Northern Michigan University Provost Fellow and Associate Professor Weronika Kusek wrote a recently published book titled “Moving UP North: Immigrant Experiences of Professionals in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.” Each chapter is based on an oral history interview with an international professional who lives and works in the region, sharing the individual's migratory journey and personal experience. Some of the subjects have been here for a couple of decades; others are newcomers.
Kusek said she was inspired to pursue the project based on her interactions with the international people she met in Marquette, and the frequent misunderstanding in the community of the complex pathways international professionals have had to navigate to arrive where they are today.
“I wanted to highlight the major contributions international professionals make in remote parts of the United States, where they often help fill important gaps in employment and service to local communities,” she added. “I also wanted to focus on how the natural beauty of the U.P. contributes to the decision to stay or move elsewhere.
“Professors, physicians, engineers, remote workers and also foreign spouses of local residents tell their stories and provide a unique perspective on assimilation, cultural adjustment and making home away from home. My goal was to document the stories of people who contribute in meaningful ways to the Marquette area and to preserve their experiences with care and respect. Oral history provided a way to center participants' voices and better understand both their personal journeys and their roles in the local community."
A native of Poznan, Poland, Kusek arrived in the United States in 2005 to attend the University of Toledo, where she earned her bachelor's and master's degrees. She later attended Kent State University to complete her doctorate before relocating to Michigan's Upper Peninsula to join the faculty in NMU's Earth, Environmental and Geographical Sciences Department.
"One of the biggest challenges in writing this book was understanding the cultural contexts from which participants came, and making sure I did not make assumptions based on my own experiences as a professional immigrant,” she said. “I wanted to be especially careful not to overinterpret or misinterpret their stories, but instead to represent their experiences as thoughtfully and accurately as possible."
Kusek received the 2026 Early Career Award for Scholarship, Teaching and Service from the Ethnic Geography Specialty Group of the Association of American Geographers. The awards committee highlighted her scholarship related to elevating underrepresented experiences in geographic research.
An example is her “Moving UP North” book, published by Springer, which examines immigrant experiences in a region often overlooked in migration and ethnic geography scholarship. The committee also noted Kusek's teaching as strongly student-centered and innovative, contributing to her 2020-2021 NMU Excellence in Teaching Award.
