Update: This showing has been postponed until April 2026.
the reason i jump will screen at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 4 in the Dutmers Theater as part of NMC’s Global Cinema Series.
Admission is FREE and is open to students, staff and the community, although seating is limited. Doors open and 5:30 p.m. and films begin at 6 p.m. in the Dutmers Theater at the Dennos Museum on NMC’s Front Street Campus.
Folks,
While I try to bring an attitude of gratitude to work with me every day, Thanksgiving affords a special opportunity to pause and reflect on all that I have to be thankful for. And, while I am grateful for all that you do every day, Thanksgiving affords me a special day to say thanks to you, for all that each and every one of you do to breathe life into our NMC mission.
An attitude of gratitude is woven into the fabric of our NMC culture. This past month, I saw it expressed by students, faculty, and staff alike:
I am grateful that together we get to serve our NMC mission, helping students move from where they are today to where they hope to be. There’s no more meaningful and fulfilling job than ours: to help ensure that our students succeed in the pursuit of their dreams.
Lastly, I am reminded of the NMC Foundation’s mission, to mobilize generosity. These examples above show how generous our NMC family is – showing up and caring for our College and our community. This is not new, this is our NMC mission – transforming lives and enriching our communities – and has been practiced for the past 74 years. As we look to next year, and celebrating the College’s 75th Anniversary, let’s ask how we might grow that generosity and impact.
Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!
Nick
Campus Life is hosting a dodgeball tournament on Thursday, December 4 at 7 p.m. in the Rajkovich Physical Education Building on NMC’s Front Street Campus.
The deadline to sign up is December 4 by 4 p.m.
If you have any questions, please contact Marcus Bennett at mbennett@nmc.edu.
NMC is hosting a mobile pantry on from 3–5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 1 in the Maple Lot on the Front Street campus. This will be the last distribution of the semester.
We have 6,420 pounds of food to share with our students and community. The menu includes potatoes, celery, peppers, carrots, apples, milk, cottage cheese, granola cereal and peanut butter.
NMC’s mobile pantry program is designed specifically for NMC students and their families. 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. If a student is unable to attend the distribution due to a class conflict, they may send a friend or family member to pick-up on their behalf.
Stop by the NMC Campus Bookstore December 8-12 and receive half off all red tag merchandise including apparel, gifts, school supplies and more!
We’re proud to announce that 729 students are taking advantage of the Community College Guarantee at NMC this fall. Collectively, they are helping the state of Michigan reach its Sixty by 30 goal – 60% of adult Michiganders earning a post-high school degree or certificate by 2030.
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.
NMC to consider new culinary certificate
Record-Eagle, Nov. 22
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The NMC Board of Trustees will hold its regular monthly meeting Monday, November 24 at 5:30 p.m. in Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center Room 106/107. More information is available here.
For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
Join us for a fun-filled white elephant book swap at 9 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 15 in the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center, room 203. This event is open to all NMC employees and is sponsored by Employee Wellness. Bring a wrapped book to exchange and discover something new while sharing laughs and stories with fellow book lovers. Start your journey with us and enjoy the magic of unexpected surprises! Plus, indulge in free coffee and pastries to make your morning even sweeter.
For questions, reach out to Brittany Hanbury at (231) 995-2613 or bhanbury@nmc.edu.
Even a TV show like Friends can offer valuable life lessons, and that’s exactly what this interactive webinar will explore! We’ll dive into the timeless lessons on friendship, love, and navigating life’s ups and downs that the show has to offer. Plus, there will be a fun trivia contest with a prize, so get ready to test your Friends knowledge. Don’t miss this chance to engage, learn, and have a blast. Register now
The following employees are celebrating an anniversary soon. Please join us in congratulating them!
These employees recently started working at the college. Let’s welcome them to the NMC community!
The emerging strategic plan has moved into the action development stage. The preliminary action steps are focused on the discovery phase of the objectives and cover the time period of January through June 2026 to align with NMC’s budget and A3 cycle. Year 1 of the new plan will officially begin on July 1, 2026 and run through June 30, 2027.
In addition to continued outreach to NMC’s stakeholder groups in October and early November, the plan has had input from Leadership Council, the Strategic Plan Steering Committee, and two Board of Trustees study sessions. Formal approval of the strategic plan is expected at the December 15th meeting of the Board of Trustees.
Updated strategies and objectives can be found here. If you have any strategic plan feedback, please direct it to your Leadership Council representative or your department chair/head.
November 20, 2025
At a time of year that’s all about gratitude, more than 700 NMC students and their families no doubt have the same thing on their mind: the Community College Guarantee.
Fall semester enrollment rose 47 percent, to 729 students, in the second year of the CCG scholarship, which offers free tuition to high school graduates with no limits on income eligibility. They were awarded $1.41 million to cover NMC tuition. That amount jumped almost 60 percent over the $890,000 awarded in fall 2024.
“It was a relief knowing college would be a lot cheaper. It allows me to save money to go up to (Michigan) Tech,” said Luke Bobrowski (above), a CCG recipient and 2024 graduate of St. Francis High School. He will complete his associate degree at NMC this December, and transfer to MTU next year to pursue a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering technology.
“NMC has a really good transfer program with Tech,” he said.
2025 Traverse City Central High School graduate Sam Roeters had been accepted to Northern Michigan University and thought she wanted to attend a large university. After she heard about the CCG, she changed her mind. Her first semester has confirmed she made the right call.
“I’m quite glad that I decided to go to NMC,” Roeters said. “The ratio of students to professors is so much lower.”
Bobrowski found attending NMC doesn’t mean sacrificing a well-rounded college experience. Through participating on an Esports team, playing Frisbee golf on campus, and using the NMC Fitness Center and music studios, Bobrowski described NMC as a community and fun.
Bobrowski also dual-enrolled at NMC while a senior at St. Francis, which allowed him to get through his associate degree coursework quicker.
“I actually cut off a whole semester, and saved a bunch of money,” he said.
Roeters plans to join a club next semester.
“Everybody’s pretty friendly,” she said. “I really do love what I’ve experienced at NMC so far.”
Part of Michigan’s Sixty by 30 initiative to increase the education level of the state’s workforce, the Community College Guarantee was first offered to the high school class of 2024, but not until July 2024, after many students had already made college plans. The CCG offers free in-district tuition. Those who live outside NMC’s district (Grand Traverse County) can still get most of their tuition paid by applying other scholarships and grants toward the difference between out of district and in-district rates.
Students have 15 months after high school graduation to initially enroll. Find out more at nmc.edu/guarantee.
NMC’s Ski & Snowboard Club is gathering for our next meeting and we want YOU there!
Join us at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 3 in the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center, room 104/05 to connect with fellow skiers and snowboarders. Come get ready for an epic winter season on the mountain!
Whether you’re a first-timer looking to learn the ropes or a seasoned pro chasing fresh powder, this is your chance to be part of an awesome community that shares your passion for winter sports.
Don’t miss out on the adventure-see you there! And remember to bring your stoke for the season ahead. 
For more information, contact Dylan Raser at raserd@mail.nmc.edu.
NMC is hosting a mobile pantry on from 3–5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 24 in the Maple Lot at the Front Street campus.
We have 7,037 pounds of food to share with our students and community. The menu includes apples, potatoes, tomatoes, turnips, carrots, cottage cheese, milk, granola and cookie mix.
NMC’s mobile pantry program is designed specifically for NMC students and their families. 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. If a student is unable to attend the distribution due to a class conflict, they may send a friend or family member to pick-up on their behalf.
Please be advised that there may be congestion on College Drive. BUS 231 Professional Communication students will also be distributing meals for their experiential learning project, Thanks-for-Giving, during this time. We encourage you to allow extra time for travel to and from campus.
Our last distribution of the semester will be held on Dec. 1 at the same time and location.
If you’ve been wondering whether our new name tags were being handcrafted by artisanal elves in a distant forest… honestly, at this point, we’re starting to wonder too.
The good news—most of the new name tags have finally wrapped up production and will be delivered to your office in the next couple of days! These will be delivered to the same shipping contact that your brand item was delivered to.
The other news: a few stragglers are still taking the scenic route. Those remaining tags are expected to arrive next week. We’re confident they’re just fashionably late. If your name tag is among that list, you will receive a separate email letting you know.
Name tags may arrive in different shipments as some were ordered along with the brand gift while other orders were submitted separately to the Purchasing department.
Thanks for your continued patience. The end is in sight—your new name tag will be here before you know it!
If you have any questions, please reach out to publicrelations@nmc.edu.
The Board of Trustees of Northwestern Michigan College will hold a study session at 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 20 in in rooms 106-107 of the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center on NMC’s Front Street campus, 1701 E. Front St., Traverse City, Mich. The meeting agenda is available online.
For more information, please contact the President’s office at (231) 995-1010.
Looking for unique gifts for this holiday season? Check out the holiday gift guide on the NMC Campus Bookstore’s website at bookstore.nmc.edu. You’ll find ideas for gifts for everyone on your list!
NMC students are collecting donations of socks, underwear and trial size deodorants on behalf of Central Church Community Outreach | United Way of Northwest Michigan to help those experiencing homelessness in Traverse City.
This sock/underwear drive is being organized by students in Melissa Sprenkle’s ENG 111 classes as part of their work on National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week projects.
Donations can be dropped off in the Communications Area office in Scholars Hall, room 214 from November 17 through December 3.
For questions, please reach out to Melissa Sprenkle at msprenkle@nmc.edu
Don’t forget: Every Thursday at the NMC Campus bookstore is a different sale! Stop by to check out the great deals—just in time for the holidays!
NMC will close for the Thanksgiving holiday starting at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 26, through Sunday, Nov. 30. The closure includes the NMC Library and Fitness Center, both of which will reopen Monday, Dec. 1 with normal hours.
The Hawk Owl Café will close at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, and reopen Sunday between 2 and 6 p.m. The Self-Service Kiosk will remain available 24 hours a day.
The Dennos Museum Center will close Thursday and Friday and reopen with normal hours from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
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.
How Dual Enrollment And Early College Programs Became Crucial Offerings For NMC, TCAPS
Ticker, Nov. 16
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Spring textbooks will be available Dec. 1. Stop by the Campus Bookstore in the Health & Science Building on NMC’s Front Street Campus or check them out online at bookstore.nmc.edu.
Looking to use financial aid to pay for your books? Financial aid can be used to purchase books for spring classes Dec. 8–Jan. 28.
Fall textbook rentals need to be returned to the Campus Bookstore by Tuesday, Dec. 16. Books that have been purchased can be sold back during Dec. 8 – 12.
The NMC Food Pantry team is looking for a few volunteers to help keep the pantry well stocked and organized. In our eight years of operation, this is our busiest season yet! If you are interested in stepping up, please take a look at what we need and let us know how you’d like to help. Interested volunteers can contact Joelle Hannert at jhannert@nmc.edu. Thank you!
Monday, November 24, 9:30am to 12:00pm.
Musician Luke Winslow King is holding a food drive at his November 23 Dennos Concert Series event in support of the NMC Food pantry. Help us move, unpack and organize the goods on Monday, November 24.
Sign up to help with the Food Drive unpacking here. Learn more about the concert and get tickets here.
Ongoing
Work with our neighbor pantry at Christ Church (near the Civic Center) to pick up bread and other extra food they have available and stock it in the NMC Pantry. Shifts could be weekly or biweekly, and someone from the pantry team would come along with you the first time to support you as you learn the process.
Requirements: This volunteer would need to have a vehicle with space enough to haul about 4 crates of food at a time (a car or SUV with a trunk and/or clean backseat would be fine). They would need to be available either Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays from 12:30-1:30 p.m. They would need to be able to lift and carry boxes up to 25 pounds.
Ongoing
Work with our neighbors at Bubbie’s Bagels to pick up their day-old bagels and stock them in the pantry.
Requirements: This volunteer would need to have a vehicle with enough space to haul food (a car or SUV with a trunk and/or clean backseat would be fine). They would need to be able to lift and carry boxes up to 25 pounds.
Ongoing
Our small food pantry team could really use a helper who can run sporadic pickups for us to and from local stores. The specific needs would be varied; the volunteer would coordinate with the food pantry team via email to get things done.
Requirements: The ideal volunteer for this position would have a schedule open enough to run one to two errands per month during NMC business hours, be organized, and have a vehicle with enough space to haul food (a car or SUV with a trunk and/or clean backseat would be fine). They would need to be able to lift and carry boxes up to 25 pounds.
December 1, 3-5 p.m.
Help distribute food via the mobile food pantry on Monday, Dec. 1 in the Maple Parking Lot. Folks interested in helping out on this date should contact Cathy Warner at cwarner@nmc.edu.