2 | B uilding T omorrow T ogeTher North Central Michigan College Board of Trustees “North Central Michigan College is a valuable community resource, perhaps our greatest. Educating our youth to serve our health industry, service industry, and manufacturing industry is the best investment we can make for future sustainability. An educated community is a vibrant one, and having it located in such a pristine environment makes it even more special.” Paul Keiswetter, Chairman and CEO, Petoskey Plastics BUILDING OUR FUTURE IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN Phil Millard, Chair Dave Kring, Vice Chair John Fought, Treasurer Irma Noël, Secretary Melissa Keiswetter Dan Rasmussen Jim Shirilla North Central was founded by the community more than 60 years ago to ensure access to quality higher education in Northern Michigan. Through the decades, our community’s college has proven its value by opening doors of opportunity for students and powering the local economy. North Central students grow into professionals and community- minded leaders who run businesses, create products, and keep our community safe and healthy as nurses, first responders, and public safety officers. North Central Michigan College impacts every part of life in Northern Michigan. ncmich.edu/buildingtomorrow | 3 In the two years since my appointment at North Central Michigan College, I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the people and places of Northern Michigan. I’ve met with students, parents, educators, and community leaders, many of whom have shared their hopes and dreams for themselves, their families, and our region. Some have also shared the worries that keep them up at night. These were the conversations I carried with me when we developed our new strategic plan for the college. The Building Tomorrow Together Campaign will help us implement this strategic vision through a $9.9 million investment in the facilities, programs and people of North Central Michigan College. I know we will see many of those hopes and dreams become a reality as college- bound students jumpstart their futures, adult learners reach their potential and businesses find the highly skilled employees they need to succeed. Education can – and does – change lives for the better. As we prepared to launch this campaign, the outbreak of Covid-19 forced us to pause and revisit our strategic thinking to ensure that it was compatible with our post-pandemic world. Together, we concluded that our original goals and objectives are not only still valid, but even more urgently needed than before. This year, we have all watched as health care workers, technology professionals, and entrepreneurs perform heroically to sustain lives and livelihoods. The creative problem-solving and technical skills demonstrated by North Central alumni illustrates how integral our graduates are to this community. Now we must elevate our facilities and programs to best prepare the next generation of students. Our Building Tomorrow Together Campaign focuses on developing the FACILITIES , CURRICULUM , and STUDENT SUPPORT to help students achieve more than they thought possible while ensuring that Northern Michigan becomes an even better place to live, work, learn, and play. We hope you will join us in this effort to build an even brighter tomorrow. Sincerely, David Roland Finley, Ph.D. President4 | B uilding T omorrow T ogeTher North Central is preparing students and the community for the future. Our goal is to prepare students and the region for success in a dynamic and sometimes turbulent global economy. The residents of Northern Michigan must have access to the training and experiences that will help them build their careers and thrive as creative thinkers, problem-solvers, and entrepreneurs. Working together as a community, we can unlock individual potential while adding capacity and resiliency to our region. The natural beauty of Northern Michigan ensures that tourism will always be a vital part of our local economy, but economic security and success in the future requires the development of knowledge-based industries that can quickly adapt to change and uncertainty. A FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESSncmich.edu/buildingtomorrow | 5 North Central is leading this effort by listening to our community partners about their needs and creating learning environments that develop the skills, abilities, and mindsets that are in demand across business and industry. The goal is a workforce that can power a diversified and resilient local economy that creates opportunities, attracts investment, and protects the region during economic upheavals. “The future vitality of our region is at risk if we are overly dependent on a seasonal economy. Investing in education is an investment in a stronger future for our region.” Dave Kring, Dave Kring Chevrolet-Cadillac6 | B uilding T omorrow T ogeTher We are creating adaptable learning environments and online services that provide a student-centered experience in and out of the classroom. Seven new high-tech classrooms , accommodating 200 students, will be designed for flexibility and optimized for alternative instructional methods, replacing outdated facilities. The Information Technology department will double its space, creating additional capacity to meet students’ needs both on and off campus. A “First-Stop Shop” will provide convenient access to the services students need most, including personalized academic advising and relevant career counseling. The new 3,000 square-foot Student Commons will serve as a much-needed gathering space for students and the community. It will strengthen our informal learning community and invite the “casual collisions” of people and ideas that often grow into meaningful relationships. Our first priority is to create a learning space that will meet the demands of the 21 st century. With matching support from the State of Michigan, we are repurposing an existing facility by updating the 50-year-old Administration Classroom Building with new classrooms, technology, and workspace environments. The cost-effective renovation will make the most of our resources while ensuring that our faculty and students can meet the educational challenges of today and tomorrow. Administration and Classroom Building Renovation: $7.4 million The Business Office will now be centrally located so students can more easily complete transactions. The NCMC Foundation , which helps fund new facilities, programs, and services for students, will also have a new home to allow for continued growth. Lobbies and corridors will get a 50-year facelift, while the addition will create new student spaces on both levels for studying, relaxing, and connecting with others. BUILDING FOR TOMORROWncmich.edu/buildingtomorrow | 7 ncmich.edu/buildingtomorrow | 7 “We must invest in programs, services and facilities to better prepare our students to be creative thinkers, problem solvers and equally adept with hard skills.” Ted Frey, Frey Foundation8 | B uilding T omorrow T ogeTher Lower Level Floor Plan: Main Level Floor Plan: BUILDING FOR TOMORROWncmich.edu/buildingtomorrow | 9 New Classrooms Information Technology Department Student Services First-Stop Shop Student Commons Collaborative Learning Space New Business Office Suite New Foundation Office Suite Updated Lobbies and CorridorsNext >