April 2021

Danielle Holland of Munising, Mich., has been named the Northern Michigan University School of Education, Leadership and Public Service 2020-21 outstanding graduating graduate student from the educational administration and supervision program. On May 1, she will earn her Master of Arts degree. 

Travis Depuydt of Hermansville, Mich., has been named the Northern Michigan University School of Education, Leadership and Public Service 2020-21 outstanding graduating graduate student from the education specialist program. He will earn his degree May 1.  

Riley McDonough of Brookfield, Wis., has been named the Northern Michigan University Political Science and Public Administration Department 2020-21 outstanding graduating senior. With a 4.0 grade-point average, he is graduating May 1 with a bachelor's degree in political science with a pre-law concentration.

Kelly Chandler of Gladstone, Mich., has been named the Northern Michigan University Political Science and Public Administration Department 2020-21 outstanding graduating graduate student. On May 1, she will earn a master's in public administration (MPA) degree. 

Northern Michigan University will hold a virtual commencement at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 1, with 929 students registered to graduate and 962 degrees awarded if all requirements are met (33 students will earn multiple degrees). The ceremony can be viewed via a link at nmu.edu/commencement.

The Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health has completed its inaugural “Fight the Flu” competition to determine which of the four Upper Peninsula universities could get the highest percentage of its total population vaccinated against the flu. The winner for the 2020-21 academic year is Finlandia University, with 12.1% of its students, staff and faculty members reporting they had been vaccinated.

Northern Michigan University Marketing Professor Gary Brunswick has been awarded the Sam M. Cohodas Professorship. He has been a member of the NMU College of Business faculty for 30 years and was previously honored with the 2018 Excellence in Teaching Award and the 2005 Distinguished Faculty Award, among other accolades.

Analise Osgood of Birmingham, Mich., has been named the Northern Michigan University Department of Psychological Science 2020-21 outstanding graduating senior. She is graduating May 1 with a bachelor's degree in psychology, with a concentration in mental health and pre-clinical psychology. 

Hayley Gilbertson of Carbondale, Ill., has been named the Northern Michigan University Department of Psychological Science 2020-21 outstanding graduating graduate student. She completed her studies in December, earning a master's degree in psychological science. 

Mariah Goeks of Lake Forest, Ill., has been named the Northern Michigan University Physics Department 2020-21 outstanding graduating senior. She will earn her bachelor's degree May 1. Goeks began working with the NMU solid-state physics research group as a Freshman Fellow. Through that experience, she was able to travel to a national laboratory in England.