Feature/Profiles

Trustee Profile: Alexis Hart

Alexis Hart
Aug. 22, 2022 —
As vice chair of the NMU Board of Trustees, Alexis Hart interacts regularly with a number of Northern students. One bit of advice she shares with them is that they should avoid getting locked into a restrictive career path simply by virtue of the degree they earn and focus instead on developing the skill set to be adaptable when exciting opportunities surface, or it becomes necessary to pivot and pursue a new profession. She has learned that through her experience in the human resources field.

New Book Explores Classic U.P. Food and Restaurants

Magnaghi lunching on an iconic pasty at Lawry's in Marquette
Jun. 17, 2022 —
In his newly published book, “Classic Food and Restaurants of the Upper Peninsula,” Northern Michigan University History Professor Emeritus Russell Magnaghi explores the origins of the iconic U.P. trio: the pasty, cudighi and fudge. He also delves into the evolution of the regional diet, which was rooted in the indigenous foods consumed by Native Americans and influenced by immigrant settlers representing numerous nationalities who introduced additional fare from their home countries.

Ukraine War Hits 'Close to Home' for Kusek

Kusek with her children in Poznan, Poland this past December.
Mar. 18, 2022 —
Northern Michigan University associate professor Weronika Kusek is actively monitoring the situation in Ukraine. Her interest is partly professional because she addresses the topic of refugees in her human and population geography courses. It is also personal, as recent Russian missile strikes hit perilously close to the border of her home country of Poland, where her entire family still resides.

NMU Senior Helps Fellow Veterans

Selissen in an NMU production studio
Dec. 7, 2021 —
Jessie Selissen was in 10th grade when a service member from her hometown of Boyne City was killed during an insurgent attack overseas. She vividly recalls residents lining the streets in silent tribute during the funeral procession. Now Selissen is an Air Force veteran who will graduate Saturday with a degree in multimedia production. She recently put her military background and academic experience to work producing a podcast highlighting veterans and reputable nonprofits that assist them. 

Weston Hall Namesake Featured

Kathleen Shingler Weston
Mar. 21, 2019 —
Northern Michigan University's Board of Trustees recently approved the renaming of the New Science Facility to Kathleen Shingler Weston Hall. In honor of Women's History Month, we take a closer look at Weston, one of NMU's first female graduates who went on to complete a medical degree. She became part of the team that developed the Salk polio vaccine and was honored by President Lyndon B. Johnson as one of the nation's “Outstanding Medical Women.”

Prof Writes Book on Mental Illness Portrayals

Richmond
Feb. 27, 2019 —
Mental illness affects about one in five American teens. This is increasingly reflected in young adult fiction, as recent surveys indicate one quarter of the genre's titles feature characters with psychological disorders. Northern Michigan University English Professor Kia Jane Richmond has published a new book that explores how real struggles such as anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder are portrayed through fictional characters. Her hope is that Mental Illness in Young Adult Literature will help educators, librarians and mental health professionals to more effectively address the needs of students.

Hamilton's Book Appears on Notable List

Hamilton
Feb. 21, 2019 —
A Northern Michigan University professor explores literary representations of walking in a book that was included on KCET's “L.A. History to Poetry: 23 Notable Books of 2018” list. Amy Hamilton's latest scholarly work, Peregrinations: Walking in American Literature, adopts a cross-cultural perspective on walking and demonstrates how the topic allows writers to engage with a wide array of histories, stories and traditions.