Strategic Plan

The UP200 Sled Dog Race, an Iditarod qualifier that starts and finishes in Marquette, will officially be “powered by” Northern Michigan University, beginning in 2023. NMU will become a Gold Sled Sponsor with naming rights for the event, building on a longstanding relationship with the U.P. Sled Dog Association. The official name for the 2023 race will be “UP200 – Powered by NMU.”

Northern Michigan University environmental sciences major Alexis Giesey collected and posted information about NMU's carbon emissions on the Sustainable NMU website for her senior project. She is also president of EcoReps, a student sustainability peer-to-peer education program.

Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health Director Elise Bur has been selected to participate in a 2022 Health Policy Fellowship at the University of Michigan's Center for Health and Research Transformation (CHRT). She will learn about health policy and the research process, as well as how the two intersect, from outside experts and other fellows.

Scholarship applications for Northern Michigan University students enrolling in the 2022-23 academic year will be available from Monday, Jan. 24, through Monday, Feb. 21. 

The family of Ben Lauren, a Northern Michigan University alumnus who was tragically killed in the line of duty as a volunteer firefighter at age 23, has established an endowed scholarship in his memory to support NMU mechanical engineering technology students. Lauren graduated from the program in 2018.

Upper Peninsula healthcare workers are encouraged to complete a general, anonymous survey regarding issues that impact recruitment and retention efforts. The U.P. Healthcare Careers Alliance Steering Committee is conducting the brief, 10-question survey.

Northern Michigan University's Safety Department received two chairs made from recycled nitrile gloves, a thank-you gift for participating in RightCycle's personal protection equipment (PPE) recycling program. NMU diverted more than 500 pounds of single-use glove waste from the landfill last year and is preparing to ship another box weighing about 300 pounds. 

The Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health announced the winners of its essay competition for high school seniors on National Rural Health Day Nov. 18. This year's topic was the shortage of paramedics and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel in the Upper Peninsula, which was exacerbated by the pandemic. Students were asked to address how EMS agencies and communities could interact and build and strengthen relationships that would enhance recruitment, retention and overall success.

The Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center at Northern Michigan University will present a workshop, jam session and concert related to the Métis fiddling tradition Nov. 17-18, featuring Jamie Fox of the Aaniih and Nakoda tribes of Montana. The Métis are members of ethnic groups native to Canada and parts of the United States, who trace their descent to both Indigenous North Americans and European settlers. 

Northern Michigan University Theatre and Dance is offering a new bachelor of fine arts (BFA) degree in acting, beginning in fall 2022. The acting major offers students traditional and specialized training, including acting for film, Shakespeare and commercials, as well as voice acting and pantomime.