Jan 28, 2026 | Intercom
Celebrate NMC’s 75th anniversary with a special Alumni Trivia Night at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, February 27, 2026 at Right Brain Brewery.
Beat the winter blues, reconnect, and reminisce with friends and fellow alumni. The questions will focus on NMC’s 75th year of operation, and the winning team or individual(s) will receive fantastic prizes.
Pizza will be provided and a cash bar with beer, wine, cider, mocktails, and seltzer will be available.
Please RSVP for yourself or your team (up to four people) if you plan to attend.
Jan 27, 2026 | Intercom, Student News
Failure is scary, but it isn’t the end—it is an opportunity to grow. Student Success will host a week of events dedicated to normalizing setbacks and building resilience so that students can use past missteps to lead to future success. Activities include:
Leveling Up! Adaptability Lunch & Learn with Student Life
Thursday, Feb. 12, 12-1 p.m.
Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center, room 104/105
RSVP
Asking for Help & Ultimate Success Hacks with Student Success Coaches
Monday, Feb. 16, 12–1 p.m.
Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center, room 106/107
RSVP
Student Success Fair
Tuesday, Feb. 17, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center Lobby
Connect & learn more about your support services at NMC!
Keep an eye out for “fail” boards on each campus all week long, follow @nmcstudentsuccess on social to hear testimonials about how you can overcome past mistakes and don’t forget to get your Certificate of Failure from the Advising Center!
Jan 27, 2026 | Intercom
TRAVERSE CITY — The governing boards of both Northwestern Michigan College and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians have signed a purchase and sale agreement for the Band to buy NMC’s Boardman Lake Campus.
NMC trustees unanimously approved the $27 million sale Monday. Members of the Band’s tribal council signed the document Jan. 21. The actions follow a letter of intent signed previously.
The sale could be completely executed by spring. To allow for the relocation of college offices still on the campus, NMC will lease back space for one year. No NMC classes are currently held on the campus.
Under the terms of the agreement, the Band has committed to never using the property for gaming activities. The Band has also stated that they will use the property, part of their ancestral homeland, as a centralized governmental services center. They will maintain public access for recreation, including the Boardman Lake loop trail, and lake and river access.
The Greenspire School’s current lease through 2030, and its tenant option to renew through 2035, are included in the purchase sale agreement.
“We made this decision thoughtfully and deliberately,” said Mark Keely, NMC’s incoming board chair. “We assessed the Boardman Lake Campus’s past and potential future impact on both students and the community, and we are convinced this course of action most effectively bolsters the NMC mission.”
The NMC board resolution states that the sale proceeds will be directed toward priorities already identified in NMC’s strategic plan and campus master plan, all focused on strengthening student success and the region’s future workforce. Those priorities include converting the Osterlin Building into a one-stop Student Success hub, addressing essential campus infrastructure such as a new power plant, and expanding student housing, which is currently at capacity. Together, these long-term priorities represent well over $100 million in planned investments, meaning the sale allows NMC to make meaningful progress, but represents only a portion of what is required.
“This investment gives us momentum, but it doesn’t change the scale of the work ahead,” President Nick Nissley said. “Supporting student success and the region’s future will continue to require strong partnerships with donors and the state.”
NMC purchased the property in 1989. For 30 years it was the home of the University Center. More than 10,000 students earned advanced degrees from four-year partners located there between 1995 and 2025.
Today, however, with different dynamics in higher education and online and hybrid course delivery options, NMC’s University Partners wanted to be on the college’s Front Street campus. That was accomplished in August 2025. Nissley said now it is time for the property to enter its next era.
Also at Monday’s meeting, the board elected a new slate of officers. They are: Keely, chair; Jody Lundquist, vice chair; Pam Horne, secretary; and Andy Robitshek, treasurer.
Release date: January 27, 2026
For more information:
Cari Noga
NMC Communications Director
(231) 392-1800 (mobile – call or text)
cnoga@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-discrimination
Jan 27, 2026 | Intercom, Student Events
In collaboration with the Traverse City Curling Club, NMC is hosting an Olympic Curling Watch Party from 1–3 p.m. on Friday, February 13, in the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center, room 104/105. Come watch Sweden and Canada face off in one of the most anticipated matchups during round robin play of the men’s division.
There will be snacks representing each country and coffee during the match livestream.
Jan 26, 2026 | Hawk Owl Helpers and Heroes, Intercom
Thanks to the 16 donors who saved 48 lives by donating at the campus blood drive Jan. 22. The drive exceeded its goal of 15 donors. Of the 16, six were first-time donors.
Who’s been a Hawk Owl Helper or Hero for you? Let us know at publicrelations@nmc.edu!
Jan 26, 2026 | Intercom, Student News
Programs focus on executive power, the new space race, rights of nature, Middle East peace building and climate security
TRAVERSE CITY — The International Affairs Forum continues its 32nd season of programs addressing global issues and fostering vital public dialogue in northern Michigan. Upcoming events include:
- February 19 | Long Arm or Strongarm: Executive Power in Foreign Policy & At Home with Kori Schake, Ph.D., Senior Fellow & Director of Foreign and Defense Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute. Schake is author of The State and the Soldier: A History of Civil-Military Relations in the United States (Polity Press 2025). She is also the author of Safe Passage: The Transition from British to American Hegemony, and a contributing writer at the Atlantic, War on the Rocks, and Bloomberg. Event presented in partnership with Central Michigan University Hart-Milliken Speaker Series. Book sales provided by Bay Books.
- March 19 | The New Space Race: How Data, Resources, and Power Are Shaping Our Future
Presented by NMC students on the IAF Student Leadership Team. Speaker(s) to be announced. The students will lead an in-depth exploration of competition in space among governments and corporations, with implications for technology, law, environmental stewardship, and global cooperation. Event underwriter: Eleanor Lynn
- April 15 | Rights of Nature: Global Movement, Local Values
Frank Bibeau & Hugo Echeverría on the Rights of Nature global conservation movement. Bibeau is Tribal Attorney & Director of Center for Democratic and Environmental Rights’ Tribal Rights of Nature Program and has led groundbreaking cases protecting manoomin (wild rice), among other precedent-setting legal conservation work. Echeverría, based in Quito, Ecuador, has worked in environmental law since 2001, with an emphasis on biodiversity conservation and the Rights of Nature. Event underwriter: Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation.
- April 19 | The Future is Peace — A Conversation with Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon
Presented by the National Writers Series in partnership with the International Affairs Forum. Join authors Aziz Abu Sarah, Palestinian peacebuilder; and Maoz Inon, Israeli peace activist, the co-CEOs of InterAct. Abu Sarah and Inon are both directly impacted by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. InterAct advances a hopeful vision of coexistence grounded in human connection and mutual understanding. Together they share a compelling story of reconciliation and hope drawn from personal loss and their work fostering peace across divides.
- May | This event will be the inaugural Robert & Nancy Giles Press Freedom Lecture hosted by the International Affairs Forum. Speaker(s) to be announced. Subscribe here for IAF newsletter updates.
- June 11 | Threat Multiplier: Climate, Military Leadership, and the Fight for Global Security with author Sherri Goodman, Secretary General, International Military Council on Climate & Security; Distinguished Fellow and Board Director, Atlantic Council; and former U.S. Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Environmental Security. As climate change intensifies disasters and sharpens geopolitical competition—from the Arctic and Greenland to global conflict zones—it has become a defining national security challenge. Goodman’s Threat Multiplier explores how the U.S. military now treats a warming world as a force that amplifies every threat. Event underwriters: Harold & Pam Lassers. Book sales provided by Bay Books.
Event Details
Programs are open to the public and are ticketed events. Students and educators attend at no cost thanks to community support. Most programs start at 7 p.m. Eastern at the Dennos Museum Center Milliken Auditorium, 1701 E. Front St., Traverse City with a welcome reception at 6 p.m.
Events are presented in hybrid format; in-person events are available to livestream online. Programming continues throughout the academic year through June 2026. All IAF events on campus at NMC are free for students and educators, including all NMC employees and employees of all local schools. For event details and tickets, please visit tciaf.com
IAF’s educational programming at NMC is free for students and educators, and open to the public thanks to its supporting members, regional partners, business sponsors, and Northwestern Michigan College. Learn more about membership, event sponsorship, and opportunities to support here: tciaf.com/support
Release date: January 22, 2026
For more information:
Alexander Tank
Director
International Affairs Forum at Northwestern Michigan College
(231) 995-1844
atank@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-discrimination
Jan 26, 2026 | 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.
The summer camp shuffle: Your guide to 2026 sign-up season
Ticker, Jan. 24
(more…)
Jan 26, 2026 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College is looking forward to bringing kids’ summer classes back again in 2026 with its popular College for Kids program. All classes are scheduled to occur in-person, both on NMC campuses and local off-site partner locations. We are excited to once again deliver the College for Kids experience that students have come to expect, with even more options this year for all interests and abilities.
Registration for all NMC youth summer programs, including College for Kids and GRASP, begins on Monday, February 2, 2026 at 7 AM. Students ages 4-17 will be able to choose from over 80 classes involving art, culinary, science, music, tech, writing, dance, and more. Preview classes at nmc.edu/kids on Tuesday, January 27. Some classes will fill quickly, so prompt registration is encouraged. Household profiles can be set up now at nmc.edu/ees.
Families may sign up to receive a reminder email when registration for each program begins by visiting nmc.edu/kids.
Release date: January 26, 2026
For more information:
Laura Stevens
NMC Extended Education & Training
ees@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1700
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-discrimination
Jan 26, 2026 | Intercom, Student Events
Campus Life and Esports are hosting a NBA 2K26 basketball tournament at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 6 in the Esports Lab, located in the lower level of the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center (#9 on the Front Street campus map).
- Xbox Series X/S and Playstation 5 versions available
- Prizes for the top two winners on each console
- Earn bragging rights for the season
- Free to play
For more information please contact Andre Dean at adean@nmc.edu or Marcus Bennett at mbennett@nmc.edu.
Jan 26, 2026 | Intercom, Student Events
Join the NMC Library from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 29 to celebrate Black History Month, diverse characters and the power of reading to break down barriers at the fifth annual Embrace the Dream Read-Aloud & Craft Night! This is a completely FREE event with no registration necessary and children ages 3-12 are invited to READ, CRAFT and get a FREE BOOK! Adults can join in on the fun or find a space in the building to relax while the kiddos hang out with the librarians, reading and getting crafty!
For more information, please contact the NMC Library by phone at (231) 995-1060 or by email at library@nmc.edu.
Jan 26, 2026 | HR Corner, Intercom
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.
Jan 26, 2026 | HR Corner, Intercom
Kudos to Amy Klei! Amy was responsible for updating a BANNER report that was needed for Financial Aid to complete information for the National Center for Education Statistics. The instructions provided by IPEDS did not include all of the information that was needed for the report. This situation created a great deal of rework. Amy has a great deal of knowledge and experience which helped me find the missing pieces to this project. She was very responsive in working through this cumbersome process so we could meet our submission due date.
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!
Jan 26, 2026 | HR Corner, Intercom
These employees recently started working at the college. Let’s welcome them to the NMC community!
-
- Paolo Perez Lopez, student employee — Student Life Office Assistant
- Mya Stanley, student employee — Residence Hall Front Desk
Jan 26, 2026 | Intercom
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!
Embark on a journey through the fundamentals of Hiragana (the Japanese writing system), basic grammar, and conversational techniques. By honing your listening skills, you’ll gain the confidence to engage in meaningful interactions with native speakers and discover an appreciation for the Japanese culture. Read more about Beginning Japanese.
8 sessions; Mondays, Feb. 2–March 23; 6–8 p.m.
Tuition Waiver Price: $22 per person (public price $199)
Find out why so many have found that yoga improves flexibility, strength, posture, and balance, as well as physical and spiritual wellness. Gentle yoga is designed for people of any level of physical ability who prefer a more mindful, gentle practice. Read more about Gentle Yoga.
8 sessions; Tuesdays, Feb. 3–March 24; 10:30–11:30 a.m.
Tuition Waiver Price: $25 per person (public price $115)
This interactive class combines video with hands-on practical experience on the latest CPR skills, AED use, and basic first aid knowledge. This is an ideal training solution for schools, child care providers, youth sports coaches, and others required to learn how to respond to medical emergencies involving adults, children, and infants. Read more about CPR/AED/Basic First Aid.
Saturday, Feb. 7; 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
Tuition Waiver Price: $39 per person (public price $149)
Jan 26, 2026 | Intercom, Student News
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, January 26
Chicken Fettuccine with pesto cream sauce served with garlic crostini & broccoli
Roasted Vegetable Fettuccine (V) with pesto cream sauce served with garlic crostini & broccoli
Tuesday, January 27
Chicken Enchiladas with peppers, onions and cheese served with Spanish rice & refried beans
Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas (V) with peppers, onions and cheese served with Spanish rice & refried beans
Wednesday, January 28
Sweet & Sour Stir Fry with roasted pork and pineapple served with basmati rice & egg roll
Sweet & Sour Stir Fry (V) with tofu and pineapple served with basmati rice & egg roll
Thursday, January 29
Potato Gnocchi with Italian sausage and Alfredo sauce served with garlic bread & green beans
Potato Gnocchi with roasted vegetables and Alfredo sauce served with garlic bread & green beans
Friday, January 30
BBQ Pulled Pork with brioche bun served with mac and cheese & asparagus
BBQ Jackfruit (V) with brioche bun served with mac and cheese & asparagus
Jan 23, 2026 | Intercom
The NMC Board of Trustees will hold its regular monthly meeting Monday, January 26 at 5:30 p.m. in Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center Room 106/107. More information is available here.
For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
Jan 21, 2026 | Intercom, Student News
January 21, 2026
The Great Lakes Blue Tech Challenge, the third straight entrepreneurial pitch competition NMC has sponsored, launched this week, seeking innovative ideas to fast-track businesses developing solutions for a wide range of issues impacting the world’s largest freshwater system.
At stake is $55,000 in seed funding. First prize is $30,000, second prize is $15,000 and third prize will win $10,000. Finalists will present at the Lakebed 2030 conference in Traverse City Sept. 17, gaining visibility and networking opportunities.
“The Blue Tech Challenge is progressing in parallel with the Freshwater Innovation Center and with the wider idea of TC becoming this freshwater innovation ecosystem. It’s all maturing together in a way which is beneficial for northern Michigan and the entire, bi-national Great Lakes region,” said Canadian Trade Commissioner Dakota Korth, a judge for the 2025 competition. The Challenge is open to entrants from the U.S. and Canada.
Vernon LaLoneThe poster child for the Blue Tech Challenge is the 2025 winner, Wave Lumina of Traverse City. The company, which manufactures a portable, rapid-response PFAS testing device, also placed second in Aquahacking the Great Lakes, the 2024 competition. Since launching in founder Vernon LaLone’s spare bedroom in 2023, Wave Lumina has won a $305,000 National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation & Research grant; hired two employees, both NMC alumni; and served its first paying customers in December.
Now operating in a lab at NMC’s Parsons-Stulen Building, Lalone hopes to become a tenant at the Freshwater Research & Innovation Center when it opens in 2027.
Korth hopes that businesses with Canadian roots will be there, too. The Canadian government contributed $5,000 to last year’s competition and he hopes to provide at least that much again.
“A big piece for me is a deepened Canadian participation,” Korth said. In the 2025 event, 35 companies made initial inquiries, and 18 submitted first-round pitches. Of those, three were Canadian.
“We’re trying to help eliminate the challenge of the border as an impediment to economic progress on both sides,” said Korth, whose office is in Detroit. “It’s natural for us to look to our neighbors to find ways to work together to find what buoys our livelihoods and our health.”
The Challenge is open to motivated entrepreneurs, startups, early-career professionals, and even student-led ventures from across the United States and Canada. Areas of focus are:
- Resilience and Adaptation
- Aquatic Ecosystems and Aquaculture
- Maritime Mobility and Exploration Systems
- Water Treatment and Purification
- Resource Recovery and Circular Solutions
- Water Intelligence and Decision Support
- Water Infrastructure and Asset Management
For more information visit nmc.edu/bluetechchallenge.
Jan 20, 2026 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — NMC has opened registration for the Great Lakes Blue Tech Challenge, seeking startups with solutions for a wide range of issues impacting the world’s largest freshwater system.
At stake is $55,000 in seed funding. First prize is $30,000, second prize is $15,000 and third prize will win $10,000. Finalists will present at the Lakebed 2030 conference in Traverse City Sept. 17, gaining visibility and networking opportunities.
The third such competition of its kind at NMC, the Blue Tech Challenge is progressing in parallel with the Freshwater Research and Innovation Center, with the wider idea of Traverse City becoming a freshwater innovation hub.
“It’s all maturing together in a way which is beneficial for northern Michigan and the entire, bi-national Great Lakes region,” said Canadian Trade Commissioner Dakota Korth, a judge for the 2025 competition.
The Challenge is open to entrants from the U.S. and Canada. Registration closes March 27, and first-round pitches will take place on June 29. The Challenge is open to motivated entrepreneurs, startups, early-career professionals, and even student-led ventures from across the United States and Canada. Areas of focus are:
- Resilience and adaptation
- Aquatic ecosystems and aquaculture
- Maritime mobility and exploration systems
- Water treatment and purification
- Resource recovery and circular solutions
- Water intelligence and decision support
- Water infrastructure and asset management
After 35 initial inquiries, 18 teams entered the 2025 Challenge, won by Wave Lumina of Traverse City. The company, which manufactures a portable, rapid-response PFAS testing device, also placed second in Aquahacking the Great Lakes, the 2024 competition. Since launching in founder Vernon LaLone’s spare bedroom in 2023, Wave Lumina has won a $305,000 National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation & Research grant; hired two employees, both NMC alumni; and served its first paying customers in December.
Now operating in a lab at NMC’s Parsons-Stulen Building, LaLone hopes to become a tenant at the Freshwater Research and Innovation Center when it opens in 2027.
For more information visit nmc.edu/bluetechchallenge.
Release date: January 21, 2026
For more information:
Denver Peters
Director, Strategic Portfolio and Development
dpeters@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1215
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-discrimination
