Today, Northern Michigan University received the 2026 Higher Education Excellence and Distinction (HEED) Award from Insight Into Academia magazine, the oldest and largest publication focused on best practices in higher education. The HEED Award is a prestigious honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to academic excellence, belonging, and community-building across all levels of campus life.
Northern Michigan University will be featured, along with 60 other recipients, in the October 2026 issue of Insight Into Academia magazine.
“We are proud and grateful to receive the HEED Award,” said NMU President Chris Olsen. “It's an important measure of our commitment to holistic well-being for our employees and students, which is a central piece for our strategic plan and a core part of the Northern Michigan University mission.”
“In particular, I am committed to providing all students a distinct university experience beyond access – one that includes genuine opportunities in the form of high impact practices,” Olsen added. “These experiences are not just for students who can afford them, but all students that we admit and support at NMU.”
NMU adopted a new strategic plan titled “Our Compass” in August, 2024, which focuses on three main objectives: supporting people, partnering with place and realizing student potential. Olsen said the HEED award is a reflection of the university's progress in achieving the goals outlined in the plan.
Dr. Shawnrece Butler, NMU assistant vice president for Opportunity, Empowerment and People, said the award showcases NMU's distinct impact on the broader community.
“Applying for the HEED Award gives Northern Michigan University the opportunity to reflect on how our programs, services, policies, and partnerships expand opportunity, strengthen belonging, and empower people across our campus community,” Butler said. “This recognition reflects the collective commitment of colleagues across NMU who work every day to help our community thrive. While receiving national recognition is gratifying, its true value lies in examining our progress, demonstrating our impact, and renewing our commitment to building an institution where all people have transformative pathways to participate, contribute, and flourish.”
The award application required extensive work to compile institutional data and other necessary information, and Butler thanked the following Northern Michigan University staff for their work: Justin Schapp, assistant director for Opportunity, Empowerment & People, Jill Compton, director of Internal Audit and Risk Management, Ellen Koski, assistant director for Strategic Planning and Institutional Effectiveness and Erika Greely, associate director of Admissions.
The HEED Award standards are rigorous, said Lenore Pearlstein, co-publisher of Insight Into Academia magazine, and require institutions to not only promote academic excellence, but make it a key part of university culture.
“We use a detailed scoring process as well as a holistic approach to reviewing each application to determine who will be named a HEED Award recipient. Our standards are high, and we look for institutions where academic excellence and belonging are woven into the work being done every day across their campus,” Pearlstein said.
For more information about the 2026 HEED Award, visit insightintoacademia.com.