Northern Michigan University will inject some added fun into Welcome Weekend activities to kick off the new academic year. A rented 60-foot tall classic ferris wheel will be set up between Jamrich Hall and C.B. Hedgcock, offering free rides to students and employees and their families, as well as the general public. The ferris wheel will operate from 3-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Aug. 20 and 21.

NMU alumnus Josh Scutt ('94 BS) has been promoted to senior vice president of sales with Paylocity Holding Corp., a leading provider of cloud-based HR and payroll software solutions. He was previously featured as a "Top 100 Global Sales Leader of 2020" by The Modern Sale.

Northern Michigan University Biology Professor Neil Cumberlidge was among researchers who participated in a Sierra Leone expedition that led to the rediscovery of two land-dwelling, rainbow-hued crabs “lost to science” for many years. The work was supported by a grant from Re:wild, a conservation organization supported by actor Leonardo DiCaprio, which funded the trip in search of one of the “25 Most Wanted” species that are on the edge of extinction.

Four Northern Michigan University dance students recently completed a faculty-led trip to the performing arts mecca of New York City. Many shows are still shuttered by the pandemic, but the group was able to watch the closing performance of American Ballet Theatre's Across America Tour, held outdoors at Rockefeller Center. They also took several classes at Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway, and joined NMU Theatre and Dance alumni for a gathering in Central Park.

Northern Michigan University's new Sustainability Hub for Innovation and the Environment (SHINE) launched this week at an event announcing its partnership with Grand Rapids-based nonprofit People First Economy. With NMU student involvement, the two entities will deploy technical assistance and sustainability expertise to a cohort of Marquette-area businesses.