New exhibit to look at U.P. culture

Students interested in learning about the Upper Peninsula’s culture, heritage and history may be interested in a new exhibition at the Heritage Center. Focused on the storytelling traditions of the U.P.’s people, the new exhibit called “Stories from the Woods,” will give students the opportunity to listen to stories that are over 100 years old being told by residents of the U.P. The exhibit also focuses on the folklorists who have studied these old U.P traditions and recorded the stories. These stories have been in the Library of Congress, never made available for listeners until now. “Students will gain a deeper appreciation of the U.P.’s people, culture and a more colorful view of the traditions,” said Daniel Truckey, the Heritage Center’s director and curator. Truckey, working with four NMU students, did the research and writing to make this exhibit possible. Northern Michigan Constructors volunteered their time by creating audio stations so patrons could listen to historical Yooper stories. “We want to compliment and provide education outside of the classroom that won’t necessarily be taught to a lot of students. The U.P. has a very fascinating and unique culture, it will be more exciting for students to learn about the culture through visuals than from a book,” Truckey said. The exhibition will be viewable for students and the community until April. The opening of the exhibit will be on Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. in the Heritage Center which is located at 105 Cohodas.

– Bethany Trieb

Workshop offers taste of Costa Rica

A Skill Builder! will be held next week to give students an opportunity to learn more about Costa Rica. Zach Bartel, a senior double majoring in Environmental Studies and Spanish, studied abroad for three months in Costa Rica last year. He will host the workshop and show a basic presentation to share facts about the country. He will also talk about music, dance, native life and food. Samples of Costa Rican food will also be offered, including patacones, which are similar to fried plantains. Gallo pinto, which is rice and beans cooked with cilantro and other spices will also be served. “This is a cool way to look into a different part of the world and see what their culture really is like,” Bartel said. In his workshop, he will give students an idea of what it is like to study abroad. “Getting the study abroad program out there and showing what it has to offer is something I would like to do,” Bartel said. This Skill Builder! will be held Friday, Sept. 25 at 4 p.m. and will take place in the Back Room in the University Center. Students interested can add their name to a waiting list online.

– Jenelle Pelletier

Changes proposed for business major

NMU’s College of Business is working on a proposal for a new program that will include classes that focus on insurance and insurance related issues. If approved by the Committee for Undergraduate Programs, the new program will combine the finance major with aspects of the insurance industry and could be offered in 2011, said David Rayome, a finance professor who will also be the head of the proposed program. “We wanted to make it clear to students, alumni and potential employers that our students are well rounded and in not just the techniques of financial management but also risk management,” he said. Risk management is managing the probability of financial loss in investing; and insurance is a way to do that, said Rayome.
The finance major will be renamed finance and risk management and will include three areas of concentration, such as corporate finance and investments, personal financial planning and risk management and insurance. The program has been made possible by a donation from a NMU alum, Ernie Telford, who worked in wholesale insurance. Telford has donated nearly $300,000 over the past three years to help develop the proposed finance risk and management major in the College of Business, and a proposed actuary science major in the math department. “I thought the College of Business had some of the ingredients to create a new major,” said Telford, “The insurance industry had been very good to me, and so I gave $300,000 [to help develop the programs].”

– Cameron Witbeck