Feature/Profiles

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.

NMU Grad Defies the Odds to Earn Degree

Travis Thetford
Dec. 19, 2018 —

Eleven years after a stranger savagely beat him with a pool stick outside a bar and left him for dead, Travis Thetford crossed the NMU commencement stage in his wheelchair Dec. 15 to accept his diploma. The former star athlete at Escanaba High School suffered a traumatic brain injury and left-side paralysis in the wake of the attack. He has since inspired many with his perseverance and positive attitude in tackling adversity.

NMU Program Earns Innovation Award

Lubig with the award
Nov. 15, 2018 —

Northern Michigan University’s bachelor of science degree in applied workplace leadership received the 2018 Innovation in Transfer Award today at the Michigan Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (MACRAO) annual conference in Frankenmuth. The online program enables individuals holding an associate of applied science degree from any community college to ladder to a bachelor’s degree that will qualify them for management positions.

FROST Aids Evidence Tech Training

FROST training
Oct. 18, 2018 —

The NMU Public Safety Institute conducts annual training for evidence technicians, alternating between an intensive two-week basic course one year and a series of two-day refreshers the next. The refreshers being held on campus this month focus on death investigations because the institute partnered with NMU’s Forensic Research Outdoor Station (FROST) and Forensic Anthropology Research Laboratory. Both locations offer hands-on training to complement the classroom instruction provided with support from the Michigan State Police.

Detroit Students Aim North

Future NMU student planting a garden
Oct. 3, 2018 —
Graduating high school seniors in Detroit were able to get a head start on college before leaving their hometown through Aim North, a pilot program offered through Northern Michigan University’s Diversity and Inclusion Office. Students could take two summer courses, earning up to eight credits toward the liberal studies requirements for a degree prior to enrolling at NMU or another institution this fall.

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.”

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.

Carlson Receives Award

Josh Carlson
Dec. 19, 2018 —

NMU Psychological Science Professor Josh Carlson has been selected as the sixth recipient of the Quad-L Early Career Award in recognition of his significant contributions to the field of learning, memory and cognition. The Quad-L trust was founded at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque by Professor Frank Logan and his wife, Julie. It recognizes the scholarly contributions of one scientist each year.