Around NMU

Northern Michigan University student Esther Byington received a belated lifesaving medal earlier this semester for her role in rescuing two women in distress after riding a personal watercraft in rough waters during high winds. The incident happened last summer, as Byington was working her second season with the Muskegon County Marine Services Crew.

While he was an undergraduate student at Northern Michigan University, Tom Isaacson (‘96 BS) began to consider the idea of becoming a professor. After initially working for five years in the public relations field, including with the Chicago White Sox, he earned a master's and doctorate. Isaacson “hit a home run” by joining the Northern faculty in 2012, making his dream a reality. He is an associate professor of public relations in NMU's College of Business. 

The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees awarded a posthumous associate of arts degree in general university studies to the parents of Carson Needham, a student from Traverse City who was tragically killed in a February head-on car crash with a wrong-way driver while returning to campus from downstate.

Northern Michigan University has announced the poster presentation winners from its Celebration of Student Scholarship held April 20. Categories included undergraduate lower division, undergraduate upper division, graduate projects, group projects and the people's choice award. 

Northern Michigan University academic departments have announced their outstanding graduating seniors and graduate students. Most will receive their degrees at NMU's spring commencement on Saturday, May 6, in the Superior Dome.

Northern Michigan University is committed to embedding wellbeing into the culture at Northern, and to do that to the fullest extent, they announced today in a press conference that they have adopt the Okanagan Charter, an international charter for health promoting colleges and universities. The Charter is designed to be a public commitment and accountability measure for taking transformative action under a principled framework, urging institutions to step up, take action on their societal responsibility and lead by example.

Northern Michigan University senior Alexandra Johnson might be described as a serial commencement speaker. She earned the honor in 8th and 12th grades in her hometown of Antioch, Ill. For her high school graduation, which shifted online because of the pandemic, Johnson had to record the speech in her basement—dressed in cap and gown—for a YouTube video. She recently auditioned successfully for what she considers a “do-over,” as student speaker for NMU's May 6 ceremony.

Former Northern Michigan University Trustee James K. Haveman of Grand Rapids will deliver the keynote address and receive an honorary doctorate in public health at NMU's commencement, scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 6, in the Superior Dome.