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Elizabeth Smart, the kidnapping survivor whose nine-month abduction garnered national news coverage and later compelled her to light the way for others as a child safety advocate and author, will speak at Northern Michigan University on Monday, Oct. 2. Her talk begins at 7 p.m. in the Northern Center Grand Ballroom and will be followed by a book signing. Tickets are $5 for the general public and free for NMU students with ID.

Two Books Two Communities is hosting a series of events surrounding its 2023 selections: Chevy in the Hole, a novel set in Flint, Mich., by Kelsey Ronan; and A Psalm for the Wild-Built, a “solar punk” sci fi novella set on a rewilding moon, by Becky Chambers. 

Northern Michigan University 2013 alumnus Dr. Mitchell Stephenson applies experiential teaching approaches he learned from his NMU sports science faculty mentors to his role as an associate professor of Health & Human Performance at the University of Montana Western. The certified strength and conditioning specialist's academic and government-sponsored biomechanics research is focused on methods to improve human performance and reduce injury rates in sport and military environments. 

According to NMU 1977 graduate Charles Hawes of Lansing, his main “claim to fame” prior to his selection as this year's Alumni Service-Community Award recipient was being a teammate of Tom Izzo for all four of his seasons as a Wildcat. 

Dr. Ellen Narotzky Kennedy received the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award from Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan, on Sept. 15.Education and social justice have been closely intertwined throughout most of her adult life. 

Northern Michigan University held a rededication ceremony and open house for the newly renovated Jacobetti Complex. The facility and its labs are equipped to provide students in STEM and technical programs the required tools to be successful in industrial, engineering and service-related fields that are critical to the support of economic growth in the region and state.

Joan Kelley, a 1972 Northern Michigan University alumna who is part of a four generation Wildcat family, recently traveled to Mackinac Island for the NMU Arts and Athletics Showcase. While she wasn't able to stay for very long, Kelley still found it nice to reconnect with the school that generated such fond memories.

Faculty and students from Northern Michigan University's Upper Michigan Brain Tumor Center (UMBTC) and the medicinal plant chemistry program are engaged in collaborative research on a U.P. plant's potential to slow the growth of brain tumor cells. Faculty representing both areas gave a presentation on the project to the NMU Board of Trustees during its formal session on Friday.

Northern Michigan University's School of Health and Human Performance is now offering a master's degree program in applied sport psychology. The interdisciplinary degree is designed to prepare students with the knowledge and ability to earn certifications/licensures that will facilitate meaningful employment as coaches, mental performance consultants, and clinical sport psychologists.

Northern Michigan University Professor Sarah Mittlefehldt has been awarded the Grace Magnaghi Upper Peninsula Research Grant for her project, “Distilling the Forest: A History of Liquid Biofuels in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.” The project focuses on the production of methanol out of wood, the unintended consequences of doing so, and what can be learned from what was once the largest wood distillery in the world—the Cliffs Dow Chemical Company in Marquette, Mich.

NMU Trustee and alumnus Steve Lindberg may be familiar for serving as Michigan's 109th District state representative for the maximum three terms, from 2007-2012. He also gained international media attention more recently for his retirement hobby of wildlife photography, by capturing a rare image of a three-antlered deer that was widely circulated. But Lindberg's previous and primary vocation was in education. He taught briefly in Wisconsin and at the former women's Job Corps Center at NMU before embarking on a 28-year career as a teacher and guidance counselor with Marquette Area Public Schools.

Northern Michigan University students, a faculty member and an alumna recently completed a 10-day immersive experience in Puerto Rico. The trip complements a course that explores community resilience in the face of adversity and the intricate interplay of human needs, services and communications systems.

NMU resumed its faculty-led study abroad program to Spain this summer after a four-year interruption due to the pandemic. Twenty students participated in the four-week session, studying at the prestigious University of Salamanca, founded in 1218. 

Ryan Stock, assistant professor in NMU's Earth, Environmental and Geographical Sciences Department, was nominated to serve as the Vice Chair of the American Association of Geographers' Energy & Environment Specialty Group. In this capacity, he has led several initiatives related to diversity, equity and inclusion and is currently planning the annual Energy Geography Conference.

Northern Michigan University 1996 alumna Karen Saari, whose work as a playwright is inspired by her Upper Peninsula roots, will watch the world premiere of Rain on Fire at the FIM Flint Repertory Theatre on Friday, Sept. 15. The show runs through Oct. 1. The play with music explores how the opioid crisis affects one U.P. family. While addiction and grief are themes, so are redemption and finding peace. Saari also injected humor into the script. 

Northern Michigan University 1992 psychology alumnus John Driscoll has been appointed new president and CEO of Caron Treatment Centers, effective the first week of October. He has more than 30 years of experience in the addiction treatment field. He started as an alcohol and drug counselor in Chicago and most recently worked as senior vice president at Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, an addiction and mental health treatment organization.

Fueled by increases in nearly every student segment, Northern Michigan University's total enrollment is higher this fall despite the challenging demographic climate facing many regional comprehensive institutions nationwide.  

Northern Michigan University 1992 alumnus Rob Peterson was hired as the senior associate athletic director and chief financial officer at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green. He brings more than 20 years of collegiate athletic administration experience at five different higher education institutions to the role, and most recently served as a consultant with CarrSports Consulting.

Northern Michigan University alumna Kathryn Flagstadt of Marquette has been appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to the Michigan Council for Rehabilitation Services. The retired site manager at Michigan Rehabilitation Services is a member of the State Employee Retirees Association and the Marquette County Aging Services Advisory Committee.