Alumni

Northern Michigan University alumnus and former ASNMU President Jason Morgan ('11 BA) has been re-elected to represent District 8 on the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners, receiving nearly 87.5% of the vote. He was first elected to the post in 2016.

NMU alumna Mallory Fischer ('15 BS) is the new communications and membership specialist for Environmental Defenders of McHenry County, a nonprofit based in her hometown of Woodstock, Ill. According to its website, Defenders' teams and committees address issues facing natural areas, water resources and open spaces, as well as decisions being made by county and city officials that could impact the environment.

The Northern Michigan University Alumni Association will continue its Northern Now monthly digital event series with a presentation by permafrost expert and alumnus Fritz Nelson ('73 BS). His talk is titled "Hell of a Highway: Permafrost and the Development of the Alcan Project." It will begin at 7 p.m. (EST) Wednesday, Nov. 11.

Northern Michigan University Alumni Mark Mattson ('97 BS, '02 MAE) and Christian Wilson ('92 BS) were named recipients of the Michigan High School Athletic Association's (MHSAA) Allen W. Bush Award for 2020.

Communications professional Ron Beacom ('82 BA) is the new managing editor for Catalyst Midland, an online media/news company that shares stories of people and their businesses or organizations making positive changes across the region.

NMU alumnus Brom Stibitz ('05 MPA) was recently appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as director of the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB), after serving as acting director since March. He is also the state's chief information officer, managing all aspects of cybersecurity and information technology across state government.

The Northern Michigan University Alumni Association is launching Northern Now, a monthly digital event series for alumni and friends. The series kicks off at 7 p.m. ET Wednesday, Oct. 14, with exclusive interviews featuring Heidi Voigt, head coach of NMU's swimming and diving program, and Grant Potulny, head coach of the NMU Wildcat hockey team.

Under Greg Toutant's leadership as CEO, Great Lakes Recovery Centers (GLRC) has expanded its scope and reach. In addition to its longtime role in addressing substance abuse, GLRC now provides a wide range of behavioral health treatment and prevention services throughout the Upper Peninsula. Toutant's role in that effort, combined with his active community involvement, have earned him Northern Michigan University's 2020 Alumni Service Award.

Per Utnegaard left his hometown of Oslo, Norway, to attend Northern Michigan University on a Nordic skiing scholarship. His willingness to venture beyond his comfort zone at a young age stoked his fascination with other countries and cultures, and served as a springboard to his successful career as a global transport and logistics executive. It also inspires his solicited advice for current students as a recipient of NMU's Distinguished Alumni Award.

Many college students change academic majors when they realize their first choice is not a good fit. Iron Mountain native Amanda Rosenburg took a handful of electives at Northern Michigan University to explore her Plan B options. It was a child development class offered by the psychology department that ignited her passion. Now Rosenburg works with Google to pioneer new ways to educate children in the digital age, which is especially timely and relevant in the context of COVID-19. The 2007 graduate is NMU's 2020 Outstanding Young Alumni Award recipient.