Feature/Profiles

Rutledge Provides Community Outreach to Veterans

NMU Veteran Services Coordinator Mike Rutledge
Mar. 11, 2025 —
Northern Michigan University hosted a March 8 visit by the touring group 1° of Separation, which presents a comedy show and suicide prevention program aimed at ending the stigma of mental illness. NMU Veterans Services Coordinator Mike Rutledge is on the board of Upper Peninsula Together With Veterans, the organization that brought the show to several U.P. locations. He also collaborates with other organizations that help area residents who have served in the military—outreach that extends beyond his role assisting student veterans and elevating NMU's position on national Military Friendly Schools rankings.

NMU's White Receives Two Honors

Kristen White in her NMU office
Mar. 7, 2025 —
The calendar shifted to 2025 a short time ago, but it has already been a “banner year” for Northern Michigan University assistant professor of education Kristen White. She co-authored “Teaching with Literacy Programs,” which received the 2025 Gloria J. Ladson-Billings Outstanding Book Award from the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) last week. She also will be honored in March as the 2025 Michigan Reading Association Teacher Educator of the Year. It is an impressive start for a woman who said her only other award in life was “Student of the Week” in 10th grade.

Alumna's Book Inspired by Spread Goodness Day

NMU alumna and Spread Goodness Day founder Anna Dravland (left) is pictured with NMU alumna Sue Meier, the coauthor of a children's book based on Dravland's story
Feb. 26, 2025 —
Northern Michigan University alumna Anna Dravland's efforts to develop and expand Spread Goodness Day, an annual event that celebrates the “explosive and empowering” impacts of simple acts of goodness, inspired fellow NMU alumna and retired elementary teacher Sue Meier to coauthor a related children's book, The Goodness Garden. With support from generous donors, hundreds of free copies have been distributed to pre-kindergarten through second-grade classrooms in Michigan, Illinois and beyond in advance of this year's Spread Goodness Day celebration on March 14.

Harris Praised for Help Identifying Human Remains

Harris (left) with Dr. Carolyn Isaac of MSU, collaborating on the assessment of one of the victims.
Jan. 27, 2025 —
Northern Michigan University's Center for Forensic Science Director Jane Harris has elevated her professional reputation, the center's profile and student hands-on learning opportunities by contributing her expertise to Operation UNITED, an effort by the FBI and law enforcement agencies in Detroit and Philadelphia to exhume the remains of unidentified victims of decades-old homicide cases. The hope is that advanced DNA testing can provide names and answers for their respective families. She was highly commended for her most recent work in letters from the former FBI director and the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD).

Berrys Are Leaders in Lifetime Giving to NMU

John and Shirley Berry (left) with Kristin and Brock Tessman, NMU's president, in the Northern Center
Jan. 27, 2025 —
Northern Michigan University alumnus John Berry Jr. has continued the philanthropic legacy passed down by his grandfather and father, whose entrepreneurial success heading the largest Yellow Pages advertising agency in the United States inspired them to give back to future generations in ways that reflected their core values, including education. John and Shirley Berry have become the leaders in lifetime giving to NMU, surpassing $10 million. Their most recent gifts of $3.5 million include $2 million to endow in perpetuity the College of Business Deanship in their names, and $1 million as an expendable fund to support the Northern Enterprise Center, the future home of the College of Business.

Commencement Speaker Follows Parents into Nursing

Guinn in the Nursing Technology Center, where she spent much of her time.
Dec. 6, 2024 —
Suzanna Guinn of Marquette said she considers nursing the “Swiss army knife” of undergraduate degrees, both for the skills and knowledge it encompasses and the wide range of career opportunities and potential work settings. Her academic major was inspired in part by her parents' experience in the field. They will no doubt be watching with pride as she delivers the student commencement address at NMU's Dec. 14 ceremony.

Cancer Survivor Thankful for Lasting Impacts

Caleb Bell in the hospital at 12, and in his NMU club hockey jersey
Nov. 20, 2024 —
“Cancer taught me that tomorrow isn't promised, and that we can't control everything, but we can choose how we respond,” said Northern Michigan University student Caleb Bell, reflecting on his T-cell lymphoma diagnosis at age 12. The Marquette native endured chemo, open-heart surgery and other challenges over two years, but achieved survivor status and even played club hockey his freshman year at NMU. He continues to support the “Stick It to Cancer” hockey fundraiser first organized on his behalf, and he is exploring opportunities to share his story in the hope of inspiring children currently coping with the disease.

Hughes' Portrait Paintings Earn Accolades

From left: Tourmaline, Regent and Siren from Hughes' Re-Emergent solo exhibition at Modern Eden Gallery in San Franciso. The last piece was displayed in the Character in Context exhibition in Colorado.
Nov. 7, 2024 —
Northern Michigan University Art and Design Professor Steve Hughes, whose freelance studio has the appropriate moniker Primary Hughes, has received some notable accolades for his boldly colorful acrylic paintings that meld portraiture with graphic elements and patterns. Most recently, he was selected as a monthly winner in the Figure & Portrait category of the 14th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition. He will compete for a $15,000 grand prize and a chance to have his work featured on the cover of PleinAir Magazine at a convention and expo in May.

Goodwill Earns Rising Star Award

Kourtney Goodwill
Nov. 1, 2024 —
Kourtney Goodwill, assistant director of Admissions at Northern Michigan University, was selected as a 2024 Rising Star Award recipient through the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). The award honors individuals and programs that exemplify excellence and dedication in serving the needs of students as they transition from high school to college.