Around NMU

The family of Ben Lauren, a Northern Michigan University alumnus who was tragically killed in the line of duty as a volunteer firefighter at age 23, has established an endowed scholarship in his memory to support NMU mechanical engineering technology students. Lauren graduated from the program in 2018.

Because of a rising number of COVID cases in the region, Northern Michigan University has canceled on-campus classes for Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 10-11, and will shift to remote learning for the remainder of the week. Web and lab/clinical courses will be held as originally scheduled.

Bob and Meredith Kulisheck retired from Northern Michigan University in 2008, after serving more than 30 years as professors in the Departments of Political Science/Public Administration and Mathematics/Computer Science. The Kulishecks recently established a number of full-tuition scholarships for juniors and seniors in both of their former departments.

Many digital collections documenting the history of the Upper Peninsula are now freely accessible and searchable on the U.P. Digital Network (UPLINK) website hosted by the Central U.P. and Northern Michigan University Archives.

Northern Michigan University Grounds Supervisor Andy Smith has had a passion for landscaping ever since he was a 9-year-old boy mowing lawns in hopes of raising enough money to buy a brand new bike. Now he leads NMU's efforts to transform its campus into the aesthetically pleasing space that it is. 

The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees approved Presidential Search Advisory Committee appointments and the committee's charge during a special meeting held virtually Wednesday night.

Northern Michigan University will implement mass random COVID-19 testing when the winter semester begins next week. It will also expand vaccination and booster shot availability at the NMU Health Center. Interim President Kerri Schuiling made the announcements in a campus-wide email on Tuesday.

Upper Peninsula healthcare workers are encouraged to complete a general, anonymous survey regarding issues that impact recruitment and retention efforts. The U.P. Healthcare Careers Alliance Steering Committee is conducting the brief, 10-question survey.

Northern Michigan University alumnus Al Salmi of Rapid River recently delivered the "Eagle Charge" to two of his grandsons, as they became the eighth and ninth Eagle Scouts in the family during a double awards ceremony in Minnesota. Salmi earned his award from Marquette Troop 359 in 1963, while attending NMU. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1965 and a master's in 1967.