Help the new Office of Possibilities drive innovation at NMC!

I want to share an update on how we are driving innovation at NMC, and how you can get involved. As many of you know, we have been very fortunate to rely on the NMC Foundation for the support of Innovation Grants to improve teaching and learning at the college. But the landscape of higher education is changing, and disruptive innovation has become more critical to ensure NMC’s long-term success. We are fortunate to have dedicated faculty and staff who have always been willing to take risks and embrace new ideas. We are also experiencing a growing entrepreneurial ecosystem in Traverse City as more start-ups, incubators and collaborative spaces take root in our region.

With all of this in mind and in partnership with the Foundation, we are moving forward with a more disruptive and exciting innovation framework at the college. The Office of Possibilities (or OOPs) will allow students, faculty and staff to explore and develop the next “big idea.” Unlike the previous innovation process, it will involve mentoring to challenge and flesh out the idea, connecting back to the entrepreneurial community and focusing on a growth-driven mindset to expand innovation at NMC. We know there will be failures, and that is okay (and why we are called OOPs), and this development will provide the resources and space needed to push, experiment and disrupt how we will meet the needs of NMC and our community.

So how do you get involved? That’s easy!

  • OOPs is a start-up itself. We are still learning, measuring and refining, and Fall represents our “soft launch.” Bring your ideas to OOPs office (open Thursdays from 8–10 a.m.) in the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center (Room 116 by the west entrance). This is your chance to connect with OOPs mentors Steve Rice and Will Kitchen and a host of others from the college and local community!
  • Attend the innovation session during Professional Development Day Tuesday, Oct. 11 to hear how OOPs was launched and learn to apply the same principles to begin formulating your ideas.
  • Email us at innovationnext@nmc.edu or visit the OOPs website (NMC login required) to find additional resources, the pitch deck template and more.

After mentoring and development, projects that are ready for review will be part of an active pitch. High potential, disruptive ideas will hopefully get funded. The first pitch event is Friday, Oct. 21 from 1–3 p.m. in IC 104/105.

We look forward to hearing your ideas and appreciate the support of the NMC Foundation as we drive innovation and challenge the norm at NMC.

Best regards,
Jason Slade
Vice-President for Strategic Initiatives

Davenport Fall Fest

Learn more about Davenport University and their partnership with NMC while enjoying free food, music and games. Representatives will discuss the programs that DU offers in areas such as Business, Technology, Health Professions, and Urban Education.

When: Wednesday September 28, 2022, 1–3 p.m.
Where: Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center

Celebrate Constitution Day Sept. 20 at NMC!

Constitution Day eventHappy 235th birthday to the U.S. Constitution! NMC celebrates Constitution Day Tuesday, Sept. 20 with two events in the Osterlin Building:

League of Women Voters From Grand Traverse and Leelanau Area:

  • Stop by the Osterlin Building Lobby for voter registration and voting information, beginning at 10 a.m.
  • Learn about voting absentee and check your polling place.

Democracy in a Politically Polarized America: How can we find common ground?

  • Presentation & Interactive Breakout Groups hosted by NMC Social Sciences Instructor John Zachman, from 3–4:15 p.m.

Constitution Day hero

Hawk Owl logoThank you to Social Sciences Instructor John Zachman for hosting a Constitution Day event to celebrate the 235th anniversary of the foundational document. Democracy in a Politically Polarized America: How Can We Find Common Ground? will be held at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20 in the Osterlin Building. Beginning at 10 a.m., you can also register to vote in the Osterlin Building Lobby, through  the League of Women Voters.


Who’s been a Hawk Owl Helper or Hero for you? Let us know at publicrelations@nmc.edu!

Student Health Services flu clinics

Rosie the Riveter gets a flu shotDates:

  • Tuesday, Sept. 27, 10 a.m.–Noon
  • Thursday, Sept. 29,  1–3 p.m.
  • Monday, Oct. 10, 10 a.m.–Noon
  • Wednesday, Oct. 12, 1–3 p.m.

Location: Les Biederman Building, Rm. 106

If you can’t make these dates, please call (231) 995-1255 to schedule an appointment. As a reminder, our office does not bill insurance, although we do offer a reduced rate of $20 for staff and $15 per student. If you have NMC insurance, any charges will be processed as in previous years.

Media Mentions for September 19, 2022

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 following college events, stories and mentions have appeared in the media recently. Please send information about your NMC-related interview or appearance to publicrelations@nmc.edu.

Forum: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiative: Ideas for success
Record-Eagle, September 15 (more…)

Reminder- Monitor your HSA maximum contributions

Health Savings Accounts are regulated by the IRS and have limits of how much money you can contribute in one year.  It is your responsibility to ensure that your totals do not exceed the IRS limits. 

Single (one person) is $3,650 and family (more than one person) is $7,300.  If you are over 55 you can increase the limit by $1000.  It is important to include the HSA contribution received from NMC in your calculations. For example- the family amount is reduced by $2,600 (NMC deposit), making the total you can contribute from your paycheck $4,700.

Learn more about Health Savings Accounts here.

Kudos!

Kudos to Ben Post & Mark DeLonge: Thank you to Ben and Mark for enrolling EES Joint Offering (credit classes for community enrollment) students in Moodle! The EES team appreciates your support so that our community members can enjoy high quality credit classes on the Extended Education (non credit) side.

Kudos to the Facilities team for their work to quickly rectify the HVAC failure in the Timothy J Nelson Innovation Center during Welcome Week. The failure was accidental and out of their control and their quick response was very much appreciated. Also, Kudos to all faculty/staff and students in the building for your patience during the repair work. We appreciate your understanding.

Kudos to Marcus Bennett, Sally Smarsty, Lisa Thomas and more: Kudos to everyone involved in Welcome week planning and orchestration. There were many moving parts and everyone was very well informed on where to be and what to do. Volunteers, parents and students all seemed to be having a good time and feeling WELCOME!!! Great job everyone!

Kudos to Linda Berlin, Judy Arnold, and Dale Elshoff who deserve more than kudos for their work supporting students in the Plant and Soil Sciences degree pathway. NMC and Michigan State University are partners in a one-of-a-kind program which allows students to earn an Associate of Applied Science Degree from NMC and a Certificate from MSU’s Institute of Agricultural Technology. Unfortunately, the financial aid policy for these students was changed with less than a month before fall semester. While most community colleges panicked, Linda, Judy and Dale sprung into action, working individually with each student to provide the necessary aid and support to stay enrolled in courses. To the students, it seemed seamless, but behind the scenes, it took hours of work, coordination, FA application updates, leading meetings with Financial Aid directors from around the State and back and forth with MSU. Linda, Judy and Dale put the students first and found a way to support them. I am sure students at other institutions were not so lucky, jeopardizing their respective ag cohorts. We at NMC should be very proud of their work, effort and sacrifice when it comes to serving our students! They went above and beyond and truly saved the day for our program!


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!

Welcome our newest hires

These employees recently started working at the college. Let’s welcome them to the NMC Community!

    • Alex Maier – Programmer/Analyst
    • Madison Thompson – Supplemental Title IX Counselor
    • Carolyn Andrews – Construction Technology Program Coordinator
    • Stephanie Powers – Student Employee – Tutoring Center Office Assistant
    • Nathan Neste – Supplemental – Food Service – Front of House
    • Damian Ho – Supplemental – Food Service – Front of House
    • Elizabeth Gerardi – Supplemental Food Service – Front of House
    • Linda Egeler – Supplemental – Student Success Coach
    • Alaina Frank – Supplemental – Food Service – Front of House
    • Stacy Folgmann – Accounts Payable Office Assistant
    • Hayley Davidson – Supplemental – Food Service – Back of House

Internal Promotions

Celebration graphicCongratulations to the following faculty members who transitioned from Provisional to Regular status this summer:

  • Betsy Boris
  • Jim Morse
  • Zach Tate

Lakebed 2030 convenes partners to map Great Lakes

TRAVERSE CITY — NMC will host the Lakebed 2030 conference, an update on collaborative efforts to map the world’s largest available freshwater body, Sept. 28-30 at the Hagerty Center on its Great Lakes campus.

Formed in 2019, Lakebed 2030 is a consortium of researchers, policy, governmental and industry partners which seeks to fully map the 244,160 square kilometers of the Great Lakes at high resolution by 2030. Presently, only approximately 15 percent is mapped. Even some of the existing maps of the lake floor rely on data that is decades old and low-density.

This lack of information inhibits effective management, research, and innovation, particularly under mounting climate change threats, including severe drought in the United States, and a growing “blue economy” in the Great Lakes region.

With a keynote delivered by RADM Benjamin K. Evans, Director, NOAA Office of Coast Survey, the conference will bring together Great Lakes experts and stakeholders from around the U.S. and Canada to:

  • Focus on high-resolution mapping and bathymetry data in the Great Lakes.
  • Develop a strategy to catalog new and existing lake bed information for shared use.
  • Share the latest technology advancements with the Great Lakes community.

NMC students will also participate in the conference, including a roundtable employer discussion regarding career opportunities. Graduates of NMC’s Marine Technology bachelor’s degree program are highly sought after by employers working in the global marine space. NMC also offers professional development courses through the Marine Center.

The Great Lakes contain more than 80 percent of North America’s surface freshwater and 20 percent of Earth’s surface freshwater. Mapping it completely at high density is estimated to cost $200 million.

Lakebed 2030 registration is $200 for in-person attendance and $50 for virtual attendance. See the full schedule here.

 

Release Date: September 13, 2022

For More Information:

Hans W. Van Sumeren, CMarTech
Director, Great Lakes Water Studies Institute
Northwestern Michigan College
(231) 995-1793

hvansumeren@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