Around NMU

The uniquely gritty, determined and self-disciplined spirit required of an ultramarathoner is hard to come by, but Northern Michigan University student Mia Rucoba exhibited these characteristics while competing in the Superior Fall 100 ultramarathon—100 miles, not kilometers—in early September.

Northern Michigan University's WNMU Public Media and WLUC-TV6 have teamed up to present a pre-recorded, one-hour forum featuring the two candidates for the Michigan House of Representatives 109th District. Incumbent Jenn Hill is seeking a second two-year term, while Republican challenger and political newcomer Karl Bohnak is looking to unseat her.

U.S. News & World Report released its Best Colleges rankings for 2024. Among Midwest regional universities, Northern Michigan University tied for both 20th in top public schools and 67th best overall. It also tied for 31st among best colleges for veterans, and ranks 62nd in the best value schools category. See the full rankings here.

Northern Michigan University will present the daring and provocative musical Cabaret Oct. 3-5 and 10-12. The play is set in a Berlin nightclub as the 1920s draw to a close. It explores the tumultuous life of the city's natives and expatriates as Germany slowly yields to the emerging Third Reich.

Northern Michigan University will host a grand opening garden party for its new Campus Nursery as part of the 125th anniversary celebration at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1. Participants are invited to tour the garden and learn about native plant species and efforts to increase biodiversity on our campus. There will also be an opportunity to get hands dirty by helping with fall tree and bush planting. Light refreshments will be served.  

Northern Michigan University has announced a new partnership with Shift Labs Network™, an initiative spearheaded by Virginia Commonwealth University's (VCU) da Vinci Center for Innovation. The Shift Labs Network™, a Fast Company 2023 Innovation by Design award winner, is dedicated to accelerating access to innovation and entrepreneurship educational opportunities through a collaborative network of educational institutions, partner organizations and entrepreneurial ecosystems.

The Trouble Notes, a trio that blends traditional folk, gritty progressive rock and explosive dance music, will perform a concert and deliver two free public presentations at Northern Michigan University on Friday, Oct. 4. An "enchanting and usually very fast-played violin" is the voice of the group, but guitar and percussion complete their unique sound, which mixes influences from all over the world.

Two Northern Michigan University students have embarked on a project to research, write and record a new “U.P. History Moment” radio series. Each episode, roughly four minutes in length, is broadcast twice weekly on WNMU-FM Public Radio 90. The students are using the resources of the Central U.P. and NMU Archives to select topics and develop content.