lunch along as we relax and learn about this beautiful country.
Global Endorsement students, please bring your GE passport so that it can be stamped to earn your GE event points!
Oct 13, 2022 | Intercom, Student News
NMC’s Advising team wants to help you build your spring schedule! Registration Week is October 17–21; you can begin registering for classes on October 19 and 20. Check your email for more information about scheduling an appointment with your assigned advisor as well as what day and time registration opens for you.
Pitch Day Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center room 106, Tuesday, Oct. 18, 12:30 p.m.
Faculty members will have 3 minutes to tell you why you should take their class this spring. Learn what makes their class awesome and why no spring schedule is complete without it. Pizza and pop provided by Experiential Learning Institute. Faculty will have posters about their courses in the Innovation Center throughout the week.
Building your spring schedule Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center room 123, Wednesday, Oct. 19 & Thursday, Oct. 20, 11 a.m. –1 p.m.
Team members from Advising as well as Success Coaches will be available to answer questions and hammer out your schedule.
Oct 13, 2022 | Intercom, Student News
Curiosities is a ‘book club’ for those of us who are wary of a cover-to-cover commitment but still want to meet up and talk about interesting stuff with fellow lifelong learners. Each session meets once a week for four consecutive weeks, discussing material ranging from podcast episodes to articles to mini-documentaries. Our next installment focuses on short films, and will run October 20 – November 10, meeting on Thursdays from noon–1 p.m. via Zoom.
Curiosities Shorts Fest
Oct, 20–Nov. 10 | Thursdays, 12–1 p.m. via Zoom
Join us as we explore short films from across the globe, spanning a range of genres. In true Curiosities style, each week’s selections will be paired with additional materials (podcasts and short readings) to enhance our experience and understanding of the films. All films come from the library’s Kanopy collection and can be watched on your own at home; we’ll meet weekly via Zoom to discuss.
The four-week series will culminate with a public viewing party in November, which participants will have a chance to help curate. Register here for Curiosities Shorts Fest
Curiosities sessions are open to students, faculty, staff and community members alike. Students may be eligible to earn co-curricular credit for participating – ask your instructor or email library@nmc.edu to find out more!
Oct 12, 2022 | Announcements & News, Intercom
Hello NMC community,
As we emerge from the pandemic, we can (literally) breathe a little easier knowing that we have met an enormous challenge and are better and stronger as we move forward. The reasons for this are rooted in our NMC values. You have lived these values in large projects like co-creating and implementing the new strategic plan, NMC Next and in your daily interactions with your colleagues.
Our college community also worked to protect our greatest resource, our people, and understand that we need time to disconnect in order to recharge and get back to full capacity. In an effort to continue our commitment to the values of collaboration, respect and innovation we are pleased to share that President’s Council has decided to close the college this year during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Specifically the following days will be treated as additional holidays in 2022:
- Tuesday, December 27
- Wednesday, December 28
- Thursday, December 29
- The remaining (non-annual holiday) half day on Friday, December 30
This is a concrete example of the college’s commitment to its employees, to their well-being and their ability to maintain a healthy work/life balance.
We hope that these additional days off at the end of the year will help to ensure that the high performance and engagement levels of our people remain strong.
I’m also pleased to announce that President’s Council will submit to Policy Council a proposal to formally amend Staff HR Policy D-718 to include a closure of the college from December 24 through January 1 each year!
Thank you again for all you do to help our learners and our college community. We hope you are having a successful fall semester.
Mark
—
Mark Liebling
AVP of Human Resources
1701 East Front Street, Traverse City, MI 49686
(231) 995-1342
Oct 12, 2022 | Intercom, Student News
October 12, 2022
The ranks of adult learners attending NMC on the Michigan Reconnect scholarship more than doubled this fall, as the program that seeks to improve the state’s talent pipeline surpassed the $500,000 mark in funds awarded locally.
Meanwhile, a new state aid program, the Michigan Achievement Scholarship will make college more affordable for high school graduates attending NMC full-time next fall. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the legislation Tuesday.
“There’s never been a better time to improve your earning potential through higher education,” said NMC President Nick Nissley. “Together, Michigan Reconnect and Michigan Achievement mean NMC has dedicated state scholarships available for our two largest student pools: high school graduates and adult learners without a credential.”
NMC economic impact data shows that people with an associate degree earn $8,500 more per year than someone with only a high school diploma.
Launched last year, Michigan Reconnect is available to adults 25 and over who don’t already have a degree or certificate. This semester, 234 students took advantage of the free in-district tuition. Total NMC Reconnect participation stands at 400 students who have received $562,804. Reconnect followed a similar scholarship, Futures for Frontliners, for adult essential workers who stayed on the job through the shutdown phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some 530 NMC students took advantage of Futures for Frontliners, receiving $1.3 million.
Now the Michigan Achievement Scholarship aims to provide similar financial incentive for high school students to attend college. Starting with the high school class of 2023, students will be eligible for up to $2,750/year in aid if they attend a community college full time (12 credits) and demonstrate financial need.
NMC Director of Financial Aid Linda Berlin estimates that up to 200 2023 high school graduates could qualify for Michigan Achievement, and NMC could award between $300,000–$400,000.
“This student financial aid program is a historic investment in the future of Michigan’s young people. The more we invest in our colleges and our students, the more prosperous our state will be,” said Brandy Johnson, president of the Michigan Community College Association.
In addition to those state funds, NMC also awards more than $1 million in institutional, donor-directed scholarships through the NMC Foundation.
Oct 11, 2022 | Intercom
Two committees of Northwestern Michigan College’s Board of Trustees will meet this Friday, Oct. 14 in the President’s Conference Room of the Tanis Building on NMC’s main campus, 1701 E. Front St., Traverse City:
- Policy Committee: 8:30 a.m.
- Audit Committee: 1:30 p.m.
Meeting notices are available here. For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
Oct 11, 2022 | Intercom
The NMC Board of Trustees Audit Committee meets Friday, Oct. 14 at 1:30 p.m. in the NMC President’s Office Conference Room in the Tanis Building on NMC’s main campus. More information is available here.
For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
Oct 10, 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.
Tech Career Discovery Series
HappeningNext, Oct 10, 2022 (more…)
Oct 10, 2022 | Hawk Owl Helpers and Heroes, Intercom
The Center for Instructional Excellence and the Professional Development Institute have planned a full day of programming for NMC Next: Unlock your Full Potential, NMC’s 7th annual October Conference. Thanks to their coordination efforts, employees at NMC have an opportunity to invest in their personal growth so that we can continue to implement the college’s mission. This event wouldn’t be possible without their efforts as well as the contributions of each presenter — the college appreciates your willingness to share your insights, processes and new technologies available to us so that we can better serve our learners.
October Conference kicks off at 8 a.m. tomorrow in the Milliken Auditorium with light refreshments, a welcome and a keynote address. The day closes with the first annual faculty and staff kickball game in the softball field by the Fine Arts Building. View the complete list of scheduled programming here.
Who’s been a Hawk Owl Helper or Hero for you? Let us know at publicrelations@nmc.edu!
Oct 10, 2022 | Intercom, Student Events
The NMC Jazz Lab Band will join the Jeff Haas Trio plus Laurie Sears for an afternoon of swinging jazz on Sunday, October 23 at 3 p.m. at the Grand Traverse Circuit.
A suggested donation of $20 ($5 for Students) includes complimentary food from Edson Farms, wine from Chateau Chantal and great music!
The GT Circuit is located at 225 W. 14th St. in Traverse City.
Oct 10, 2022 | Intercom, Tech Bytes
Have you ever forgotten about the project due at the end of the quarter until it was too late, to reply to that email once you found the answer, or about the meeting with HR? With Google Tasks, setting tasks to help your day go off without a hitch is easier than ever and they sync with any Google app. You’ll never forget when something is due again!
Oct 7, 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!
(more…)
Oct 7, 2022 | Intercom, President Updates
Dear Colleagues,
On Tuesday, October 11, the Center for Instructional Excellence and the Professional Development Institute will host the seventh NMC October Conference. This is a college-wide professional development event for all regular faculty and staff, as well as adjunct faculty.
An appointment has been sent to your Google calendar. The College will be closed to allow all faculty and staff to attend. We are excited to have everyone together again, face-to-face for this event!
Our morning will begin at 8:00 am at the Milliken Auditorium with light refreshments, followed by a welcome and a keynote address. Our speaker is Dr. Todd Zakrajsek, learning science author and speaker from University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and the Lilly Conferences.
We will have a wide variety of sessions available for all NMC faculty and staff to come together to share ideas and learn new strategies, ultimately giving everyone an opportunity to collaborate and learn from each other.
This year’s theme is: NMC Next: Unlock Your Full Potential, based on NMC’s Vision and Strategic Plan, and provides an opportunity for the College to invest in you, our employees! I can’t stress enough how important each of you is in helping our learners succeed. It takes every person in every position on campus to assure quality experiences and outcomes for our students. This day gives us the opportunity to invest in each other.
Check your calendars for a more detailed agenda with a list of sessions that will allow you to plan your day.
I look forward to seeing you there!
Nick
President’s Office
1701 E. Front Street
Traverse City, MI
Phone: (231) 995-1010
Oct 7, 2022 | Intercom
The NMC Board of Trustees Audit Committee will meet at 2 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 10, in the President’s Conference Room of the Tanis Building on NMC’s main campus, 1701 E. Front St., Traverse City.
The official meeting notice is available here. For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
Oct 5, 2022 | Intercom, Student Events
The NMC Jazz Big Band will join the Jeff Haas Trio plus Laurie Sears for an afternoon of swinging jazz on Sunday, October 9 at 3 p.m. at the Grand Traverse Circuit.
A suggested donation of $20 ($5 for Students) includes complimentary food from Edson Farms, wine from Chateau Chantal and great music!
The GT Circuit is located at 225 W. 14th St. in Traverse City.
