NMU kicks off fall 2025 semester with improvements

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) - Northern Michigan University kicked off a new semester on Wednesday.

NMU Interim President Gavin Leach welcomed a new semester during his fall convocation earlier in the morning. He says the university’s enrollment is increasing, and he plans to keep it that way. He plans to look into recruitment outside of Michigan.

“Northern really needs to focus on being able to expand those markets, and being able to get greater market share in our existing markets, and once they’re here, retaining those students,” Leach said. “Those will be the keys as we move forward.”

Leach says students can look forward to updated facilities to boost the learning experience.

“We continue to modernize our facilities with both new and renovated buildings,” Leach said. “We just completed construction of new science labs for our growing science programs.”

Presidential Search Advisory Committee Chair Tami Seavoy also provided an update on the university’s search for a new president. Parker Executive Search, the firm NMU contracted to assist with the process, is handling applications.

“Parker provided the committee with an update, which revealed that many qualified people are applying,” Seavoy said. “Once that work is completed, the committee will have a rubric based on the desired characteristics of the next president that the campus community identified at a meeting at the end of last semester and via email requests for input. Those responses, with input from our advisory committee, identified the key characteristics that were included in the posted job description. These will be the basis of the rubric that the committee uses to identify the candidates it wants to interview.”

From those selected for initial interviews, Seavoy said the advisory committee will select three to four unranked finalists to visit campus in late September and early October. The Northern community will be introduced to them and have an opportunity to provide feedback for the NMU Board of Trustees to consider when they bring back the candidates for interviews.

Improvements are also seen at NMU’s Outdoor Recreation Center. Blackrocks Brewery’s Wildcat Gold beer helped purchase new outdoor equipment. The beer is the result of the partnership between the brewery and NMU. Blackrocks Co-Owner Andy Langlois says the partnership creates opportunities for students.

“If you’re coming from down state, maybe you don’t have room for that mountain bike or you don’t own one or a pair of skis, and you come up here, and to just take advantage of that, be able to get out,” Langlois said.

ORC Student Manager Avery Case says the center received about 30 skis, five bikes and camping gear. She says the ORC is popular with students, and it has run out of equipment before, so the extra help is really appreciated.

“It allows our students to explore the outdoors of Marquette more than they ever have been before,” Case said. “I know for me personally, I was able to go cross-country skiing for the first time ever in my life and explore some areas of Marquette I’ve never seen before.”

Just a few ways NMU is preparing for a strong start to the year.

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