What’s New @ Public U. – Northern Michigan University Fall 2012 Edition

NEW NEIGHBORS: The proposed acquisition of Marquette General Health System – NMU’s next-door neighbor --  by Duke LifePoint Healthcare is expected to have significant impact on the university. Already Duke LifePoint asked NMU to reactivate its practical nursing certificate to help meet new anticipated job demand. Duke LifePoint has expressed an interest in potentially setting up research labs where doctors can work with Northern faculty and students, working with NMU’s sports medicine programs and assisting with the health and medical needs of the United States Olympic Education Center, which is located on the NMU campus.

DUKE CONNECTIONS: The Upper Michigan Brain Tumor Center, a cooperative effort between MGHS and NMU’s Biology Department which was originally modeled after  Duke University Medical Center’s research labs, is not only producing impressive results in the study of brain tumors, but its students are being sought out as highly regarded researchers. For example, Justine Pinskey,’09 BA, ’12 MS applied to nine top-ranked doctoral programs and was actively recruited by all nine. Ben Ayotte ’10 BS, who is completing his master’s at NMU, was selected one of the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center’s top 2011 summer interns and was asked to return this past summer to continue his work. Another connection: NMU junior biology major Ricki Oldenkamp was chosen to do research on lemurs at Duke last summer. Now, she’s in Indonesia studying orangutans. nmu.edu/biology

GO TEAM USA: With an Olympic Center located on NMU’s campus, there’s always someone to cheer on at each Olympic Games. This year, six Greco-Roman wrestlers, one weightlifter and a boxing coach with USOEC ties qualified for the London Games. Four of the wrestlers completed bachelor’s degrees during their USOEC/NMU training days: Chas Betts, 2010, electronic imaging; R.C. Johnson, 2004, computer science; Justin Lester, 2007, history; Spenser Mango, 2010, physical education/coaching.  nmu.edu/usoec

WINNING TECHNOLOGY: Northern has relied on Intel products to power its notebook computers since launching a university-wide technology initiative in 2000 (all full-time students receive a notebook computer as part of NMU’s tuition). What began as a vendor relationship has morphed into a multi-faceted partnership that offers tangible benefits for NMU students: app programming contests that reward innovation and functionality; internships at Intel facilities, often leading to full-time employment; and a campus lab dedicated to testing the company’s cutting-edge technologies. In the two app programming contests last year, NMU students were using the Computer Continuum System Developers Kit – the first university with access to the CC SDK before its worldwide release.

CHANGES IN COMMUNICATION: NMU’s Communication and Performance Studies (CAPS) Department partnered with our public broadcasting station and its majors will now be learning in a new, all-digital, state-of-the-art production room that also features a portable audio/video production unit and the first-ever produced Ross Carbonite switcher, all of which provides hands-on experience with the same high-definition equipment being used or soon to be used at many commercial TV stations and large venues such as NFL football stadiums. Additionally, CAPS also has revamped two majors: theatre and entertainment arts and multimedia journalism. nmu.edu/caps

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: NMU’s prestigious Presidential Scholars Competition will be held Nov. 4-5 and Nov. 11-12.  One in four competitors earns an award ranging from a full ride (tuition, room and board-top 10%) to $500-$2,000 per year for four years. To register (see deadlines): nmu.edu/presidentialscholars New for Fall 2013 freshmen: Five $1,000/yr “Making a Difference” awards (deadline March 1): nmu.edu/makingadifference

LEADING BY EXAMPLE: About 2,600 NMU students –nearly one-third of the student body – participate in the Superior Edge program, one of Northern’s two nationally recognized leadership programs. Superior Edge is open to all students, regardless of class, major or past leadership experience. nmu.edu/superioredge … Northern’s Student Leader Fellowship Program, which recently celebrated its 20^th anniversary and annually selects 50 participants for a two-year leadership learning experience, was the recipient of the 2012 Dalton Institute’s Best Practices Award. nmu.edu/slfp

MAKE A VISIT:. A favorite feature during student visits to NMU is a pre-arranged one-on-one meeting with a faculty member in the student’s academic field of interest . . . nmu.edu/visit. One way to bring a whole classroom of students to Northern without leaving your school grounds is to set up a virtual field trip. NMU offers virtual field trips on a wide variety of topics. To learn more, go to www.nmu.edu/careerpathways. Northern covers any connection costs related to a virtual field trip for K-12 grades.