Feature/Profiles

“It was a pretty nontraditional pathway that led me to Northern Michigan University,” said Matthew Jennings, assistant professor in the School of Clinical Sciences. One week before graduating with a bachelor's degree in biology, he made a spontaneous decision to start his career overseas based on an unexpected series of events. 

In the highly competitive arena of college athletics, some programs have ventured beyond traditional training methods to explore the value of unconventional approaches that have the potential to optimize physical and mental performance. The Northern Michigan University men's soccer team received an assist over Labor Day weekend from 2010 alumnus and Peak-Performance Coach Tim Mann. He credits his recovery from a severe auto accident to the Wim Hof Method, which revolves around three pillars: specialized breathing techniques; cold therapy; and commitment.

Todd “Stix” Honch, who passed away suddenly in early 2019, was a skilled drummer who played in all Northern Michigan University bands and an enthusiastic supporter of Wildcat sports teams. His dedication is symbolized by three items still on display in his basement bedroom at his parents' house: a set of gold drumsticks; a “golden ticket” for free lifetime admission to athletic events—sadly, he only used it for one year; and the inaugural Wildcat Fan of the Year Award he received with friend Lindsay Griffith, which now bears their names. 

It was about this time one year ago that Yan Ciupak, associate professor of sociology at NMU, visited India for almost five weeks. She studied and experienced the yoga capital of the world, Rishikesh, and also collected data for her research project on the Buddhist Nun Empowerment movement.

NMU's new Assistant Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion, Shawnrece Campbell, has hit the ground running since her official start date in January. In both her update at Wednesday's university forum and the opening remarks she delivered at Thursday's UNITED Conference, she highlighted new initiatives and future directions based on campus conversations she has had early in her tenure.

Hyeonji Noh, an international student from Seoul, South Korea, came to Northern Michigan University to study English and multimedia production, with the eventual goal of returning to her home country to teach English as a foreign language. Jumpstarting her career with online content, Noh uses her social media presence to create a community of English as a Second Language learners whose native tongue is Korean. She has amassed more than 30,000 Instagram followers with her videos and educational language content.

Elise Bur, director of Northern Michigan University's Center for Rural Health, has been elected to the Superior Health Foundation's board of directors. She brings to the role a a vast background in health care and issues related to improving health in the Upper Peninsula.

Northern Michigan University English Professor Amy Hamilton was recently elected co-president of the Association for the Study of Literature and Environment. ASLE is an international, interdisciplinary community of scholars interested in the natural world, its representation in language and culture, and the complexities of humans' relationships with their surroundings.

Audio/visual services at Northern Michigan University has a secret rock star in its ranks. Matt Herbig, operations supervisor, played bass guitar in his high school/college heavy metal band, Indecision, as well as the band Pseudocell. They had a few shows around the U.P., with Herbig recalling the shows they put on at an old church in Iron River and at Corner Zone (now The Dance Zone) on Lincoln Avenue.

Anne Dahlman, whose higher education experience spans 27 years as a teacher, faculty scholar and administrator, will become Northern Michigan University's next provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, effective April 1. The Finland native most recently served as interim associate provost at Minnesota State University Mankato, where she advanced through the faculty ranks and various leadership positions over the past 17 years.