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The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Four-Year Review Team was selected for a 2021 Northern Michigan University Distinguished Team Award. Members are Daniel Cullen and Jason Nicholas of Institutional Research; Kathryn Johnson of History; Joanne Sved of Institutional Research; and Shaun Thunell of the School of Clinical Sciences. 

Nearly 80% of Northern Michigan University employees and 63% of the overall on-campus student population have been vaccinated heading into the fall semester, according to a July 29 email from President Fritz Erickson to the campus community. The latter rate will increase, as many first-year students have yet to upload their information to the university's Bridge app. Erickson also reported that NMU is not holding a mass testing event or mandating vaccines, but is requiring that unvaccinated individuals wear masks indoors.

The Arts and Athletics Showcase for Homecoming 2020 has been selected for a 2021 Northern Michigan University Distinguished Team Award. The team included Chair Kylie Bunting and Robyn Stille of Alumni Relations; Erin Colwitz of Music; William Digneit and Jill Grundstrom of Theatre & Dance; Michael Forester and Ryan Stephens of University Marketing & Communications; Katherine Harvath of Intercollegiate Athletics & Rec Sports; Michael Lakenen of Broadcast & Audio-Visual Services; and Christine Lenzen and Jason Schneider of the School of Art & Design. 

The Admissions Events Committee has been selected for a 2021 Northern Michigan University Distinguished Team Award. The committee is comprised of chair Kate Hooper, Christina Carr, Allison Frorenza, Alyssa Lambert and Kimberly Randolph of Admissions; Jeffrey Koval of Broadcast & Audio-Visual Services; and William Richards of Business Intelligence & Information Services. 

The Northern Michigan University COVID-19 Dashboard has been selected as the 2021 NMU Team Innovation Award recipient. Chair Cindy Paavola of the Office of the President was joined by team members Michael Bath of the NMU Police Department; Anthony Bertucci, Christopher Danik and Genevieve Morgan of Business Intelligence & Information Services; and Christopher Kirkpatrick of the Health Center. 

Christopher Danik, director of software development/mobile apps at Northern Michigan University, is the 2021 NMU Individual Innovation Award recipient. 

Northern Michigan University senior Mckenna Green's professional selling marketing class project has evolved into a career-enhancing summer internship with a startup company. Green said that her internship at Mario's Backyard is helping her prepare for her post-graduation plans of launching a gym business of her own. 

Evelyn Massaro received a wonderful parting gift shortly before retiring July 1 as station manager at WNMU-FM at Northern Michigan University. She was selected as the 2021 Public Media Impact Professional Award recipient by the Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters. The prestigious award recognizes an MAPB radio or television professional who provides “lengthy and exceptional service.”

Dorothy Paad dreamed of taking ballet lessons, and courageously defied naysayers who were convinced that was overly ambitious for a woman with cerebral palsy who relies on a wheelchair for mobility. Paad enrolled as a student at Northern Michigan University, where she found an “inclusive and welcoming” environment and participated in the performing arts trifecta of dance, theater and choir. Her positive experience at NMU inspired her to write a new children's book titled “Dance Your Dance, Sing Your Song.”

NMU alumna Madiline McNamara has been conditionally accepted to Michigan State University's College of Human Medicine through its highly competitive early assurance program. She graduated in May with a bachelor's degree in biology with a physiology concentration and said she hopes to practice medicine in her hometown of Iron River or elsewhere in the Upper Peninsula.

Northern Michigan University's College of Business will begin offering a new bachelor's degree program in human resources management this fall, based on student interest and projected job growth. The curriculum will be aligned with Society for Human Resource Management standards so that students can earn a professional SHRM credential after they fulfill their degree requirements.

Clayton Root Jr. is a Northern Michigan University 2021 Excellence in Service Award recipient.

Maia Ogea, medical technologist at Northern Michigan University's Health Center, is a 2021 Excellence in Service Award recipient. Along with other members of the Health Center staff, Ogea faced the threat of exposure and illness throughout the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. She was nominated for her work in response to the pandemic. 

Bridget Kyle, associate director of athletics at Northern Michigan University, is a 2021 Excellence in Service Award recipient. She was nominated for her efforts in coordinating all the various rules for athletic teams to be able to participate in weightlifting and conditioning, practice and competition in a pandemic year. 

Jeff Koval, audio visual technology coordinator at Northern Michigan University, is a 2021 Excellence in Service Award recipient.  

Upper Peninsula heritage organizations are invited to become members of the U.P. Digital Network, UPLINK. Regional service hubs are available to assist them in creating digital versions of their collections, increasing visibility and public access. Materials can be added to DPLA, a national database for digitized historic records, and preserved for the long term through the Michigan Digital Preservation Network.

Author and former Army Judge Advocate Eugene Milhizer will give a free presentation on his book, “Dissecting Anatomy of a Murder,” on Thursday, July 29. The event begins at 2 p.m. at the Central U.P. and Northern Michigan University Archives in 126 Harden Hall at NMU. A book signing will follow.

Hugo Eyzaguirre, director of Northern Michigan University's Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship, has received the 2021 Patricia Elder International Award from the National Association of Economic Educators (NAEE).

Two-time Olympian and NMU alumnus Spenser Mango ('10 BS) is now a staff sergeant and coach with the Army's World Class Athlete Program. He will join two WCAP Greco-Roman wrestlers in Tokyo, including Alejandro Sancho, who trained at what is now NMU's National Training Site (NTS) from 2012-17. Other Olympians with NTS ties include women's freestyle wrestlers Adeline Gray and 2016 gold medalist Helen Maroulis, along with 2016 bronze medal-winning weightlifter and former NMU student Sarah Robles.

Former Wildcat swimmer and NMU alumnus Arnoldo Herrera departed Sunday for Tokyo, where he will represent his home country of Costa Rica in the Olympics. The December 2019 electrical engineering graduate will compete in the 200-meter breaststroke.