June 2026

The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees today approved 2026-2027 tuition and fee rates that maintain NMU's competitive rank as second-most affordable among the state's public universities, allow for investments that align with the university's strategic plan, and preserve long-term financial stability.

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.

Northern Michigan University is a state leader in cybersecurity education, according to rankings released by Programs.com. NMU offers the top-ranked associate degree program among Michigan universities or colleges, and the fifth-best bachelor's degree.

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.

An interdisciplinary team of Northern faculty and student researchers is developing a new test that shows promise in diagnosing certain brain cancers quickly, affordably and non-invasively. Their work revolves around a novel biosensor called D2HGlo. When mixed with bodily fluids such as urine, plasma and serum, the tool lights up like a fluorescent beacon when it detects the presence of an abnormal molecule that plays a key role in tumor development. This “liquid biopsy” method could improve outcomes and reduce the physical and emotional toll on brain cancer patients.

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. 

The Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center at NMU will open a new exhibition July 9 that features the work of one of the U.P.'s most prolific photographers. It is titled "Munising in Black & White: The Photographs of Mary Jayne Hallifax." She was an in-demand commercial photographer who also captured numerous candid images of her hometown over seven decades.