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Northern Michigan University's WNMU Public Media and WLUC-TV6 have teamed up to present a pre-recorded, one-hour forum featuring the two candidates for the Michigan House of Representatives 109th District. Incumbent Jenn Hill is seeking a second two-year term, while Republican challenger and political newcomer Karl Bohnak is looking to unseat her.

U.S. News & World Report released its Best Colleges rankings for 2024. Among Midwest regional universities, Northern Michigan University tied for both 20th in top public schools and 67th best overall. It also tied for 31st among best colleges for veterans, and ranks 62nd in the best value schools category. See the full rankings here.

“I grew up learning that all people deserve an opportunity and that we have a responsibility to each other to create those opportunities when we can. I grew up seeing that strength doesn't come from wielding power, but from empowering people. I grew up experiencing the impact of sitting at tables big enough for everybody and every voice. And I've made it my personal and professional mission to make sure that wherever I go, I continue to build big enough tables for everyone.”

Northern Michigan University presented its Distinguished Alumni Award to Ann (Wheeler) Cashin and Patrick Cashin of Port Washington, Wis., during NMU's 125th Anniversary Homecoming Sept. 20-21. The retired optometrists, whose careers were closely intertwined, became the first joint recipients of the award in the university's history.

Northern Michigan University 2010 biochemistry alumnus Ryan McAllister of Roselle, N.J., received one of two Outstanding Young Alumni Awards presented by his alma mater during its 125th Anniversary Homecoming. He serves as biosafety program manager, biosafety officer and alternate responsible official at Rutgers University. He leads a team of seven infectious disease professionals, overseeing biohazardous research in diverse laboratory and clinical settings.

Jim Thorburn of Livonia, Mich., a decorated police officer whose law enforcement career spanned nearly 30 years, accepted Northern Michigan University's Alumni Achievement Award during a 125th anniversary Homecoming celebration. He was a two-time Police Officer of the Year, and retired in 2022 as a detective and public information officer for the Allen Park Police Department. It was in the latter role that he helped to bridge the divide between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

After retiring as a university administrator, Northern Michigan University alumnus and former Wildcat football player Jim Mansfield found fulfillment in his longtime volunteer role as a blood courier in Spokane, Wash. He was honored last year with a President's Lifetime Achievement Award, signed by Joe Biden, for his “7,304 hours of service to this nation.” He also received every award bestowed by his local blood center for his efforts. 

Northern Michigan University will present the daring and provocative musical Cabaret Oct. 3-5 and 10-12. The play is set in a Berlin nightclub as the 1920s draw to a close. It explores the tumultuous life of the city's natives and expatriates as Germany slowly yields to the emerging Third Reich.

Northern Michigan University will host a grand opening garden party for its new Campus Nursery as part of the 125th anniversary celebration at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1. Participants are invited to tour the garden and learn about native plant species and efforts to increase biodiversity on our campus. There will also be an opportunity to get hands dirty by helping with fall tree and bush planting. Light refreshments will be served.  

Northern Michigan University has announced a new partnership with Shift Labs Network™, an initiative spearheaded by Virginia Commonwealth University's (VCU) da Vinci Center for Innovation. The Shift Labs Network™, a Fast Company 2023 Innovation by Design award winner, is dedicated to accelerating access to innovation and entrepreneurship educational opportunities through a collaborative network of educational institutions, partner organizations and entrepreneurial ecosystems.

The Trouble Notes, a trio that blends traditional folk, gritty progressive rock and explosive dance music, will perform a concert and deliver two free public presentations at Northern Michigan University on Friday, Oct. 4. An "enchanting and usually very fast-played violin" is the voice of the group, but guitar and percussion complete their unique sound, which mixes influences from all over the world.

Two Northern Michigan University students have embarked on a project to research, write and record a new “U.P. History Moment” radio series. Each episode, roughly four minutes in length, is broadcast twice weekly on WNMU-FM Public Radio 90. The students are using the resources of the Central U.P. and NMU Archives to select topics and develop content.

Northern Michigan University's DeVos Art Museum will host an artist talk and reception featuring Liz Ward and Robert Ziebell at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26. The artists will discuss their work currently on display. Their project titled “Across Time and Place” explores the artists' approaches to understanding and interpreting place through multimedia artworks. Their works examine the nuance of place and delve into the richness of our world today and in past periods.

Northern Michigan University alumnus Jack Deo will present an artist's talk pertaining to his collection of photographs featured in the NMU DeVos Art Museum exhibition titled “Standing Still - Studio Portraits from the Upper Peninsula.” The event begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, in Art & Design 165 and will be followed by a reception. 

Northern Michigan University's jazz ensembles will return to the Reynolds Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 30 for their first concert of the fall 2024 season. This event is free and open to the public.

With Northern in the midst of its 125th anniversary Homecoming celebration, it seems an appropriate time to look back on the first incarnation and the subsequent evolution of this annual event.

As the NFL season ramps up, a 2023 NMU graduate is reflecting on the digital content internship for the Green Bay Packers' community development, Titletown, this past spring. Communication and media studies alumnus Will Corgan said the opportunity pushed him to take projects further, taught him about self-confidence, and helped to prepare him for his new career.

Northern Michigan University Professor Kel Sassi is among the 2024 recipients of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Leadership Awards. She received the Julia E. Berry Research Award for a project titled “Versatility and Resilience in English Alumni from a Rural-Serving Institution.”