Kudos to Brittany Hanbury! Brittany coordinated the first ever NMC Book Swap, bringing book lovers from all departments together for some holiday cheer and great reads. Thanks to her for coordinating a fun gathering with the added bonus of sending participants home with new-to-them reads in time for the holiday break.
Kudos to Ben Post! Ben answered a very last-minute, very panicked, and very-end-of-the-semester call for help to correct a weighted scoring problem with a Canvas gradebook. Ben assessed the issue (after working hours), suggested a correction, then made the necessary changes himself (also after working hours). The result was an accurate gradebook and a majorly relieved faculty member. Ben saved the day in a totally selfless way!
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!
At their meeting on December 15, 2025, the Board of Trustees approved the strategic plan as presented. This document summarizes the strategies, objectives, strategic drivers, and the strategic impact statement of Anchor and Edge, NMC’s new strategic plan. In this preliminary phase of strategic plan development, work continues behind the scenes drafting actions for the thirteen objectives with three deep-dive strategy workshops scheduled for early January. Teams will work to finalize their action steps, identify resourcing needs, and align with internal processes during spring. The official launch of this three-year plan will coincide with the start of FY27 on July 1, 2026.
Strategic Initiatives would like to thank the Strategic Plan Steering Committee, Leadership Council, ESIMT, Faculty and Staff Councils, student groups, ORPE, industry partners, and the many others that provided valuable input and support during the development process. Look for more engagement as objective leads reach out as they implement action steps.
The Fitness Center will have modified operating hours the next few weeks and will be open from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. on Monday–Friday. It will be closed Dec. 24–Jan. 1 and will reopen with on Friday, Jan. 2.
Normal operating hours will resume Monday, Jan. 12.
Amy Shamroe, Industry Navigator for the Sixty by 30 Grant Team in Extended Education & Training, is getting the word out about Sixty by 30.
On December 3, Amy attended the MiLEAP event Moving Michigan Males Forward. She has some great takeaways, including how to portray “Hot Jobs” and if we have equal representation of men and women when promoting fields such as Healthcare, Education & Public Service, Legal, Agriculture & Natural Resources, Business/Information Services, and Manufacturing. 9&10 News interviewed Amy at the conference (Watch the interview here).
In addition, Amy hosted her first “Meet the Industry Navigator” night on Thursday, December 4 in the community room at West Shore Bank. Business owners and NoMI Attainment Collaborative partners were in attendance. Partners included GROW Benzie and Kirkland Community College.
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.
Kudos to Molly Norville, Hollie DeWalt, Kim Gourlay, Lil Anderson and Brittany Hanbury! The holiday planning committee brought some serious joy and warmth to students and employees serving up hot cocoa on a very cold day. Thank you all for taking time during a very busy week to deliver holiday cheer and smiles to all!
Kudos to Lisa Boike and Andrew McCall! Andrew and Lisa worked quickly to mitigate an unplanned ‘early retirement’ of the college’s emergency alert system used to send voice, text and email alerts.They collaborated with the vendor and NMC staff to populate a new system with the contact information needed in case of an emergency. Because of their dedicated and timely work, NMC was ready and able to send out lockdown alerts to our NMC community in response to the incident on November 16. Many thanks Andrew and Lisa!
Kudos to Amy Shamroe! Amy Shamroe, Industry Navigator for the Sixty by 30 Grant Team in Extended Education & Training, had a very impact week! On December 3, Amy attended the MiLEAP event: Moving Michigan Males Forward. She has some great takeaways for our team, mainly around marketing (how are we portraying “Hot Jobs” – do we have equal representation of men and women when promoting fields such as healthcare, Education & Public Service, Legal, Agriculture & Natural Resources, Business/Information Services, and Manufacturing?). Watch Amy’s interview on 9&10 News at the event! In addition, Amy hosted her first “Meet the Industry Navigator” night on Thursday, December 4 in the community room at Westshore Bank. Business owners and NoMI Attainment Collaborative partners were in attendance. Partners included GROW Benzie and Kirkland Community College.
Kudos to Shannah Vergote! Extended Education & Training released its Winter/Spring 2026 catalog this week. All of the work on our catalogs is done in house at Extended Education. While it’s a team effort, and is the culmination of all of our roles here in Ext. Ed., Shannah Vergote is at the helm of all aspects of the catalog – design, layout, timelines, partner ads, sponsorships, & logistics. Since 2024, Shannah has been incorporating some impactful new elements. You may have noticed that we now have a catalog sponsor. That sponsorship is currently up to $3500, with previous sponsorships of $2500. Throughout the catalog, we have made the intentional decision to feature all authentic photos of real people, mostly people from our own community. Shannah has lowered the number of photos, while increasing the size and appeal of existing photos, for a clearer aesthetic, and to minimize the cost (# of pages) of the catalog. Our programmers are featuring more of what’s popular (like Date Nights), and leaning into NMC instructors more and more—like Tiffani Wilke! She works closely with partners on creating and fine-tuning their ads (like Peg Jonkoff with Reynolds Jonkoff Funeral Home). We’re very proud of this work which showcases the talent, expertise, dedication, and passion of our NMC College Community.
Kudos to Lindsey Dickinson and her staff! Lindsey and her staff helped to proctor an exam at the last minute when I was in a car accident during finals week. They helped reduce quite a bit of stress for me at a challenging time. I will be forever grateful.
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!
The NMC Board of Trustees will hold its regular monthly meeting Monday, December 15 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.
The Building & Site committee of NMC’s Board of Trustees will meet Friday, December 12 at 10 a.m. in Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center Room 104/105. More information is available here.
For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) Extended Education & Training is excited to announce the release of its Winter-Spring Catalog, offering more than 150 diverse classes for personal and professional growth. The catalog is now available online atwww.nmc.edu/ees, and registration is open for all learners.
This season, NMC is offering a wide range of in-person, livestream, and online courses in both life enrichment and professional and workforce training. Community members can explore topics such as cooking, painting, fitness, gardening, global cultures, technology, and more. New courses this winter includeDrawing Fundamentals, One Day Journal, Maple Sugaring, and Sharpen & Shine: Building Leaders.
For a unique holiday gift, theLearn Togetherprogram offers a variety of classes designed for couples, families, and friends. Whether it’s aDate NightorAdult & Childformat, participants can bond while learning new skills in areas like painting, cooking, wine tasting, partner dancing, and more.
In addition to individual courses, NMC Extended Education & Training also supports local businesses with custom training programs and corporate retreats tailored to meet specific organizational needs. For more information, businesses can contact NMC atees@nmc.edu.
To explore the full catalog and secure your spot, visitnmc.edu/ees. To request a printed catalog, emailees@nmc.edu.
About Northwestern Michigan College Extended Education & Training Northwestern Michigan College Extended Education & Training is a leading provider of lifelong and professional learning opportunities in the region. With a commitment to excellence and innovation, NMC Extended Education & Training strives to empower individuals and businesses to achieve their goals through high-quality educational programs and customized training solutions.
Release date: December 10, 2025
For more information:
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
It’s the perfect time to stop into the Dennos Museum store to do a little holiday gift shopping. The museum and store are open until 6 p.m. on Tuesdays through December 23!
Members, NMC employees and students will receive DOUBLE DISCOUNTS at 20% off storewide on purchases through Christmas.
Special holiday sales include 25% off jewelry and 30% off calendars, holiday ornaments and holiday cards.
And if you’re not sure what to get, Museum store gift cards are available at a $10 minimum.
As always, the highest discount prevails, and consignment items are not included in special promotions.
NMC Campus Life will host an ice skating event Saturday, Jan. 17 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Grand Traverse County Civic Center’s Howe Arena (1125 W Civic Center Dr, Traverse City, MI).
Must present a valid NMC ID to participate. This event is free to all NMC students, employees and their families. Skates will be provided on a first come, first serve basis.
Refreshments provided by His House, NMC Esports, and Student Government Association.
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.
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!
