Tessman family photo on Lake Superior

A Letter from President Tessman

NMU alumni and friends, let me thank you for your support and friendship to me and my family, and your dedication to your alma mater. I’ll never forget those very special moments, often after an alumni event, when a graduate would approach me and explain how - against all odds - Northern took a chance on them and they took a chance on Northern, and the result was an experience that transformed their entire life trajectory. 

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Ryan Stephens photo

Photo by Ryan Stephens '15 BS, ryanstephensphoto.net

Features

John Voelker black and white photo

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is a rugged, remote region rich in natural beauty and history, shaped by glaciers, mining, and a fiercely independent culture. Once neglected, it evolved from a wilderness into a land of resource wealth and growing tourism, fiercely cherished by its resilient inhabitants. A manuscript by John D. Voelker.

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lighthouse on lake superior

To Be Marquette

A college freshman finds purpose, belonging, and a deep respect for the power of nature in a passionate professor’s class on environmental activism—set against the cold, mysterious beauty of Lake Superior and the bonds formed around a beach bonfire. Excerpt from the novel by Sharon Dilworth.

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An old, black and white photograph of people in a group posing for the camera. They're in dark outfits of miners during their time.

The Caving Grounds

This powerful poem reflects on the legacy of mining in a small town, where collapsed earth swallowed cows, homes and memories—blurring the line between personal grief and environmental ruin. Beneath the surface lies a haunting history of loss, love and the land slowly giving way. From a collection by Kathleen Heideman.

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Photo by Ryan Stephens

Photo by Ryan Stephens '15 BS, ryanstephensphoto.net