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4.) Type your story into the comment box.
The Time Capsule will be buried for 50 years
Student and Staff Statements:
A competition will be held where students can submit their “Favorite Memory at Northern.”
Students may then vote online for their favorite statement. Statements can be submitted September 17th-24th. Please keep submissions under 500 words.
Time Capsule Event:
Date: September 27th at 3 p.m.
Seating: 150 chairs
To be included in the Time Capusle:
- North Wind Issue from that week
- Program from New Jamrich Dedication
- NMU ID Card
- Printed copy of Current Faculty Members -Picture of New Jamrich and Old Jamrich -Set of Design plans from New Jamrich -Starbucks cup -Cellphone -Copy of Northern Border -Copy of Horizon Issues
- 10 student statements
- 10 Faculty Statements
- Statement from President Erickson
- Statement from Katie Bultman, North Wind Editor in Chief -Statement from ASNMU Executive Board -List of Student Organizations -Faculty Roster -Map of campus -Student Handbook -Statement from University Historian -Credit Card
Nick Obradovich • Sep 27, 2014 at 1:56 pm
Though I have only been at Northern for little over a month now, I am glad that I am here. Marquette has always been a second home to me so attending Northern was a natural choice. I believe that being here will make all the difference in the world not only in the education, but the many people I have met and will meet. My years here will be busy and packed with adventures that will shape me into the person I will become. So to future Nick reading this, I hope I had fun for you and lived a life worth living!
Nick Obradovich
September 27. 2014
Taylor Ehle • Sep 27, 2014 at 10:26 am
My favorite memory from NMU, thus far, has been being in Ms. Angela Miller-Porter’s Environmental Sustainability class. Angela teaches her students the importance of the environment, how to preserve it, and about the states of the planet. Currently the planet is suffering from climate change, a loss of biodiversity, destruction of ecosystems, and population growth.
With each of these four events resting on the shoulders of the current, and perhaps future generations, I am wondering what the state of the planet is 100 years from now. Has man found a way to preserve the ecosystems of Earth? Has the increase in human population dropped significantly? Have solar roadways been implemented into the mainstream? These are questions, if the answer is not yes to each, that you should reevaluate – If only for the well-being of all species.
-Taylor Ehle, 2014
Katey Schleinz • Sep 26, 2014 at 5:24 pm
Northern Michigan University used to be just my college, but over the past 3 years and going on my last, it has turned into my home. I remember my freshman year when I used to spend tons of money on gas going home to Grand Rapids every other week almost; then it turned into my sophomore year where I went home once every couple months; then my junior year when I only went home four times; and finally it is my senior year and who knows how many times, if any, I will make it home. I absolutely fell in love NMU and Marquette. The college atmosphere is in so abundance that anyone can jump right in and have a blast. We have so many opportunities here that we take for granted everyday. I’m just blessed to have been able to experience it these past years. I will be graduating in May 2015 and though my years here are almost complete, NMU will always have a spot in my heart. We may be Fearless, but we will always be Northern… Naturally <3
Nikisha LaPine • Sep 26, 2014 at 1:08 pm
I arrived three years ago at Northern Michigan University in 2011 as a freshman. I am now a senior, graduating in May of 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in Social Work. Because of Northern and support from others I have found my career in Social Work. As a freshman, I was so scared coming from a small town and I didn’t think I could do it and now I am a successful senior who will be graduating. I love social work and all the people in the department. They are all so kind, loving and very intelligent professors. I love the atmosphere at Northern and it was one of the main reasons I decided on this university. I have met many amazing people during my time at Northern. I will greatly miss being a student at Northern Michigan University. One thing I do request is that they acquire a master’s program for social work. If they had one I would definitely stay here! One of my favorite memories at Northern was freshman year when I met one of my best friends Katey! We randomly met on campus during orientation and long story short we ended up being sweet mates and became best friends. We moved through our education together, encouraged each other each step of the way and we still live together on campus! This is one of the best friendships I have made while my stay at NMU and in my life thanks to Northern! I love and miss Northern already! I am excited to graduate, but I truly do not want to leave the people, atmosphere, or beautiful campus!
Diane Darlington • Sep 25, 2014 at 11:33 am
Since my arrival at NMU four and a half years ago, I have been in awe of the great opportunities and services that have been available to me in and outside of the classroom. Who would have thought I would be learning to play golf for credit?
The array of course choices could keep me enrolled for another 4 years, alas I have settled on those of greatest interest to me.
I am here not for a future profession or career. I am here to realize a dream that is to get a university degree and the journey has been a long one. To all the professors, advisors and talented staff, thank for your guidance and assistance. It has been a great ride.
Diane Darlington, graduating December 2014 at the age of 70.
Jenifer Lyons • Sep 24, 2014 at 7:40 pm
One of my favorite memories of NMU is the great connection students have with the staff. Class sizes are small and it is easy to make a connection. I remember listening to Ray Ventre’s stories and laughing so hard. I remember the long conversations I had with Kia Richmond. I remember the happiness Profe Joy shared with his classes. Dr. Boe, Dr. Wood, Dr. Compton, all had an impact in my life. No other university offers an education and a way to connect so strongly with teachers.
Kirsten Zielinski • Sep 24, 2014 at 12:47 pm
My favorite memory at Northern Michigan University took place while I was studying for my final exams in late April of the Winter 2014 semester. I decided to ride my bike to Lake Superior at Picnic Rocks and hang in my hammock while studying. It was sunny and maybe around 55 degrees outside, but after the brutal winter we had for nearly 6 months, that was beautiful weather!
I was able to wear my sandals and a short sleeve shirt while admiring the icy water of the lake. There was still a little snow on the ground in Marquette and plenty left in the woods near Sugarloaf and Presque Isle! Ice was everywhere near the shore and the colors of the water, sand and sun were mesmorizing.
I thought it was uncommon for a college student to be able to bike to the beach between classes and still be able to connect to the school’s internet. That is something that makes Northern unique from other schools. Studying by the lake that day was a wonderful ending to my first year at Northern. Enjoying the warmer weather in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan that summer actually made me miss the snow and cooler temperatures of Marquette. I still remember that day and even though it was a bittersweet ending to that semester, I look forward to exploring all that Northern and Marquette have to offer while I complete my career here.
Roy Robert Owensby • Sep 24, 2014 at 12:39 pm
When I decided to write about a memory, I wasn’t really sure what they need to be about, but I figured I’d give this a shot anyways. That’s how most things have been in life, at Northern, in that you aren’t really too sure what to expect, you just give it a shot anyways.
An experience that goes well with this is one where my neighbor in the Woodland Park Apartments on campus invited me over to his apartment for dinner. He said it was going to be “his pleasure” and a taste of his home. I cordially accepted his offer.
A little bit of background about my neighbor is that his name was Jongseung (John) Kim and he was a student studying at NMU from South Korea. John, although being Korean, had the dream to be “a real American boy” and to “blend right into American society” and make friends with his time here.
On the day of the dinner, I arrived and he greeted me with such great enthusiasm, even though we had spoken just the day before. That’s just the way John was. He was happy to see you and grateful for your presence.
After being greeted so warmly, John sat me down in the chair and made sure I was comfortable. After a few moments I noticed, and was surprised to see, all of the food he had cooking on the stove. He had rice that he eventually poured a type of thicker soup over, his favorite Korean Pork, and spicy chicken.
John wouldn’t allow me to get up to get my own food. He got it for me and then fixed his own plate. As he sat down, he ate right along with me, but he was focused intently on my reaction to his food. I gave a couple gestures to signal it was delicious, which it was, and his face lit up with his big smile. He simply stated, “My pleasure,” as we ate the rest of the food and concluded dinner.
Now, I know this story isn’t very intriguing. It’s one of a simple time that could have been any ordinary day here at NMU, but that’s what I love about it. This is not an atypical day here. People have genuine interactions with one another that can simply lead to having a good time, such as dinner, or can lead to revelations about how grateful one is for their life.
John made a home here in such a short time. He made friends that cared for him, and he truly cared for them, as well. That’s the beauty of NMU and Marquette. The beauty is not only in the gorgeous trees, exhilarating mountains with the amazing view of “The Lake”, but in the people that live amongst all of that.
John made me proud to be someone who comes from the United States, and also reinforced my already deep love for being an NMU Wildcat. Thanks, John Kim, for being a positive influence in my life and the lives of so many others with your time here at Northern Michigan University. Go Cats!
Kevin Tackett • Sep 24, 2014 at 11:59 am
A burning question arose during my time here at NMU, is this institution more of a school than a business? I’m a student or a consumer? In an increasingly capitalistic world where top priority is a quick buck, the answer increasingly leaned toward the latter. When the price of a university is often directly attributed to the prestige and notoriety of said university, it can be easy to see why students of America value the money of the career they’re hoping to get more than the intellect needed to obtain that career.
My best memory was shafting myself academically and flunking out of NMU freshman year so I could go to community college for 2 years.
Dr. Martin Reinhardt • Sep 24, 2014 at 11:00 am
Boozhoo (Greetings), I want to send a message to folks in the future about this place that we call Northern Michigan University. NMU is located in our Anishinaabe Ojibway traditional homelands. We call this place Ozaagii-akawaabiwining (roughly translated as a place where people land). It is important to remember that humans have been here a long time before NMU and Marquette were ever thoughts. NMU must remain an arena of contestation where students and teachers and community members can come together and debate real issues in an effort to solve real world problems. I am proud to be part of this University and have many fond memories of my time here. I am confident that future members of this community will look back and say, “we have helped make this world a better place to live”. Miigwech (Thank you).
Hayli Cox • Sep 24, 2014 at 10:03 am
Late one night, when we both had class quite early, my roommate (who would become my best friend) and I were talking in our beds. Both of us were ambitious young women who didn’t yet know what we wanted from life, so we were talking about love, about classes, and about the world. It got later and colder, and then we saw something out the window: the aurora borealis! Neither of us had ever seen it, so we rushed to the window, mouths open, and stared. Despite the teeth-chattering cold, she and I dashed down the three flights of stairs and into a silent night.
It was surreal. Since there was class the next day, the world was dead. She and I were out in the chill in our pajamas, our breath clouding around our faces, and the lights, which were likely weak and could have been seen much stronger outside of the city, were twirling and dancing green in the sky. We ran to the edge of campus barefoot, searching for a better vantage point, across parking lots and roads. When we found the edge of campus, we stopped and stared like children, babbling about things we couldn’t even remember saying.
That night, when we returned to her beds, we laid in bed until the wee hours of the morning, more affected than we had ever been by the magic of the north. I had been inspired to do many things, and the following day, after attending Calc 2 on nearly nonexistent sleep, I ran to change my major to what I believed the lights had told me was my calling.
Bullocks, really, but beautiful.
Madeline Bacha • Sep 24, 2014 at 12:47 am
One of my favorite memories while I have attended Northern, is probably my first time jumping off the black rocks at presque isle park. It is my freshman year, and I’ve only been there twice, and my second time going I decided I was gonna jump. I had strangers cheering for me, parents, children and even some students at tech.. I was really scared though. I have a huge fee of heights, not to mention I can’t swim very well. My friend told me that she would jump in and wait for me. Well, she ended up sitting in Lake Superior for over half an hour before I finally jumped.
Todd Small • Sep 23, 2014 at 8:33 pm
One of my favorite memories of my time at NMU happened off campus.
In the time before the Seaborg Center you could walk down the middle of campus and roughly see Sugarloaf and Hogback in the distance.
One day I was walking down campus and I could see the low cloud cover was obscuring the tops of the mountains.
I had this crazy idea to hop in my car and head on down there so I could climb up and walk around in the clouds.
Luckily I was able to get there before the weather changed and I had an easy enough time climbing to the top of Sugarloaf. As I neared the top, the clouds started to envelope the landscape and it was like walking in a dream. Things were obscured by the mists until you got closer but then the way you came was lost.
Granted anyone walking through fog would feel the same way, but this truly was the bottom of the clouds touching the top of a mountain.
I walked around for a bit and the initial giddiness wore off. The feeling of walking in a dream became stronger with the inability to see anything and at the same time the desire to see something grew overwhelming.
I found myself on the platform by Bart’s memorial looking out towards the lake and listening to the waves crash into the shore. You couldn’t see them but you could hear the rhythmic pulse of Superior, back and forth, back and forth.
I ached for the clouds to part so I could see those waves. After a few minutes of standing there longing the mists granted my wish. Slowly the cloud cover thinned enough so that you could see down to the shore but nowhere else.
I was high up alone in the mists, looking down at the waves crashing into the shore, and for a moment I knew peace.
Todd Small • Sep 23, 2014 at 8:19 pm
ONE of my favorite memories at NMU was when I was acting in the play “Hamlet” in 1995.
The director decided to do the production in a ‘contemporary setting’ which forced us to make changes.
Instead of Horatio and my character, Marcellus, swearing on Hamlet’s sword that we never saw his father’s ghost Hamlet cuts his palms, then ours and we gripped hands to take a blood oath.
During the early stages of production it was decided to have a photo of the three of us taking the blood oath for a promotional picture.
Well during the photo shoot the actor playing Hamlet kept making me laugh while they were trying to take the pictures! After a few tries I was able to keep it together so we could get a solid photo.
For the main production we had to come up with a way to make our palms visibly bloody onstage before we gripped hands for the oath. Horatio was left to come up with an idea on HOW to do this.
Our first try involved pouring fake blood into plastic baggies (small amount in the corner) and tying them off. BUT when we squeezed the bags to open them on stage the blood would squirt out in a stream like we cut an artery! Horatio kept trying different things with the bags but we still had the same problem. We tried to work with that but after opening night we knew we had to do something different.
Now Thursday night at Forest Roberts Theater back in the 90s at NMU was the ‘intellectual’ night with English Profs and majors attending and we always strove to do our best that night.
Horatio decided to NOT fill the bags up so much, but instead leave some air in the bags thinking that when we break them open there wouldn’t be enough pressure to squirt the blood out.
The play opened really strong, the actors where nailing their lines and marks, and then came the oath scene…
Hamlet slit our palms and when Horatio and I crushed the bags in our hands you could hear two audible POPS even at the back of the theater! But to add to the fun the blood hadn’t squirted out, or streamed out, it BLASTED out of our hands! Horatio’s blood coated Hamlet’s shoes and my blood coated his FACE! He looked like a gunshot victim!
We continued on like nothing happened and Hamlet was trying to break my hand in his grip because we both remembered how much I cracked up when we did the scene for the promo pictures!
Amazingly I kept it together through the rest of the scene, and even held the laughter in until I got down to the dressing rooms. Even the director was trying NOT to laugh…..
The show was a hit and people I know said the incident did not mar it for them at all.
After all this time the memory of that makes me laugh.
Kara Jacoboni • Sep 23, 2014 at 10:50 am
I came to NMU as a Freshmen in 2011 and am currently a Senior, expected to graduate in May of 2015. These four years at NMU have changed my life. I decided to come to NMU because of the feeling I got when I walked on campus: it was the only college I felt comfortable and at home. I loved the personal attention the faculty and staff gives each and every student, the friendly environment that you can only find in the U.P. and the opportunities that Northern presents. I have been involved in so much since I started at Northern, from being involved with Hogwarts House in Spalding Hall, to working to compete Superior Edge and graduating from the Student Leader Fellowship Program (SLFP). I currently work in the Center for Student Enrichment (CSE) as a Leadership Programs Coordinator for the SLFP. NMU is so fortunate to have an office as strong and dedicated as the CSE. Through the CSE students are able to start clubs, volunteer, volunteer abroad, get involved in leadership programs, and much more. Some of my greatest memories are because of this office; traveling to India to volunteer, meeting some of my greatest friends, and getting to see some amazing speakers on campus. Of course, we can’t forget the natural environment that Marquette has to offer. I like to tell my friends that don’t go here that “you can never be stressed when you go to school where I do…” When you live in Marquette you are able to find yourself through your surroundings. Seeing a part of nature that isn’t available to many other people is truly amazing. We live in a place that could and should be documented in National Geographic. Thank you Northern Michigan University for making me who I am today. Be Wild! Stay Wild!
Alexis McCutcheon • Sep 22, 2014 at 5:01 pm
My favorite memory at NMU was when I was a Summer Orientation staff assistant. Not only was a lucky enough to receive a position that 120 people applied for, I got to be involved in the bigger picture for NMU. During the first three week of the job, I learned about the 12 people I would be working with and soon realized they would soon become my best friends. Not only did I learn about my coworkers, I also had the chance to meet a lot of people that work for the university and help shape Northern. Training consisted of learning everything about the university and the Marquette community. I felt so much more connected to the university and to the great town it resides in. After all the training, I was finally ready to orientate some freshman students. The greatest moments during those session, was seeing parents comfortable sending their kids here and that the students felt comfortable with becoming a student at Northern. You never know the fears that some kids have coming to college, and knowing that I might have made the transition a little bit easier even if it was just for one student made this job worthwhile. I am so grateful for the opportunities that Northern has given me in the short time that I have been a wildcat. I am so proud to call NMU my home along with Marquette. Green and gold runs through my veins and I will always love and appreciate my college career as a student at Northern Michigan University.
Kayleigh Hartland • Sep 19, 2014 at 3:37 pm
My favorite memory of NMU this far was the Payne Hall beach bonfire. I got to meet a lot of my current friends and play repeated games of Body Tag. Everyone was so willing to have fun and enjoy a good night together.
Sarah Ylitalo • Sep 17, 2014 at 4:52 pm
Though I have many favorite NMU memories this one is by far My favorite NMU memory is my first day of school in 2010 prior to this I was told I wasn’t going to make it, hold a job or even graduate from high school and 8/23/2010 not only did I start my first day of college but my very first day of my very first job. I’ve been working at the Wildcat Den on campus for the last five years. Though work has been a challenge it has lead to so many wonderful things including independence. College wasn’t something that was pushed at me, in terms of my parents wanted me to be independent. I had set a goal from the time I was 13 that I wanted to go to college. My other favorite memory was on my twenty first birthday getting a letter saying I had been accepted to student support services, they’ve helped me so much and gotten me through some of my toughest times. Thanks to them I’m reminded that it’s okay to dream, and dream big. I’m coming to the realization of my dream as I’m studying to be a nurse.
James Van Eck III • Sep 17, 2014 at 3:03 pm
When I was 19 I would take the bus from my home in Alger County to NMU almost daily. During that time I was finding it difficult to know what career I should pursue. My family constantly pressured me towards healthcare, but the intensity of it all left me unsure. One early morning the bus was dropping patients off at the medical center when a woman stumbled out of her seat and hurt her ankle. She laid there in a compromised position, moaning in pain; yet no one seemed to help her. I decided to lift her up with the aid of the bus driver and escort her indoors to the nurses. It was that defining moment that led me to pursue nursing school, to aid others in their time of need. After waiting almost five years, I’ve finally been accepted into nursing school at Northern Michigan University where I can start learning the skills that will allow me to make a difference in peoples lives every day.
Molly Schaller • Sep 17, 2014 at 2:44 pm
My favorite memory from NMU thus far has to be seeing the Northern Lights. It was a painfully cold day back in February of 2014, close to the time of spring break beginning. My friends and I had been up hanging out most of the night and it was quickly approaching the early hours. I was tipped off from a text from a friend that the Northern Lights might be out, so I decided to check what the aurora forecast was. Turns out, they were at about a 5KP and on the rise- this meant they would be visible in the sky. So, at 2:00am my friends and I headed out to Presque Isle (Sunset Point) and began walking. We trudged through the many feet of snow, shivering until we came to a clearing, looking out over a frozen Lake Superior. There they were, bright green and beautiful! Right over the lake, they danced for us, the curtains opening and closing as we gazed. Time seemed to stand still as we stood and took in all the amazement the lights offered. Mind you, it was approximately -25 degrees, so we couldn’t watch all night, however, we were lucky enough to see the lights move across the sky. It was only once we couldn’t handle the cold anymore that we returned to campus, around 3:30am. It was honestly the coolest thing I’ve seen in my time here at Northern.