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Northern has initiated the search for an architectural firm to guide the planned transformational renovation of the Jacobetti Complex into a Career Tech and Engineering Technology Facility. The $28.6 million project was included in the supplemental appropriations bill signed by former Gov. Rick Snyder in December. It calls for the modernization of existing classrooms, a new educational manufacturing design center and flexible laboratories for skilled trades learning and product/equipment testing and training.

Northern Michigan University has increased the number of credit hours students can transfer from regionally accredited community colleges from 64 to 90. The recently approved policy change will go into effect this fall. It recognizes the value of students’ past academic work at other institutions and aligns with the statewide initiative to create better transfer pathways that maximize the use of credits earned.

Invent@NMU has expanded its presence on campus with a remote kiosk located at Lydia Olson Library. A "New Year, New Ideas" launch event, with a chance to win an Apple iPad, is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 30, on the first floor of Elizabeth and Edgar Harden Hall (formerly known as the Learning Resources Center).

Northern Michigan University Theater and Dance will present the world premiere of the full-length ballet, East of the Sun, West of the Moon. This twist on the classic Scandinavian folk tale features original choreography by director Jill Grundstrom and original music composed by Griffin Candey. The production is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24, through Saturday, Jan. 26, in Forest Roberts Theatre. Admission is $15 for general public, $10 for students and $5 for NMU students. All theatre and dance majors and minors are invited to attend free of charge.

Singer-songwriter Annie Humphrey, the Native American Music Awards' 2018 Artist of the Year, will perform at Northern Michigan University on Saturday, Feb. 16. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. in the James A. Panowski Black Box Theatre. Humphrey's performance is being held in conjunction with the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center's exhibition, Ancestral Women. Tickets are $5 for the general public and $1 for NMU students.

Northern Michigan University’s Forest Roberts Theatre will present a modified performance of its world-premiere ballet East of the Sun, West of the Moon aimed at children and adults who are either on the autism spectrum or have sensory issues. The goal is to preserve the entertainment value of the show so families can enjoy it together while also creating a supportive environment. The performance is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26. Free admission for those with sensory issues is made possible through private donor support.

NMU alumnus Patrick Crowley ('97 BS) will serve as the chief public defender for the new Marquette County Public Defender's Office, which was developed to meet standards recently put in place by the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission. His official start date is Feb. 4. Crowley attended the University of Dayton Law School and has practiced law since 2003, most recently at a Lansing-area firm. He has experience defending charges ranging from misdemeanors to high-level felonies and capital offenses.

“Understanding Social Motivation in Autism” is the topic of the next presentation in the Your Health Lecture Series at Northern Michigan University. Barbara Thompson of Michigan State University College of Human Medicine will be the presenter. Attendees will learn about the brain mechanisms involved in social motivation, gain awareness of individual differences in social behaviors and recognize the need for individualized interventions for disorders of social behaviors. The lecture will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7, in Reynolds Recital Hall. Admission is free.

More than 300 donor-funded scholarships are available at NMU through the generous financial support of alumni, faculty/staff and friends of the university. The application system will be open Monday, Jan. 28, through Monday, Feb. 18. 

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently appointed two NMU alumni to posts in her administration. Mark Burton (’99 BS) is her chief strategist. Capt. Joe Gasper (‘97 BA) is the new director of the Michigan State Police.

Northern Michigan University will present its second annual Snowfest, a winter semester kick-off event, on Wednesday, Jan. 16. Free activities from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. include snow biking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing demos on the academic mall. NMU students receive free access to the Noquemanon Trail Network’s interconnected year-round, non-motorized land and water trail system. They can also check out bikes, skis and snowshoes for use on the NTN at no charge.