Northwestern Michigan College history

1956: NMC moves to a spacious 100-acre campus "under the pines" on East Front Street.

In 1957 NMC increased enrollment to 500 students and appointed a full-time librarian, Bernard C. Rink.

1966: WNMC Radio begins as an in-house radio station for the dormitory.

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Rink retired in 1987 and was replaced as library director by Douglas G. Campbell.

1988: $2.5 million bond for campus improvements, including a student center.

1989: NMC loses its first millage election; returns in August to get approval of a lesser amount.

The Superior Dome, constructed in 1991, stands 14 stories high and encompasses 5.1 acres under its roof, making it the largest wooden dome in the World.

1995: The University Center opens its doors at a new campus on Boardman Lake in the former headquarters of Sara Lee, off of Cass Road south of Traverse City.

1997: A Cadillac campus opens with an enrollment of 302 students.

1999: The Michigan Technical Education Center opens, becoming the centerpiece of NMC's Aero Park Campus.

2001: NMC celebrates its 50th anniversary.

2002: The Great Lakes Maritime Academy acquires a former Navy vessel as a training ship, now the T/S State of Michigan.

2003: The new Great Lakes Campus opens at 715 E. Front St, and becomes home to the Great Lakes Maritime Academy, Great Lakes Culinary Institute, Great Lakes Water Studies Institute and Hagerty Conference Center.

2004: NMC closes its Cadillac campus.

2006: The Rogers Observatory celebrates its 25th anniversary, having served more than 110,000 people since it was built.

2008: The NMC Barbecue serves its 500,000th patron and, in recognition of the milestone, holds a random drawing for a full scholarship to NMC.

2009: The Great Lakes Water Studies Institute at NMC announced the launch of the first Associate in Science and Arts Degree for Freshwater Studies in the United States.

Northwestern Michigan College began its 60th year in the fall of 2011.

2013: Northwestern Michigan College became the first community college in Michigan to offer its own fully accredited Bachelor’s Degree in Maritime Technology; the college publishes "Under the Pines: The Third Twenty Years".

Jamrich Hall, which replaced the old Jamrich Hall building that was located across the academic mall from its current location, was opened in 2014.

2015: NMC’s University Center celebrates its 20th Anniversary; the NMC Faculty Association and NMC Faculty Chair Association are established.

In 2017, the college began plans for a renovation of West Hall.

The Woods, a residence hall complex constructed through a public-private partnership, contains six halls that opened in 2018.

Northern Michigan University has achieved bronze-level Bicycle Friendly University status, according to the awards announced in October 2019 by the League of American Bicyclists.

The library relocated to the second floor of the Innovation Center in the spring of 2020 under NMC’s sixth library director, Kerrey Woughter.