Strategic Plan

Northern Michigan University and InvestUP will launch a new program in January that will empower participating students through professional internships and mentoring, while also focusing on their leadership development and academic success. By creating a clear pipeline from education to employment, “The Wildcat Collective: Leaders of Honor and Ambition” program is designed to address critical, shared goals such as local talent retention and population growth to benefit NMU and Upper Peninsula communities.

Well-being, which is embedded in Northern's “Our Compass” strategic plan and core values, has become an increasing focus in higher education. NMU alumna McKenzie Mathewson can attest to its importance. She serves as associate director of community wellness at Western Colorado University, and said her Northern experience helped to launch her career.

Northern Michigan University has received an Innovation Investment Award of nearly $906,000 from the Michigan Center for Adult College Success to develop competency-based education options that will help adults—regardless of age or career status—obtain postsecondary credentials to secure jobs or advance professionally in a knowledge-based economy.

The three executive sponsors of the Our Compass strategic plan grand challenges—supporting our people, partnering with our place, and realizing the potential of all students—outlined initial strategies to address each at Wednesday's university forum. The event also provided updates on facilities projects and the Wildcat Way pedestrian/bike path through campus, along with innovation funding opportunities. In his opening remarks, President Brock Tessman announced an upcoming organizational change.

High school seniors who reside in the Upper Peninsula and plan to pursue studies in a healthcare-related field at a college or university next fall are invited to participate in the fifth annual National Rural Health Day Essay Contest. The Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health is coordinating the contest with the Michigan Center for Rural Health and the Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan. The essay submission deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 12.

Northern Michigan University is collaborating with Alpena Community College and Central Michigan University to create the Northeast Michigan Teacher Pipeline for aspiring educators. This partnership aims to address the regional teacher shortage by offering students an affordable, seamless, and locally rooted pathway to pursue a career in education.

Indigenous artists from across the region will gather at Northern Michigan University to share their perspectives on film, paintings, music, sculpture, literature and other arts.  The inaugural Indigenous Perspectives Symposium is free to the public and scheduled for Friday, Nov. 1, in the Northern Center.

The Midwest Bisexual Lesbian Gay Transgender Asexual College Conference (MBLGTACC) will be held at Northern Michigan University Oct. 25-27. Now in its 32nd year, it is the nation's largest and oldest-continuously running conference for queer and trans+ college students and young adults, designed to catalyze conversation and action around relevant issues. Each year, MBLGTACC makes one Midwest community a destination for a diverse gathering of 2,000+ college students.

Northern Michigan University will hold the fourth annual Upper Peninsula Association for Behavior Analysis (UPABA) conference Nov. 7-8. This year's event focuses on language acquisition strategies and features national speakers, practical workshops and networking opportunities. The goals of the annual conference are to increase knowledge, improve client support and collaborate with institutions for effective care across the Great Lakes region.