Around NMU

As part of its 125th anniversary celebration, Northern held a grand opening garden party Oct. 1 for its new Campus Nursery, which will be used to grow native trees and shrubs for future campus landscaping projects. The 150-foot x 75-foot parcel—complete with an irrigation system—is located behind Central Receiving, revitalizing the same site where NMU had established a tree nursery decades ago that later fell into disrepair.

Northern Michigan University graduate student and basketball career scoring record-holder Makaylee Kuhn will screen a video at next weekend's Fresh Coast Film Festival that highlights the sustainability efforts of Wildcat volleyball, initiated by assistant coach and former standout player Sarah Kuehn. Both say the intent is to inspire other teams at NMU and beyond to incorporate small changes that will benefit the environment. Kuhn also established the Green Athletics working group last year with the goal of making Northern the greenest school in the GLIAC (Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference). 

Northern Michigan University participated as one of 40 host institutions for the nationwide Amplifying Student Voices (ASV) Convening on Oct. 5. The hybrid event brought together more than 400 student leaders to engage in both virtual and in-person dialogues on the future of belonging, diversity and equity in higher education, and on strategies for fulfilling the promise of an inclusive democracy. 

Driven by the elevated strategic priority of support for people and their well-being, and facilitated by solid financial footing attributed in part to increased enrollment, Northern Michigan University will make a $2.4 million investment that will directly impact the majority of its employees through one-time payments this fall. The NMU Board of Trustees approved the measure at a special meeting this afternoon.

The Northern Michigan University Orchestra will present “String Masterworks,” a tour through musical history featuring pioneering pieces that influenced the development of string orchestra. Admission to the event—taking place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15, in Reynolds Recital Hall—is free and open to the public.

Northern Michigan University Theatre and Dance and the Masonic Arts, Theatre & Innovation Company (MÄTI) announce a new chapter for "The Rocky Horror Show." After successfully producing this cult classic for the past few years, MÄTI is passing the artistic torch to NMU Theatre and Dance, which will stage the show at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24 through Saturday, Oct. 26 in Forest Roberts Theatre, with later 10:30 p.m. performances on Friday and Saturday.

Northern Michigan University will host two screenings of "Letters from Brno," an award-winning documentary film that relays a powerful, heart-wrenching story of parental love and unspeakable sacrifice during the Holocaust. They are scheduled for 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7, and Tuesday, Oct. 8, in Mead Auditorium (2701 Science Building). The film's writer and producer, Karen Kruger, will participate in discussions afterward. She will also lead an interactive workshop for current and future educators at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9, in the Whitman Commons. All events are free and open to the public.

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.