Alumni

Northern alumnus Steve Hughes first became aware of the maritime industry as a curious, casual observer growing up in Marquette, where freighter traffic is firmly entrenched in local history and identity. His 97-year-old dad, John, a former NMU geography professor, used to take him to watch ships navigate to the imposing docks to be loaded with iron ore pellets that fuel the steelmaking process. Hughes could not have imagined then that he would embark on a three-decade career in the industry, rising to the rank of captain. He will retire in December from a rare perch as pilot of the longest vessel operating on the Great Lakes: the M/V Paul R. Tregurtha.

NMU alumna Amber Kinonen is one of three faculty members to receive Bay College's 2026 Outstanding Educator Award for excellence in teaching, student support and service to the campus community. She joined the college in 2008 as a transitional reading instructor and now teaches a variety of English courses. Her numerous leadership roles include division chair, college readiness coordinator and faculty union president.

Northern Michigan University biology alumni William Bowerman and Michael Wierda returned to the Upper Peninsula last week as part of their continuing efforts to research the bald eagle population in the state, which they say has declined due to factors ranging from trauma to bird flu. They discovered that this nesting season has been particularly difficult. In the process of banding eaglets, the duo encountered severely malnourished and dead chicks, and nests that were empty and damaged by storms.

Northern Michigan University 2022 alumnus Dylan Bilicki found that Army ROTC offered a path to achieve his dual goal of continuing his family's legacy of military service while pursuing a career in neuroscience and medicine, an interest sparked by the team of healthcare professionals who helped him recover from a severe concussion in high school. After graduating from Michigan State University's College of Human Medicine last month, he began a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Former Northern Michigan University business marketing and management student Katarzyna (Kasia) Lech of Wrocław, Poland, is among 69 women who contributed essays to a new international anthology that chronicles the evolution of technical communication through first-hand accounts from professionals who helped shape the field.

Despite its relatively small population of about 22,000, Marquette is home to three medical device manufacturers that have created a globally competitive industry cluster in the upper Midwest. NMU's Engineering Technology Department has partnered with Able Medical Devices, EXALTA Group and Mount Mfg to develop innovative approaches to training and retaining a pipeline of qualified employees who will fuel the companies' growth. A recent example of this collaboration is the Work Scholars program. This story is one of several innovaton-related features in the summer issue of Northern Magazine. 

Teaching had been Anne Marie Palazzolo's (‘2010 BS) calling since kindergarten. But the bold path she ultimately carved by establishing an innovative school in Farmington Hills took shape through years of related hands-on experience and a persistent belief that education could be approached differently. Her story is one of several innovaton-related features in the summer issue of Northern Magazine. 

A Northern Michigan University alumna conducted research that may help scientists achieve an elusive goal in medicine: stopping Alzheimer's disease before it irreversibly damages the brain. Rebecca (Dangremond) Mueller helped to develop an innovative laboratory model that could enable researchers to observe some of the earliest cellular changes linked to Alzheimer's. Those changes, which occur long before widespread brain cell death, are increasingly viewed as the most promising targets for future treatments. Her story is one of several innovaton-related features in the summer issue of Northern Magazine. 

Ellen (Narotsky) Kennedy, a Northern Michigan University alumna and 2023 recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award, has brought human rights concerns to the attention of global decision-makers. As coauthor of two Shadow Reports submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Council, she documents U.S. violations of the human rights to bodily autonomy and to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

Northern Michigan University 2022 cosmetology graduate Mikaela Bannon will make her fourth appearance in the Miss Michigan scholarship competition, scheduled June 15-20 in Muskegon. She will be among 30 candidates vying for the state title and a chance to advance to the national stage. Bannon resides in Canton and works as a cosmetologist and aesthetician in Ann Arbor. Her service initiative through the Miss America Organization revolves around skin cancer education, awareness and support.