These employees recently started working at the college. Let’s welcome them to the NMC community!
Find these audiobooks and more on the NMC Library’s Libby app. If you’re new to Libby, follow these instructions to set up your account.
“[The Insect Crisis] is a somber book, a catalogue of loss and unravelling, but also a lucid homage to the fabulous utility of insects and a critique of our fixation with backbones…If its visions are sometimes mournful, there is also something wondrous in Milman’s revelation of our fragile dependency on insect life as well as its beauty and strangeness.” – The Guardian
“This exploration of the Earth as a living entity is lyrical, smart, and will make you appreciate our home planet in countless new ways. It’s really a fascinating book.”—Science Friday
“An extraordinary story in which Dykman seamlessly weaves together science, a real love of nature and the adventure and hazards of biking with butterflies from Mexico to Canada and back. They share an epic journey and encounter hardships, but they do not give up. The book is a lament for our thoughtless destruction of nature and at the same time a celebration of the beauty that remains. The migration of the monarch butterflies is one of the wonders of the world—we must save it for future generations.” —Dr. Jane Goodall
A personal narrative on the importance of forest ecologies by a Vermont forester.
“Braiding Sweetgrass is instructive poetry. Robin Wall Kimmerer has put the spiritual relationship that Chief Seattle called the ‘web of life’ into writing. Industrial societies lack the understanding of the interrelationships that bind all living things—this book fills that void. I encourage one and all to read these instructions.”—Oren Lyons, Faithkeeper, Onondaga Nation and Indigenous Environmental Leader
“Nearly every page of this book contained either an observation so interesting or a turn of phrase so lovely that I was moved to slow down, stop, and reread… This book rocked me into remembering that nature, especially fungal nature, is big and encompassing and creative and destructive. It reminded me that fungi are, like the Universe, sublime.” — Science
The NMC Board of Trustees will hold a special study session on Wednesday, April 23 at 10 a.m. in Hagerty Center Room A on NMC’s Great Lakes Campus. This meeting is likely to include a quorum of the NMC Foundation Board.
The Board of Trustees Building & Site Committee will meet at 3 p.m. the same day, in the President’s Office Conference Room in the Tanis Building on NMC’s Front Street campus. Meeting notices for both meetings are available here.
For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
A dancer in the 2019 graduation pow wow
(download a high-resolution version here)TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College’s Native American Student Organization will hold a traditional pow wow honoring 2025 graduates from 1–4 p.m. Saturday, April 26, on NMC’s Front Street campus. This annual NMC event is open to the public and celebrates vibrant and culturally significant Native American tribes of our region. Ten Native American students are graduating this spring.
The pow wow will take place under the pines on the south side of the Osterlin Building, and feature Native American dancers, drummers, storytelling, music and more. Food and vendors will also be available. Grand Entry is set for 2:30 p.m. Attendees can park in the Aspen or Cedar lots. A campus map is available at nmc.edu/maps.
Nathan Bootz
Native American Student Success Coach
(231) 995-2135
nbootz@nmc.edu
NMC is hosting a mobile panty on from 3–5 p.m. on Monday, April 21 in the Maple Lot at the Front Street campus.
Menu items include potatoes, apples, carrots, sweet potatoes, cottage cheese, beef stew pouches, granola, juice and a homeward bag to bring it all home!
NMC’s mobile pantry program is designed specifically for NMC students and their families. Mobile pantries provide 7-10 days worth of fresh and shelf-stable goods to supplement family incomes. While this is intended for students, all are welcome. There are no financial requirements or means tests. Drive-thru and walk-up options are both available.
These pantries are made possible in partnership with Feeding America.
April 16, 2025
Since 2023, Traverse City startup Wave Lumina has advanced from an idea hatched in a spare bedroom to building prototypes of its portable, rapid-response PFAS testing device in an NMC lab, submitting R&D funding proposals.
“A year and a half ago, it was just an idea. Now, we’re building things,” founder Vernon Lalone (right) said from Wave Lumina’s lab in NMC’s Parsons-Stulen Building. PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, threaten lakes and drinking water. The company is also testing real-world field samples and seeking opportunities for onsite pilot demonstrations at locations like military bases and semiconductor manufacturing facilities.
This year, NMC Marine Technology student and filmmaker Mark Dragovich hopes to replicate Wave Lumina’s upward success arc with his idea, a Khan Academy-like platform for video-based learning modules on freshwater science.
“My goal is to be the Jacques Cousteau of the Great Lakes. Tell the freshwater stories that need to be told,” Dragovich said.
Lalone and Dragovich, both Traverse City residents, are among more than 30 competitors who’ve entered the NMC-sponsored Great Lakes Blue Tech Challenge. The innovation and pitch competition seeks to accelerate technology-based enterprises and solutions to issues facing the Great Lakes. It’s the successor to 2024’s AquaHacking the Great Lakes, which NMC also sponsored and hosted.
Wave Lumina placed second in AquaHacking, winning a $10,000 prize. Lalone, 34, an Elk Rapids native, said it also gave the company crucial momentum. So far that’s crested in the lab space at NMC’s Parsons-Stulen Building. It’s much larger, outfitted with the necessary safety equipment, like fume hoods and safety showers, and gives the company a professional face.
“This has been the most impactful thing that’s happened to us since we started,” he said. “It’s been monumental to helping us make progress.”
In the lab, Lalone’s working on the third iteration of his prototype testing device, scaling it down from suitcase size to something in between a mobile phone and an iPad. With an estimated 120,000 PFAS-contaminated sites in the U.S. alone, affecting the drinking water of half of all Americans, there’s a huge market for a device that tests in the field, faster and more affordably than the current lab-based testing.
Dragovich’s idea is very different. He aims to combine his 20 years as a filmmaker with his passion for the Great Lakes. Drago Research & Exploration would create long and short-format video-based learning modules for K–12 students. Advertiser-free and student-centric, the licensed or subscriber-accessed video content would pair with an experiential learning activity, such as water sampling.
“I think we’ve got a pretty solid idea. I think there’s a need for it in the market,” said Dragovich, who envisions home schooled students as a primary audience. “The experiential learning I’ve gotten through NMC has really shown me how it reinforces what I learn.”
Ultimately Dragovich hopes to inspire future innovators.
“The idea behind all of this is to protect our Great Lakes. “If we can make people fall in love with the Great Lakes, then maybe more people will be apt to protect them,” he said.
The Blue Tech Challenge offers a top prize of $35,000, and a chance to be showcased at the OCEANS 25 conference to be held in Chicago in October.
Stop by the NMC Bookstore April 28–May 2 and receive an additional 50% off all red tag clearance items.
Thanks to the staff members who will spend tonight at Quick Start. These drop-in evening and Saturday sessions make it convenient for future students (and their families) to learn more about NMC, begin to navigate the enrollment process and get their questions answered. The session will be held from 4-7 p.m. in the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center. Learn more at nmc.edu/quickstart.
Who’s been a Hawk Owl Helper or Hero for you? Let us know at publicrelations@nmc.edu!
Volunteers are needed for the dunk tank at the End of Year Block Party that will be held from 4–8 p.m. on Saturday, April 26 in the Dogwood and Chestnut parking lots. The event is open to current NMC students, employees and their families and will feature a number of carnival attractions, games and food trucks. Those interested in volunteering can reach out to Brooklynn Golnick at bgolnick@nmc.edu for more information.
To find these selections and many other new titles, see the NMC library catalog.
Celebrate Earth Day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, April 22 with a fun and eco-friendly clothing swap at the Dennos Museum Center! This event is a perfect opportunity to sustainably refresh your wardrobe, connect with your community and reduce waste. Please bring your own bag to take home your items; bags will be available to those without one while supplies last. Limited dressing rooms available; wear light layers so that clothes can be tried on over them.
Donations are not required to take home clothing. Those wishing to donate items can bring gently used clothing, workwear, shoes and accessories to one of the following locations on NMC’s campuses:
This event is open to the public and held in partnership with NMC Student Services, NMC Pride, Penny Lane, Slip Vintage and Up North Pride. All remaining items will be donated to Northwestern Michigan College or the Women’s Resource Center.
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.
Northern Living in Brief: AAUW meets
Record-Eagle, April 13 (more…)
These employees recently started working at the college. Let’s welcome them to the NMC community!
Congratulations to the following individuals and teams who received nominations for NMC’s Excellence Awards. The final award recipients for each category will be announced at NMC’s employee recognition event, You Made It Possible on Wednesday, May 14 at the Hagerty Center. We hope to see you there! Remember to RSVP!
Kudos to Kirk Waterstripe! Kirk is a member of the Grand Traverse Audubon Club and he helped the group set up a loon nesting platform on Boardman Lake where they have struggled to nest for years. Fingers crossed we’ll see some baby loons on the lake this year.
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!
Automotive Technology is hosting an end of the year celebration and job fair from 3–6 p.m. on Thursday, May 1 at the Automotive Service Technology Building on NMC’s Aero Park Campus. Come grab a burger or brat, see NMC’s project vehicles, meet with regional employers in the automotive industry and tool vendors.
This event is open to all current NMC and high school students, instructors, automotive career tech students and NMC automotive alumni.
TRAVERSE CITY, MI – Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) Extended Education & Training invites the community to a day of educational exploration at Campus Day 2025 on Friday, May 9, at NMC’s Front Street Campus. This community event is geared towards those 50 and better, though all ages are welcome to attend. Registration is open now at nmc.edu/campus-day.
Attendees personalize their learning experience by selecting three sessions from a diverse offering of over forty topics. Participants will also be able to join in a “Coffee & Connection” time before the sessions begin, as well as lunch.
Campus Day 2025 features a wide range of sessions, from “Trump: The First 100 Days” to “Native Plant Trivia” to “Third Chapter Entrepreneurship”, and many more. Sessions will be presented by NMC instructors and other local experts. Sessions are filled on a first come, first served basis, so early registration is recommended.
Cost for attendance is $59, which includes coffee and donuts, attendance at three, 75-minute sessions, and lunch. Students may register online at nmc.edu/campus-day, by calling (231) 995-1700, or stopping into the NMC Extended Education & Training office at the NMC University Center on Cass Road.
NMC Extended Education & Training is committed to providing lifelong learning opportunities to the Traverse City community. We offer a diverse range of courses and events designed to promote personal enrichment and community engagement.
NMC Extended Education
ees@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1700
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
Take a break and join the success coaches for a relaxing beginner yoga session! Sessions will be held from 3–4 p.m. on April 14, 21 and 28 in the open space in the Osterlin Building.
Mats & light snacks will be provided.
Thanks to instructor Nick Roster, who delivered firewood to fellow faculty member Tiffani Wilke, who was without power for a week after the devastating ice storm that impacted a large swath of northern Michigan.
Who’s been a Hawk Owl Helper or Hero for you? Let us know at publicrelations@nmc.edu!
Campus Life is hosting a dodgeball tournament on Thursday, April 24 at 7 p.m. in the Rajkovich Physical Education Building on NMC’s Front Street Campus.
The deadline to sign up is April 24 by 4 p.m.
If you have any questions, please contact CJ Schneider at cschneider@nmc.edu or Marcus Bennett at mbennett@nmc.edu.
Stop by the End of Year Block Party from 4–8 p.m. on Saturday, April 26 in the Dogwood and Chestnut parking lots. This event is open to all current NMC students, employees and their families. The first 150 students or employees will receive a door prize. Attendees must sign up in advance. There will be over 11 different carnival rides and other activities including:
Food will be provided by:
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.
Better Together Series: Who We Are
HAPPENINGNEXT, April 7 (more…)
Ever wonder what job best matches your abilities? Join NMC staff, faculty and students along with hosts Craig Saunders and Gary Holik from Michigan Rehabilitation Services (MRS) from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, April 22 in the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center, rooms 104/105 to learn more during this fun and interactive presentation. Following their presentation will be time for questions and lunch.
For more information contact Leanne Baumeler at lbaumeler@nmc.edu or Marcus Bennett at mbennett@nmc.edu.
Hosted by NMC’s Disability Support Office, DEIB Advisory Council and Michigan Rehabilitation Services.
Kudos to Traci Heidbreder! Traci spearheaded a project as part of her DEIB goals to replace the international flags in the Tannis atrium. The flags had significant wear and tear from the sun and were quite faded. Traci inventoried the flags, determined which of the flags needed to be replaced, listed the countries that are represented at NMC by students, faculty, and staff, and secured new flags. Jim Bensley from international services assisted by providing some flags that he had in storage. Traci found some flags that admissions had in storage, and she worked with Cathy Brown to purchase the remaining flags. Todd Haines from the maintenance department helped Traci hang the new flags, and she worked with PRMC to have a key developed to hang in the atrium to help visitors identify the flags. I want to thank Traci for her thoughtful project and excellent execution.
Kudos to Augusta Kummer! I want to thank Augusta for advising Phi Theta Kappa this year and for her success in coordinating the PTK induction ceremony last month. Augusta has demonstrated dedication and leadership in taking on the advising role and helping to keep the organization and events on task and schedule in challenging times. The PTK induction ceremony was a wonderful event. It was very thoughtful and well executed. I appreciate her effort. It was very enjoyable to watch the pride of the students and their families. Great work Augusta!
Kudos to Rorie Kawula! I want to congratulate Rorie on completing the Leadership Grand Traverse program through Traverse Connect. Rorie started the program last August and spent time each month with her cohort developing leadership skills and learning about all corners of our community. Rorie did a fantastic job in the program and has brought much back to NMC. Rorie is a true leader on campus, and she has taken it further to become a leader in the larger community. Congrats Rorie!
Kudos to Kyle Ferrill! I wanted to recognize Kyle’s extra work and effort to overhaul the online orientation video. The orientation video that NMC had been using was developed at the beginning of the COVID pandemic. Having an online orientation option allowed enrollment to continue throughout the pandemic. After using the video for a few years, we recognized gaps and areas for improvement. Kyle offered to take the lead on this and helped organize a plan to breakdown and review the previous video, send out requests to different departments to offer input. He helped rewrite the script, worked with different departments on campus to determine the best platform to record the video, recorded and narrated the video, added visual content and screenshots to the video, revised the video, and published it. The new online orientation video is comprehensive and very effective. I appreciate the effort and leadership that Kyle demonstrated on this project.
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!
Angela Zirotte was recently promoted to Custodian. Congratulations, Angela!