Wildcat Wire December 16, 2011

What is this thing in my e-mail in-box, you may be asking yourself. Well, it may be new to you, but this is already installment No. 3 of the Wildcat Wire newsletter. This newsletter is sent only to those students who have been admitted to Northern Michigan University. So if you were just recently admitted, your name was just added to our list. What follows is news and information about current and future campus events, things going on in the NMU community and a few timely reminders. You can check out the first two issues by visiting http://www.nmu.edu/wildcatwire.

FYI on the FYE: A great question was submitted from a future Wildcat about the First Year Experience (FYE) program, the question: What is it? The FYE program is a group of blocked courses that students can select from rather than having to schedule classes one by one. Not only does FYE make scheduling a breeze for your first semester at NMU, but you will see familiar faces in each of your classes (people who picked the same block), making it more likely that you will get involved in course discussions both in and out of class. For more information about other FYE program advantages, jump to Northern Michigan University First Year Programs.

Who is my admissions counselor? If you have not had the chance to meet with one of our counselors when they visited your school or the local college fair, let's introduce you to them virtually! Visit this link "find my admissions counselor" and see who is your admissions "go to" person.

Show Your Wildcat Spirit: Need ideas for a holiday gift? Ready to start showing your friends your Wildcat pride? Don't forget the NMU bookstore allows you to shop online and have things shipped directly to you.  Happy Shopping!

Closer to Home Than Expected: Students in two FYE blocks were impressed to learn there was a Purple Heart recipient in their midst. Nursing major, Ben Fladung, who volunteers as a teaching assistant to NMU Professor Faith Edwards, shared his experience as a Marine in Iraq in 2004-05. It was an appropriate segue to the academic service learning project he inspired: Students writing holiday cards to troops stationed overseas. Ben was wounded during battle by an improvised explosive device (IED); for which he was awarded the Purple Heart. Even with all he has been through, Ben says: "There were definitely ups and downs but I would serve again in a heartbeat." You can learn more about his experiences here.

Look and Sound Responsible 101: Keep your parents up to date with news and events from campus. Send them the link to the Parent Partnership newsletter, which is written by President Les Wong. It covers costs, state and federal government funding, educational legislation, and general university operations information. Your parents will no doubt appreciate your expanding interest in higher education. Find the newsletter at NMU Parent Partnership.

An Opportunity for Travel Abroad: NMU is among the first 17 U.S. Universities to partner with the Teach and Learn in Korea (TaLK) program, which offers paid internships to undergraduates who teach English in a rural elementary school in South Korea.  The program is sponsored by the National Institute for International Education. Those selected receive paid airfare, housing, health insurance, and a monthly stipend. No Korean language skill is required.  For more information contact goabroad@nmu.edu.

Looking Ahead: Okay, so you have been admitted to Northern, but what do you need to do next? Your next step is likely applying for financial aid, a task that may seem somewhat daunting to both you and your parents. We have a suggestion to make it less stressful! Visit the College Goal Sunday website and mark your calendar for a day of workshops and presentations by financial aid officers from colleges and universities around the country. The website tells you when and where College Goal Sunday is happening in your area, and it will advise you on what documents to bring to make the most out of your day with the experts! You'll also want to check out NMU's Financial Aid toolbox. Help is on the way!

Transfer Students: A Final Reminder: If you are planning to join the NMU community for the winter semester (classes start Monday January 16) you will need to get your final transcripts to the NMU admissions office as soon as grades are posted. Contact Admissions at 906-227-2650 or 1-800-682-9797 if you have questions or concerns about transcript requirements.           

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