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Not long before a distant relative was among four students killed in the 2021 Oxford High shooting, Northern Michigan University alumnus John Hebert had co-founded a new business that provides full-time, onsite K9 teams certified for firearm and explosives detection to schools and other public entities. The irony of the timing is not lost on Hebert, but he said his personal connection to the tragedy only fueled his drive to offer additional measures to enhance safety for students, teachers and staff.

A multi-function seat belt buckle intended for space travel, developed by Northern Michigan University alumnus Curt Tucker and co-inventor Jacob Avery, is being reviewed by NASA Johnson Space Center engineers. This is just one of the innovative products Tucker has developed. Applications range from motorsports and military safety to medical mobility devices such as a wheelchair and docking system, next-generation crutches and a state-of-the-art physical therapy and nursing sling.

In an effort to increase the state's behavioral health workforce, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHSS) is providing 12 universities, including Northern, with $5 million in funding to support one-time $30,000 stipends for students seeking a master's degree in social work. Eligible students must already hold a bachelor's in the field and commit to two years of public sector behavioral health work in Michigan upon graduation.

The Second City 65th Anniversary Tour will make a stop at Northern Michigan University for two improv comedy shows at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 27, and Friday, June 28. The opening night performance will be followed by a party in the Forest Roberts Theatre lobby.

Northern Michigan University will host Fresh Voices from the U.P., a new summer camp for all ages in which participants will adventure along the trails and Lake Superior shoreline and engage in workshops for all skill levels that promote storytelling through writing and music. They will also learn about the Upper Peninsula, the ancestral homelands of the Anishinaabe Three Fires Confederacy. Fresh Voices from the U.P. will be held Monday, July 15 through Thursday, July 18, leading up to the 44th annual Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival in Marquette.

Northern Michigan University Associate Professor of Accounting Stacy Boyer-Davis passed all parts of the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination on her first attempt and will now apply for her Michigan CPA license.

Northern Michigan University Alumni Relations will host Alumni Fridays in Marquette County this summer. The NMU community is invited to join at various locations to connect, socialize and network with fellow Wildcats during Happy Hour. Additionally, alumni are invited to go back in time with a historical walking tour or discover campus with a virtual scavenger hunt.

Don Waddell, former Wildcat hockey defenseman and NMU Sports Hall of Fame inductee, is the new president of hockey operations and general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets. The longtime NHL executive agreed to a multi-year contract to help turn around the franchise days after stepping down as president and general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, which registered at least one win in the Stanley Cup playoffs in six straight postseasons.

Northern Michigan University's Glenn T. Seaborg Center is partnering with the Michigan Council of Women in Technology to offer Camp Infinity, a series of week-long, hands-on sessions that introduce Marquette County girls entering grades 5-8 to computer and internet technologies. The camp will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, July 22 through Friday, July 26 at NMU.