Around NMU

Rebecca Ulland, professor and head of the Department of Languages, Literatures and International Studies, will be the faculty keynote speaker for Northern Michigan University's Dec. 11 commencement. She was selected through a nomination process overseen by ASNMU, the student government organization.

NMU alumna and former Wildcat basketball player Karla (Strand) McCutcheon was recently honored with an Excellence in Education award from the Michigan Lottery.  She has taught physical education and health at Marquette Senior High School for 21 years. 

Northern Michigan University alumnus Edward Cook ('80 BS) received a Level I award for achievement in city governance from the Kentucky League of Cities. He is a member of the Oak Grove City Council. The Level I award requires a city official to attend 30 hours of approved training with one hour of ethics training.

The Northern Michigan University School of Art & Design will host an exhibition highlighting the work of seniors graduating in December. The show runs Nov. 29-Dec. 11. A closing reception and awards ceremony will be held from 7-9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10. 

Northern Michigan University alumnus David Kronberg was recently appointed the first director of entrepreneurial services and outreach for Innovate Marquette SmartZone. As part of his new role, he directs the student-powered idea incubator, Invent@NMU. He is also focused on building both resources and relationships with local entrepreneurs and tech startups to foster a robust, supportive business and startup ecosystem in Marquette.

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.

Three Northern Michigan University alumni who aim to clean up space debris through their Marquette-based startup, Kall Morris Inc., won the $10,000 grand prize in a national virtual pitch competition for research on aerospace technology. 

When stepping into Grant Langdon's office at Northern Michigan University, a classy array of Star Wars paraphernalia greets you. One cannot help but notice the welcoming environment Langdon establishes through this aesthetic display of his own personal interests, not to mention the warm smile he often bears whenever spotted on campus. 

A Northern Michigan University delegation recently traveled to Virginia Commonwealth University's da Vinci Center for Innovation to help inform and inspire the future direction of SISU: The Innovation Institute at NMU. Both entities use a design-thinking framework that emphasizes cross-disciplinary collaboration. 

Northern Michigan University Theatre and Dance will present Elf the Musical, a comedic holiday musical based on the well-known movie. Show times in Forest Roberts Theatre are at 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Dec. 3-4 and Wednesday-Saturday, Dec. 8-11. A sensory friendly Theatre for All performance will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4.