Alumni

Northern Michigan University students at Radio X (WUPX-FM) will broadcast an all-day NMU 125th Anniversary Alumni Show from 6 a.m. to midnight Saturday, March 22. Radio X alumni are scheduled to guest-DJ radio shows, and there will be interviews with other alumni. Radio X announcements from the past will air, and students will present NMU history moments that they have researched in the NMU Archives. 

A trio of talented Northern Michigan University alumni collaborated on a short film shot in Marquette County about family members who have a falling out over addiction. “My Sister” will premiere at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 19, at the Marquette Regional History Center. It was written, produced and directed by Negaunee native Dan Aho, who has worked as an actor in Chicago and Los Angeles. His credits include “Contagion” and “Man of Steel.” Local thespians Jessica “Red” Bays and Han Numinen star as the sisters at odds with each other. All will participate in a discussion after the premiere screening.

Northern Michigan University alumna Anna Dravland's efforts to develop and expand Spread Goodness Day, an annual event that celebrates the “explosive and empowering” impacts of simple acts of goodness, inspired fellow NMU alumna and retired elementary teacher Sue Meier to coauthor a related children's book, The Goodness Garden. With support from generous donors, hundreds of free copies have been distributed to pre-kindergarten through second-grade classrooms in Michigan, Illinois and beyond in advance of this year's Spread Goodness Day celebration on March 14.

Northern Michigan University alumni and friends are invited to join President Brock Tessman for three upcoming NMU Alumni Night events: Wednesday, March 12, in Lansing; Monday, March 24, in Fort Myers, Fla.; and Wednesday, April 2, in downtown Chicago. All events are free to attend and will include campus updates from Tessman, complimentary food and beverages, and an opportunity to connect with fellow alumni.

Northern Michigan University 1977 alumnus and former Wildcat basketball player/assistant coach Tom Izzo became the winningest head coach in Big Ten Conference history Saturday night, when his Michigan State Spartans came from behind to beat Illinois 79-65. Izzo's 354th conference win surpassed former Indiana coach Bob Knight's record, which had stood for almost 25 years.

Julie Bless, a 2010 Northern Michigan University graduate with a major in environmental conservation and a minor in biology, was honored as a "Twenty Under 40 Awards" finalist by the Reno Tahoe Young Professionals Network at a Jan. 24 ceremony. 

Northern Michigan University alumni played important roles in two of the 2025 Academy Award nominees for Best Animated Feature Film. Three were involved in Disney and Pixar's "Inside Out 2," the highest-grossing animated film in history: Kelsey Mann ('98), director; Dan Scanlon ('87), executive producer; and Neil Helm ('05), lead supervising crowds animator. Northern graduate Joshua Brock ('09) served as modeling lead for "The Wild Robot," DreamWorks Animation's nominee in the same category. The Oscars will be presented Sunday, March 2.

Northern Michigan University 2020 economics alumnus and former Wildcat skier Zak Ketterson is one of eight members of the men's team that will represent the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team at the 2025 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Trondheim, Norway from Feb. 27-March 9. Athletes from more than 60 countries will compete for gold, silver and bronze medals across six events: four individual races—20k skiathlon, 10k classic, 50k skate and a skate sprint; and two team events—the the team sprint and 4x7.5k relay.

Northern Michigan University Alumni Relations invites alumni and friends to virtually join President Brock Tessman for a special 125th-anniversary edition of the Northern Now digital event series. He will explore NMU's rich history alongside esteemed guests with deep ties to the university at 7 p.m. EST Tuesday, Feb. 18. It will be an opportunity for alumni to reflect on their time at NMU, reconnect with fellow Wildcats, and celebrate the legacy of their alma mater. 

Former Wildcat football player and Northern Michigan University alumnus Robert Saleh has returned to the San Francisco 49ers as defensive coordinator. Saleh had previously worked with the 49ers from 2017-2020, then served as head coach of the New York Jets for three seasons. The Dearborn native attended Northern Michigan University, where he started at tight end for four years and earned all-conference honors before graduating with a bachelor's degree in financial management in 2001.