Around NMU

When the spring thaw begins at Marquette's Presque Isle Park and there are a couple of rainy nights with temperatures in the 30s and 40s, blue-spotted salamanders suddenly emerge from their underground winter burrows. They migrate across remaining snow and the park's road to lay their eggs in a wetlands area behind the Moosewood Nature Center, then return to the other side. 

Two members of Northern Michigan University's mail services and warehouse department have won a Distinguished Team Award. Eric Marcott and Michelle Lane work to move “Public Surplus” items out of NMU's warehouse. With several renovations campus-wide, they have safely stored many items and posted them to the Public Surplus website.

Northern Michigan University's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) has won a Distinguished Team Award for its commitment as the backbone of animal research at NMU. The IACUC reviews research protocols that involve animals to ensure the study's correct animal treatment, scientific merit and proper ethical perspective.

The members of Northern Michigan University's Berry Events Center conversion team and their student employees earned a Distinguished Team Award for ensuring NMU's hockey and basketball games are played on schedule.

Northern Michigan University's Blizzard Response Team of 2022-2023 is awarded a Distinguished Team Award. The response team displayed effort and dedication to keep the campus open and safe during one of the worst winter storms in recent history.

The Educational Success Platform (ESP) development team at Northern Michigan University won a Team Innovation Award. Their efforts were designed to pull together services from across campus into a platform that would allow multi-unit communication and support strategies for NMU students.

Sean Penglase, equipment and stockroom manager for Northern Michigan University's Physics Department, received an Innovation Award. He uses practical knowledge and a deep understanding of electrical, mechanical, acoustic and other apparati to bring improvements to many labs.

Kylie Bunting, director of Alumni and Foundation communications, received an Innovation Award. She joined NMU prior to the pandemic in a new position focused on creating a strategic approach to digital engagement and communication with more than 70,000 alumni nationwide. Bunting identified the opportunity to showcase NMU faculty, staff, students and alumni by utilizing Zoom.

Janet Koski, Northern Michigan University's executive director for Equal Opportunity and Title IX and Equal Opportunity officer, is an Excellence in Service Award recipient. Her long title is indicative of the critical role she plays on campus. She has led this function for the last several years and was a department of one for much of that time.

Northern Michigan University Director of Institutional Accreditation and Assessment Dan Cullen received an Excellence in Service Award. When former President Kerri Schuiling contacted the Institutional Effectiveness Office to guide the development of an interim strategic plan, Cullen was called to see the plan to a successful conclusion.