All News Releases

Campus Cinema Presents 'We Live in Time'

Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh in a scene from "We Live in Time."
Jan. 17, 2025 —
Northern Michigan University's Campus Cinema student organization will present the film “We Live in Time,” a 2024 rom-com starring Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh, on Saturday, Jan. 18. The movie is being shown in John X. Jamrich Hall on Northern's campus, room 1100. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the movie begins at 7 p.m. The showing is free to NMU students or $1 for the public, and concessions will be available for purchase. 

Hetrick Promoted at B&W Enterprises

Hetrick (standing) meets with business students from Kent State University (B&W Enterprises LinkedIn photo)
Jan. 17, 2025 —
NMU alumna Gillianne Hetrick began 2025 with a new role as senior vice president of corporate operations at Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises Inc. in Akron, Ohio.  She leads B&W's Human Resources, Environmental Health, Safety & Security, Information Technology, Communications & Marketing, Facility Services, and Global Travel organizations. Hetrick earned a bachelor's from NMU in public relations, advertising and applied communication in 2002. She has more than 20 years' experience in the energy and communications industries, with both public and private companies. 

Ugandan Scholar Researches Jackfruit at NMU

Ugandan visiting scholar Justine Nakintu on campus last semester exploring the fall leaves.
Jan. 15, 2025 —
Visiting scholar Justine Nakintu seeks to discover ways to extend the shelf life of nutrient-rich jackfruit, which is available year-round in her home country of Uganda, but spoils within five days of being harvested. “In Africa, people are hungry because food is wasted,” she said. “We need to preserve it so it can be eaten later.” Mapping the best locations for cultivating jackfruit, based on soil suitability and climate, is another goal toward making it a value-added commodity. She has engaged 10 NMU students in lab and GIS analysis for this ambitious, international project.

NMU Engineering Tech Builds Nordic Sit-Skis for Adaptive Athletes

Oskar on a borrowed sit-ski at the Noque (Melissa Alan photo); and the four new sit-skis built at NMU for the SSC (Kevin Carr photo).
Jan. 13, 2025 —
Nine-year-old Oskar Alan of Marquette had a strong desire to pursue Nordic skiing, but his balance, coordination and strength are compromised by cerebral palsy, preventing him from engaging in the activity from a standing position. Undeterred, and with support from the Superiorland Ski Club (SSC), he tested a borrowed commercial sit-ski last winter and was hooked after his first run. Now more children with disabilities have an opportunity to participate in the sport, thanks to the efforts of Northern Michigan University Engineering Technology faculty. They built four sit-skis for the SSC, saving the nonprofit money and advancing its initiative to promote inclusion and belonging among youth skiers.

NMU Presents Immersive 'Alice in Wonderland'

"Alice in Wonderland: An Immersive Experience" graphic
Jan. 13, 2025 —
Northern Michigan University's CO/LAB Dance Company will present Alice in Wonderland: An Immersive Experience, described as a “mesmerizing whirlwind of color and movement that weaves through the audience like a living, breathing dreamscape.” The performance is unique in that it will take place in an intimate downtown Marquette space that allows the audience to be more actively engaged, interacting with the dancers and scenery elements.

NMU’s Colwitz to Conduct Michigan High School Honors Choir

NMU Director of Choirs Erin Colwitz
Jan. 10, 2025 —
Northern Michigan University Director of Choirs Erin Colwitz has been selected to conduct the SATB (Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass) High School Honors Choir at the 20th annual Michigan Music Conference Jan. 23-25 in Grand Rapids.  She will guide some of the best singers in the state through a rigorous 2.5 days of rehearsal in preparation for their performance at the closing concert of the event, which is hosted by the Michigan School Vocal Music Association (MSVMA).

Cumberlidge Part of Largest Global Study of Freshwater Species' Extinction Risk

Some of Cumberlidge's crab specimens that he shipped to London before transitioning from full-time faculty to research associate. The specimens have joined the crustacean research collection at the National History Museum's Darwin Center.
Jan. 10, 2025 —
Northern Michigan University Biology Professor Emeritus Neil Cumberlidge is a coauthor of a global study published in Nature and covered by hundreds of news outlets worldwide that asserts one of every four freshwater animal species is at risk of extinction. Led by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), it is the largest study of its kind and represents 20 years of research by experts in relevant animal groups.

NMU Receives $27 Million in 'Rip and Replace Funding'

NMU academic logo
Dec. 19, 2024 —
The national defense bill awaiting the president's signature includes funding to protect a federal program that helps American broadband operators remove and replace any telecommunications equipment that was produced by the Chinese-owned Huawei Technologies Company and ZTE Corporation. According to a release from Sen. Gary Peters, the equipment poses a threat to national security. Of the $35 million allotted for Michigan under the “Rip and Replace” program, NMU would receive $27 million for equipment upgrades and broadband network expansion.

Governor Announces NMU Board Appointments

Venus Joy Brown and Lisa Fittante
Dec. 19, 2024 —
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has announced two appointments to the Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees, effective Jan. 1. Venus Joy Brown of Detroit serves as vice president of human resources, organizational effectiveness and employee experience for Assembly Global. Lisa Fittante of Kingsford, whose term as an NMU trustee was set to expire at the end of the year, will continue to serve on the board. The NMU alumna is owner of Fittante and Colenso, CPA, P.C. Both appointments expire Dec. 31, 2032.

Week of Service to Honor King's Legacy

Martin Luther King Jr. Week of Service graphic
Dec. 19, 2024 —
Northern Michigan University is planning a week of service activities around the theme, “Empowering Community through Action,” beginning with Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 20. The overarching goal will be to assemble and donate winter care kits to Room at the Inn to support those in need during the cold-weather months, but additional daily programming is scheduled as well.

NMU's $2.5 Million NIH Grant Addresses Addiction, Employment and Poverty

From left: Forrest Toegel, Cory Toegel and grad student Haillie McDonough
Dec. 19, 2024 —
Northern Michigan University has assumed oversight of a $2.5 million research grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to evaluate an intervention approach that provides wage supplements—contingent upon documented drug abstinence—as a way to combat drug addiction, promote employment and reduce poverty among people living with opioid use disorder. The project is a collaboration involving NMU's Department of Psychological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and REACH, a substance abuse recovery program in Baltimore, Md.

You Receives Future Shocks Challenge Grant

Jongeun You
Dec. 19, 2024 —
Northern Michigan University Assistant Professor Jongeun You has been awarded one of nine Future Shocks Challenge Grants for his case study on the integration of land use and water planning in Colorado. The Future Shocks initiative, led by the IBM Center for The Business of Government and the National Academy of Public Administration, is designed to help governments identify and develop core capabilities critical to building resilience.

Alumnus Promoted at Environmental Education Center

Chris Wellens
Dec. 17, 2024 —
NMU international studies alumnus Chris Wellens was promoted to assistant executive director at Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center in Laconia, N.H. The nonprofit offers year-round programs for all ages designed to "preserve and pass down knowledge and skills that encourage an understanding of the natural systems that sustain us all and respect for the environment."