Around NMU

Northern Michigan University May BFA graduate Lexi Klamer scored some impressive achievements in her final semester. She was selected for the Society of Illustrators (New York) 2026 Student Scholarship Competition, and received the $2,000 Nancy Lee Rhodes Roberts Scholarship for a gouache-on-paper work titled Pond Water Souls. Klamer was one of only 216 artists from more than 4,550 entries selected for an exhibition in the society's museum, which she attended shortly after  commencement.

Northern Michigan University Theatre & Dance will usher in Pride Month with a Drag Cabaret at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, May 29-30, in the Panowski Black Box Theatre. Thursday's show will be followed by an opening night party with appetizers, beverages and a meet and greet with the cast and team  

Northern Michigan University will host a series of summer camps for K-12 students. Programs range from day camps for young children to specialized residential experiences for high school students, with options focused on recreation, STEM, health careers, performing arts and athletics.

Northern Michigan University will host the 2026 BIPOC Outdoors Summit & Rest Retreat July 27-31. While the events are designed to center the experiences of Black, Indigenous and People of Color in outdoor spaces, everyone is welcome to participate. The emphasis is on creating an environment that fosters belonging, reflection and engagement with nature.

Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health Director Elise Bur has been selected as one of 20 statewide members of the newly established Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) Advisory Council. The group will provide insight on rural health priorities, review program progress and offer recommendations to Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) leadership.

Northern Michigan University's athletic training program recently marked 25 years since its first graduate in 2001. From its humble beginnings as a small certification track, athletic training has evolved into a master's degree offered in two formats: as a 3+2 program for students who first earn a bachelor's in sports science from Northern; or as a stand-alone for students who have already completed a bachelor's degree at NMU or elsewhere.

The NMU Dance Team made program history for the third time in three years, recording its best finishes at the College Classic National Championship in Orlando. The team placed 8th in Pom and 9th in Jazz at the Division II level.

Students from NMU's Communication and Media Studies Department earned awards and competitive scholarships at the 2026 Michigan Association of Broadcasters' (MAB) Student Awards ceremony in Lansing.

“Tragedy Sound,” a play about three lifelong friends from the Upper Peninsula who become stranded on Lake Superior after accepting a reckless dare to embark on a canoe trek, is the most recent work by 1996 Northern Michigan University alumna and Mass City native Karen Saari. The winner of NMU's Panowski Playwriting Award will be presented at 7:30 p.m. May 14-16 in the Panowski Black Box Theatre.

The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees has approved room and board rates for the 2026-2027 academic year, along with seven new degree programs that will go into effect this fall.