February 2025

Northern Michigan University alumna Anna Dravland's efforts to develop and expand Spread Goodness Day, an annual event that celebrates the “explosive and empowering” impacts of simple acts of goodness, inspired fellow NMU alumna and retired elementary teacher Sue Meier to coauthor a related children's book, The Goodness Garden. With support from generous donors, hundreds of free copies have been distributed to pre-kindergarten through second-grade classrooms in Michigan, Illinois and beyond in advance of this year's Spread Goodness Day celebration on March 14.

Northern Michigan University's automotive technology program has received a brand new 2023 Ford Escape to further assist students in gaining hands-on experience with modern vehicle systems and technology they are likely to encounter in their careers. The vehicle was donated by Fox Marquette and Ford Motor Company, which also stand to benefit from the career preparation NMU provides for their potential future workforce of automotive technicians.

Northern Michigan University invites incoming fall 2025 first-year students to apply for The Schultz Family Foundation First-Generation Empowerment Scholarship. The award, worth up to $15,000 per year for up to four years, is geared toward students whose parents or legal guardians have not completed a bachelor's degree. Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman emeritus and former CEO, was a first-generation NMU student who graduated with a degree in communications in 1975. He and his wife, Sheri Kersch-Schultz, established the scholarship as part of a $1 million gift to NMU through their foundation.

Northern Michigan University's 18th annual UNITED Conference will be held Monday and Tuesday, March 17-18, in the Northern Center. It revolves around the theme “Voices of the Earth: Learning, Leading and Advancing Equity Together.” Keynote speakers/presentations are: Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, author of this year's NMU Diversity Common Reader Program selection, “As We Have Always Done”; RJ Smith of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, who will address the traditional Anishinaabe game Bagodowe, or lacrosse; and an Anishinaabe theatrical performance.

The Student Scholarship Summit held Feb. 20 as part of the Peak25 professional development conference at Northern Michigan University offered a new opportunity for NMU students to showcase their research, scholarly activity and creative inquiry through poster presentations. A pool of judges representing academia, community and industry awarded financial prizes to these top three presenters:

The Northern Michigan University Department of Music will present a choral concert, "Soundscapes and Supernovas," at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 11, in Reynolds Recital Hall. The concert will feature the NMU Arts Chorale, the University Choir, and multiple student conductors under the direction of Associate Professor Erin Colwitz. Admission is free.

The DeVos Art Museum at Northern Michigan University has opened two new exhibitions: one showcasing the creative talents of Upper Peninsula student winners of the U.P. regional competition of the 2025 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, on display for a limited time through March 15; and a collection of works from the museum's permanent collection that highlights depictions of animals in art, which will be featured through January 2026.

The Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health received the Nonprofit of the Year Award from the Upper Peninsula Economic Development Alliance. The award was presented to Director Elise Bur at Operation Action UP's annual meeting Feb. 13.

The Beijing Guitar duo, composed of Meng Su and Yameng Wang, will follow a 12-city U.S. tour with a performance at Northern Michigan University as part of the Siril Concert Series. The event is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 14. The guitarists will also deliver two free events the same day: a music appreciation presentation at 11 a.m., and a masterclass at 1 p.m. All will be held in Reynolds Recital Hall.

Northern Michigan University has announced the winners of its 3-Minute Thesis (3MT) competition. NMU graduate students and McNair scholars presented their original research in only three minutes, in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience, and with only one static PowerPoint slide.