Alumni

Northern Michigan University alumnus Andy Skewis is early in his first year as superintendent of Negaunee Public Schools (NPS). He was appointed to the position after the retirement of his third cousin and fellow NMU alumnus Dan Skewis.

Northern Michigan University will host multiple alumni and community events on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 19-20, to celebrate Homecoming. The schedule includes a parade, tailgate party and sporting events, along with various alumni events and campus tours.

Northern Michigan University alumna Lindsey Locke is one of 65 Americans selected to study and work in Germany for a year as part of the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) for Young Professionals program. About 420 U.S. applicants representing a variety of career fields and locations vied for a spot in the prestigious program, now in its 42nd year. Locke graduated last May with a double major in international studies and Spanish.

Northern Michigan University will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its 1975 NCAA Division II champion football team with several events for alumni and campus/community members Thursday, Oct. 9, through Saturday, Oct. 11. The Wildcats achieved the most remarkable turnaround in the history of NCAA or professional sports by following a winless season with a championship. They compiled a 13-1 record, including a 16-14 victory over Western Kentucky in the DII national title game.

Abby Knight, who earned a master's degree in exercise science from Northern Michigan University in 2023, was invited to join the U.S. athletic training staff at the recent FISU World University Games in Berlin, Germany. About 8,500 student-athletes and technical officials from more than 150 countries participated in 18 sports. This was her first time applying her knowledge and skills abroad.

Syncurrent, a Marquette-based artificial intelligence-driven startup whose CEO is Northern Michigan University alumnus Dhruv Patel, has been named an inaugural AI 50 Award winner by the Center for Public Sector AI for advancing artificial intelligence in public service. Syncurrent has built a platform that significantly shortens the time it takes for local and tribal governments to identify and qualify for grant funding.

Northern Michigan University 1972 alumnus Richard P. Smith was one of two 2025 Outdoor Hall of Fame inductees honored by the Michigan Outdoor Writers Association (MOWA), and the first Upper Peninsula resident to earn the distinction. He also received the organization's Harold "Opie" Titus Award for Best Book for "Nickel & Dime Your Way To Extra Dollars While Saving The Planet" at the same meeting. 

Northern Michigan University 2011 alumnus Derek Mohr has left a creative impression on the City of Grand Rapids. The founder of OneMohrTime Design Co. collaborated with city leaders to design the official logo for Grand Rapids' 175th anniversary, celebrated throughout 2025.

Detroit may be home to Lions and Tigers, but Wildcats received a warm welcome there earlier this month at two events hosted by the Northern Michigan University Alumni Association. A delegation of 340 Northern graduates and friends watched the Tigers pull out a 6-5 victory over the Angels during NMU Alumni Night at Comerica Park, with two-time graduate Adam Hamari ('05 BS, '13 MAE) serving as third-base umpire. Proceeds from a portion of ticket sales generated $1,700 for NMU's Alumni Legacy Scholarship.

The partnership between Northern Michigan University and alumni-owned Blackrocks Brewery began last year with the launch of a new beer, Wildcat Gold, to celebrate NMU's 125th anniversary. It has since morphed into much more, supporting student access to the area's world-class recreational trails. Blackrocks has contributed $7,500 from the sales of Wildcat Gold to NMU's Outdoor Recreation Center for the purchase of mountain bikes and Nordic ski equipment made available to students for free.