Employee Anniversaries
The following employees are celebrating an anniversary soon. Please join us in congratulating them! (more…)
The following employees are celebrating an anniversary soon. Please join us in congratulating them! (more…)
Are you looking for career opportunities? Find them here! jobs.nmc.edu. (more…)
Thank you all for everything you do in pursuit of “Keeping Learning at the Center.”
This section recognizes the good work being done and linkages to the Strategic Directions (SD) and Institutional Effectiveness Criteria (IE) are provided where possible. (more…)
TRAVERSE CITY — NMC President Timothy J. Nelson has been honored with a host of awards for his leadership and accomplishments during his tenure. Nelson, who will retire Dec. 31, 2019, after 19 years as president has recently received the following:
In his nearly two decades as president, Nelson has guided NMC through a transition from the traditional time-based, place-based and knowledge transfer system to a community college that is focused on competency based, content based knowledge application in pursuit of social, economic and talent development.
In addition to MCCA, his visionary leadership is sought at the local, state and national levels. He has served on many boards and associations, including four gubernatorial appointments by two different Michigan governors.
He and his wife, Nancy Johnson, plan to remain in Traverse City upon retirement.
Diana Fairbanks
Executive Director of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019

Hungry to learn? Attend the September LIFE Lunch and discover interesting people, places and ideas. Join Ed Bailey, Director of Business Development for Marine Center at Northwestern Michigan College, for a dynamic presentation showcasing a team of dedicated college students, new technology and a coral reef in Indonesia. This project was part of a capstone course for students in the Bachelor of Science in Marine Technology program at NMC.
Learn how students used their project management skills to integrate the collection of water quality data, unmanned aerial imagery, and ROV (remotely operated vehicle) video to meet the criteria of the sponsoring research institution at a remote location. Enjoy amazing pictures of the beautiful land, air and seas they traversed around the Bunaken Nation Park in North Sulawesi, Indonesia!
Bring a sack lunch; beverages and dessert are provided. Pre-registration is required.
I offer my congratulations to Dr. Nissley as the incoming president of NMC. Thank you to all of the campus and community members who participated in the search process. It was open, transparent and effective. Our Board of Trustees should be commended.
The next four months will race by and there will be much to accomplish during the transition to new leadership. I am confident that we will all work to provide information and support that will assure Dr. Nissley’s successful entry to NMC and our college’s continued success into the future. Holly Gorton, Chief of Staff to the President and Board will coordinate the transition process working with the Board, the campus, members of the community and me.
I look forward to welcoming Dr. Nissley and his family to Traverse City and am certain he will be a great asset to the college and community.
Tim
Timothy J. Nelson, President
1701 E. Front Street
Traverse City, MI
Phone: (231) 995-1010
NMC Dining Services include the Hawk Owl Café and Northwest Grind / Starbucks in Osterlin Library and the Hawks Nest in East Hall. Hours may vary around holidays and dining services are closed during semester breaks and over the summer.
Meals on the Move will be in East Hall every Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. and every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 to 6 p.m.
Make your password memorable but tough to crack. Why? Because your password protects very private employee as well as student information that is federally protected thru FERPA including: Grades, Moodle Coursework, Email correspondence, Scholarship Info, Student Services Information and more! Here’s some info on how to create a good password.
The following college events and stories have appeared in the media in the past week. 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 Osterlin Library.
Final candidate wants to move NMC into the future
Record-Eagle, August 30 (more…)
TRAVERSE CITY — The Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) Board of Trustees voted 4-3 to advance Dr. Nick Nissley as the first choice of five finalists to become the next president of NMC at a special board meeting Tuesday, September 3. The Board then unanimously voted to support Dr. Nissley in his role as president, if he accepts the position.
The Board will now extend an offer and begin discussions on a contract with Dr. Nissley. The contract will be submitted to and voted on by the Board. A formal announcement on the new president is expected within the month, with an expected start date of January 1, 2020.
NMC Board Chair Chris Bott said, “The Board is pleased to move forward with Dr. Nissley. He brings strong communication skills and proven experience in leadership and innovation. This process to identify the next leader of NMC has been competitive, thorough and transparent as the board’s most important job. We appreciate the dedication of the presidential search committee, employees and community members who participated in this process to identify the next leader of our community’s college.”
Nick Nissley, Ed. D. is an education executive with more than 25 years of experience including K-12, community college and university settings. He is currently Executive Director at the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati, OH. Dr. Nissley has leadership experience in fundraising, professional development, human resources, teaching and the arts. His areas of focus include helping build individual and organization capabilities that support organizational effectiveness and innovation cultures in support of educational excellence. Dr. Nissley describes himself as a collaborative servant leader and “possibilitarian.”
A total of 67 people applied for the position. Presidential search firm The Pauly Group reviewed the applicants to ensure all met the minimum criteria for the job. The Pauly group recommended 20 candidates to the presidential search committee. That committee narrowed the list to eight candidates for video interviews. The committee recommended five finalists for in-person interviews which included campus and community forums open to the public.
This is the culmination of work since Nov. 1, 2018, when president Timothy J. Nelson announced his intention to retire on Dec. 31, 2019.
“The board, this college and this community will be forever grateful for the service of Tim Nelson during his nearly 19 year tenure. We were not seeking to, nor could we replicate president Nelson who did incredible work to build this college into what it is today,“ said Chairman Bott. “We are now looking for the person who would be the right fit to lead this institution into the future. Each candidate has their own unique strengths. Ultimately the decision came down to who was the best fit at this time.”
Diana Fairbanks
Executive Director of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu(231) 995-1019
TRAVERSE CITY — NMC’s accreditation process—a key benchmark of the college’s overall quality—has been reaffirmed for the next 10 years by the Higher Learning Commission.
The reaffirmation process is the culmination of a comprehensive, eight-year cycle following a March 2019 site visit by HLC peer reviewers. Accreditation validates the quality of an institution as a whole and evaluates multiple aspects of an institution, including its academic offerings, governance and administration, mission, finances, and resources.
In its report, the peer review committee cited NMC’s “strong, clear, and well-presented evidence” on all five criteria for accreditation. It also praised NMC for its ongoing dedication to continuous quality improvement.
“Continuous quality improvement appears to be embedded within the culture of the college,” the report concludes.
NMC Executive Director of Research, Planning and Effectiveness Joy Evans said the clear-cut reaffirmation is “significant” for NMC and places it at the forefront among other Michigan community colleges.
“We not only met all criteria of accreditation but we are not on any form of interim monitoring, a rare finding for Michigan community colleges over the past several years,” Evans said.
Northwestern Michigan College has been accredited by HLC since 1961. The HLC is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a gatekeeper agency within the accreditation process. The next reaffirmation of accreditation is scheduled for 2028-29.
In addition to college-wide accreditation, many NMC programs maintain individual accreditations. Nursing programs in June received re-accreditation for the next eight years. In October, the Marine Technology program will host a site visit as part of its accreditation process. Learn more here.
Diana Fairbanks
Executive Director of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
Over 25 university representatives will be on NMC’s campus on Wednesday, October 9 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. to talk with students, staff and faculty about their programs and the transfer process. The university representatives will be located in the Health & Science Building Lobby on the Main Level.
Please let your students know about this opportunity to discuss transfer requirements and get information on degrees available at a variety of schools without having to travel to each university. Faculty and staff are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to dialogue with the university representatives as well!
A List of Colleges attending and Questions to Ask at a Transfer Fair is available on the College Visits page.
See you there!
Advising Staff
KUDOS- (praise or respect that you get because of something you have done or achieved) defined by Merriam-Webster.com
Have you been wanting to check out the new fitness center in North Hall?
This is your chance! Just show up, sign in and get working! If you find that you love it and would like to sign up for a membership, you can do so through Extended Education Services by calling (231) 995-1700.
NMC’s 3rd Annual Step ChallengeRegistration opens on Monday, Sept. 16 and the challenge begins Monday, Sept. 23. The team minimum is two people.
Blue Cross members will use the online wellness site, and non Blue Cross employees should email Hollie DeWalt in HR for access to the Google tracker.
September 23, 2019- Men’s Health Presentation
The following employees are celebrating an anniversary soon. Please join us in congratulating them! (more…)
Are you looking for career opportunities? Find them here! jobs.nmc.edu. (more…)
New this semester – your NMC librarians are holding office hours in Scholars Hall!
Stuck on a research assignment, or want to enlist the help of a personal research collaborator? Curious to pick up some tips on how to avoid misinformation online? Or just looking for a homework break and someone to talk to? Stop by Scholars Hall 213 on Wednesdays between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.!