Strategic Plan

U.P. Students Win Regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

Jan. 28, 2025 —
Northern Michigan University's Northern Shores Storywork Writing Project has announced the 31 Upper Peninsula teens selected as regional award winners for the 2025 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the country's longest-running and most prestigious scholarship and recognition program for creative students in grades 7-12. There were 113 submissions from the Upper Peninsula, a significant increase over the eight received last year.

Rural Leadership Fellows Advance U.P. Projects

Jan. 27, 2025 —
Four Northern Michigan University students have been selected to participate in the second cohort of NMU's Rural Leadership Fellowship Program, a public-private partnership with InvestUP that promotes immersive, project-based learning while also supporting U.P. economic and community development projects. The fellows and their project partners are: Aimee Doyle, Marquette County Emergency Management; Travis Garvey, Michigan Office of Rural Prosperity; Rachel Raak, Village of Laurium; and Miki Rogers, Partridge Creek Compost in Ishpeming.

NMU Sustainability Summit Feb. 18

Jan. 24, 2025 —
Northern Michigan University will host a campus Sustainability Summit from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18. The event will kick off in Forest Roberts Theatre with keynote speakers Chef Bryan Flower and Courtney Gallaher from Northern Illinois University discussing their Edible Campus. Other activities are scheduled throughout the day in Jamrich Hall and the Hedgcock Atrium.

NMU Engineering Tech Builds Nordic Sit-Skis for Adaptive Athletes

Jan. 13, 2025 —
Nine-year-old Oskar Alan of Marquette had a strong desire to pursue Nordic skiing, but his balance, coordination and strength are compromised by cerebral palsy, preventing him from engaging in the activity from a standing position. Undeterred, and with support from the Superiorland Ski Club (SSC), he tested a borrowed commercial sit-ski last winter and was hooked after his first run. Now more children with disabilities have an opportunity to participate in the sport, thanks to the efforts of Northern Michigan University Engineering Technology faculty. They built four sit-skis for the SSC, saving the nonprofit money and advancing its initiative to promote inclusion and belonging among youth skiers.

Week of Service to Honor King's Legacy

Dec. 19, 2024 —
Northern Michigan University is planning a week of service activities around the theme, “Empowering Community through Action,” beginning with Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 20. The overarching goal will be to assemble and donate winter care kits to Room at the Inn to support those in need during the cold-weather months, but additional daily programming is scheduled as well.

NMU's $2.5 Million NIH Grant Addresses Addiction, Employment and Poverty

Dec. 19, 2024 —
Northern Michigan University has assumed oversight of a $2.5 million research grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to evaluate an intervention approach that provides wage supplements—contingent upon documented drug abstinence—as a way to combat drug addiction, promote employment and reduce poverty among people living with opioid use disorder. The project is a collaboration involving NMU's Department of Psychological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and REACH, a substance abuse recovery program in Baltimore, Md.

You Receives Future Shocks Challenge Grant

Dec. 19, 2024 —
Northern Michigan University Assistant Professor Jongeun You has been awarded one of nine Future Shocks Challenge Grants for his case study on the integration of land use and water planning in Colorado. The Future Shocks initiative, led by the IBM Center for The Business of Government and the National Academy of Public Administration, is designed to help governments identify and develop core capabilities critical to building resilience.

NMU Hosts MI Healthy Climate Corps Member

Dec. 13, 2024 —
Northern Michigan University successfully applied to host a member of the MI Healthy Climate Corps, a service program dedicated to developing an enduring, capable network of climate professionals committed to serving communities and building a more sustainable future for the state. NMU 2015 alumna and Negaunee native Anna Solberg has returned to campus to serve as MHC Corps climate action coordinator through October 2025. She will work with Assistant Vice President for Sustainability Jes Thompson to keep NMU aligned with its “Our Compass” strategic plan and carbon neutrality plan action items, as well as broader Michigan climate targets.

New Wildcat Collective Partnership Benefits Students, U.P. Communities

Dec. 12, 2024 —
Northern Michigan University and InvestUP will launch a new program in January that will empower participating students through professional internships and mentoring, while also focusing on their leadership development and academic success. By creating a clear pipeline from education to employment, “The Wildcat Collective: Leaders of Honor and Ambition” program is designed to address critical, shared goals such as local talent retention and population growth to benefit NMU and Upper Peninsula communities.