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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.

U.S. News & World Report released its Best Colleges rankings for 2024. Among Midwest regional universities, Northern Michigan University tied for both 20th in top public schools and 67th best overall. It also tied for 31st among best colleges for veterans, and ranks 62nd in the best value schools category. See the full rankings here.

“I grew up learning that all people deserve an opportunity and that we have a responsibility to each other to create those opportunities when we can. I grew up seeing that strength doesn't come from wielding power, but from empowering people. I grew up experiencing the impact of sitting at tables big enough for everybody and every voice. And I've made it my personal and professional mission to make sure that wherever I go, I continue to build big enough tables for everyone.”

Northern Michigan University presented its Distinguished Alumni Award to Ann (Wheeler) Cashin and Patrick Cashin of Port Washington, Wis., during NMU's 125th Anniversary Homecoming Sept. 20-21. The retired optometrists, whose careers were closely intertwined, became the first joint recipients of the award in the university's history.

Northern Michigan University 2010 biochemistry alumnus Ryan McAllister of Roselle, N.J., received one of two Outstanding Young Alumni Awards presented by his alma mater during its 125th Anniversary Homecoming. He serves as biosafety program manager, biosafety officer and alternate responsible official at Rutgers University. He leads a team of seven infectious disease professionals, overseeing biohazardous research in diverse laboratory and clinical settings.

Jim Thorburn of Livonia, Mich., a decorated police officer whose law enforcement career spanned nearly 30 years, accepted Northern Michigan University's Alumni Achievement Award during a 125th anniversary Homecoming celebration. He was a two-time Police Officer of the Year, and retired in 2022 as a detective and public information officer for the Allen Park Police Department. It was in the latter role that he helped to bridge the divide between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

After retiring as a university administrator, Northern Michigan University alumnus and former Wildcat football player Jim Mansfield found fulfillment in his longtime volunteer role as a blood courier in Spokane, Wash. He was honored last year with a President's Lifetime Achievement Award, signed by Joe Biden, for his “7,304 hours of service to this nation.” He also received every award bestowed by his local blood center for his efforts. 

Northern Michigan University will present the daring and provocative musical Cabaret Oct. 3-5 and 10-12. The play is set in a Berlin nightclub as the 1920s draw to a close. It explores the tumultuous life of the city's natives and expatriates as Germany slowly yields to the emerging Third Reich.

Northern Michigan University will host a grand opening garden party for its new Campus Nursery as part of the 125th anniversary celebration at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1. Participants are invited to tour the garden and learn about native plant species and efforts to increase biodiversity on our campus. There will also be an opportunity to get hands dirty by helping with fall tree and bush planting. Light refreshments will be served.  

Northern Michigan University has announced a new partnership with Shift Labs Network™, an initiative spearheaded by Virginia Commonwealth University's (VCU) da Vinci Center for Innovation. The Shift Labs Network™, a Fast Company 2023 Innovation by Design award winner, is dedicated to accelerating access to innovation and entrepreneurship educational opportunities through a collaborative network of educational institutions, partner organizations and entrepreneurial ecosystems.