Around NMU

Northern Michigan University's new dean of the College of Health Sciences and Professional Studies (CHSPS) is Liz Wuorinen, who had served in the same role on an interim basis since July 2024.

Northern Michigan University English Professor Kel Sassi has been elected vice president of the Michigan Council of Teachers of English (MCTE). She is only the second person from the Upper Peninsula to serve in the presidential cycle in the organization's 103-year history. Her term began July 1 and will continue for the next four years as she progresses from vice president to president-elect, president and then past-president for MCTE. 

The spring 2025 issue of "BioMatters," the only statewide publication showcasing Michigan's bioscience community, features a story titled “Building a Skilled Workforce: Northern Michigan University and Able Medical Devices Collaborate to Drive Talent Retention in Michigan.”

Northern Michigan University's Board of Trustees has approved 2025-26 tuition and fee rates that support contractual obligations, healthcare costs and investment in financial aid. The cost of attending NMU also will remain competitive, continuing as second-most affordable among the state's 15 public institutions.

Nicole Blemberg was announced today as interim chief executive officer for the NMU Foundation following the departure of Brad Canale. The NMU Foundation is the organization that oversees Northern Michigan University's advancement efforts.

Northern Michigan University has been selected to join the inaugural cohort of the LER Accelerator, a national initiative focused on advancing accessible, interoperable Learning and Employment Record (LER) systems. As one of only 25 nationwide chosen for participation, NMU's project will help pioneer innovative approaches to digital credentialing that enhance learner employability, integrate academic and workforce competencies, and align with state and national workforce needs.

Northern Michigan University President Brock Tessman and his wife, Kristin, have personally experienced the life-changing benefits of student high-impact practices such as study abroad and undergraduate research. They have also watched talented students miss out on such opportunities for financial reasons. The couple made a $50,000 gift to the NMU Foundation to establish a Student High-Impact Practices Fund, which will support mini-grants for faculty to design experiential learning opportunities including internships, research, capstone projects and fieldwork experiences. The fund will also help to alleviate expenses associated with engaging in such experiences for individual students facing financial hardship.

Northern Michigan University Theatre and Dance will host its Wildcat Performing Arts Academy Summer Dance Intensive for high school intermediate- to advanced-level dancers July 13-27. Participants will attend sessions led by prominent industry professionals from Giordano Dance Chicago, Ballet Project OC of California, a former Broadway touring company member and others. They will also perform alongside the two visiting ensembles and NMU CO/LAB Dance Company during the North Coast Dance Festival, which consists of a masterclass and two public performances.  

Northern Michigan University's Forest Roberts Theatre and Playhouse on the Square in Memphis, Tenn., have launched a new partnership that unites their two esteemed playwriting competitions into one “dynamic opportunity” for playwrights nationwide. The collaboration expands their commitment to fostering new voices and bringing original works to life on multiple stages. Marquette native and 1985 NMU alumnus Michael Detroit serves as executive producer at Playhouse on the Square, a professional resident theater company.

The largest remaining migratory population of brindled wildebeest in southern Africa serves as a cornerstone prey species for large predators. Yet it has been understudied because of its remote location in the Greater Liuwa Ecosystem in western Zambia and Angola. Northern Michigan University alumna Steph Szarmach, along with Biology faculty members Alec Lindsay and Katherine Teeter, worked with collaborators in Zambia to explore the wildebeest's genetic diversity and demographic history. They are among the coauthors of a recently published paper on the study's findings.