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Reem Hakeem, an international student from Egypt, is one of three participants in the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (UGRAD) attending NMU this fall. The program is designed to help foster cultural exchanges between students from other countries and American institutions of higher learning.

Hakeem is a freshman dentistry major with a minor in history. She was selected for the UGRAD program at NMU by a scholarship from the U.S. Department of State back at her university in Egypt.

NMU alumnus Jerry Glanville ('64 BS), who played linebacker for the Wildcats and was head coach of two NFL teams, just wrapped up his first season as defensive coordinator for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. He served as a guest coach of the team in 2017. The Ticats finished the season Nov. 18, with a loss to the Ottawa Redblacks in the East Division final.

Recent NMU graduate Michelle Perttunen has joined the construction and real estate development company Mortenson as a field engineer in Milwaukee, according to BizTimes.com. She graduated from NMU with degrees in engineering design and mechanical engineering technology while completing an engineering internship with American Instrument & Implant.

The Northern Michigan University Regional Police Academy will host a mandatory meeting for those planning to attend the next academy at 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29, in room 132 of the Jacobetti Complex. The meeting will last about one hour. Attendees will receive documentation covering the enrollment process and should bring their drivers licenses. The 2019 police academy begins in May. To sign up for the meeting, call 906-227-1408.

Northern Michigan University's Native American Student Association will host a screening of the movie Wind River. The event is scheduled from noon -2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 27, at the Whitman Hall commons. It is free and open to the public.

This film follows a veteran hunter as he helps an FBI agent investigate the murder of a young woman on a Wyoming Native American reservation. A discussion will follow.

NMU alumnus Matthew Torreano ('07 BS) of Marquette was appointed to the seven-member Michigan Ski Area Safety Board, which licenses and regulates ski areas and lifts. Torreano is an outreach specialist with the Michigan DNR and an avid skier who previously worked as a ski instructor at Marquette Mountain. He earned his bachelor’s degree in recreation management from NMU. Gov. Rick Snyder appointed Torreano to represent public members from the Upper Peninsula with ski experience. He will serve on the board through June 8, 2022. 

Northern Michigan University will host its 31st annual Lighting Up the Holidays, a free family event for campus and community members. It will be held from 4-8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 28, in the University Center.

The event includes a tree lighting with President Fritz Erickson and Wildcat Willy, pictures with Santa by Daniele Carol Photography, cookies and refreshments, holiday card and ornament making, games, face painting, free books and performances by the NMU Cheer Team and New Attitudes dancers. 

Invent@NMU launched a remote kiosk at Keweenaw Coffee Works in Calumet this week—its second in the Upper Peninsula. The kiosk allows inventors and entrepreneurs to learn about the services offered, submit an idea for a product or business and receive a response from the Invent@NMU team within three business days. Read a Mining Gazette story on the launch here. Invent@NMU placed its first remote kiosk in Gogebic County in October.

On Tuesday, Nov. 27, Northern Michigan University will hold a Day of Giving to coincide with the global charitable event, Giving Tuesday. As happened last year, faculty, staff, friends and alumni will come together at this special time to give and pledge resources. This year the focus is on support for the Northern Fund, the Flexible Aid Fund, student scholarships and the NMU Food Pantry.

NMU alumnus Matthew Barbercheck ('11 AAS, '14 BA), who teaches welding and woodworking at Republic-Michigamme Schools, has won $50,000 for his school. He was one of 15 second-place winners of the 2018 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence. A representative of Harbor Freight Tools for Schools made a surprise presentation of a large rolling tool box and big check. Barbercheck can spend $15,000 of it at his discretion and the rest will go to the school's skilled trades program.

Dan Truckey, director of the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center at NMU, was awarded the Peninsulas Prize by the Michigan Museums Association at its annual meeting Oct. 29 in Dearborn. The statewide prize honors an individual or organization that has demonstrated the significance and impact of community engagement over the last year.

Students who present behavioral difficulties in western Marquette County schools will gain greater access to applied behavior analysis services through a new collaboration with the Behavioral Education Assessment and Research (BEAR) Center at Northern Michigan University. NMU students will also gain practical experience before they graduate and become practitioners. The Western Marquette County Health Foundation (WMCHF) spearheaded the project.

At the Northern Michigan University Veterans Day Concert on Nov. 11, distinguished student veteran Traci Dietz received a commemorative coin from President Fritz Erickson for her dedicated time and service.

“I am honored to have been recognized by [Rep.] Sara Cambensy and President Erickson,” she said. “I have worked hard to make the lives of my fellow veterans easier through my work-study position in the Veteran Services Office with Mike Rutledge and his service dog, Welles, who has helped countless students through rough times.”

NMU recently unveiled Something Curious, a new podcast series targeting current and prospective NMU students. The podcast aims to connect community through conversation, highlighting aspects of the university and the Marquette area. This series will address subjects that relate to NMU’s core values: community, opportunity, inclusion, rigor, environment, connections and innovation.

Josh Cahatol, from the Province of Bohol in the Philippines, is one of three students attending NMU this fall as a participant in the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (UGRAD). The program is designed to increase students’ understanding of the United States and give them opportunities to take academic coursework and participate in other community activities.

The International Education Services Office at NMU is collaborating with World Learning to bring students from other nations to campus for cultural exchange and opportunities to learn at American institutions. Ahmad is one student attending NMU this fall through the Global UGRAD Pakistan Program (IREX), which enables youth leaders from underserved populations across Pakistan to have opportunities to study abroad. He was selected for the program by his alma mater back home.

Veterans Day on Nov. 11 coincides with the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. Under the leadership of President James Kaye, Northern State Normal School (now Northern Michigan University) participated in WWI regionally, nationally and abroad. War-time concerns were exacerbated by another significant threat a century ago: a Spanish flu pandemic that ultimately shut down Northern for three months in the fall 1918 semester.