Norwester - Winter 2013

7/29/2019 Norwester - Winter 2013

1/8

International profle ...............

Bachelors degrees OKed .......

New scholarships ...................

Plan ahead calendar ..............

A Publication

Alumni & Frien

o Northweste

Michigan Colle

Winter 2013

Contemporary Japanese bamboo art

at The Dennos Feb. 22. See more p. 4

Math Centernumbers add up

Where were ten percent o NMC studentsto be ound this past all semester?

A) On their phones, textingB) Looking or a parking spotC) At the Math Center

Kelly Leassner can tell you that the answer

is C, the Math Center. Shes the managero the drop-in tutoring center in thebasement o the anis Building. In justthe year its been open there, the MathCenters become one o the hottesthangouts on campus.

Weve just seen an incredible increase instudents, said Leassner, a ormer NMCstudent rom Elk Rapids who aspires tobe a math teacher. While she nishes herteaching degree through Ferris at the Uni-

versity Center, she spent 25 hours a weekhelping the 450 students who stopped bythe Math Center last semester, many in-timidated by the subject and ready to quit.

Some students come in thinking itshopeless. Teyre going to drop out oschool, Leassner said.

Steve Lyons was one o them. InstructorAdam Shaer suggested he go or helpwith an intermediate algebra class. Whenhe rst met Leassner, Lyons said he was

60 percent sure he would have to dropthe class.

I came in and I was really rustrated,reaking out. Im really poor at math,he said.

But Leassner was able to help him bothacademically and ease his stress, Lyonssaid. He started going two to three timesa week and was eeling condent goinginto nal exam week.

X For more on the Math Center, see p. 3

Math Center manager Kelly Leassner, above, helps one o the hundreds o students

who seek math help at the drop-in center in the Tanis Building.


2/8

Timothy J. Nelson

The NorWester is published by the NMC

Ofce o Public Relations and Marketing.

Alumni news and updates may be submitted

online at www.nmc.edu/alumni or by

e-mailing [email protected]

For correspondence and address updates:

1701 E. Front Street

Traverse City, MI 49686

(231) 995-1020 (877) 922-1021

Editor: Andy Dolan

Writer: Cari Noga

NMC Board o Trustees

Douglas S. Bishop, Chair

William D. Myers, Vice-Chair

Susan K. Sheldon, Secretary

Robert T. Brick, Treasurer

K. Ross Childs

Cheryl Gore Follette

Kennard R. Weaver

NMC President

Timothy J. Nelson

Printed with bio-renewable ink.

Reverse transer benefts everyone involved

2

From the President

NMC students, likecommunity collegestudents all over thenation, enroll witha wide variety ooutcomes in mind.Some have a particu-

lar program and cleargoal o earning adegree or certicate.Some have already

identied a our-year university as theireventual next step, and others are stillnding their way.

Every year, hundreds o studentsgraduate or earn certicates rom NMC.Many other students transer to a univer-sity just shy o completing. Some o them

are among our biggest success stories,great students who made a positiveimpact on our college and our commu-nity. But in those cases, we werent ableto ofcially record them as a success.

Ater a semester or two at their newcollege or university, those same studentshave successully completed their require-ments to earn their associate degree or

certicate, but unless they took theinitiative to reverse transer those credback to us, we would not have been abto award them their diploma or certic

Tats why Im pleased that on Februar7, NMC ormally signed reverse transe

agreements with seven Michigan univeties, including six o our partners at theNMC University Center: Central Michgan University, Davenport University,Ferris State University, Grand Valley StUniversity, Michigan State Universityand Western Michigan University. Teagreements with those partners and witNorthern Michigan University make thprocess o transerring credits back toNMC a more seamless process, andwe can award them their diploma

or certicate.

Studies show that students whosuccessully complete the associate degrare more likely to persist and complete bachelors degree. Making the process oreverse transerring simpler is a great beet to our students, to NMC and to ouour-year partners.As always, let me kn

what you think at [email protected]

Find and riend NMC

You can fnd NMC, the DennosMuseum Center, Great Lakes

Maritime Academy, WNMC

radio, student groups and

more on Facebook and Twitter.

NMC to provide training to create new jobs

NMCs Board o rustees has approvedtraining agreements with ve localcompanies that will lead to 62 new

jobs in the region by 2016.

Under the terms o Michigans New Jobsraining Program, NMC will providetraining and proessional development

to the new employees at the ollowingcompanies. Te jobs must pay above$12.95 per hour.

Armor Express, Central Lake - six new jobs

Century Extrusion, Traverse City - fve new jobs

Moran Iron Works, Inc., Onaway - eight

new jobs

Precision Edge Surgical Products LLC,Boyne City - 18 new jobs

Shoreline Fruit LLC, Traverse City - 25 new jobs

In 2008, the Michigan Legislaturepassed the New Jobs raining Programto provide unding or organizations topay or sta development in new positioTe companies pay or the training and reimbursed over time as payroll tax dollare diverted.

NMC currently has two other NJP agments in place. Electro-Optics echnoloo raverse City has made 19 new hires,completing 94 percent o its training. Ctury Inc. o raverse City has made 29 hand completed 22 percent o its training

NMCs raining Services divisionoerscustomized training opportunities incluing leadership and team building, Lean,advanced manuacturing and more.Contact them atwww.nmc.edu/trainin
http://www.nmc.edu/alumnimailto:alumni%40nmc.edu?subject=mailto:tnelson%40nmc.edu?subject=http://www.nmc.edu/traininghttp://www.nmc.edu/trainingmailto:tnelson%40nmc.edu?subject=mailto:alumni%40nmc.edu?subject=http://www.nmc.edu/alumni


3/8

continued from p.1

Monday through Saturday, you can ndbetween ve and 25 students studyingbeneath a 700-decimal place printout opi that wraps around the Math Center.Teyll be taking classes ranging romdevelopmental math all the way up todierential equations. utors and acultyroam the room oering assistance.

I get to answer questions rom ractionsto calculus questions, Leassner said.I have to be on my toes. All o us tutorsdo. Its exciting.

For students like Lyons, exciting isntquite the right word to describe math.erriying is more like it. At least untilthey nd their way to the anis basement.

In my opinion, math is the hardestsubject or everyone. Tats a lot o thereason why people drop out, said Lyons,

who is studying respiratory therapy.It ups the chances or a lot o peopleto get through school.

Math Center usage statistics support

Lyons opinion. Operated through NMCsutoring and Support Services oce, morestudents used the Math Center last semes-ter than used tutoring services or all othersubjects combined.

Were very excited about the number ostudents that are using it, said MichellePoertner, manager o utorial Servicesat NMC.

Math Center

International profle: Kristin Karam, K2 Edibles

As a little girl, Kristin Karam picked reshmint, parsley, tomatoes and peppers in hergrandmothers rootop garden overlookingDetroits City Airport and helped makehummus and tabbouleh or amilygatherings.

oday, the 1999 GreatLakes CulinaryInstitute graduateis still makinghummus andtabbouleh, plusPolish pierogi,pad Tai, Span-ish paella, Indiancurries and manymore ethnic avor-ites as the proprietor

o K2 Edibles, a nichecaterer with a mission tobring ethnic are to northernMichigan.

During the summer she caters up to eightevents a week everything rom a Cubanlunch or a meeting at Hagerty to a wed-ding or 200 eaturing three ethnic oodstations to her weekly world dinners at

raverse Citys Let Foot Charleywinery conveniently right across romthe kitchen space she rents at Under-ground Cheesecake Co.

Every Tursday night patronspack Let Foot or a plate

o Karams cuisinedu jour, plus a glasso wine or cider.Tey also get achance to suggestuture menus.

Teres quitea void in this

town or ethnicood. So when its

available, people go

crazy or it, Karamsaid. A small amounto residents want that,

crave that. And thats wheremy customer base comes rom.

Just inches rom her bachelors at WayneState, Karam, now 42, came to raverseCity to take a break rom the city, thinkingshed spend a summer waiting tables.

She wound up completing her degreethrough Davenport University at NMCsUniversity Center and then enrolling inNMCs Great Lakes Culinary Institute.She then spent almost a decade planningand catering events at Black Star Farms inSuttons Bay.

In 2010 came the opportunity to go all inwith K2. Now Karam hires NMC culinastudents to help with her prep and servinShe also serves on the committee or theasters Guild Auction, an internationalood and wine scholarship undraiser orculinary students, set or Feb. 22 this yea

I didnt know what I was going to bewhen I grew up, but I just love to entertawith ood, Karam said. Ive tried to car

out a niche with this ethnic ood, becausethats where my heart is. I like the simplerustic cooking that our ancestors did.

X Ensuring that learners are prepared or

success in a global society and economy

a strategic direction or NMC. Periodically

such learners and alumni will be profled in

NorWester. To suggest subjects, contact

Cari Noga at [email protected] or

(231) 995-1027.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


4/8

Later this month:

Modern Twist: Contemporary Japanese BambooArt explores the innovative shape that bambooart has taken since the mid-twentieth century,highlighting the creativity o 17 contemporaryartists through a stunning collection o 37 works.Feb. 22-June 2.

Now at The Dennos:

THEM: Images of Separation is atraveling exhibition rom the Jim CrowMuseum at Ferris State University thatshowcases items rom popular cultureused to negatively stereotype groupsby race, ethnicity, religion and sexualorientation. Sponsored by the DE

Energy Foundation. Trough March 3.

In conjunction with THEM,dont miss:

Leslie McCurdy athe Spirit of HarrTubman

February 28, 7 p.mMilliken Auditoriu

Tis powerul port

o the lie o Harriubman, the nine-teenth century M

who led many slaves out o the AmericSouth to reedom in the North, was wrand is perormed by Leslie McCurdy. Ainspiring, must-see perormance orthe whole amily.

X Dennos Concert Series continues all win

Complete listings at www.dennosmuseu

4

Coming in March:

Rufus Snoddy: New Work(ar let)Grand raverse artist will exhibit

constructions o natural material,ound objects, and abricated objectsinspired by mythology and otherthemes, including a major installationbased on the story o Icarus.

Larry Cressman: (let) Gallery installations by the proessor o art at the Univsity o Michigans Residential College wexplore three-dimensional line that incoporates cane, paper, and other materials

Both March 10-June 2.


5/8

Tasters Guild Auction February 22

Guests will sip, sample and savor a strolling dinner o international ood and wine

at the annual asters Guild Auction, set or Feb. 22 at NMCs Great Lakes Campus.Featuring multiple cuisines prepared by NMCs Great Lakes Culinary Institute studentsand served at more than a dozen tasting tables, proceeds support scholarships, books andequipment. ickets are $60 each or $700 or a table o ten and available online atwww.nmc.edu/culinary

NMC aims or maritime technology as frst bachelors degree

Following passage o legislation authorizing Michigancommunity colleges to oer our technical bachelors degrees,NMC has started to investigate steps to oering a bachelorsdegree in maritime technology.

Te Community College Baccalaureate Authorization bill passedthe Michigan Legislature in December and was subsequently

signed by Gov. Rick Snyder. It authorizes community colleges tooer technical bachelors degrees in maritime technology, cementtechnology, energy production technology and culinary arts.

Tis is an important step or our students and the uturestudents in Michigan, NMC President im Nelson said.Tis authorization, coupled with our current and continuingpartnerships at the University Center, provide superior access tohigher education or citizens in our region. I particularly lookorward to continuing to work with Ferris State University as apartner in meeting the degree needs o our Great Lakes MaritimeAcademy students.

Nursing was originally part o the legislation, but stripped outo the nal bill.

We are actively pursuing other options that will meet the BSNneeds o health care in our region and I am condent we canprovide appropriate solutions, Nelson said.

Jill Hinds, 1949-2013

Longtime Visual Communications

instructor Jill Hinds died Jan. 6,

2013. Her amily requests thatremembrances be in the orm o

donations to the Visual Commu-

nications Program Fund at NMC

or the Jill Hinds Art Scholarship.

Donations may be sent to the NM

Foundation, 1701 E. Front St.,

Traverse City, MI 49686 or made

online at www.nmc.edu/give
http://www.nmc.edu/culinaryhttp://www.nmc.edu/culinary


6/86

New scholarships

Clark Reynolds Aviation Scholarship:Clare County resident Ruth Ann Reynoldsestablished this scholarship in memory oher husband, who died in 2010.

Clark Reynolds love o aviation startedwhen he few helicopters during the Viet-

nam War. When he returned home, RuthAnn encouraged him to get his privatepilots license. She even ound the rstairplane he ever owned.

Ater his death, she donated his thirdplane, a 1958 Piper ripacer, to NMC.Te plane was restored to fying conditionand sold at auction in December.

Te scholarship established with the pro-ceeds is expected to help aviation studentsor the next ten years, said NMC Aviation

Director Aaron Cook.

Ruth Ann Reynolds said thats just whather husband would have wanted.

Im just so happy that its going to begited and more young aviators are goingto be out there doing what my husbanddid, she said.

Capt. Lori R. Reinhart Scholarship:Te Great Lakes have been a boys clubor a long time, and Capt. Lori Reinhart,

GLMA Class o 1996, wants to changethat. So Reinhart, the rst emale captainon a U.S. fag ship, established the scholar-ship, to be awarded annually to a emaledeck cadet.

Te time spent at sea can make a mari-time career a tough choice, she said. Butadvantages include good pay, considerabletime o, and, as the Great Lakes shippingindustry prepares or a wave o retirementsin the next ve years, incredible advance-ment opportunity.

Te advancement is going to be huge,said Reinhart, who sails or AmericanSteamship Co. Everyone that comes on,theyre looking or uture captains andchie engineers.

Trough the generous gits o communitydonors, more than 700 NMC studentsreceived assistance meeting their educa-tional goals through NMC Foundationscholarships last year. For inormation on

establishing or donating to a scholarship,contact Sarah Hemminger at theFoundation, [email protected](231) 995-1030.

Other giving opportunities

Planned giving A planned git is a wayto honor your present nancial com-mitments while also leaving a legacy oruture generations. Individuals who makea planned git to NMC become mem-bers o the Biederman Society, named or

Lester M. Biederman, whose inspirationand dedication led to the ounding oNMC in 1951. Contact Rebecca eahen [email protected] (231) 995-1855 ormore inormation about planned giving.

Extended EdNew: Northern Michigan

Naturalist certifcate

Water, shoreline, woods, rollinglandscape, dunes, plentiul trees,birds, wildfowers and wildlie arepart o what makes our Up Nortregion so remarkable.

ake your interest and engagemeto a new level by earning a contining education certicate, theNorern Michigan Naturalist.Whetheyou want to increase your knowleor personal enjoyment or possiblvolunteer work or employment,theNaturalistprogram providesclassroom and hands-on encount

with the natural environment.

XVisit www.nmc.edu/ees and clic

certifcates or more inormatio

Nominate anOutstanding Alumnus

NMC is seeking nominations or the 2013Outstanding Alumnus award. Established in1988, the award recognizes NMC alumni who arenoteworthy or their continued donation o time,talent, resources and enthusiasm on behal o thecollege, signicant proessional achievements,and/or exemplary leadership in community andproessional activities.

Nominations are due by Feb. 28 and can be madeonline atwww.nmc.edu/alumni.

Registration or the

popular one-week classes

held June through August

begins April 12. Designedor children and teens age

4 to 17, theres something

or everyone: Art, mu-

sic, science, technology,

dance, outdoor adventures

and more.

Most classes are ormat-

ted in a week o our or fve hal days. Classes are designed or

motivated students who want to explore an area o interest.

X To fnd the best ft, read descriptions posted at www.nmc.edu/ees
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.nmc.edu/eeshttp://www.nmc.edu/alumnihttp://www.nmc.edu/eeshttp://www.nmc.edu/eeshttp://www.nmc.edu/alumnihttp://www.nmc.edu/eesmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


7/8

Maurice A. Borden

Alumni Notes

Maurice A. Bor-den, 77, has beenelected President othe National CherrFestival. He hasserved as a directoron the non-prot

organizations boardo governors since2009, and has beena volunteer ambassa

dor since 1995. Te estivals mission is tocelebrate and promote cherries, commu-nity involvement, and the Grand raversRegion. Mr. Borden is a member o thelaw rm o Sondee, Racine & Doren, PLin raverse City Michigan.

Tyler Benson, 04, 09-12, has published

the Adventures o Onyx and the Guard-ians o the Straits. It is the rst in a serieso childrens books about the U.S. CoastGuard, as told through the eyes o Onyx,a rescue dog. Benson is currently statione

with the Coast Guard in Bualo, N.Y.

I youre an NMC alumnus, let us knowwhat youve been up to. ell us about younew job, your relocation, the book youvepublished, the honors youve earned.

E-mail to [email protected] post atwww.nmc.edu/alumni. Te rst threealumni who submit updates will win oneo the NMC prizes rom the bookstore.

Plan ahead

February 15, 22

FAFSA Fridays

NMC Financial Aid sta will assist high

school seniors and amilies with fling aFree Application or Federal Student Aid

(FAFSA) every Friday in February.3-6 p.m., Osterlin Building

February 17NMC Childrens Choirs perormance

3 p.m., Lars Hockstad Auditorium

Tickets $10 adults, $5 seniors andstudents and available at the door.

February 21

International Aairs Forum lecture on

National Security and the Politics of

Intelligence

Speaker Dr. Joshua Rovner is an adjunctproessor at Columbia University

6 p.m., Milliken Auditorium.

Tickets $10, ree to students and educators.Available at the door or call (231) 995-1700.

Series continues third Thursday

of the month through June

X Topics and speaker bios:www.nmc.edu/ees

March 1

NMC Concert Band

8 p.m., Milliken Auditorium

Tickets $10 adults, $5 seniors andstudents and available at the door.

March 1 and 16Public Viewing Night

9-11 p.m., Rogers Observatory

Admission $2/person, $5/amily

XAll 2013 dates:

www.nmc.edu/rogersobservatory

March 7

Free Night at the Museum

Free Community Cinema: Wonder Women

Free admission to the Dennos Museumrom 5-8 p.m. Film at 7 p.m. Oered in

partnership with WCMU Public Televisionand continuing the frst Thursday o the

month through May.

March 14

Vagina Monologues perormance

Sponsored by NMC Student Lie7 p.m., Milliken Auditorium

April 26

NMC Concert Band

8 p.m., Milliken Auditorium|Tickets $10 adults, $5 seniors and

students and available at the door.

April 27

NMC Childrens Choirs perormance3 p.m., Lars Hockstad Auditorium

Spring Jazz Ensemble Showcase

8 p.m., Milliken Auditorium

Tickets $10 adults, $5 seniors and

students and available at the door.

May 4

NMC Commencement

2 p.m., Traverse City Central High School

May 19

NMC Barbecue11 a.m. 5 p.m., Main Campus

XVisit www.nmc.edu/news or

more events and details.

X Follow NMC on Twitter to fnd ree events

on campus: http://twitter.com/NMCfree

Lets all do the BBQ May 19

Advance ticket prices or the annual picnic under the pines on main campus are$6, $2 less than the $8 price on Barbecue Day.

Te late Gerald W. Oleson and his wie Frances, ounders o Olesons Food Storesin raverse City, started the annual undraiser picnic in 1956. Olesons continuesto donate the ood. About 10,000 people attend every year, raising more than$1.5 million or college programs and equipment.

Te traditional menu including a choice o bualo steakette or hot dog, baked beans,potato salad, coleslaw, ice cream and a beverage will be served rom 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.on main campus May 19. Te day also includes live entertainment and childrensgames and activities. Both the Dennos Museum Center and Rogers Observatory onBirmley Road are open to the public ree o charge.

X Tickets are available online at www.nmc.edu/bbq. For more inormation, call (231) 995-1020.
mailto:[email protected]://www.nmc.edu/alumnihttp://www.nmc.edu/eeshttp://www.nmc.edu/rogersobservatoryhttp://twitter.com/NMCfreehttp://www.nmc.edu/bbqhttp://www.nmc.edu/bbqhttp://twitter.com/NMCfreehttp://www.nmc.edu/rogersobservatoryhttp://www.nmc.edu/eeshttp://www.nmc.edu/alumnimailto:[email protected]


8/8

A Publication

Alumni & Frien

o Northweste

Michigan Colle

Winter 2013

From the Archives

Do you know the people, places or datesthese photos were taken? wo utter mys-teries rom the NMC Archives. I you canprovide any identications or details, con-tact Ann Swaney in the NMC Archives:[email protected], (231) 995-1016.

Fall mystery photo update: Most o thestudents pictured at Gov. George Rom-neys 1964 campus lecture were identied.Visitwww.nmc.edu/archives and click onFall 2012 mystery photo report in theblue box to nd out.

Love these archival photos? We do, too.Tis month, NMC is starting TrowbacTursday on Facebook. Each Tursday

well post a vintage photo some mystersome not. Like NMC on Facebook(www.facebook.com/Northwestern-MichiganCollege) and get ready or a

walk down Memory Lane each Tursday

Lets all do the BBQ! | May 19, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Tickets: nmc.edu/bbq
mailto:[email protected]://www.nmc.edu/archiveshttp://www.facebook.com/NorthwesternMichiganCollegehttp://www.facebook.com/NorthwesternMichiganCollegehttp://www.facebook.com/NorthwesternMichiganCollegehttp://www.facebook.com/NorthwesternMichiganCollegehttp://www.nmc.edu/archivesmailto:[email protected]

Documents

Norwester - Winter 2013