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Evelyn Massaro received a wonderful parting gift shortly before retiring July 1 as station manager at WNMU-FM at Northern Michigan University. She was selected as the 2021 Public Media Impact Professional Award recipient by the Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters. The prestigious award recognizes an MAPB radio or television professional who provides “lengthy and exceptional service.”

Dorothy Paad dreamed of taking ballet lessons, and courageously defied naysayers who were convinced that was overly ambitious for a woman with cerebral palsy who relies on a wheelchair for mobility. Paad enrolled as a student at Northern Michigan University, where she found an “inclusive and welcoming” environment and participated in the performing arts trifecta of dance, theater and choir. Her positive experience at NMU inspired her to write a new children's book titled “Dance Your Dance, Sing Your Song.”

NMU alumna Madiline McNamara has been conditionally accepted to Michigan State University's College of Human Medicine through its highly competitive early assurance program. She graduated in May with a bachelor's degree in biology with a physiology concentration and said she hopes to practice medicine in her hometown of Iron River or elsewhere in the Upper Peninsula.

Northern Michigan University's College of Business will begin offering a new bachelor's degree program in human resources management this fall, based on student interest and projected job growth. The curriculum will be aligned with Society for Human Resource Management standards so that students can earn a professional SHRM credential after they fulfill their degree requirements.

Clayton Root Jr. is a Northern Michigan University 2021 Excellence in Service Award recipient.

Maia Ogea, medical technologist at Northern Michigan University's Health Center, is a 2021 Excellence in Service Award recipient. Along with other members of the Health Center staff, Ogea faced the threat of exposure and illness throughout the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. She was nominated for her work in response to the pandemic. 

Bridget Kyle, associate director of athletics at Northern Michigan University, is a 2021 Excellence in Service Award recipient. She was nominated for her efforts in coordinating all the various rules for athletic teams to be able to participate in weightlifting and conditioning, practice and competition in a pandemic year. 

Jeff Koval, audio visual technology coordinator at Northern Michigan University, is a 2021 Excellence in Service Award recipient.  

Upper Peninsula heritage organizations are invited to become members of the U.P. Digital Network, UPLINK. Regional service hubs are available to assist them in creating digital versions of their collections, increasing visibility and public access. Materials can be added to DPLA, a national database for digitized historic records, and preserved for the long term through the Michigan Digital Preservation Network.

Author and former Army Judge Advocate Eugene Milhizer will give a free presentation on his book, “Dissecting Anatomy of a Murder,” on Thursday, July 29. The event begins at 2 p.m. at the Central U.P. and Northern Michigan University Archives in 126 Harden Hall at NMU. A book signing will follow.

Hugo Eyzaguirre, director of Northern Michigan University's Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship, has received the 2021 Patricia Elder International Award from the National Association of Economic Educators (NAEE).

Two-time Olympian and NMU alumnus Spenser Mango ('10 BS) is now a staff sergeant and coach with the Army's World Class Athlete Program. He will join two WCAP Greco-Roman wrestlers in Tokyo, including Alejandro Sancho, who trained at what is now NMU's National Training Site (NTS) from 2012-17. Other Olympians with NTS ties include women's freestyle wrestlers Adeline Gray and 2016 gold medalist Helen Maroulis, along with 2016 bronze medal-winning weightlifter and former NMU student Sarah Robles.

Former Wildcat swimmer and NMU alumnus Arnoldo Herrera departed Sunday for Tokyo, where he will represent his home country of Costa Rica in the Olympics. The December 2019 electrical engineering graduate will compete in the 200-meter breaststroke.

The Northern Michigan University Alumni Association has announced the four recipients of 2021 Alumni Awards who will be honored during Homecoming this fall. They are: Mary Jo Mulligan-Kehoe, Ph.D. ('68 BS) of Huntington Beach, Calif., Distinguished Alumni; Susan Meier ('87 BS) of Riverdale, Mich., Alumni Achievement; T.J. Weber, ('11 BS) of San Luis Obispo, Calif., Outstanding Young Alumni; and Lina Blair ('05 BS, '08 MS) of Grand Rapids, Mich., Alumni Service.

Kimberly Hongisto, benefits and onboarding specialist in Human Resources at Northern Michigan University, is one of the 2021 Excellence in Service Award recipients. 

Kyle Hawn, a building and grounds attendant at Northern Michigan University, is one of the 2021 Excellence in Service Award recipients. 

The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees today approved a new five-year contract ratified by the Technical and Office Professionals union (UAW 1950). The agreement is effective July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2026.

When Melaina Mrozek Stypulkowska ('16 BA) was an NMU freshman, she and her mother made a pact to bike the scenic route from their home state of Minnesota to Marquette. They planned to tackle it her senior year, but the dream was deferred by injury and a study-abroad program that led to an extended stay overseas. The women finally achieved their goal at the height of a heat wave in June, traveling 411 miles over seven eventful days.

Protocols for diagnosing and treating concussions have improved significantly through enhanced education and training, expanded academic research, and more sophisticated technology tools. Maggy Moore of NMU's School of Health and Human Performance is dedicating more time to all of the above as the first five-year recipient of the Mark. R. and Eileen Lovell Endowed Professorship.