FY 26 Budget Town Hall video
Thank you for joining us for the June 3 Budget Town Hall meetings to discuss NMC’s FY 25 budget with Vice President for Finance & Administration Troy Kierczynski. Watch a video of the morning session here.
Thank you for joining us for the June 3 Budget Town Hall meetings to discuss NMC’s FY 25 budget with Vice President for Finance & Administration Troy Kierczynski. Watch a video of the morning session here.
Please join E3 for a very special Juneteenth Celebration with special guest speaker Byron Brooks, guest performer Crystal Woodward-Turner and DJ Chris Stone.
The celebration will be held Thursday, June 19 from 3 to 9:30 p.m.
3–5 p.m.
“Who We Are” special screening
Dennos Milliken Auditorium
5–6 p.m.
Community gathering & youth activities
Outside Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center
Local Food Trucks
Chestnut lot
5:30–6 p.m.
Children’s storytime with TADL
Outside Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center
6–7:30 p.m.
Juneteenth program
Outside Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center
8–9:30 p.m.
E3 & T.C. roller derby & family freedom roller skating
Civic Center, 1213 W Civic Center Dr.
In the event of inclement weather, outdoor festivities will be held in the open space on the first floor of the Osterlin Building (#3 on campus map). For more information, contact Marcus Bennett mbennett@nmc.edu.
TRAVERSE CITY — The Northwestern Michigan College Children’s Choir will hold placement auditions for third through ninth graders from 6–8 p.m. Tuesday, June 10 and Thursday, June 12 in the NMC Fine Arts Building, room 102.
Families can schedule a 5-minute audition time slot on either date online at nmcchildrenschoir.
Founded in 1990, the NMCC consists of six choirs involving over two hundred singers from kindergarten through the ninth grade. Performances are held several times a year. For more information, visit nmcchildrenschoir.com
Release date: May 21, 2025
Cari Noga
NMC Communications Director
(231) 392-1800 (mobile – call or text)
choga@nmc.edu
Come join this award winning program! For students in 3-9, schedule a 5-minute audition by visiting nmcchildrenschoir.com/join.
For students in K-2, join Prelude (K/1) or Dolce (2nd) choir, no audition is needed. Register on our website.
For questions, email Stephanie Schall-Brazee at schallbrazee@gmail.com.
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.
Scholarships awarded to future manufacturing leaders
The Daily News (Ionia and Montcalm Counties) June 9 (more…)
To the Student Success Center for offering Adult College Edge again this summer. The four-week session begins July 7 and helps prepare students to succeed in math, taught by Becca Richardson; English, taught by Rebecca Carlson; and college skills, taught by Amy Lucas, before they start or continue college at NMC this fall.
Who’s been a Hawk Owl Helper or Hero for you? Let us know at publicrelations@nmc.edu!
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College’s Great Lakes Culinary Institute will host and operate Cafe Lobdell’s from June 24-July 30.
Cafe Lobdell’s is the capstone course in GLCI’s one-year Baking Certificate program. Culinary students will make and serve fresh sweet and savory baked goods, quiche, yogurt parfaits, healthy breakfast bowls plus sandwiches and salads to go, as well as a wide variety of specialty coffee drinks.
No reservations are required. Counter service hours are 7:30–11 a.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Cafe Lobdell’s is on the second level of NMC’s Great Lakes campus, 715 E. Front St.
Find out more about culinary programs at nmc.edu/culinary.
Cari Noga
NMC Communications Director
(231) 392-1800 (mobile – call or text)
choga@nmc.edu
Kudos to Danielle Quinlan. Danielle Quinlan coordinated and managed Extended Education’s first Campus Day since 2019. This event falls under “Community Engagement” in our current strategic plan. On May 9, 2025 Campus Day returned to the main Front Street Campus. Over $13K in net revenue (income minus direct expenses) was realized. The team welcomed 300+ participants, instructors, and volunteers. The day consisted of 40+ learning sessions from Extended Education offerings, plus community offerings such as Old Town Playhouse, BATA, city government, and the NMC Foundation. Thank you, Danielle, for making this event a huge success!
Kudos to our Grounds Crew. The grounds crew did an amazing job making sure that Front St. campus looked amazing for Campus Day on Friday, May 9th. They also set up picnic tables to ensure our attendees had outdoor seating at lunch time. Thank you, grounds team – we appreciate you!
Kudos to Garrett Croon & The Security Team. Garrett and his team facilitated all aspects of parking and security for Campus Day. In addition to providing assistance before the event began, they also stepped up to help secure an area for our BATA shuttle and assisted our guests who needed handicapped parking. You’re the best! Thank you for your support and collaboration.
Kudos to Kyle Morrison, Chris Hanna, and Dylan Schaub. The EdTech team assisted in all technical needs during our May 9th Campus Day event. They responded quickly to tech issues and walked instructors who were new to our campus through all technical challenges. And the best part – they did it collaboratively – it’s a pleasure working with you!
Kudos to Angie Adamick. Angie and her custodial team were instrumental in making sure campus looked great for Campus Day on May 9th. In addition to real-time sweeping and mopping of the floors in the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center, one of our participants wrote in his evaluation survey, “FYI, the cleanest bathrooms and classrooms I have ever seen. Your cleaning crew is excellent!”
Kudos to our Custodial, Grounds, and Maintenance departments, and Cathy Brown. The entire facilities department worked together to transform a storage closet in the Extended Education suite into an office for a new full-time hire. By utilizing the new work order system, we were able to have shelving removed, carpet replaced, walls painted, and furniture delivered and assembled in a few short weeks. The process was smooth and easy! Thank you!
Kudos to Lil Anderson, Marcus Bennett, Katy Knight, Kristi Hallett, Facilities Team, Educational Technology, Emily Crull, and more! I want to give a huge kudos to the folks who made our Pride Family Field Day with Up North Pride a success! It was a beautiful, sunny day filled with so much joy and fun, and it would not have been possible without everyone’s help!
Special thanks to Lil Anderson for jumping in and coordinating many of the moving parts, to Marcus Bennett and Campus Life for lending games and equipment, to Emily Crull and Katy Knight for their help with getting the word out to our communities, and to Kristi Hallett, the Facilities and Educational Technology teams for helping make sure we had the space set up the way we needed!
Thanks also to the folks who were there as vendors, everyone who volunteered to help during the event, and anyone who came out to enjoy a little fun in the sun with us! Your participation always helps make events like ours extra special!
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!
These employees recently started working at the college. Let’s welcome them to the NMC community!
PRMC is piloting summer editions of NMC Now, our success story e-newsletter. This week’s issue, in honor of Father’s Day, features Automotive Technology coordinator Wayne Moody and his daughter/NMC alumna Lynnett Vanderwal. Through their family business, D & W Automotive, and by training hundred of automotive technologists, the father-daughter pair has kept thousands of northern Michigan vehicles in good running condition. Subscribe to get it in your inbox Wednesday!
Northwestern Michigan College invites the community to an informal gathering and Celebration of Life for former NMC President Tim Quinn on Saturday, June 14 from 1–3 p.m. at the Hagerty Center.
Join us as we remember and honor Tim’s lasting impact on NMC and the community.
To read more about Tim’s life and legacy, visit lifestorytc.com/obituaries/timothy-quinn.149268
Aero Park Drive will be blocked to through traffic from June 9–13 due to construction on NMC’s new aviation hangar. Entrances on both Three Mile Road and Parsons Road will remain open, but drivers will need to bypass construction using North Aero Park Court. Signage will be in place. See the map below for details. Thanks for your cooperation.

Aero Park Drive closure map
To NMC’s 2025 Fellows, Mark Lundmark and Jayne Mohr. The Fellow is the highest honor NMC bestows and is awarded to those who have demonstrated influential networking on behalf of the college and/or a pattern of outstanding financial or personal time contributions to NMC. They will be honored at a dinner this week. Read more and see a list of all Fellows since 1964.
Who’s been a Hawk Owl Helper or Hero for you? Let us know at publicrelations@nmc.edu!
Kudos to Dennos Museum Center Team. The Dennos Museum hosted its 4th Spring Art Market with 25 Michigan artists in May. As a team, the staff knocked this event out of the park with their creativity, enthusiasm, time, and presence from set-up to tear-down. The event exceeded last year’s attendance and offered a range of fun for all ages through staff collaboration, from a Mother’s Day card-making project to Mimosas & a pianist in the galleries. The market garnered much praise from visitors and participants and one of the compliments heard most centers around the museum’s staff and volunteers. When asked what they love most about the event artists say,
So, kudos to the entire Dennos Museum Staff!
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!
These employees recently started working at the college. Let’s welcome them to the NMC community!
TRAVERSE CITY — More than 250 young anglers and their families are expected at the annual Rotary Kids Free Fishing Day, set from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturday, June 14 at Northwestern Michigan College’s Great Lakes campus.
Kids accompanied by an adult are invited to join in the free fishing fun. Under the supervision of the Department of Natural Resources, 500 brown trout 10 inches or longer will be stocked in the campus harbor for the event. Fishing rods, reels and bait are all provided. Children may also bring their own fishing gear.
Experienced volunteers including Rotarians and cadets from the Great Lakes Maritime Academy will help with baiting hooks and fishing skills. Members of the Northwest Michigan Fishing Club will clean the fish for the young anglers. The Great Lakes Children’s Museum will host a free fish painting activity for kids waiting to fish. There will also be a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter flyover.
Parking is available at NMC’s Great Lakes campus, 715 E. Front St., Traverse City, located just east of the Delamar Hotel on U.S. 31. Free Fishing Day is sponsored by Traverse City Rotary Clubs, Rotary Camps & Services, NMC, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Mike and Rhonda Estes, Great Lakes Children’s Museum and the Northwest Michigan Fishing Club.
Christopher DeGood
Traverse City Rotary Clubs
cdegood@bria2.com
(231) 420-5601
From left to right: Laura Stevens Matchett, Director of NMC Extended Education & Training; Lisa Schut, Regional Director at Northwest Michigan Works!; and Lisa vonReichbauer, Director of NMC Admissions
(Download a high-resolution version here.)TRAVERSE CITY – NMC has received $1.19 million in state grants to pilot a first-of-its kind collaborative and team of navigators aimed at creating nontraditional pathways to credentials and degrees for adult learners between 2025 and 2028.
“These investments reflect our deep commitment to adult learners and the communities that support them,” said Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of MiLEAP. “By working with local colleges and community leaders, we are removing barriers to education and helping more Michiganders earn the credentials they need to thrive in today’s economy.”
The NoMi Attainment Collaborative, which includes more than 20 agencies, led by NMC and Northwest Michigan Works!, today opened to new students. The goal is that within three years about 2,000 more northern Michigan residents will possess the certificates or degrees they need to increase their paychecks, thus growing the middle class, and contributing to a thriving regional economy.
“This collaboration is a powerful example of what happens when we imagine more for our region: more opportunity, more access, and more futures unlocked. Together, we’re building a community where learning truly lasts a lifetime,” said NMC President Nick Nissley.
Key to the collaborative’s approach is blurring the line between non-credit and traditional credit classes at NMC. Students will meet with grant-funded navigators for personalized support and access to low-barrier, try-it-out skill attainment opportunities. This stepping stone approach is paired with a “no wrong door” philosophy under which all collaborative members commit to meeting students’ needs first and referring to programs offered within our 10-county region.
“You can start small and follow your curiosity; dip your toes in welding, construction technology, health care, IT or more, without committing to a semester-long class,” said Laura Stevens Matchett, director of NMC Extended Education and Training. In addition, students may be able to obtain credit for prior learning, a strategic initiative at NMC.
The aim of the initiatives supported by the grants is to increase the proportion of working age adults who hold certifications and degrees from 49% to 55% in an 10-county region: Antrim, Benzie, Emmet, Charlevoix, Kalkaska, Manistee, Missaukee, Leelanau, Grand Traverse and Wexford. That translates to 2,344 individuals. Statewide, Michigan has a goal of 60% of adults having a degree or certificate by 2030. The grants are from the office of Sixty by 30.
“This grant will empower more people to achieve industry-recognized credentials and degrees, opening doors to stable, high-wage careers,” said Lisa Schut, regional director at Northwest Michigan Works! “By providing personalized support and breaking down barriers to education and employment, we are strengthening our workforce, expanding the middle class, and fostering long-term economic growth in northern Michigan.”
To get started, contact NMC Extended Education & Training at ees@nmc.edu or (231) 995-1700. A navigator will assist you in choosing your class or program, and with seeking support for entering an educational training pathway, all at your own pace — with you in the driver’s seat.
Current Collaborative members are:

Laura Stevens Matchett
Director of NMC Extended Education & Training
lmatchett@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1704
Congratulations once again to the 2025 winners of NMC’s annual excellence awards. We know our colleagues do great work every day. Two upcoming award opportunities offer us the chance to share that great work with the community. The Traverse City Business News’ annual 40 under 40 award is seeking nominations through June 11. The Record-Eagle’s Leaders of Northern Michigan is accepting nominations through June 13. Know someone who should be nominated for either? Please send their name to PRMC at publicrelations@nmc.edu. If you’d like to submit a nomination yourself, we’d be happy to collaborate with you to submit the best possible application. Thank you!
TRAVERSE CITY — Registration is now open for Adult College Edge (ACE), a free program NMC is hosting July 7–31 to help college students 21+ prepare for their fall semester.
Adult College Edge is a four-week program to help prepare students to succeed in math, English and college skills before they start or continue college at NMC this fall. Edge uses a hybrid schedule. Students will attend on-campus Tuesdays and Thursdays complete other coursework online at their own pace. Two options are available:
Upon successfully completing the program, students will earn a $250 scholarship toward NMC’s fall semester and a graphing calculator. Meals, class supplies and gas cards for transportation to campus are also included. To get started, fill out this online interest form.
College Edge debuted in 2023. It is part of the investment the state of Michigan is making in its adult student-age population. State scholarships available now include the Community College Guarantee for the high school class of 2025, and Michigan Reconnect for adults 25 and older who don’t already have a degree. Both programs make tuition free to in-district students (Grand Traverse County residents.)
Cari Noga
NMC Communications Director
cnoga@nmc.edu
(231) 392-1800 (Call or text)
Thanks to everyone who contributed to NMC earning Military-Friendly school status this year,The award was based on NMC’s performance in multiple categories of service to military and veteran students. The most heavily weighted, at 30 percent each, are military student support and retention, and graduation and career outcomes. NMC was one of only two community colleges in Michigan to earn the distinction. Read the news release here.
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.
Traverse City has one of just two ‘Military-Friendly’ community colleges in Michigan
Ticker, May 26
(more…)
The following employees are celebrating an anniversary soon. Please join us in congratulating them!
Kudos to John Lutchko, Scott Swan, Phil McCuien, Brian Sweeney, Colleen Burry, Georgenia Hromada, Lisa Cooper, Tyler Bristol and Lisa vonReichbauer. The Yellow River Conservancy Technical University partnership is unique as it brings together NMC’s Construction Technology and Marine Technology programs for an international education experience. This experience begins by teaching online to the YRCTU cohort in the fall followed by an immersive in-person teaching course in the Spring. This program is over 10 years old, but had to be redeveloped from scratch this spring as the pandemic had changed much of the interaction. Execution would not have been possible without a cross-functional team willing to admit and register the students, passionate instructors to deliver the classes, and effective logistics to add appropriate sections and manage the travel process. I want to recognize those that played key roles in this:
Kudos to the NMC Custodial Team. Their unwavering dedication and tireless efforts in turning over both East and North Hall within a limited timeframe has been nothing short of extraordinary. Preparing both dorms for incoming summer students, interns and visiting groups is a monumental task. They rose to the occasion and exceeded expectations with professionalism, speed and care while still managing their daily tasks in other areas of our campuses.
We appreciate the dedication and effort of our custodial team, which allows us to provide clean, inviting and cozy environments that showcase our pride in the campus and our commitment to NMC’s value of excellence. We are sincerely thankful for all that they do (often working quietly in the background) and we acknowledge and honor their vital contribution to our success.
Thank you, custodial team! You are the core of this operation, and we recognize your hard work:
Kudos to Robert Watrous. Many thanks to LT. Robert Watrous for not only agreeing to carry in the U.S. flag for Commencement 2023 but for establishing a functioning Color Guard that participated in our 2024 & 2025 ceremonies. This will be a part of our ceremonies for years to come! He led the training and practice sessions and also secured the required equipment. We are so grateful for this honorable legacy that will live on at NMC. Thank you, Lieutenant!
Kudos to Emily Crull. Emily assisted with the creation of the Commencement program and various other printed materials for the event. She jumped into action when we had last minute requests or unexpected changes and helped us get through some tricky situations at a stressful time. Thank you Emily for your help and for producing high quality graphics for our special day!
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!
These employees recently started working at the college. Let’s welcome them to the NMC community!
The Admissions department in collaboration with Public Relations, Marketing & Communications will have a booth at the entrance to the Cherry Festival near Marina Drive (next to the food court near the beverage tent) from Saturday, June 28 to Saturday, July 5.
Admissions will be promoting NMC throughout the week and would like programs and departments to join them to help showcase all that NMC has to offer. Anyone who wishes to participate should bring information, materials, swag and/or interactive activities to engage festival-goers and promote your program, department, or initiative to prospective students, their families and the wider community.
If you would like to participate at this year’s festival, please fill out the Cherry Festival booth signup form. To help us organize the calendar, please submit a form for each day that you would like to be present. For example, if you plan to join for just one day, please complete the form once. However, if you plan to be present on 2 or 3 different days, please complete a new form for each day.
Our past couple years have been a success! We appreciate all who took part and look forward to expanding on the experience again this year.