Oct 14, 2026 | Intercom, Student Events
Applications due by October 15
Are you an NMC student who is launching a business or furthering an existing business, OR do you have an innovative idea that would be beneficial to campus and aligns to the NMC strategic plan (e.g., expanding learning opportunities, facilitating student success, creating organizational efficiencies, etc.)?
If so, please submit a proposal to the Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (OIE) by October 15, 2026. The top scoring proposals will move forward to a pitch competition on November 10, 2026. Awarded projects will typically receive between $500–$4,000, sponsored by the NMC Foundation, the National Association of Community College Entrepreneurship Everyday Entrepreneur Program, and the NMC Experiential Learning Institute (ELI).
The application link and more information can be found at nmc.edu/innovation. ELI will be hosting an information session on September 28 from noon to 1 p.m. and free pizza will be served!
If you are interested in watching a community pitch competition, please join OIE at TCNewTech, hosted by 20Fathoms, on September 29 from 5:30–6:45 p.m. at the City Opera House in downtown Traverse City. This event is free, and you do not need to participate in the OIE application process to attend. All are welcome!
Questions? Email: innovation@nmc.edu
Oct 12, 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.
Adapted in TC: Five years after a breast cancer diagnosis (Retired instructor Susan Odgers’ monthly column on living with disability)
Record-Eagle, Oct. 10
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Oct 12, 2026 | Intercom, Student Events
Celebrate America’s 250th birthday and honor our veterans with Aurora, NMC’s treble choir formerly known as Chamber Singers. Selected from thousands of entrants to perform at the American Choral Directors Association National Conference in March, Aurora is preparing for this prestigious opportunity by sharing its music with the community. The performance will feature patriotic music, American folk songs and the world premiere of American Mosaic, a new work composed by NMC Music Director Jeffrey Cobb, with text by Laura Knight Cobb. The piece celebrates three remarkable women who helped shape our nation: Sacagawea, Helen Keller and Sojourner Truth. Works by Dolly Parton, Palestrina and Brahms will also be included.
The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 11, in the newly renovated sanctuary at Central United Methodist Church, 222 Cass Street in Traverse City. A free-will offering will be accepted at the door.
Oct 12, 2026 | Intercom
We all play a role in creating a welcoming campus for our students, colleagues and community. Help keep NMC looking its best: if you see litter, take a moment to pick it up and dispose of it properly. Small actions make a difference, and together, we can take pride in the spaces we share.
Oct 12, 2026 | Intercom
Do you know a remarkable NMC grad who’s made a difference? Whether they’re a recent graduate or a trailblazer from years past, we want to hear their story! Use this form to submit your nomination.
Nominations and self-nominations are open through October 30. Final selections will be announced in late fall.
For more information or questions, please call (231) 995-2826 or email alumni@nmc.edu.
Oct 12, 2026 | Cyber Minute, Intercom
Plugging your phone into a public USB port in an airport or student lounge can expose your data to a technique called juice jacking. Use your own wall adapter or a $5 Data Blocker and you’re safe.
Oct 12, 2026 | Intercom
NMC’s October Conference, Lasting Legacy: Bold Tomorrow — Thriving Together in a Changing World, takes place tomorrow, Tuesday, October 13! Join us starting at 8 a.m. at the Dennos Museum Center for coffee and donuts before the morning kickoff in the Milliken Auditorium, followed by a full day of insightful breakout sessions, a keynote address from Dr. Rebecca Pope-Ruark on reframing burnout, lunch and afternoon refreshments at the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center. Please review the schedule and session summary guide before arriving. If you have any last-minute questions, reach out to Lori Hodek at lhodek@nmc.edu or Janet Lively at jlively@nmc.edu. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow!
Oct 10, 2026 | Intercom, Student Events
TRAVERSE CITY — NMC’s Rogers Observatory will hold a special public viewing night in honor of its 45th anniversary and the college’s 75th from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17.
The observatory dome will be open and telescopes available for public viewing. Refreshments will also be available.
Located at 1753 Birmley Road, Rogers Observatory opened in 1981. It was founded and constructed completely from public donations, the result of a tireless effort by instructor the late Joseph H. Rogers to build a permanent home for what had been NMC’s “portable” telescope. Two local property owners each donate 2.5 acres for the Observatory on land with a 250’ elevation above the surrounding property. Some forty-plus businesses and 106 individuals contributed money, materials and labor to construct the observatory.
More than 100,000 community members have visited for regular public viewing nights as well as for special celestial events like comets Hale-Bopp and Hyakutake in 1996. The observatory hosted its largest crowds in August 2003, when Mars made its closest approach to Earth in more than 50,000 years.
Release date: OCTOBER 10, 2026
For more information:
Cari Noga
NMC Communications Director
cnoga@nmc.edu
(231) 392-1800 (Call or text)
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
Oct 9, 2026 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — Two committees of Northwestern Michigan College’s Board of Trustees are scheduled to meet at the President’s Office Conference Room in the Tanis Building on NMC’s Front Street Campus, 1701 E. Front St., Traverse City, Michigan.
- Audit Committee, Wednesday, October 14, 10 a.m.
- Policy Committee, Friday, October 16, 9:30 a.m.
The official meeting notices are available here.
For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
Release date: October 9, 2026
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
Oct 9, 2026 | Intercom, Student News
Submissions are open for the fall 2026 issue of NMC Magazine. The theme of this issue is Xeno. We want poems, stories, essays, graphic stories & art inspired by either definition of xeno:
- xeno (noun). The smallest measurable unit of human connection, typically exchanged between passing strangers–a flirtatious glance, a sympathetic nod, a shared laugh about some odd coincidence–random and fleeting shared moments that contain powerful emotional nutrients that can alleviate loneliness. – from The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows
- xeno (adj.). Strange, foreign; (noun) a guest, stranger, outsider, guest-friend, or one entitled to hospitality. (xenia).
NMC students, employees and alumni can enter their submissions thru Sunday, October 25. Visit nmc.edu/nmcmagazine for more information. Please complete a submission form for each entry.
Oct 9, 2026 | HR Corner, Intercom
Kudos to Georgenia Hromada, Augusta Kummer, Amy Burns Bailey, Shelly VanderMeulen, Jeff Morse, Uriah Petersen, Ryan Deering, Wayne Moody and Tracy Welch! Thank you to everyone who helped make Building Tomorrow 2026 a success. Special thanks to our staff and faculty for making this day run smoothly!
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 9, 2026 | HR Corner, Intercom
These employees recently started working at the college. Let’s welcome them to the NMC community!
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- Darcee Kerneghan, student employee – Biology Laboratory Assistant
- Vivian Little, supplemental employee – Food Service, Front of House
- Mark Mellor, student employee – Student Life Office Assistant
- Courtney Fouch, supplemental employee – Food Service, Front of House
- Ainsley Chellis, supplemental employee – Food Service, Front of House
- Caleb Gurtowsky, student employee – Parsons-Stulen Welcome Desk
- Kassy Robbe, student employee – Lobdell’s Purchasing & Receiving Assistant
- Xander VerHelst, student employee – Residence Hall Front Desk
- Kevin Gramajo, student employee – Lobdell’s Purchasing & Receiving Assistant
Oct 8, 2026 | Intercom, Student News
To find these selections and many other new titles, see the NMC library catalog.
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Oct 7, 2026 | Intercom, Student News
October 7, 2026
Responding to demand from employers, students and faculty, NMC launched its first class in artificial intelligence this semester – and it proved so popular a second section was added.
Instructor Stewart Jack, who designed NMC’s Introduction to Generative Artificial Intelligence course, characterized the demand as a “clamor” that had been building since ChatGPT was released. That’s considered the moment when AI moved into the mainstream.
This fall, about 50 students from multiple academic disciplines, not just IT, are enrolled across the two sections. Jack, pictured above, doesn’t use a textbook in the all-online class. Rather, students from programs as varied as marine technology, health care, business and journalism learn about AI from AI, feeding prompts into AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude. Every week there’s a discussion about how to apply AI in their various fields.
Through this interactive, hands-on trial and error process, students learn how AI works and when and where it’s appropriate to use. It’s experiential in the same way that many other NMC classes are. Jack calls it a “learning adventure.”
“Instead of pretending (AI) doesn’t exist, and penalizing students, we have to find a way to teach students to incorporate it into their workflow,” said Jack, who’s taught at NMC since 2018. That approach is also part of NMC’s strategic plan, which calls for strengthening student outcomes, institutional performance and workforce readiness by embedding responsible and effective use of AI across teaching, learning and operations
As AI use becomes more widespread, understanding how it works is critical, Jack said. For instance, AI will make up an answer rather than tell a user it doesn’t know something. That vulnerability illuminates the importance of human review, especially when important decisions – like patient diagnosis – are at stake.
Ethical use of AI, AI bias, legal and intellectual property considerations are woven into the course, after which students can earn Certiport’s Generative AI Foundations certification, a national credential that adds value to their transcript.
Jack expects the class to be offered again in the spring semester. NMC formally adopted a policy on generative AI in August 2025, and has established an AI workgroup to keep abreast of the technology as it evolves. AI navigators act as liaisons between the workgroup and each academic area and department. Navigators are dedicated to establishing professional norms and practices that safeguard institutional data and students’ critical-thinking skills.
Read more about AI at NMC.
Oct 7, 2026 | Cyber Minute, Intercom
Posting your workspace setup, class schedule, or NMCID on social media gives scammers real ammunition for targeted attacks. Keep that kind of detail off public accounts.
Oct 6, 2026 | Data Wranglers, Intercom
Data Wranglers
Insights. Impact. Student Success.
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Bounce Back Night: Finish Strong
Students in select high-DFW courses can connect with instructors, success coaches, and tutors before small academic challenges become difficult to recover from.
Wednesday, October 14 | 3–5 p.m.
TJNIC, outside Rooms 106–107
Quiet workspaces available in Rooms 104–105.
- Meet with instructors
- Catch up on assignments
- Connect with tutoring and coaching
- Make a plan for the rest of the semester
Small course corrections can make a big difference.
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What helps students succeed in college math?
Recent analysis found that approximately 60% of students entering MTH 121 with a high school GPA of 3.30–3.39 earned a C or better. The success rate increased to approximately 82% for students with GPAs of 3.50 to 3.59.
Which factor should carry the most weight when determining math placement?
- High school GPA
- Placement-test results
- Previous math performance
- Multiple measures used together
Take the Data Wranglers Poll
Your feedback can help inform campus conversations about placement and student support
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Who benefits from community college bachelor’s degrees?
A 2026 University of Washington policy brief examined the continued growth of community college bachelor’s degree programs.
What researchers found
✅ 24 states authorized community colleges to award bachelor’s degrees as of December 31, 2025
✅ 214 community colleges offered at least one bachelor’s program
✅ Approximately 70% of graduates were age 25 or older
✅ Average annual tuition and fees were about $5,417, compared with $10,022 at public four-year universities
✅ Programs were commonly tied to documented workforce needs
For NMC, the findings support evaluating bachelor’s programs through access, affordability, workforce demand, completion, employment, earnings, and long-term viability.
Source: Meza, E. A. (2026). The basics: Key community college bachelor’s degree facts, figures, and the national landscape.
👥 QUESTION FOR CAMPUS
How can NMC’s bachelor’s programs expand access while continuing to meet regional workforce needs?
Oct 6, 2026 | Intercom, Student Events
All of the fun and connection of a book club with none of the pressure to finish the same book at the same time. No assigned reading! No stress!
The NMC Library invites you to come share your latest read, your favorite read or your current read! You’re also more than welcome to just to listen and hear recommendations from other readers.
The group will meet at 12 p.m. on the 3rd Tuesday of each month in the Library Fireplace Room. The next meetup will be held on Oct. 20.
Since the meetings are during lunchtime, you’re encouraged to bring your lunch. Tea will be provided!
Oct 5, 2026 | Intercom, Student News
Flu season is on the horizon and Student Health Services will host three more flu clinics this fall.
Wednesday, Oct. 14
1–2 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 20
10–11 a.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 27
2–3 p.m.
Flu shots cost $15 for students and $20 for employees without NMC insurance.
For those who are unable to stop by during one of the times listed above call (231) 995-1255 to schedule an appointment.
Student Health Services is located in room 106 of the Les Biederman Building on NMC’s Front Street campus.
