July 2008
Welcome
Welcome to the August edition of the Northwood University alumni e-newsletter. The alumni office has been busy this summer working on the new and improved “Northwood University Alumni & Friends Chapter” plan. With the S.E. Michigan, Chicago, and Cleveland Alumni & Friends chapters ready to go, we will be focusing on the greater Grand Rapids area, the N.W. Michigan area, and the Tri-cities area in the fall. If you are interested in getting involved in a chapter in the Midwest region, please let us know!
The alumni office has also been busy this summer planning for the 45th annual Northwood University International Auto Show and Homecoming weekend. The annual alumni brochure and football schedule magnet will be going out in the mail yet this summer, which will detail all alumni events scheduled for Auto Show/Homecoming weekend. In the meantime, feel free to check out the Auto Show website: http://www.northwood.edu/autoshow/Julie Felske
Class of 2001
Alumni Director
felske@northwood.edu
Click HERE to view the alumni e-newsletter archive online.
Upcoming Events
Click HERE for more information on all events.
August 14 |
Alumni Night in the Northwood Loons Suite – Midland, Michigan |
| August 28 & 29 |
Freshman Orientation, Midland, Michigan |
| September 18 |
Northwood Career Fair - Novi, Michigan |
| September 19 |
Valley-Wood Golf Challenge – Midland, Michigan Valley-Wood Golf Brochure Download |
| September 20 |
Axe Bowl – Midland, Michigan |
| October 10-12 | Auto Show – Homecoming Weekend! |
Click HERE for more information on all events.
50th Anniversary
Hidden in the woods of Midland, Michigan you will discover that Northwood University is alive and booming. Although the summer means students are off working long and hard proving themselves in the competitive business world, Northwood seems to never slow down. New construction, endless summer camps, faculty and staff celebrations, and unremitting preparation that is required for the pending school year keeps the small campus on Whiting Drive vibrant. And did I forget to mention that Northwood will be celebrating its 50th anniversary beginning September 2008?
Fifty years ago Northwood was an institute in Alma, Michigan. Today, it has three distinct campuses and a multitude of locations across the globe. Therefore, the 50th anniversary marks the perfect occasion to reconnect with those who have contributed to the Northwood University that exists today. It is our goal to engage you, our alumni, and provide a basis for you to return to your campus. We also plan to bring celebrations to destinations that have a strong Northwood affiliation. These include, but are not limited to, West Baden, Indiana; Detroit, Michigan; Kalamazoo, Michigan; Houston, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; and San Diego, California. The dates and times of all 50th anniversary events will soon be posted at www.northwood.edu/50.
Fifty years is an admirable occasion that we are proud to have realized. Help us celebrate the last 50 years while joining us as we embark on the future.Kavanagh’s Korner
2008 and Beyond...
Over the past year, each of the university’s operating units has developed a comprehensive strategic plan for the next five years. The University Advancement team, in turn, has been charged with implementing plans to raise the funds necessary to carry out all aspects of the strategic plan.
Consequently, we have engaged the services of an outstanding consulting firm, the Hartsook Companies of Wichita, Kansas, to conduct a capital campaign readiness assessment and a feasibility study to allow us to prioritize effectively and determine realistic goals. The ultimate result of all these activities will be a comprehensive capital campaign that will be announced and launched during our 50th Anniversary celebration.
A significant piece of the consultant’s activities will center on feedback they receive from a series of personal interviews and also mail surveys of our alumni, donors, and friends. Many of you may be contacted over the next two months to provide your perspective and suggestions as to how we proceed. Candid and thoughtful input from those surveyed is crucial to allowing us to build a realistic and reachable goal for the 50th Anniversary Campaign. Please take the time to respond should you be contacted.
Best wishes to all from your alma mater.
News @ NU
Northwood University Graduates Afghan Women Participating in Peace Through Business Entrepreneurial Education Program
Said Tayeb Jawad, Ambassador of Afghanistan to the U.S., to Address Graduates
MIDLAND, Mich. -- A graduation ceremony for 13 female Afghan business owners who are completing a high-level, four-week business education and mentoring program at Northwood University will be held on Monday, August 4 at 10:30 a.m. at the Midland, Mich., campus' Griswold Hall. Northwood University, in partnership with The Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women (IEEW), the United States Afghan Women's Council and the United States Department of State, hosted the women. This is the second year for the Peace Through Businesses initiative at Northwood University.
Northwood University President Keith A. Pretty; IEEW President Terry Neese and Said Tayeb Jawad, Ambassador of Afghanistan to the United States, will address the graduates during the ceremony. Additionally, a taped message of congratulations from First Lady Laura Bush will also be played.
"Building on our history from last year, it has been amazing to see the effect of the program on the lives of its participants and those around them," Neese said. "We anticipate the graduating class of 2008 will continue to create strong businesses and serve as mentors for other women who desire to achieve economic freedom."
The Peace Through Business initiative began in 2007 and was an outstanding success. The nine women who participated are currently volunteering their time to encourage and educate others. While they did not know each other prior to their participation, they have established joint ventures and training modules for other local Afghan women.
"Stabilizing the Afghan economy is the path to personal freedom and democracy for the millions of people who live there," Pretty said. "Empowering the women of the country is a major step in achieving that goal. Northwood University is honored to be able to play a continuing role in educating and mentoring these very brave women."
Northwood faculty who are experienced in teaching entrepreneurial concepts and skills provide instruction in basic business skills, creating a business plan and capital formation. The second phase of the program will focus on long-distance learning and mentoring using technology to provide ongoing support and knowledge, helping the program participants to maintain their enterprises.
Northwood University conducts this training in English as well as in Farsi, the native language of Afghanistan. In addition, participants receive follow-up instruction and business consultation in their own languages (Farsi and Pashto) by electronic means as well as in hard copy format.
The Peace Through Business curriculum was developed by and administered by Dr. John Amin, an Afghan-American who received his degree from Kabul University and holds professor emeritus status at Northwood.
"This program is unique in that it will allow the participants to take their education and experience back home to share their knowledge with others, a critical component to building a system of economic health in Afghanistan," Amin said.
Additional info on the Afghan Women from other sources:
Saginaw News: http://www.mlive.com/saginawnews/business/index.ssf/2008/08/afghani_women_graduate_from_bu.html
Bay City Times: http://www.mlive.com/baycity/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-12/121767212091020.xml&coll=4
Please click on the link below to view additional press releases from Northwood.
Press Release Archive
Athletics
Women's Basketball Named To WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll
For the second straight season, the Northwood University Women’s Basketball team has been named to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll. The Timberwolves’ overall team grade point average of 3.398 ranked them 23rd nationally out of 275 Division II programs.
Grade point averages are calculated by dividing the total number of quality points earned by each student-athlete on an institution’s roster in the given academic terms by the total number of hours earned by the team. The GPAs are rounded to the nearest thousandth of a point.
The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference was well represented on the list with four teams overall, including the No. 2 overall team at Michigan Tech (3.639). Gannon (ninth, 3.508), Ashland (15th, 3.439) and Findlay (22nd, 3.331) were also on the list.
"I am very proud of our team for this accomplishment," said Jeff Curtis, who is entering his fifth season as head coach. "This was a successful season for our team both on the court and in the classroom. I feel fortunate to be a part of such a driven group of student-athletes."
Northwood had one of the finest seasons in program history in 2007-08, going 18-9 and sharing the GLIAC North Division title. The Timberwolves return 11 of their 14 players for next year.
For more information, visit our website at timberwolves.gonorthwood.com/.
The Northwood University Student Athlete Advisory Committee claims GLIAC Make-A-Wish Donation Champs for the third year in a row! Click here for the rest of the story.
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.
Present – August 1, 2008 |
Previous Year – August 1, 2007 |
|
| Dow Jones Industrial Average | 11,326.32 |
13,362.37 |
| NASDAQ | 2,310.96 |
2,553.87 |
| Price of Crude Oil ($ per barrel) | 124.08 |
75.49 |
| Price of Gold | 918.00 |
670.50 |
| Prime Interest Rate | 5.25 |
8.25 |
| Average Home Mortgage Rate | 5.52 |
5.86 |
| Value of U.S. $ relative to Euro | .6411 |
.7297 |
| Value of U.S. $ relative to Yen | 108.036 |
119.080 |
| U.S. Budget Deficit | 161 Billion |
248 Billion |
| Quarterly GDP | 13,967.3 Billion |
12,573.5 Billion |
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
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