Around NMU

A scholarship established through the Northern Michigan University Foundation will support graduating seniors who exhibit outstanding community service while attending NMU. David and Marie Blum of Ann Arbor, Mich., gifted the William and Josephine Balconi Community Service Scholarship, named in honor of Marie's late parents.

NMU's School of Nursing will hold a “Hopping Into Summer” celebration March 22-26. The event is designed to interject some fun to boost nursing students' spirits for the remainder of a particularly demanding semester, and to thank them for assisting with campus COVID-19 screenings and community vaccination clinics. It will feature decorations, contests, giveaways and treats revolving around daily themes. All activities were vetted and will comply with pandemic safety regulations.

Northern Michigan University has announced 10 students who comprise the new group of scholars in the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program. Lee Xiong has also joined NMU this semester as its new program director.

Five Northern Michigan University faculty members have been selected as recipients of Reassigned Time Awards for the fall 2021 semester. Each award provides up to four credit hours of release time to support scholarship activities.

Northern Michigan University is preparing to be fully operational this fall, returning to pre-pandemic levels of face-to-face instruction, services and campus activities. NMU President Fritz Erickson made the announcement during a virtual community forum March 16. He said Northern's ability to continue in-person classes and keep its residence halls open this academic year has increased his optimism for the approaching fall semester.

Mat Fraser, who trained as a weightlifter at the former U.S. Olympic Education Center at NMU, recently retired as the most decorated and dominant professional CrossFit athlete in history. He was a five-time "Fittest Man on Earth," winning the CrossFit Games title every year from 2016-2020 before announcing his retirement from competition in February. 

Based on concerns expressed by employees and students about the scarcity of local child care options, Northern Michigan University has signed a contract with WeeCare, the largest network of licensed child care providers in the United States.

Northern Michigan University ranks 24th among the nation's best bachelor's degree programs in organizational/applied workplace leadership and 30th for its bachelor's degree in entrepreneurship, according to national rankings released by Study.com.

A Northern Michigan University surgical technology student is missing the winter semester to serve alongside her dad in Washington, D.C. with Marquette's Forward Support Company, 107th Engineer Battalion of the Michigan National Guard. Spc. Carlie Mattonen and Sgt. 1st Class Carl Mattonen initially provided support during the presidential inauguration. They returned later as part of the follow-up mission helping the U.S. Capitol Police.

After making history last month as the first woman to officiate a Super Bowl, Sarah Thomas will give a virtual presentation through Northern Michigan University's Platform Personalities titled “Breaking Through: A Journey to Becoming the First Female NFL Official.” Her talk is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 23, and can be viewed by the public via Zoom.