Alumni

The North Country Trail Association (NCTA) recently honored two women with Northern Michigan University connections during its annual awards ceremony, held virtually this year because of COVID-19. May graduate Lynnae Branham received the 2020 Rising Star Award and Professor Emeritus Lorana Jinkerson received the Thomas L. Gilbert Lifetime Achievement Award. 

NMU alumnus Martin W. Grosnick (BS '68, MA '76) recently won the grand prize in the Pangolin Photo Safari Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest. His winning image, selected from 1,000 entries, shows a leopard basking in the subtle rays of sunrise on Kenya's Masai Mara. The Copper Harbor native's first serious foray into wildlife photography occurred at Isle Royale National Park. He served as the park's postmaster over four summers after high school and honed his camera skills in his spare time.

NMU alumna Katelyn Gage has been promoted to a branch manager with mBank. She started with the institution in June 2019 as assistant branch manager of the Ishpeming Main and Negaunee locations. 

Northern Michigan University MPA graduate Michael Stelmaszek ('96) has been hired as the new Kingsford city manager, after filling the same role in St. Ignace. He previously worked as a Kingsford Public Safety officer for 25 years, including three months as acting director. 

NMU alumni Paul Millenbach ('84) and Stephen Lowney ('80), who represent the Michigan law firm Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC, have been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2021 edition. According to a press release, the list is compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. Inclusion is considered a singular honor because attorneys are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed.

NMU alumnus Andrew Adamski ('15 BS) was featured in a video that aired Wednesday night during the Democratic National Convention. He spoke from Full Circle Community Farm, a certified-organic operation that his family has owned for five generations in Seymour, Wis. Adamski addressed more sustainable farming practices and joined other activists in touting Joe Biden's proposed Clean Energy Revolution.

Carter Nielsen, a December 2019 graduate and Greco-Roman wrestler with the NMU National Training Site, had qualified for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials. But with his athletic dreams deferred by COVID-19, Nielsen needed to quickly pivot from full-time training to full-time employment. His Plan B came in the form of a real estate school scholarship, which led to a job in the Twin Cities market.

NMU psychology alumna Kelsey Segerstrom ('16 BS) is the new foster care case manager for Catholic Social Services of the Upper Peninsula. 

Attorney General Dana Nessel appointed NMU alumnus Brian Monton (BS '03) of Pentwater as the Oceana County public administrator. HIs swearing-in ceremony was conducted virtually on Aug. 7.  

NMU alumna Amber Libby ('10 BS) was recently appointed Cheboygan County's chief assistant prosecuting attorney, following the resignation of her predecessor. The Marquette native has been employed with the prosecutor's office since January 2019.