Articles

Northern Michigan University's College of Business will host NMU alumnus John Baltes as the 2022 Executive in Residence Sept. 27-29. He is the retired CEO of SVA, a multi-entity professional services company. Baltes will share insights from his 30 years of leadership and business strategy experience, as well as a strong data systems background, with the NMU and Marquette communities.

“Mending the Stress Fence,” a presentation on managing the stressors faced by farmers and agricultural professionals, will be held at Northern Michigan University on Friday, Sept. 9. The presentation begins at 3 p.m. in the Northern Center Peninsula II room. It will be about 30 minutes in length with an open discussion at the end. 

Northern Michigan University Theatre and Dance will present its third annual Spotlight Variety Show to kick off the fall semester at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Sept. 8-9, in Forest Roberts Theatre. The show features 24 acts, including singers, monologue performances and magic.

Pendziwol will give a presentation on October 11 at 7 pm at the Northern Center, on the campus of Northern Michigan University in Marquette and on October 12 at 6 pm at Munising School Public Library. In conjunction with the lighthouse theme, there is also a special presentation by Dianna Stampfler on Death and Lighthouses on the Great Lakes on September 8 at 6 pm at Munising School Public Library. 

Northern Michigan University graduate assistant Benjamin Fidler won first place in the most recent international 3-Day Novel Contest. Elijah Sparkman, an MFA graduate of NMU, also participated and advanced to the final selection. Instead of relaxing during Labor Day weekend 2021, both wrote tirelessly to create a novel or novella in 72 hours, competing against other writers worldwide. The judges take nearly a year to read hundreds of submissions and recently released the results. 

The Finnish folk group Kardemimmit will perform at Northern Michigan University on Saturday, Sept. 17, as part of the Beaumier Heritage Concert Series. The performance is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and will take place at Reynolds Recital Hall. Tickets cost $10 for the general public and $5 for NMU students and those under 18.

NMU alumnus Cory Gylock has been promoted to vice president and general manager of Nexstar Media's digital operations of WLAX-TV (FOX) and WEUX-TV (FOX) in La Crosse/Eau Claire, Wis., and their related digital and social media channels. The 2012 marketing graduate previously served as general sales manager for the stations.

Debra Greenacre, a 2003 NMU elementary education alumna and executive director of the Manistee Public Library, demonstrates the importance of following your dreams, no matter how long it takes for them to come into clear focus. Greenacre was featured in the Huron Daily Tribune as a part of a series on women in leadership positions.

Northern Michigan University alumna Karen Saari was commissioned to co-write a musical titled Ten Days in a Madhouse, about journalist Nellie Bly's experience infiltrating a notorious insane asylum to report on the abhorrent conditions. The show had its world premiere Aug. 19-27 through Music Theatre of Madison in Wisconsin. The Upper Peninsula native said it was research for an NMU class assignment that sparked her lifelong fascination with Bly.  

The late Michael Zuke, a 1971 NMU alumnus and former Wildcat gymnast, is featured as part of the “Sault Legends” series on the Ontario website saultonline.com for his contributions to the sport as a competitor and coach. He passed away in 2014, two years after being inducted into the Sault Ste. Marie Hall of Fame.