The Northern Michigan University Alumni Association hosted a live virtual event, Fireside with Fritz: A Conversation with President Erickson on May 20. More than 150 alumni from 19 states joined President Erickson for a fireside chat, as he shared campus updates, answered questions live and engaged with the Wildcat community.

Northern Michigan University Economics Professor Gary McDonnell was one of the featured expert panelists in a recent WalletHub piece comparing states' unemployment rates related to the COVID-19 pandemic. He addressed the impact of the $2.2 trillion federal emergency relief package and the accuracy of a conventional measure of unemployment.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer today announced nine appointments, including NMU alumnus and former Wildcat basketball player Ryan Reichel, to the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness, Health and Sports. 

Northern Michigan University is featured prominently in a Forbes article titled "Cannabis Education Arrives (Virtually) At More American Universities." NMU recently announced its partnership with Green Flower to offer non-credit online certificate programs beginning July 1.

COVID-19 impacted instructional formats, with most universities initially shifting to online-only course delivery prompted by stay home protocols. It has also affected some college rankings, which now place more emphasis on distance learning options. Northern Michigan University is the only U.P. school in Michigan's top “Tier 1,” according to an Educate to Career (ETC) ranking adapted for the COVID-19 climate.