All News Releases

At least two of the documentaries being screened at the Fresh Coast Film Festival Oct. 13-16 in Marquette were created by NMU alumni and students. Cameron Mattson and Kevin Paczesny, who began collaborating on projects as NMU digital cinema students, will premiere "All Hop'd UP," which explores the unique craft brewing subculture that has been growing in the Marquette area since the mid-1990s. Current student Fischer Genau's first film, "From the Ground Up," is about Partridge Creek Farm in Ishpeming, where he is completing an internship.

Northern Michigan University Alumni Relations is celebrating the return of 1973 alumnus Rick Comley as NMU's athletic director with a special Northern Now digital event at 7 p.m. EST Wednesday, Oct. 19. Alumni and friends are invited to join to hear his vision for the future of NMU Athletics, and also receive updates from NMU Volleyball Head Coach Mike Lozier and NMU Women's Basketball Head Coach Casey Thousand.

Flutist and educator Adam Sadberry will be accompanied by pianist Wynona Wang for a concert on "Togetherness" on Monday, Oct. 17, as part of Northern Michigan University's Siril Concert Series. Both are award-winning musicians. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. in Reynolds Recital Hall. 

Sault Ste. Marie's Downtown Development Authority recently appointed Northern Michigan University alumna Stephanie Sprecker as the new DDA director. She completed NMU's master of public administration (MPA) program in 2022.

Northern Michigan University's Symphony Orchestra, University Choir and Arts Chorale will perform the Midwestern premiere of THE UNARMED CHILD at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, in Reynolds Recital Hall. The nine-movement work was composed by Michael Bussewitz-Quarm, 2021 winner of the American Prize in Choral Composition, in response to gun violence against children.

Argentinian filmmaker Lucila Podestá will discuss documentary topics and her award-winning short film, which she shot with a phone after an accident during COVID-19, as a guest speaker for Northern Michigan University's Department of Languages, Literatures and International Studies. Her presentation begins at 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 10, in 109 Harden Hall. The public is invited.

The Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center at Northern Michigan University is seeking nominations from the public for the 2022 Upper Peninsula Folklife Awards. The deadline is Oct. 16. 

This has been a year of milestones for Missie Holmquist of Marquette. In February, she was appointed by the governor to the Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees, and recently played a role in selecting NMU's next president. This spring, she marked the 20th anniversary of both her 2002 graduation from NMU with a bachelor's degree in psychology and the launch of her longtime career with Upper Peninsula Health Plan, which she now serves as president and CEO.

High school seniors who attend school and reside in the Upper Peninsula and plan to pursue studies in a health care-related field at a college or university next fall are invited to participate in an essay contest. The Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health is coordinating the contest in partnership with the Michigan Center for Rural Health and the Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan. The essay submission deadline is Sunday, Oct. 16.

Northern Michigan University English Professor Lynn Domina is holding a monthly webinar titled “Let's Talk About Books,” which features writers discussing their recently published works. The webinar will touch on topics including medieval queens, science fiction and the effect of sermons on politics.

Northern Michigan University Theatre & Dance will present the musical comedy “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” winner of a Tony Award for Best Book, at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 14-15 and 19-22 in Forest Roberts Theatre.

Northern Michigan University's first Science on Tap presentation since the beginning of the pandemic will focus on the history, science and imagery of the James Webb Space Telescope. Ben Hendrickson, adjunct assistant professor of physics, will present “Webb: Worth the Wait” from 7-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6th, at Ore Dock Brewing Co.

Northern Michigan University's English Department will host visiting writer Caroline Hovanec, who will give a presentation on “Vermin Theory: Parasitic Life from Kafka's Metamorphosis to Rawi Hage's Cockroaches.” Hovin will explore the usage of vermin in stories and how literature uses it to think differently about hospitality, debt and the re-assigned potential of the parasite. The presentation will take place at 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14, in 1313 Jamrich Hall.

Northern Michigan University is hosting the 2022 McNair Research Symposium from 3-7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14, in the Founders Room of the Northern Center. Seventeen scholars who participated in a diverse array of summer research and scholarly activities with their NMU faculty mentors will give presentations on their work. 

The Northern Michigan University Center for Forensic Anthropology will host a public symposium where representatives from the decomposition and taphonomy facilities across the country will give presentations about their facilities and programs. The event is scheduled at 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, in 109 Harden Hall. A question-and-answer session will follow the presentations.

To honor Indigenous Peoples' Day, Northern Michigan University's Center for Native American Studies (CNAS) and the Native American Student Association (NASA) are planning an event that begins at 10 a.m. Monday, Oct. 10, at the Land Acknowledgment Sign on the academic mall. The public is invited.

For 31 years, Marquette native Steve Nystrom successfully used the knowledge, skills and leadership qualities he acquired while earning two Northern Michigan University degrees to successfully contribute to U.S. national security. He served in the U.S. Army during the Cold War, as a senior analyst in the Defense Intelligence Agency, and as division chief and program manager with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Nystrom was selected as the 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient based on his esteemed career and active involvement on behalf of the community and NMU.

Northern Michigan University 2003 alumnus Chris Mosier of Chicago is a trailblazing transgender athlete who has been a catalyst for policy change and a staunch advocate for inclusion in and beyond sports. Abiding by his motto, “Be who you needed when you were younger,” Mosier is a dedicated mentor to transgender and nonbinary youth, a highly regarded speaker and a leading grassroots organizer against the current wave of anti-trans legislation across the United States. For these reasons and more, he was selected as the recipient of NMU's 2022 Alumni Service Award.

Jim Paquette of Negaunee developed an interest in history and archaeology at a young age, in large part because his paternal grandfather instilled pride in the family's French Canadian-First Nation Métis ancestry and traditional lifestyle. As he grew older, Paquette wanted to learn more about his family's history in the region. He read and copied volumes of material from the library at Northern Michigan University, his alma mater, and began searching for and locating early cultural sites where various ancient stone and copper artifacts helped to reveal the story. This led to an avid passion for more discoveries and a partnership with NMU faculty, both of which continue today.

Stephanie Lay, who received her bachelor's degree in sociology from Northern Michigan in 2011, is this year's recipient of NMU's Outstanding Young Alumni Award. She provides crisis care to suicidal adolescents as a member of the behavior emergency response team at Children's Hospital Oakland in California. She also has a private therapy practice in nearby San Francisco, where she specializes in gender identity, depression, suicidal ideation and self-harm.