For the week of January 16, 2006

From the 6th floor

While we've been on the receiving end of some cooler temperatures, it remains mild for the most part. The forecast calls for scattered snow flurries throughout the next several days, accumulation anywhere from 2-4 inches daily.

Back to class

The month-long semester break is over and students headed back to class Monday, Jan. 16.
Some dates you might find handy:
Spring Break is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m., Saturday, March 4; classes resume Monday, March 13.
Final exam week is May 1-6 with Spring Commencement taking place Saturday, May 6 at 10:30 a.m.

Martin Luther King Week celebration

Northern is celebrating and reflecting on diversity and the power of a dream as part of its Martin Luther King Week activities, which began yesterday. The theme this year is "Awakening the dreamer in you: Celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr." Monday evening a candlelight march followed by a presentation by Bryant Smith took place at the University Center. Today there will be a community-wide read-in of King's letter from Birmingham Jail. On Wednesday, a discussion titled, "Has 'The Dream' been deferred?" will take place in the Hedgcock atrium. On Friday, Northern's Diversity Student Services Office will hold an open house and late-night breakfast from 8-10 p.m. in the Hedgcock atrium.

Alumni Association Award nominations sought















NMU Outstanding Young Alumnus Jeff Vande Zande '93 and NMU President Les Wong at Homecoming 2005.

The NMU Alumni Association honors alumni annually at the Homecoming Awards Brunch.
This year's event is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 30.

These awards recognize alumni who have received an associate's, bachelor's, master's, or educational specialist degree from NMU and who have been a positive influence on their professions, or on their communities through public service, or who have distinguished themselves through their outstanding achievements that place them above the norm.

The NMU Alumni Association has four award categories:
Alumni Service Award
Alumni Civic Leadership Award
Outstanding Young Alumni Award
Distinguished Alumni Award

Do you know an NMU alumnus/alumna worthy of an award?
Check out the criteria and then get in touch with us.

To nominate someone: Contact the NMU Alumni Association with contact information for the person being nominated.
That person will then be contacted by the NMU Alumni Association in order to gather the necessary information to complete the nomination.
Self-nominations will not be accepted.

18 Alumni parties in one night










'Cats score!
These fans caught the action last year during Wildcat Night Across the Country.

With the recent addition of Iron Mountain, Marinette/Menominee and Grand Haven, Wildcat Night Across the Country now has 18 parties lined up.

For those of you not familiar with Wildcat Night Across the Country, here's how it works:

Alumni around the country plan parties to watch the game.

  • Saturday, January 28
  • 4:30 p.m. Eastern
  • NMU vs. Western Michigan
  • Fox Sports

Recently added locations include:
Grand Haven, Mich.
Iron Mountain, Mich.
Alpena, Mich.

For a complete list of parties, click here.

All Wildcat fans are invited to any of the parties.

Please help us spread the word.
Send this note to your Wildcat friends and neighbors.

Most parties are dutch treat, with a couple exceptions.
See the list for details.
Please RSVP to the party host listed.

Meet friends, win prizes, cheer on the 'Cats!

In addition, there will be a post-game reception in Kalamazoo.
Post-game reception
Meet NMU President Les Wong and Hockey Coach Walt Kyle
Damon's
3124 S. Westnedge Ave
Immediately following the game (approx. 7 p.m.)

Please RSVP to the NMU Alumni Association

 

Milwaukee Area Alumni Reception



For a complete look at our board members, click here.

NMU President Les Wong,
Alumni Association President Garn Lewis '86, Ph.D.
and
the NMU Alumni Association Board of Directors
invite you to a
casual gathering of NMU alumni and friends.

Saturday, Feb. 11
6-8 p.m.
Mo's Irish Pub
142 W. Wisconsin Avenue
Downtown Milwaukee

Complimentary hors d'oeuvres and beverages available for purchase.
Please RVSP to the NMU Alumni Association.

Clinton diarist among those visiting campus

Janis F. Kearney will be on the NMU campus Feb. 1-2. Kearney is an author, publisher, historian, and literacy advocate who served for five years as the personal diarist to former President Bill Clinton. On Feb. 1, she will present “Diversity: The Color of our Future” at 7 p.m. in the Cadillac-Brule Rooms of the University Center. On Feb. 2, she will present “Careers for Writers” at 4 p.m. in the Nicolet Room of the U.C., and then at 7:30 p.m. give a reading from her book Cotton Field of Dreams in the Nicolet-Marquette Rooms. All are free and open to the public.
Also making a trip to Marquette, MTV news reporter Gideon Yago will speak at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 8, in at the U.C.
Dierks Bentley, a rising country singing star, will perform at the Berry Events Center at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 19.

Wildcat sports update

The hockey Wildcats are coming off a sweep of Ferris State University. The 'Cats skated by Ferris, 5-0 and 2-1 last weekend (Jan. 13-14). NMU is 13-10-1 overall on the season and 9-8-1 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. The 'Cats continue their home stand Jan. 20-21 hosting Notre Dame.
The NMU men's basketball team has an extended home streak, playing its next five games at the Berry Events Center. The team is 8-8 overall on the season and 4-3 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
The NMU women's basketball team is 5-9 overall and 1-6 in the GLIAC. The 'Cats play Wayne State Saturday, Jan. 21.
NMU football coach Bernie Anderson '78, '84 has added Tom Wender '72 to his staff. Wender will serve as linebacker coach. He spent the 2005 season at Saginaw Valley State University as the special teams coordinator/outside linebackers coach.  Prior to that, he spent 21 seasons (1984-04) at Iron Mountain High School, where he was the head football coach.

From the E-mail bag

"Wow! Carol's pictures in the 1/9/06 "What's New, NMU?" were certainly a trip back in time. I was surprised to see my face in two of the photos (the two across the top) but smiled as I thought of when they were taken--1988 Summer Orientation. What a blast! A big hello to all of my orientation team members (Bobbie, Carol, Eric, Sally, Mike, Britt, Linda, Bob, Todd, Jan, Jeff, Tim and Patti.) Hope all is well with all of you. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!"
Stephanie Taylor '90
Huntersville, NC
sct0702@bellsouth.net

"I just wanted to say that because of the newsletter I have been able to contact and keep in touch with several friends and alumni from NMU that I had lost contact with. It is a great way to reconnect with friends. Also, I am honored once again to serve as president of the First Nighters Club, the booster club for the Forest Roberts Theatre at NMU and its theatre students."
Bobby Glenn Brown '87
Marquette, MI
bobber999@chartermi.net

 "Just wanted to send you guys this note since four of us are NMU alumni."









L-R:  Mark Johnson '95, Walt Lindala '90, Lorrie Hayes '83, Mike Letts '84, Jim Cohen.  Photo Credit:  Andy Gregg 'XX.

Marquette, Michigan's FLAT BROKE BLUES BAND is bringing some U.P. Power to events in Detroit next month celebrating Super Bowl XL.  The band has been selected to perform at a pair of game day NFL-sanctioned Super Bowl parties at the exclusive Detroit Athletic Club, located next to Ford Field, and at the Boll Family YMCA building in downtown Detroit.  The band will be performing at pre-game and post-game parties for several hundred Super Bowl attendees, NFL players and staff as well as other dignitaries.  The FLAT BROKE BLUES BAND was selected to play at the events by PrimeSport, Inc. an international sports and entertainment event management firm based in Los Angeles, CA. 
FLAT BROKE'S members say they are not only excited to be performing at the events, but they are proud to be giving partygoers a taste of Upper Michigan.  Lead vocalist Lorrie Hayes says, "We are honored to be heading to Detroit for the Super Bowl.  It's a chance to let the people know about the U.P. and what Yoopers are all about."  Hayes adds, "When we got the phone call to play the shows, we immediately said yes since it was a good opportunity to show the crowd how we do things up here in the north."
The parties will be attended by a wide ranging group of people who will be taking part in Super Bowl XL.  The band says that they are not even sure about who's going to be there, but they have been informed that there will be some NFL players attending and taking part in the festivities.  FLAT BROKE BLUES BAND guitarist/vocalist Walt Lindala says, "We don't know who is going to show up, but we were asked if it would be OK if quarterback Doug Flutie sat in on drums with the band.  Of course, we said yes!"  

Walt Lindala '90
walt@greatlakesradio.org
 
You can find out more about the band, their new CD and their gig schedule by checking out their website at www.flatbrokebluesband.com on the World Wide Web.

Have something you'd like to share? Feedback should be directed to dhemmila@nmu.edu

"What's New, NMU?" is a service of the NMU Alumni Association. Consider joining today!