Northwestern Michigan College Alumni

From student to director! 👨🏻‍🎓✨ John Lutchko (Class of 2014) is a true NMC success story, now leading the very program that shaped him: the Great Lakes Water Studies Institute (GLWSI).

He recently earned his master’s degree while working full-time—a milestone made even more meaningful as the first postgraduate degree in his family since 1968! He credits NMC for the hands-on training and vital mentorship from his predecessor, Hans VanSumeren, who supported him every step of the way from student employee to his first full-time role.

Now, John is passionately paying it forward. He loves his job, his colleagues, and most importantly, guiding his students with the same life-changing support he once received. 🌲🌊

Click the link to read her full story: https://www.nmc.edu/about/foundation/alumni/outstanding-alumni-2026.html

The Alumni Satisfaction Survey ends this Friday at 5:00 PM! Don't miss your chance to help shape our upcoming programs, events, and communications. Your feedback truly matters to us—plus, you could walk away with a $25–$100 VISA gift card! 🎁💸

Don’t forget to share your favorite books or what’s currently on your nightstand with the NMC alumni community! When you submit a recommendation for our Hawk Owl Reads summer list, you'll be entered for a chance to win one of eight $50 VISA gift cards! 💳✨

Drop your recommendations here! 🔗 https://forms.gle/ikCNQnmAGUGv3zvm9

From NMC to a wellness revolution! 🍃🌲🌊

Courtney K. Lorenz (Class of 2012) is the passionate founder of Cultured Kombucha Co., a purpose-driven brand empowering people to take ownership of their health.

For Courtney, attending NMC’s Great Lakes Culinary Institute (GLCI) was a life-changing decision. It ignited her passion for connecting food, people, and wellness, giving her the confidence to understand the deep link between diet and health.

Rather than a single milestone, she views her greatest achievement as the personal transformation that comes from building a mindful business.
Guided by her faith, she’s now expanding her business models to make healthy living accessible and intentional for everyone! 🧑‍✈️✨

Click the link to read her full story: https://www.nmc.edu/about/foundation/alumni/outstanding-alumni-2026.html

We are thrilled to announce that the NMC Alumni program has been selected as a Charity Ticket Partner for the upcoming Traverse City Horse Shows! 🐎💙

Mark your calendars for Sunday, September 6, to join us at Flintfields Horse Park for the $117,000 Agero CSI3* Grand Prix. Whether it's your first time or you're a lifelong fan, we can’t wait to see you there!

Can’t make it on Sept 6? You can still support us! Buy tickets for any show date this season, select NMC Alumni Relations as your charity partner at checkout, and help us ignite new opportunities for our alumni community.

🎟️ Grab Horse Show Tickets! https://app.gopassage.com/venues/8654?referral=NMC

From NMC to the national stage! 🚀

Christopher Linsell (Class of 2012) perfectly illustrates exactly where an NMC foundation can take you. As the Director of Content at Luxury Presence and a featured keynote speaker at the National Association of Realtors Conference, he is actively shaping the future of digital marketing.

His journey was fueled by the nurturing guidance and expertise of our faculty and staff. Inspired by campus thought leaders like Scott Galloway, Chris learned early on to pair a bold tech vision with the courage to speak truth to power. 🌲🌊

Now, he’s channeling that drive into his next big chapter: launching a brand-new consulting firm dedicated to helping businesses level up through modernization, technology, and compelling storytelling.

Click the link to read the full story https://www.nmc.edu/about/foundation/alumni/outstanding-alumni-2026.html

So much fun! 💚💙🩵 Keep sharing those photos from Friday's Alumni Night at Traverse City Pit Spitters! ⚾️🎆🎇

Hey Hawk Owls! 🦉 Your monthly alumni newsletter just landed! 📩

A memorable night of connection, celebration, and home runs at our Pit Spitters ballpark recap! ⚾ There is still time to make your voice heard before the alumni satisfaction survey ends on June 19th. 🗳️ Find your next summer escape with our June Hawk Owl Reads. ☀️Swing into action at the NMC Scholarship Open on August 6th. ⛳ Take a journey and explore 75 years of NMC history at Explore History Day (July 25) and on the digital timeline! ⏳

🔗 Link in bio to update your contact information if you missed the update!

Baseball, fireworks, and the best community around. ⚾️🎆 Big thanks to all the NMC alumni and friends who came out to the game tonight! ​The absolute highlight? Watching take the mound for the first pitch. 🦉

​If you were there, share your favorite photos with us in the comments! Let’s see that NMC energy! 💚💙🩵

As Northwestern Michigan College Aviation prepares to celebrate 60 years of excellence, a recent feature by The Traverse Ticker shines a spotlight on six of our incredible aviation alumni. Their career trajectories stretch from local flight instruction right here at Aero Park to global commercial airlines! ✈️🌲🌊 Check out their stories here.

Learning to Fly: Talking Roots and Wings with Six NMC Aviation Alumni No matter where you travel in the world, the pilot on your next flight could very well be a graduate of Northwestern Michigan College. Ahead of NMC Aviation’s 60th anniversary next year, we sat down with six alumni to get their stories. Josh Shivley, Class of 2014 Roots: “I have the cliché pilo...