March 2021

NMU alumna Lucy Johnson (‘10 BS, ‘13 MA) presented her research on emoji to more than 300 Sony Interactive Entertainment employees, mostly from PlayStation, with others representing Sony Music and Sony Productions. Her remote talk took place Tuesday, March 30, as part of an invited speaker series for Women's History Month. She is an assistant professor of digital literacies at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

Northern Michigan University alumna Margaret Vainio ('76 BA) recalls a life-changing trip to Finland with the NMU Arts Chorale when she was a student. As the group was preparing to leave, she asked the bus driver to drop her off at the train station because she felt inspired to stay there longer. A year later, she moved to Finland permanently and eventually was exposed to Asahi, a Finnish exercise program. Now she has started a second career as an Asahi instructor and will soon bring it to NMU.

Northern Michigan University's most decorated head coach, Sten Fjeldheim, has announced his retirement after 34 years as leader of the Wildcat Nordic ski team. The NMU alumnus also served stints as the head cross country running coach during his 35 years at the university. 

Northern Michigan University's Lydia M. Olson Library is celebrating heritage and history months by inviting relevant student organizations to select books for its collection. The library team purchases the titles and creates virtual and physical displays about the selections. 

Tarra Nieman, a 2020 NMU outdoor recreation leadership and management graduate, is the 2021 Community Volunteer Ambassador at Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site in Colorado. CVAs spend a year in national park units across the country building relationships with communities and increasing the number of volunteers who serve at the parks.

Instead of its usual in-person "Learning to Walk Together" powwow, the Native American Student Association at Northern Michigan University will host a virtual "Powwow 101: Learning to Walk Together (While Apart)." The free event is scheduled from 1-3 p.m. EST Saturday, April 3.

Northern Michigan University Alumni Relations is hosting virtual alumni socials for graduates to join college deans as they share new initiatives and other updates from the departments within their colleges. Following each update, alumni are invited to turn on their cameras and microphones to ask questions and connect with fellow Wildcats from their respective colleges.

Northern Michigan University alumna Rebecca Pelky ('98 BS, '15 MFA) has won the 2021 Perugia Press Prize for her story-in-poems called “Through a Red Place.” She weaves into the collection her research into her Native and non-Native heritage in Wisconsin using archival documents and images of her ancestors.

Northern Michigan University alumnus Mark Burton ('99 BS) has joined Honigman LLP as partner and co-leader of the firm's economic development incentives group. He  additionally serves in the government relations and regulatory practice and is based in Honigman's Lansing office, according to a press release. Burton most recently served as CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).

For Northern Michigan University students studying in healthcare fields, hands-on experience is irreplaceable. The COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult to obtain that experience because many courses were restructured to an online format. NMU nursing students who had previously missed out were able to assist with two recent vaccination clinics.