Northwestern Michigan College

Northwestern Michigan College was established in 1951 by local academics upset at the lack of higher education in the northern Lower Peninsula . The first classes were held on September 17, 1951, [ 7 ] housed at a borrowed, vacant building at Cherry Capital Airport . The first term had a student enrollment of 65, and a staff count of six. In 1956, NMC relocated to a vacant parcel at the base of the Old Mission Peninsula in Traverse City. Some of this parcel was split with Traverse City Area Public Schools , which began construction on Traverse City Senior High School , completing in 1959. [ 8 ] [ 9 ] Presidents The following are those who have served as President of NMC: [ 10 ] Preston N. Tanis (1951–1970) Jim Davis (1970–1972) Committee of Five: Art Moenkhaus, Mike Ouwerkerk, Lornie Kerr, Jack McChrystal, and Willard Smith (1972–1973) Bill Yankee (1973–1981) George Miller (1981–1986) Lornie Kerr (acting president, 1986–1987) Philip Runkel (1987–1989) Tim Quinn (1989–1996) Dr. Ilse Burke (1996–2001) Timothy J. Nelson (2001–2019) Nick Nissley, Ed.D. (2020–present)

Main campus Traverse City main campus The main campus of Northwestern Michigan College, also known as Front Street Campus, is located within the city of Traverse City, at the base of the Old Mission Peninsula . The campus is largely surrounded by the residential Base of Old Mission and Indian Woods neighborhoods of Traverse City. [ 11 ] Immediately adjacent Front Street Campus is the campus of Traverse City Central High School . Front Street Campus is home to the majority of the college's academic buildings, as well as residence halls and apartments. Located at Front Street Campus is the Dennos Museum Center , a museum of fine art affiliated with Northwestern Michigan College. It consists of an outdoor sculpture garden, several galleries for temporary exhibits, and the museum's signature collection of Inuit art of the Canadian Arctic , one of the largest and most historically complete collections of these distinctive sculptures and prints in the United States. [ 12 ]

NMC Great Lakes Campus is located on the shore of West Grand Traverse Bay in Traverse City. The T/S State of Michigan is moored at the Great Lakes Maritime Academy pier. Northwestern Michigan College Great Lakes Campus is located about 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the Front Street Campus. The campus is home to the Great Lakes Maritime Academy (GLMA), one of six state-operated maritime academies that receives aid from the federal Maritime Administration . GLMA is the only U.S. Maritime Academy on fresh water. The academy operates the T/S State of Michigan , a former Navy vessel now used as a training ship . [ 13 ] Also housed at Great Lakes Campus is the Great Lakes Water Studies Institute, Great Lakes Culinary Institute, a teaching restaurant, Lobdell's, and the Hagerty Conference Center. [ 14 ]

Northwestern Michigan College Aero Park Campus is home to the college's flight school , which offers associate and bachelor's degree options. The campus is located adjacent to Cherry Capital Airport , and also includes hangars and an automotive service technology building. [ 15 ]