March 2007

Welcome

Welcome to the March edition of the Michigan Campus alumni e-newsletter.  Spring term is well on its way here at “The Wood” and we are all gearing up for the Spring Commencement which will be here before you know it. 

The University is continuing to grow…in response to the growth NU will be hosting two commencement ceremonies this spring to make sure we can accommodate all graduates and their families.  The 2007 commencement date is set for Saturday, May 19.  The first ceremony will be at 10:30am for all DeVos MBA and University College graduates.  The second ceremony is scheduled for 3:00pm and will be for the traditional undergraduate graduates.  We are also planning a reception for all graduates between both ceremonies from 12:30pm – 2:00pm.  Please contact me if you have a son or daughter graduating this spring, we have a special legacy luncheon planned on commencement day too.    

The alumni office has been traveling to both Chicago and Cleveland in the past few months and hosted alumni receptions.  We have had great interest in these areas so we plan on continuing to build these area chapters.  If you are interested in being involved in making these chapters stronger please contact me.  Click below for photos from the recent events in Chicago and Cleveland.

Can you believe that Northwood University will be turning 50 years old in 2009!   We have just begun to plan the big celebration.  If you are interested in getting involved please visit the NU homepage and click on the 50th anniversary logo: http://www.northwood.edu/

As always, be sure to review the ALUMNI EVENTS CALENDAR for more information on upcoming events. 

Julie Felske
Class of ‘01
Director of Alumni Relations
Felske@northwood.edu

Click to Enlarge Photos
   
Back to Top

What's New on the Michigan Campus

Please click on the links below for the most recent press releases.              

Back to Top

Freedom Seminar

29th Annual Freedom Seminar to be held in Detroit
All Northwood Alumni are invited to attend the 29th annual Northwood University Freedom Seminar on April 19 – 22, 2007 at the Detroit Athletic Club and The Atheneum Suites Hotel in downtown Detroit.   As an alumni you will not be required to attend the entire seminar, you can choose to see just one of the sessions or multiple sessions.  We have many great speakers this year including our own President Keith A. Pretty and Rollie Massimino and Marva Collins, founder of the Westside Preparatory School.

The Freedom Seminar is an annual three and one-half day symposium on free market economics led by national and international academic and business leaders.  The purpose of the Freedom Seminar is to investigate current business and economic topics of utmost interest to the academic and business communities.  Northwood University students, alumni & friends are invited to attend the reception and any or all sessions. 

Please follow the link below for detailed seminar information:
http://www.northwood.edu/freedomseminar/

Back to Top

What's New in Career Services

Career Assistance Center

2007 S.E. MI Spring Career Expo
As a graduate of Northwood University, you are cordially invited to attend our 2007 S.E. MI Spring Career Expo.  This event is sponsored by the Career Assistance Center and Troy Offices.
DATE:     Tuesday, April 17, 2007
TIME:      3:00 PM – 7:00 PM
PLACE:  City of Troy Community Center
                3179 Livernois
                Troy, MI 48083

Alumni
If you are looking for a job or a new career opportunity, please join us.  For the most up-to-date listing of employers scheduled to visit us please follow this link: http://www.northwood.edu/apps/careers/list.asp?fair=21and click on the Registered Companies List.  This list is updated daily, so please check back often.

If you have any questions regarding the Career Expo or any of our other services please contact us. 

Kim, Chris, Jenny and Tiffany
Career Services
NORTHWOOD UNIVERSITY
989.837.4320 - Direct
989.837.4499 - Fax
kinne@northwood.edu

Back to Top

What's New in Athletics

Northwood University Basketball Program Auction Invitation
This is a quick note to let you know about the Third Annual Basketball Auction being held on April 21 from 6-10 p.m. at the Holiday Inn of Midland.  The cost is $35 (your payment in excess of $20 per person is tax deductible) with dinner hors d’oeuvres and refreshments, while alcoholic beverages will be provided by the Holiday Inn.

We feel that we have the best items that we’ve ever had including: Tiger Sky Box, Piston playoff Sky Box, along with Piston playoff tickets (some will include dinner with Meet and Greet packages).  Other items include Red Wings and Lions tickets.  Concert tickets include Billy Joel, Police reunion, and Faith Hill—among others.  There will also be signed jerseys/balls/posters, and much more.

Please put the date on your calendar and let me know if you are interested in attending this year.  We hope to see you at the event this year.

Please call me at (989) 513-0117 or e-mail me at btaylor@northwood.edu if you would like to purchase tickets.

My Best,
Bob Taylor
Head Men’s Basketball Coach

Northwood Athletics Hall of Fame Nominations Sought
Nominations for the Northwood (MI) Athletic Hall of Fame are still being accepted and encouraged.  If you would like to nominate an outstanding former student-athlete go to the following link to print off a nomination form.  Anyone is eligible to submit nominations.  Send the completed form to the Northwood University Athletic Office – Hall of Fame.

The second annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, September 29 as part of the Auto Show/Homecoming festivities.

http://www.northwood.edu/sharedmedia/PDF/Athletics/MI/halloffame.pdf

Athletic News Stories

The spring sports season is in full swing at Northwood University.  The men’s tennis team is currently ranked No. 15 nationally and have won six straight matches overall.  The Timberwolves are 5-0 in the GLIAC and are looking for their 13th straight GLIAC championship.  Senior Teddy Mebounou is currently ranked No. 2 nationally in singles and third in doubles with partner Marius Broek.  The baseball team opened its season by going 8-4 on its trip to Florida.  Junior outfielder Champ Rankin was named GLIAC Player of the Week for his efforts on the spring trip – he batted .441 and stole 17 bases in just 10 games.  The women’s golf team recently set school records for lowest 18-hole team score (306) and lowest 36-hole team score (616) at the Northern Kentucky Invitational.  The team finished third out of 23 teams, beating Ferris State and a pair of Division I schools at the event.  The softball team has posted seven victories so far this season and will begin conference play this week at Findlay and Ashland.  Finally, the Northwood track and field teams will get their outdoor season started at the Grand Rapids Open under new head coach Josh Styker.  Stryker is a former All-American at Northwood and was an assistant for the Timberwolves from 2003-2006.

Back to Top

Special Events

2007 Outstanding Alumni Achievement Awards
The 2007 Michigan Campus Outstanding Alumni Achievement Awards are scheduled to be held on April 27, 2007 at the Griswold Communications Center.  Please contact the alumni relations office at alumni@northwood.edu if you are interested in attending the dinner and ceremony and honor these alumni with us.    

This year’s recipients are:
Jenny L. Anderson, Class of 1978
Michael Cassidy, Class of 1973
Rick Portwood, Class of 1990
Daniel Reichard, Class of 1981
Kathy Vertin, Class of 1988

Northwood University adheres to the following criteria when selecting in it’s OAAA recipients:

Nominees must meet each of the following criteria:

  • Outstanding achievement in their chosen career
  • Dedication to their career
  • Support and involvement in their local communities
  • Support and commitment to Northwood and the Northwood Idea
  • Good moral character and strong ethical behavior
  • Receipt of a Northwood University Michigan Campus AA or BBA degree by graduating from the Michigan campus or any extension program in Michigan.
  • Nominee must have graduated from Northwood University’s traditional study program at least ten (10) years prior to their nomination.  Graduates from University College or the DeVos MBA program will have graduated at least five (5) years prior to their nomination.  Consideration will be given to exceptional nominees who fall outside the above year-of-completion requirement.

If you know an alumnus that meets each of these criteria, please submit your nomination at:
https://www.northwood.edu/forms/alumniaward/alumniaward.asp

2007 Scholarship Showcase Announcement
We are looking for Volunteers for the 11th Annual Scholarship Showcase.   The event is being held on Wednesday, October 17th at the Skillman Library in Downtown Detroit.  This year’s leading sponsor is Toyota.  During the evening we host a Live and Silent Auction.  We need your help to make it a success.   If you are interested and able to give time please contact:  Nicole Gize, Director of Alumni Development – Southeast Michigan at 248.649.1034 or gizen@northwood.edu.  

Northwood University’s Scholarship Showcase is an annual fundraising event held in the Detroit area that brings alumni, friends, and corporate supporters together to focus on Northwood and the role it plays in educating career-minded individuals through a focus on free enterprise and entrepreneurship, global commerce, business ethics, and the relationship between business and the arts.

The purpose of the Scholarship Showcase is to raise support for Northwood University and its scholarship fund. Begun in 1997, the Showcase has netted more than $1 million to benefit the university while also spotlighting the University’s career-focused curriculums and free-enterprise approach to an important constituency of alumni, friends, and business leaders

Back to Top

What's New in Student Services

Student Life has had a busy couple of weeks during the 2007 Spring Term.  March 19-22 was Values Emphasis Week and the kickoff speaker was networking expert Dave Sherman.  Other events held during Values Emphasis week were a Blood Drive, NU Players performance of “Almost Maine” and a networking session with Midland area business people and Northwood students.  March 26-30 was Diversity Week here at NU, with special events and activities scheduled every night of the week.  Diversity Week is designed to educate students and the public about diversity, the events are intended to be educational, inspiring and fun. 

We encourage alumni to get involved with all activities on campus.  Please let us know if you are interested in participating in any of the following events.

  • Domestic Violence Speaker - April 19th
  • Student Leadership Banquet - April 23rd
  • 2007 Style Show – April 26
  • Easter Basket Donation to 60 children through out the City of Midland
  • Senior Reception – May 2
  • NU Pride Day -  May 9th
  • Student Government Association Outdoor Party - May 9th
  • And much more!!! 

Back to Top

Eye on Business

The purpose of the Eye on Business section is to provide you with interesting websites to add to your “favorites” on your computers, as well as to provide you with key economic data at a glance.   

CEOExpress  http://www.ceoexpress.com
Detroit Economic Club http://www.econclub.org

Facts and Figures

  Present – March 29, 2007  Previous Year – March 29, 2006 
Dow Jones Industrial Average 12,348.75 11,215.70
NASDAQ 2,417.88 2,340.82
Price of Crude Oil ($ per barrel) 66.10 58.06
Price of Gold 671.10 503.40
Prime Interest Rate 8.25 6.75
Average Home Mortgage Rate 6.25 6.15
Value of U.S. $ relative to Euro 0.7476 0.8324
Value of U.S. $ relative to Yen 117.50 115.71
U.S. Budget Deficit 248 Billion 319 Billion
Quarterly GDP 13,308.3 billion 12,573.5 billion

 

Back to Top

Save the Date!

Upcoming Events

  • April 13 – Great Lakes Loons Opening Day Tailgate Party in Midland, Michigan
  • April 17 – NU Southeastern Michigan Career Expo in Troy, Michigan
  • April 19 - 22 – Freedom Seminar in Detroit, Michigan
  • April 25 – 5th Annual Lunch with the President in Frankenmuth, Michigan
  • April 27 – Outstanding Alumni Achievement Awards on the Michigan Campus

Please click below for additional details and a complete list of upcoming events: Alumni Events Calendar

Back to Top

Feedback

Your suggestions and feedback are vital in our planning of this newsletter and our alumni events and services.  Please complete the online feedback form by clicking on the following link: 

Online Feedback form

Back to Top

 

If you would like to be removed from future Northwood University Alumni emails, please reply with the word "unsubscribe.”

Northwood University
Alumni Office
4000 Whiting Drive
Midland, Michigan 48640
Toll free: 800.622.1007
alumni@northwood.edu