Success Story: Technology brings the world to campus

Nov 28, 2018 | Intercom, Student News

November 27, 2018

On Tuesday afternoon, Alex Bernier toured the length and breadth of Africa, from Egypt’s pyramids to the east-central Serengeti renowned for wildlife to South Africa’s Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years in prison. And he did it all within his two-hour World Cultures class, inside NMC’s Beckett Building, simply by putting on a virtual reality headset.

“It’s fantastic,” Bernier said of the technology, marveling at the improvement from elementary school, when his teachers rolled in TVs on carts.

Students download Google Expeditions, a free app, to their phones, and place the phones into the headsets, which offer a three-dimensional perspective — standing on the edge of Zambia’s Victoria Falls, for instance, or in the sightlines of a gorilla in Serengeti National Park. Instructor Jim Bensley serves as the guide, choosing where students will explore. This week’s whirlwind African tour also showed them the Namibian desert and slave monuments in Senegal.

“We’re trying to stay on the cutting edge of content delivery by using technology to enhance the subject matter,” Bensley said. “We use it to enhance that learning, to immerse the students into a landscape where those cultures exist.”

Students were unanimously enthusiastic.

“It’s pretty neat to see the places we’re learning about,” said Kaylee Annis.

“It gives you more of the experience you would get if you went to that place,” said Sam Wilkinson.

At $15 per headset, virtual reality is also a cost-effective way to achieve NMC’s strategic goal of ensuring that NMC learners are prepared for success in a global society and economy. Bensley has also used them to “take” World Cultures students to the Islamic world and Latin America. In his Introduction to Humanities class, he’s showed students the Baroque art and architecture of Europe.

Debuting this semester, it’s too soon to say if the headsets are improving academic performance. But Bensley said student engagement is high.

“It’s a great active learning tool. They enjoy looking around themselves,” Bensley said. While he guides the tours, students have a 360-degree field of vision and can zoom in to particular things that interest them.

“It gives you the freedom to look around,” agreed student Lucy Teubner.

For at least one student, it was also a preview. NMC is offering a study abroad trip to South Africa next spring, which will include World Cultures student Sunny Charpentier. It’s one of seven experiences scheduled for 2019.

Four holiday concerts featuring NMC ensembles

Nov 20, 2018 | Intercom, Student News

TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College’s performance ensembles will present the following holiday-themed concerts. 

• Friday, November 30 NMC Chamber Singers and NMC Canticum Novum present  “Sounds of the Season.” 7:30 p.m., Central United Methodist Church. Suggested donations of $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors will be taken at the door. (231) 995-1338.
• Saturday, December 1 Winter Jazz Ensemble Showcase, 7:30 p.m., Milliken Auditorium. Tickets $12 for adults,  $7 for students and seniors, available from MyNorthTickets.com and at the door. (800) 836-0717
• Saturday, December 15, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday December 16, 3 p.m. NMC’s Grand Traverse Chorale and Children’s Choirs join the Traverse Symphony Orchestra for “Home for the Holidays.” Corson Auditorium, Interlochen. MyNorthTickets.com. (231) 947-7120
• Tuesday, December 18 Holiday music for band featuring the NMC Concert Band. 7:30 p.m., Milliken Auditorium. Tickets $12 for adults,  $7 for students and seniors, available from MyNorthTickets.com and at the door. (800) 836-0717

Release date: november 23, 2018

For more information:

Jeff Cobb
NMC Director of Music Programs
jecobb@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1338

Success Story: Making a semi-truck size dent in food insecurity

Nov 14, 2018 | Intercom, Student News

November 13, 2018

The spirit of Thanksgiving and the holidays is extending out from campus to the community, with several charitable projects now underway. There’s still time to pay it forward with a donation of food or a warm jacket, and mark your calendar to enjoy a free family day at the Dennos Museum Center Nov. 23.

Student Blake Bandrowski, marketing director for NMC Professional Communications students’ sixth annual Food for Thought food drive, said students will take a wallet full of $5,500 in donations on a mega grocery shopping trip this weekend, aiming to fill up a semi-truck before Monday’s distribution.

“On Sunday we will be spending all the money we got through donations,” Bandrowski said.

Since mid-October, students have also collected food on campus and at special events. This year’s drive benefits four pantries that help students and their families. A 2016 Northwest Food Coalition survey revealed more than 2,000 children in the region are food insecure, which can be a barrier to learning.

The food drive is an experiential learning project that enables students to help the community by practicing professional communications skills — like soliciting donations.

“That’s the great thing about the class. Not only are you helping people, but you’re learning the skills by actually using it,” Bandrowski said. “It is legitimate work experience.”

Through Monday, community members can donate non-perishable food and personal hygiene items at red collection bins in the Tanis Building and Osterlin Library on main campus; University Center; Hagerty Conference Center and Parsons-Stulen on Aero Park campus. More info »

In addition to the food drive:

• NMC’s Bookstore is leading the third annual Hoodies for the Homeless through November 21. Donate new or gently used outerwear — hoodies, coats, snow pants all welcome — at the bookstore, now located in the Health & Science Building, and get a coupon for 30 percent off one regular priced apparel item. All items donated will go to the Goodwill Street Outreach program for distribution to people in need.
• NMC Student Life and Learning Services are teaming up with student leaders to offer Stocking Stuffers to students, a successor to the former Giving Tree program, which offered holiday gifts to students for seven years. In the new program, students will fill out a short application requesting extra assistance to shop for their children/dependents this holiday season. Approved students may choose gift cards from Meijer, Target, Kohl’s or Books-a-Million. Donations to the program are sought by Dec. 3 and can be made online.
• The Dennos Museum will open its doors to the community with free admission on Friday, Nov. 23. Museum hours are 10 a.m.–5 p.m.