October 2023

To celebrate its 60th anniversary, Northern Michigan University Theatre and Dance invites youth ages 13 through high school seniors to attend a musical theater and dance intensive. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, with lunch provided, in Forest Roberts Theatre.

A Halloween concert tiled "The Witching Hour," with performing artists and a costume contest, will take place at Northern Michigan University. The event begins at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, in the Northern Center's Grand Ballrooms. It is the second annual concert presented by Northern Michigan Artist Discovery (NoMAD). The general public pays an entry fee of $10 cash, and NMU students enter for free with a student ID.

The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees today approved a 2023-24 general fund operating budget that includes $3.3 million in new investments and initiatives. NMU will increase financial aid and scholarships by $1.5 million. A majority of this support is made up of new awards such as Tuition Advantage, a “last dollar” scholarship that covers the remaining balance after federal, state and institutional funding is applied, and the Bridge Award, which fills the out of state tuition gap. The budget also recognizes the elimination of the NMU undergraduate application fee.

Northern Michigan University alumnus and renowned eagle researcher William Bowerman ('91 MA) was among three innovators to receive the 2023 Lowell Thomas Award from The Explorers Club, an international professional society dedicated to the advancement of field research, scientific exploration and resource conservation. The ceremony was held last weekend in Oslo, Norway. The Munising native joins an impressive list of past recipients including Carl Sagan, Sir David Attenborough, Isaac Asimov, Sir Edmund Hillary, Buzz Aldrin and Louise Leakey.

Kathy Andel of Marquette has not missed a Northern Michigan University home football game in 24 years. She is also a hockey regular and routinely attends other Wildcat athletic events. Her unwavering loyalty could easily be tested at times, but she remains a fixture in her front-row seat on the 50-yard line. Even health conditions that now require her to use a walker and portable oxygen, or have thinned her hair to the point she no longer spray-paints it with team colors, have not diminished Andel's spirit. She still wears Wildcat apparel accented by a feathery boa and other “bling” while cheering on the players. She's also there to support her son, Hans, the equipment supervisor for all NMU varsity sports except hockey.

A well-known fact in the recruitment and admissions office at Northern Michigan University is that the campus visit is a key factor in attracting students to NMU and Marquette. Adeline (Addi) Pavlo had heard great things, but it wasn't until she set foot on campus that she was convinced NMU was the place for her.

NMU alumna Michelle Perttunen, assistant project manager with Mortenson, is featured as the “Rising Young Professional of the Year” by The Daily Reporter, a construction industry news source that also honors top professionals in the field. She grew up helping her dad with house projects and earned two related degrees from Northern: a 2017 associate in engineering design; and a 2018 bachelor's in mechanical engineering technology with a concentration in design.

Northern Michigan University is seeking student applications and community project proposals for the newly created Rural Leadership Fellowship Program, which is designed to support immersive project-based learning for students while also supporting Upper Peninsula economic and community development projects. The fellowship is a paid and scholarship-supported applied learning experience for students interested in rural economic development and public sector careers.

The Northern Michigan University Regional Police Academy will hold an informational meeting at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8, in room 504 of the Jacobetti Complex. 

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, drawing attention to potential threats and the importance of having adequate safeguards in place to thwart hackers. Critical infrastructure components can be primary targets because any disruptions in their operation can have a widespread impact. Northern Michigan University assistant professor of political science Jongeun You recently wrote an article for the IBM Center for the Business of Government that contends the U.S. water sector is particularly vulnerable.