Al Mitchell, longtime director of the former boxing program at NMU's U.S. Olympic Education Center, was inducted Dec. 13 into the USA Boxing Alumni Association Hall of Fame. The legendary coach was in impressive company. The third class of inductees also included Olympic gold-medalists “Big” George Foreman, “Smokin'” Joe Frazier and Mark Breland.

Despite a major assist from Mother Nature to accelerate the start of the ski season in this region, snow-making systems are critical to many ski areas. Alumnus P.J. Britz secured a job with TechnoAlpin, a global leader in the industry, with the help of NMU's ski area business management program. 

Northern Michigan University held its third NMU Day of Giving on Dec. 3. The event raised more than $850,000, nearly double the total from last year. More than half of the gifts went to support scholarships, about $100,000 directly to departments and the remainder to designated programs and greatest need.

The NMU Board of Trustees today unanimously approved investing $5 million in a series of initiatives designed to deliver innovative academic programs and essential new services to the Upper Peninsula.

Allison Opheim will graduate from Northern Michigan University on Saturday with the assurance of a new job as a communications and public affairs contractor with the U.S. Geological Survey in Fort Collins, Colo. She said working for a federal agency fresh out of college might have seemed a daunting prospect at one time, but she now considers herself fully prepared, thanks to the confidence and competencies she gained at NMU.