Alumni

NMU theater alumnus and Marquette native Orion Couling has been profiled by pridesource.com for directing short fan films inspired by “Lord of the Rings” and “Star Wars” that portray differently abled people as heroic protagonists. He recently walked the red carpet alongside four actors with Down syndrome to celebrate the world premiere of his second project, “Gemseeker.” His first film, “No Easy Target,” was about a colony that welcomes people of all abilities and proves their worth to a violent and dismissive First Order commander.

NMU alumnus Bill Thompson wrote a tribute on Outside's Climbing.com to his former professor and mentor Phil Watts, who passed away in late December and was known locally as the "Godfather of Marquette Climbing." Watts had retired in 2016 after 38 years at NMU, "directly introducing more than a thousand people to climbing through his classes and indirectly influencing many more through his internationally acclaimed rock climbing and mountaineering research," Thompson wrote.

Local archeologist and Northern Michigan University alumnus Jim Paquette will present “The Find of a Thousand Lifetimes,” the story of the historic 1987 discovery and subsequent excavation of one of the most celebrated archeological finds ever uncovered in the Upper Great Lakes Region. He and fellow NMU graduate John Gorto discovered a large treasure trove of 10,000-year-old Late Paleo-Indian/Early Archaic period projectile points within the drained reservoir bed of the Deer Lake Basin near Ishpeming, confirming Paquette's belief that ancient Native American peoples had once inhabited the central Marquette County area as far back as the end of the last Ice Age.

Jimmy Bruce, a Northern Michigan University alumnus from Escanaba, is serving as a member of the Commission on Services to the Aging (CSA) through July 28, 2025. He was appointed to the role by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Northern Michigan University alumnus Andrew Mendini is in the midst of his first year as the new principal of North Elementary School in Iron Mountain, Mich. He obtained his bachelor of arts degree in social studies/elementary education in 1997, and his master's in educational administration/supervision in 2008.

Northern Michigan University alumnus Mylan Murphy has provided some creative inspiration for those seeking affordable, do-it-yourself, basketball-themed gifts and decor for the holiday season. Through his “Motivated by Mylan” business, the former Wildcat player has become a TikTok star for videos of him crafting basketballs into a variety of items, from Christmas trees and ornaments to everyday shelves, planters and clocks.

Northern Michigan University 1997 history alumnus Philip Webb completed Spain's famous pilgrimage trail, El Camino de Santiago—also known as “The Way”—walking 621 miles over 38 days on the longest, most arduous route. The UNESCO-listed trail originated in medieval times, when pilgrims made a spiritual journey to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela to visit the reported tomb of the Apostle Saint James. Now more than 300,000 people from all over the world traverse it each year for a variety of reasons. Webb's pilgrimage was fueled by a desire to deepen his Catholic faith, engage in self-reflection and raise money for a charitable cause.

Northern Michigan University alumna Jackie Jahfetson has been hired as a full-time reporter for The Bismarck Tribune, writing about energy and environmental issues in North Dakota.

Northern Michigan University alumnus Bruce Remington, a member of the technical staff at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, has been honored with the American Physical Society's (APS) 2023 George E. Duvall Shock Compression Science Award. The award recognizes contributions to understanding condensed matter and non-linear physics through shock compression.

Northern Michigan University alumnus Ray Kisonas has left his reporter/editor post with The Monroe News after more than 36 years to become vice president of news at NewsNet, a 24-hour national television network based in Farmington Hills. According to a story published in the paper, he will be in charge of the news organization and the content of the network, which is broadcast in 60 markets and on streaming platforms.