Diversity is being invited to the party.
Inclusion is being asked to dance.
— Verna Myers
Equity is having an accessibility ramp to the door.
Belonging is deciding the music for the party.
— Jeff Hutchinson
Please fill out this DEI Intercom Post Feedback Form to be part of our conversation and offer feedback or suggestions on what is being shared.
Christa Abdul-Karim, Extended Education Services Program Coordinator, and Tracy Welch, Experiential Learning Institute Office Manager. Welcome to NMC!
Kudos to Gary Schetteck and his ongoing drywall efforts to help make the newly built portable exhibit walls at the Dennos Museum look a lot better than they are. We learned a lot with our first construction effort, and the number one thing to remember is to have a good drywall mud guy. Thank you, Gary.
Kudos to Bob Bugai and Brandon Asher for coming to the rescue and completing our exhibition packing of the Tom Parish exhibit by lifting and stabilizing painting crates with metal straps. We truly couldn’t have done it without you.
Kudos to The Grounds Team for re-landscaping the flower beds at the College Dr. and Fair St. entrances. We have had many compliments from volunteers and visitors on their new appearance.
Kudos to Laura Carmickle: Laura was instrumental in creating the new, homegrown Teaching Online Database (TOD). This database and reporting tool helps Educational Technology collect and track data regarding online courses, course reviews, teachingSOLUTIONS status, success rates, and more. Her patience dealing with Mark and Ryan should earn her an early retirement. She was able to synthesize data from 6+ sources that were being tracked manually and incorporate those sources into one online tool that is saving us buckets of time. Three cheers for Laura!!
Kudos to the Student Success Center Staff: Thank you for all of the great activities you have planned and attended! You guys make such a difference in the students’ lives! Your awesome involvement and care make student success happen!
Kudos to Erika Cotner and Emily Crull: The dynamic duo of (EC)2 have been a powerful, fast-moving machine in bringing talent into the college. (Fiscal) Year-to-date hires are at more than 100 and September’s tally was 52 hires! All this output while maintaining the highest standards for process to ensure great quality hires and excellent candidate experiences. They consistently go the extra mile for our candidates and for the NMC team. Kudos to the awesome dynamic duo and THANK YOU to them for all they do!
Kudos to Nora Cosnowski: Nora is a tutor in MTH 019 (08). She has gone above and beyond as a tutor in this course. Nora takes time and works through the material in advance and helps identify errors in the toolkits before the students get to them. The 019 instructors wouldn’t know what we would do without Nora. So, THANK YOU NORA! YOU ARE AMAZING!
Kudos to Hans VanSumeren and the Water Studies team for their successful grant submission to the National Science Foundation.
Kudos to the Search Committee for their work on the search for the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and congratulations to Jason Slade!
Kudos to the entire Grounds Team for their continued work in moving materials (and people) from one location to another – specifically the University Center over the past several months. The Grounds team is very efficient and always pleasant and helpful. We appreciate you!
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!
Troy Kierczynski was recently promoted to Vice President of Finance & Administration, Lindsey Lipke was recently promoted to Controller, and Lisa Cooper was recently promoted to Strategic Initiatives Office Manager. Congratulations on the promotions!
Longtime NMC faculty member Mary Pierce passed away on October 16, 2021.
Mary served as a faculty member in the English departments of several colleges and universities, but she spent most of her career at NMC. In 1999, she won NMC’s Imogene Wise Faculty Excellence Award after being nominated by her students.
A celebration of Mary’s life will take place at Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home on Thursday, Nov. 4 at 11 a.m. with visitation beginning at 10 a.m. A memorial luncheon will follow. Memorial contributions may be directed to Hospice of Michigan or TART Trails, Inc.
Dear NMC Students, Faculty and Staff:
I hope you are having a successful fall semester! As we head into November, I am looking forward to spending time with friends and family over a meal this Thanksgiving. To make sure we can all share in this important tradition, I am asking for your help.
Recently, instructor Kristy McDonald invited me to a business communications class to see their experiential learning project in action. These students are improving their professional communication skills, while serving the community, by organizing a project to provide 125 Thanksgiving meals to NMC students and local families who need a little extra help this year.
They believe everyone should get to experience Thanksgiving, and with our help, we can help make this come true. They are asking us – the NMC family – to join in the efforts. You can donate as an individual, or join together with your classmates or co-workers to share in the spirit of gratitude! The class is asking us to help them collect:
Red collection bins will be located on main campus at the Innovation Center, Osterlin Student Success Center and at Parsons-Stulen on the Aeropark Campus.
There are other ways you can help too! The class is looking to make an even greater impact by also raising money. All of the funds raised will go towards the 125 meals. Any additional funds raised will support the NMC Food pantry or be used towards next year’s project. Every donation will be matched up to $5,000! And you might even win a trip to the Great Wolf Lodge by donating. To give go to nmc.edu/give and follow these simple steps.
Having experienced homelessness and food insecurity in my life, I know first hand what a difference your donation can make for a family in need. I admire these students’ desire to help others this Thanksgiving. Please join me in supporting this effort. For more information, or if you have any questions, please email Mahli Braak at braakm@mail.nmc.edu.
Thank you for your help. Together we can ensure all Hawk Owls have a memorable Thanksgiving!
Nick Nissley, President
—
Nick Nissley, Ed.D. | President | Northwestern Michigan College
TRAVERSE CITY — For the first time ever, Great Lakes researchers have a monitoring buoy on East Grand Traverse Bay, one of three placed this fall in an NMC-Michigan Technological University collaboration.
Purchased with a $48,804 grant NMC received from the Great Lakes Observing System, the buoys are placed near East Bay Park in East Bay, near Greilickville in West Bay, and near North Manitou Island in Lake Michigan.
“We have never had any measurements in East Grand Traverse Bay previously, and having three strategically placed allows comparative understanding of the three separate but connected water bodies.” said Hans Van Sumeren, director of NMC’s Great Lakes Water Studies Institute.
Data available online include wind speed and direction, wave height and direction, and water temperature. Buoys will be removed in November and outfitted with webcams over the winter, which will offer users video feed of the lake surface updated every 30 minutes.
“These buoys and data will support a broader understanding of Great Lakes processes and will provide users with near real-time information,” Van Sumeren said.
NMC’ offers students the opportunity to gain skills, knowledge and understanding of the world’s dynamic water resources by earning a bachelor’s degree in Marine Technology. Graduates of the bachelor’s program have 100-percent employment in the marine industry. Associate degrees in Engineering Technology-Marine and Freshwater Studies are also available.
Hans Van Sumeren
Director, Great Lakes Water Studies Institute
(231) 995-1793
hvansumeren@nmc.edu
TRAVERSE CITY — For the first time ever, Great Lakes researchers have a monitoring buoy on East Grand Traverse Bay, one of three placed this fall in an NMC-Michigan Technological University collaboration.
Purchased with a $48,804 grant NMC received from the Great Lakes Observing System, the buoys are placed near East Bay Park in East Bay, near Greilickville in West Bay, and near North Manitou Island in Lake Michigan.
“We have never had any measurements in East Grand Traverse Bay previously, and having three strategically placed allows comparative understanding of the three separate but connected water bodies.” said Hans Van Sumeren, director of NMC’s Great Lakes Water Studies Institute.
Data available online include wind speed and direction, wave height and direction, and water temperature. Buoys will be removed in November and outfitted with webcams over the winter, which will offer users video feed of the lake surface updated every 30 minutes.
“These buoys and data will support a broader understanding of Great Lakes processes and will provide users with near real-time information,” Van Sumeren said.
NMC’ offers students the opportunity to gain skills, knowledge and understanding of the world’s dynamic water resources by earning a bachelor’s degree in Marine Technology. Graduates of the bachelor’s program have 100-percent employment in the marine industry. Associate degrees in Engineering Technology-Marine and Freshwater Studies are also available.
Hans Van Sumeren
Director, Great Lakes Water Studies Institute
(231) 995-1793
hvansumeren@nmc.edu
After helping students to incubate two viable companies, technical area instructor Keith Kelly is seeking to build on that success by making 2022 the year that startups take a giant leap forward at NMC.
Students discuss ideas for startups at a Startup Week informational session in October.He’s leading the college’s participation in Northern Michigan Startup Week in May 2022. It’s a regionwide endeavor to teach and promote entrepreneurship, showcase local talent and develop a culture of entrepreneurship, including among high school and college students.
“We want to bring more students into the startup community,” said Kelly. By doing so, students practice experiential learning, an impactful and engaging learning style that NMC is embracing collegewide.
Startup Week will also connect students with the entrepreneurial culture growing in the greater Grand Traverse area. Kelly himself is an example of that. He’s also a program manager at 20Fathoms, a support organization for regional entrepreneurs and another Startup Week presenter.
“Innovation doesn’t just happen,” said Kelly, left. To that end, he’s now recruiting students for Startup Seminar, a for-credit spring semester course that begins in January. About a dozen students attended the first information session earlier this month. A second is set for 1 p.m. Nov. 19 in Osterlin 203. Kelly’s hoping to enroll enough students to fill out five startup teams, which will each develop an idea into a marketable product or service. The course culminates with Startup Week, and a pitch competition to win a top prize of $1,500.
Startup Seminar is the next generation of a course called Design Principles that Kelly’s taught for several years. Now-thriving local robotics companies Interactive Aerial and Hybrid Robotics both started up in that course.
Students do not have to be enrolled in the course to participate in Startup Week, nor is participation in the week limited to students. Besides the pitch competition, the week’s other events include Space Night at the Hagerty Center, a “Funding Innovation” lunch, a Startup Expo at 20Fathoms and a showcase of startups from Michigan universities. The Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center will also host the final event, TechStars, which condenses the idea of Startup Seminar to a weekend.
Startup Week will be promoted at the TC New Tech Pitch Night Nov. 2. Pitch Night is a monthly competition for entrepreneurs to win seed funding and investor attention. Hybrid Robotics won it in 2018.
Whether their idea wins or loses in May, however, it’s the startup experience, from idea conception to team formation, from the build-out to overcoming obstacles, that will benefit students down the road.
“NMC is innovating around learning,” Kelly said.
After helping students to incubate two viable companies, technical area instructor Keith Kelly is seeking to build on that success by making 2022 the year that startups take a giant leap forward at NMC.
Students discuss ideas for startups at a Startup Week informational session in October.He’s leading the college’s participation in Northern Michigan Startup Week in May 2022. It’s a regionwide endeavor to teach and promote entrepreneurship, showcase local talent and develop a culture of entrepreneurship, including among high school and college students.
“We want to bring more students into the startup community,” said Kelly. By doing so, students practice experiential learning, an impactful and engaging learning style that NMC is embracing collegewide.
Startup Week will also connect students with the entrepreneurial culture growing in the greater Grand Traverse area. Kelly himself is an example of that. He’s also a program manager at 20Fathoms, a support organization for regional entrepreneurs and another Startup Week presenter.
“Innovation doesn’t just happen,” said Kelly, left. To that end, he’s now recruiting students for Startup Seminar, a for-credit spring semester course that begins in January. About a dozen students attended the first information session earlier this month. A second is set for 1 p.m. Nov. 19 in Osterlin 203. Kelly’s hoping to enroll enough students to fill out five startup teams, which will each develop an idea into a marketable product or service. The course culminates with Startup Week, and a pitch competition to win a top prize of $1,500.
Startup Seminar is the next generation of a course called Design Principles that Kelly’s taught for several years. Now-thriving local robotics companies Interactive Aerial and Hybrid Robotics both started up in that course.
Students do not have to be enrolled in the course to participate in Startup Week, nor is participation in the week limited to students. Besides the pitch competition, the week’s other events include Space Night at the Hagerty Center, a “Funding Innovation” lunch, a Startup Expo at 20Fathoms and a showcase of startups from Michigan universities. The Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center will also host the final event, TechStars, which condenses the idea of Startup Seminar to a weekend.
Startup Week will be promoted at the TC New Tech Pitch Night Nov. 2. Pitch Night is a monthly competition for entrepreneurs to win seed funding and investor attention. Hybrid Robotics won it in 2018.
Whether their idea wins or loses in May, however, it’s the startup experience, from idea conception to team formation, from the build-out to overcoming obstacles, that will benefit students down the road.
“NMC is innovating around learning,” Kelly said.
The Health & Science Building’s first-floor atrium on NMC’s main campus will be used as a city polling place for Precinct 9 voters again this year, including on Tuesday, Nov. 2 between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Some parking in the Cedar lot will be set aside for voters at those times.
Voters are asked but not required to wear masks at the polling place. Masks will be provided for people who don’t have them but would like one. Those not voting are asked to avoid the polling place during voting. (NMC’s Keep Safe plan requires that face masks be worn in all other NMC common areas, hallways and classrooms.)
The NMC Board of Trustees completed a performance evaluation of President Nick Nissley at the October 25, 2021, Board of Trustees meeting. The evaluation with President Nissley was held in closed session, pursuant to his request and in compliance with the Open Meetings Act.
The board rated President Nissley as very effective in initiating the strategic planning process, leading the college through a pandemic, and strengthening connections with the community and college stakeholders, and instructed the Presidential Performance and Compensation Committee (PPC) to negotiate an extension of his 2-year contract.
Student Health Services invites you to a Flu Vaccine Clinic Wednesday, Nov. 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Biederman Building Rm. 106 on NMC’s main campus. No appointment necessary! The price is just $15 each!
Make sure you get your shot before heading home for Thanksgiving Break!
See you soon, Student Health Services Staff
The NMC Jazz Lab Band will present a swinging concert of big band music in conjunction with the Jeff Haas Trio featuring Laurie Sears at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28 at the Grand Traverse Circuit, 225 W. 14th St. in Traverse City.
Suggested donation of $10, complimentary food from The Good Bowl and wine (for age 21+) from Chateau Chantal.
Congratulations to the Influential Women of Northern Michigan named by the Traverse City Record-Eagle. At least eight have NMC connections, including:
Who’s been a Hawk Owl Helper or Hero for you? Let us know at publicrelations@nmc.edu!
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.
Opening On NMC Board After Estes Resigns
The Ticker, October 20 (more…)
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) Professional Communications students are helping local families this Thanksgiving through the eighth annual Food for Thought Thanks-for-Giving project. Due to COVID-19, students have developed alternative methods to get the community involved and limit face-to-face contact.
The students’ goal is to improve their communication skills through experiential learning and to feed 125 families this holiday season. By raising donations, the students will provide meal boxes that include a turkey and all the sides to feed a family of six. Boxes will be distributed on Monday, November 22, to 75 families selected by the NMC Food Pantry and 50 by Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Community donors have the opportunity to get involved and win a two-night stay at The Great Wolf Lodge by donating $10 or more at nmc.edu/give. (Choose the amount, select “designate my gift to other,” and type in “Food For Thought.”) To be entered into the prize drawing, forward donation receipt to Cam Walker at walke299@mail.nmc.edu. A private donor has also agreed to match monetary donations up to $5,000.The students also welcome any other local businesses that would like to partner on this project.
Mahli Braak
Marketing Team Leader
(616) 540-8740
braakm@mail.nmc.edu
Kristy McDonald
Business Instructor
(231) 995-1059
kmcdonald@nmc.edu
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) Professional Communications students are helping local families this Thanksgiving through the eighth annual Food for Thought Thanks-for-Giving project. Due to COVID-19, students have developed alternative methods to get the community involved and limit face-to-face contact.
The students’ goal is to improve their communication skills through experiential learning and to feed 125 families this holiday season. By raising donations, the students will provide meal boxes that include a turkey and all the sides to feed a family of six. Boxes will be distributed on Monday, November 22, to 75 families selected by the NMC Food Pantry and 50 by Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Community donors have the opportunity to get involved and win a two-night stay at The Great Wolf Lodge by donating $10 or more at nmc.edu/give. (Choose the amount, select “designate my gift to other,” and type in “Food For Thought.”) To be entered into the prize drawing, forward donation receipt to Cam Walker at walke299@mail.nmc.edu. A private donor has also agreed to match monetary donations up to $5,000.The students also welcome any other local businesses that would like to partner on this project.
Mahli Braak
Marketing Team Leader
(616) 540-8740
braakm@mail.nmc.edu
Kristy McDonald
Business Instructor
(231) 995-1059
kmcdonald@nmc.edu
TRAVERSE CITY — Michael Estes has resigned from NMC’s Board of Trustees effective Oct. 17.
Estes, who was elected to the board in 2016, did not cite any reason for his resignation. During his tenure he served on the Building and Site, Barbecue, Fellows Nominating and Policy committees as well as the Foundation Board.
Michigan law requires the Board to appoint a replacement trustee within 30 days, who will fill the term until the next regular community college election. That election is in November 2022. Registered voters of Grand Traverse County are eligible to apply for the vacancy.
Commitments for the non-compensated trustee position include but are not limited to the following:
Applicants should submit a letter of interest and materials explaining their qualifications for the position. Applications must be received by 5 p.m. November 3, 2021. They may be submitted online, emailed to lmoritz@nmc.edu, or sent or delivered to:
Trustee Search
Office of the President
Northwestern Michigan College
1701 East Front Street
Traverse City, MI 49686
Application materials are subject to the Michigan Freedom of Information Act. Interviews will be conducted in special public meetings according to the Michigan Open Meetings Act. Final appointment will be made by the full NMC Board of Trustees at a special meeting on Monday, November 15, 2021 at 2 p.m. at NMC’s Hagerty Center.
Additional materials are available upon request and questions may be directed to the President’s Office at Northwestern Michigan College at (231) 995-1010.
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
The NMC Bookstore will be closed on Tuesday, Nov. 2, for the election. We will reopen Wednesday, Nov. 3.
Did you know that over 65 instructors have saved NMC students more than $2 million since 2015 by switching to teach their courses with open and low-cost course materials?
Registration for Spring 2022 opens this Wednesday (10/20) and you can now filter the searchable course schedule for sections that use zero-cost and low-cost (<$40) textbooks.
You can find step-by-step instructions on using the Zero-Cost and Low-Cost Textbook filters here.
Please note that while every effort is made to ensure accuracy of these designations in the registration portal, they are subject to change in rare cases of schedule revisions or instructor reassignment.
Join the NMC Chamber Singers and NMC Grand Traverse Chorale for their fall performance, and their return to the concert stage Saturday, Oct. 30, at 7:30 p.m., in the Milliken Auditorium. The concert will feature music that celebrates singing and the power of music and will include guest instrumentalists and soloists. The program will include music by Beethoven, René Clausen, Jeffrey Cobb, Eleanor Daley, Dan Forrest, Daniel Gawthrop, Moses Hogan, and Andrea Ramsey.
General Admission. Tickets are available from MyNorthTickets.com here and at the door. Tickets purchased prior to the event are $12 for adults, and $7 for students and seniors. Tickets at the door are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Cash purchases at the door are appreciated!
Call (800) 836-0717 for more information.
The NMC Concert Band presents music from all of your favorite space-themed television shows & Gustav Holst’s “The Planets”, on Friday, Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m., in Milliken Auditorium.
General Admission. Tickets are available from MyNorthTickets.com here and at the door. Tickets purchased prior to the event are $12 for adults, and $7 for students and seniors*. Tickets at the door are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors**. Cash purchases at the door are appreciated!
Call (800) 836-0717 for more information.
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College’s Great Lakes Culinary Institute has been named the 2022 Best in the Midwest culinary school by Intelligent.com, a resource for online/on-campus program rankings and higher education planning.
The site identifies 50 top programs in the nation based on flexibility, faculty, course strength, cost, and reputation. NMC’s GLCI was awarded Best in the Midwest on the final list. Researchers compared 126 programs from 65 universities and colleges across the United States.
Accredited by the American Culinary Federation, the Great Lakes Culinary Institute offers two associate degrees, one in culinary arts and one in culinary sales and marketing, as well as a one-year general culinary certificate and a one-year baking certificate.
GLCI was previously ranked No. 11 culinary school nationwide by bestchoiceschools.com, and No. 9 among culinary schools by bestvalueschools.com. Find out more about the program at nmc.edu/culinary or watch a video.
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College’s Great Lakes Culinary Institute has been named the 2022 Best in the Midwest culinary school by Intelligent.com, a resource for online/on-campus program rankings and higher education planning.
The site identifies 50 top programs in the nation based on flexibility, faculty, course strength, cost, and reputation. NMC’s GLCI was awarded Best in the Midwest on the final list. Researchers compared 126 programs from 65 universities and colleges across the United States.
Accredited by the American Culinary Federation, the Great Lakes Culinary Institute offers two associate degrees, one in culinary arts and one in culinary sales and marketing, as well as a one-year general culinary certificate and a one-year baking certificate.
GLCI was previously ranked No. 11 culinary school nationwide by bestchoiceschools.com, and No. 9 among culinary schools by bestvalueschools.com. Find out more about the program at nmc.edu/culinary or watch a video.
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019