As we move through another exciting season in Northern Michigan, I continue to be grateful for the partnerships, collaboration, and shared commitment that make this work possible. Across the region, we are seeing meaningful momentum as Grand Valley continues to expand opportunities for students, strengthen community connections, and respond to evolving regional workforce needs.

This semester has included exciting progress across each of our focus areas, from healthcare and freshwater innovation to entrepreneurship and educator pathways. We’ve celebrated student success, launched new initiatives, deepened partnerships, and continued creating opportunities that allow learners to live, learn, and work in the communities they call home.

At the heart of our work is our commitment to listening to and engaging with the communities we serve in Northern Michigan. As highlighted throughout this newsletter, we continue to respond thoughtfully to regional needs while helping students build futures here in Northern Michigan and meeting them wherever they are in their educational journey. We recognize the value of cultivating, supporting, and retaining the incredible talent that already exists within our communities. We are strengthening relationships with alumni and community leaders invested in the future of Northern Michigan as we continue to grow our Alumni Community Connectors network.

This year, I have also been honored to serve as part of both the Reach Higher Together Collaborative Leadership Network and the Reach Higher Together Integration Team as Grand Valley continues advancing its university-wide strategic commitments. It has been especially meaningful to ensure that the work happening across Northern Michigan is represented within these conversations and highlighted as part of Grand Valley’s broader vision for impact, innovation, lifelong learning, and community engagement across the state. 

As always, I am incredibly thankful for our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community partners who continue to invest in the future of Northern Michigan. Your support and collaboration are helping create meaningful impact across the region, and I’m excited for all that is ahead.

Warmest regards,

Since establishing a regional presence in 1995, GVSU has been dedicated to expanding educational access, strengthening local talent pipelines, and supporting the economic vitality of Northern Michigan.

Students can complete bachelor’s and graduate degrees as well as short-term badges and certificates that meet evolving workforce needs without leaving the region, thanks to close collaboration with community colleges, employers, and community partners.

Looking ahead, GVSU is advancing four core regional priorities that reinforce our mission to serve, empower, and innovate alongside Northern Michigan’s communities.

Annual Healthcare Showcase Introduces Students to Rural Healthcare Careers

In collaboration with Grand Valley State University’s College of Health Professions, the Traverse City Regional Center hosted its annual Healthcare Showcase for more than 200 high school students from across Northern Michigan. The event featured interactive, hands-on experiences led by faculty and healthcare professionals that introduced students to a variety of healthcare careers available within the region. Students explored pathways in physician assistant studies, athletic training, public health, medical laboratory science, health information management, occupational therapy, and allied health sciences. The showcase was designed to help rural students envision futures in healthcare while increasing awareness of educational opportunities available close to home.

MVE-Lab Returns with a Pitch & Showcase Event 

The Michigan Veteran Entrepreneur Lab (MVE-Lab) successfully returned to Traverse City for a twelve-week Veteran Entrepreneurship Bootcamp running from April 7 through June 15. Developed and led by the Richard M. and Helen DeVos Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Grand Valley State University, the program provides an entrepreneurial accelerator tailored specifically for military-connected individuals. The program will culminate with a public Pitch Night on Monday, June 15 at the Traverse City Opera House, where veteran entrepreneurs will showcase their businesses and compete for $15,000 in pitch prizes. RSVP to attend now at MVE-Lab Traverse City Pitch Night.

Students Engaged in FishPass

GVSU engineering students and researchers are partnering with FishPass and the Great Lakes Fish Commission to develop an improved fish-tracking system designed to monitor the movement of tagged fish through local waterways. Working in conjunction with underwater antennas, the new PIT Reader system will record and monitor fish movement while being designed for long-term durability, weather resistance, expandability, ease of maintenance, and remote cellular monitoring. The project supports ongoing freshwater research and fisheries management efforts throughout the Great Lakes region.

Impact 30 Grant Expands Hands-On Learning Opportunities

Support from Grand Valley’s Charter Schools Office Impact 30 Grant allowed the Traverse City Regional Center to expand hands-on educational experiences for PK-12 students across Northern Michigan. Grant funding provided new clinical and instructional equipment, including otoscopes, ophthalmoscopes, and other interactive healthcare tools used during outreach events and student engagement activities. The equipment supported immersive learning experiences for students from Greenspire High School, Traverse City High School, Traverse City St. Francis, North Ed’s Career Tech Center, and local middle schools. These efforts continue to strengthen awareness of college pathways, healthcare careers, and educational opportunities available within the region.

NMC’s Aviation Degree to Bachelor of Applied Science: Available Now

Meeting the workforce needs of Northern Michigan’s growing aviation industry continues to drive collaborative conversations between Northwestern Michigan College’s (NMC) Aviation program and Grand Valley’s Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies. Together, the institutions approved 15 GVSU credits of Industry Recognized Credentials for Aviation students who complete certain ratings.

GVSU's Bachelor of Applied Science coursework is focused on leadership, communication, and business skills, which are increasingly needed within the aviation workforce. These competencies align education with opportunities that help professionals advance their careers while remaining in the region. 

Masters in Public Health: Launching Fall 2026

GVSU is excited to launch a hybrid, low-residency Master of Public Health (MPH) program in Northern Michigan beginning in Fall 2026. Designed to support working professionals and place-based students, the program will combine flexible online coursework with in-person experiences, including a two-day Public Health Summer Intensive featuring live lectures, activities, community building, and service learning. The program aims to strengthen the public health workforce and address the unique needs of rural communities.

Healthcare Leadership Certificate: Launching Soon

Meeting the growing leadership needs within rural healthcare organizations is at the center of GVSU’s new Healthcare Leadership Graduate Certificate. Designed for professionals who are newer to management roles in healthcare settings, the certificate focuses on the unique operational, leadership, and organizational challenges facing today’s evolving healthcare sector. The program is intended to support working professionals across Northern Michigan by helping them strengthen leadership skills while continuing to serve their local communities and healthcare systems. 

Medical Laboratory Sciences: Launching Winter 2027

Medical Laboratory Science is an undergraduate field of study that prepares graduates to become certified medical laboratory scientists (MLS). Medical laboratory scientists are essential healthcare professionals; they perform clinical laboratory tests that aid in the detection, diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of disease. This in-demand degree will be completed through collaboration with NMC to utilize their lab spaces on the Front Street Campus. 

Alumni Community Connectors: In partnership with Alumni Relations, we are continuing to strengthen and expand our network of alumni community connectors across Northern Michigan. These gatherings create opportunities for alumni, community leaders, and regional partners to build meaningful relationships, explore collaboration opportunities, and strengthen GVSU’s presence and impact throughout the region.

Applied AI & Entrepreneurship Event: As part of Northern Michigan Startup Week, GVSU's College of Computing brought together faculty, students, startups, and regional partners to explore how Applied AI can drive innovation and growth across Northern Michigan. The event featured real-time demonstrations, startup spotlights, and breakout conversations spanning healthcare, manufacturing, and sustainability. The day was designed to spark collaboration, strengthen connections, and explore funding pathways that help move ideas from research to market.

President Mantella Visits Traverse City: We were honored to host President Philomena V. Mantella in our new Traverse City space, where she met with students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community leaders. The visit highlighted Grand Valley’s growing partnerships and impact across Northern Michigan while creating opportunities for meaningful conversations around innovation, healthcare, workforce development, and regional collaboration.

Healthcare Engagement Events: We hosted a series of engagement events as part of our annual Hot Cocoa & Healthcare Careers initiative, which we were excited to expand to North Central Michigan College this year. We welcomed approximately 22–25 participants at Northwestern Michigan College and 15 participants at North Central, where students explored healthcare degree pathways while connecting with faculty and staff over hot cocoa and marshmallows.

Preview Day for GVSU’s Physician Assistant Studies - Traverse City Campus: We had a wonderful turnout of 33 attendees for our Physician Assistant Studies Preview Day. Participants learned about the admissions process, heard firsthand experiences from current PA students, and toured our beautiful new facilities in Traverse City.

Updated Northern Michigan Website: Our website has updated to GVSU's new platform. We encourage you to explore our website at gvsu.edu/north and check out our updated pages, Faculty & Staff, Focus Areas, and Northern Michigan Events. 

Student Science Symposium: GVSU partnered with NMC for the first time to co-host a Student Science Symposium during Northern Michigan Startup Week, highlighting student research, innovation, and applied learning while showcasing collaboration between higher education and the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Dear Data: Our regional team participated in the Dear Data @ GVSU initiative this Spring, where members of the Laker community tracked a week of personal data and transformed it into hand-drawn postcards as a creative exploration of storytelling through data. Read through our unique and colorful Dear Data submissions.

Air Quality: Our regional team also contributed to research efforts supporting University of Michigan doctoral students Rachel Silcox and Rebecca Lentz as they advance air quality research through their startup, Puffin Air Purifiers.

Munson Symposium: Northern Michigan Physician Assistant Studies students presented three research projects at the annual Munson Health Care (MHC) Provider Symposium in January 2026. (See a picture below)

Regional Research: Dr. Katie Aurand, Assistant Professor in the Physician Assistant Studies Program, has been mentoring students through research projects focused on rural and community health, including:

Take a glimpse into the people and partnerships that make our work possible. Below you'll see photos of hands-on learning, community events, partner visits, student celebrations, and regional collaborations. We even had Louie the Laker in Traverse City to welcome NMC’s new mascot, Swoop, at NMC’s 75th Anniversary event!

Our 2026 Etiquette Dinner welcomed more than 35 students and alumni from across the region. Participants learned how to navigate dining etiquette during professional meetings and interviews while networking with peers and professionals. Cindy Brown from GVSU’s Career Center shared her expertise, and a local photographer and GVSU alumna provided professional headshots for attendees.

During the Winter 2026 pre-finals week, students engaged in an interactive scavenger hunt, Goosechase. Students participated directly through an app by completing fun missions, like taking a picture in the lake, testing their knowledge with GVSU trivia, and hunting for therapy dogs to de-stress, while competing with friends and winning points!

GVSU Northern Region
1890 College Drive
Traverse City, Michigan 49686
(231) 995-1785
nminfo@gvsu.edu