Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health

09/15/2026

Join us tomorrow night for this FREE community presentation about "The Genesis of Grief".

09/10/2026

So excited to be co-sponsoring these upcoming events!

09/04/2026

We are excited to co host two upcoming events with our partners at the Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan and one of NMU's newest student organizations, Students for Epilepsy Advocacy and Mentorship (SEAM).

On September 23 at 6:00pm, join us for an exclusive advance screening of Under the Lights. This award-winning film offers a grounded portrayal of the day-to-day realities, social challenges, and physical impact of living with epilepsy. Watching the film provides critical context on how epilepsy affects individuals and families beyond the medical diagnosis, highlighting the practical obstacles faced by those navigating the condition.
On September 24 at 6:00pm, is a call to action to attend a Seizure Recognition & First Aid Training (certification) workshop. Professionals will walk participants through step-by-step emergency protocols, demonstrating how to identify various seizure types, how to keep an individual safe during an episode, and the precise criteria for when emergency medical services must be called. Given that 1 in 26 individuals will develop epilepsy in their lifetime, acquiring these actionable skills ensures our community is fully prepared to handle medical emergencies effectively.

Please RSVP to the events using the link below.

RSVP Here : https://epilepsymichigan.org/events/community-days/

We hope you'll consider joining us!

08/25/2026

Please join us in welcoming our newest team member, Matilda Schiewe! Matilda has hit the ground running and brings a breadth of public health knowledge and research experience to the Center. To learn more about Matilda, please visit: https://nmu.edu/ruralhealth/staff-directory

08/25/2026

It’s back to school at NMU and today we enjoyed welcoming students, faculty, staff and community members on campus. We’re excited about the year ahead and working with everyone to improve the health and well-being of individuals across the region.

07/29/2026

Today is World Hepatitis Day. Viral hepatitis affects more than 300 million people worldwide and leads to more than 1 million deaths each year. Despite effective vaccines, prevention strategies, and medications, deaths from hepatitis are increasing globally. To protect yourself and others learn more click/copy: https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis-awareness/about/world-hepatitis-day.html

07/25/2026

The second U.P. Future Health Leader Camp has come to a close. What a week! We’ll share more soon, but here are just a few photos from our final day.

Thanks to all the wonderful students who attended, the NMU student counselors who kept everything moving seamlessly, the faculty and health professionals who shared their wisdom and oversight, the volunteers who devoted time and energy, the housing, food service and event center staff who catered to our needs. Also, a HUGE thank you to all of this year’s sponsors and donors. The significantly discounted cost of the camp as well as student scholarships wouldn’t be possibly without the generosity and goodwill of others.

We are also thankful for our new partnership with Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Their contributions and engagement running some of the sessions took student’s education and exposure to the medical field to a whole new level!

Additionally, we are grateful to UP Health System - Marquette and MSU College of Human Medicine UP Region for introducing students to a variety of health related experiences on-site.

Lastly, this meaningful and impactful camp has been successful because it is near and dear to the hearts of our small but mighty team. A particular shout out to 1) Anna Christiansen for several months of planning, coordinating, pivoting and adjusting when necessary. Her vision and everyone’s contributions is what makes this a spectacular week of education, hands-on experiences and new dreams; 2) Matilda Schiewe, our newest project manager who joined us just in time to assist with this event; and Grace Teetzel, recent pre-dental NMU alumna who returned to masterfully keep things moving behind the scenes. Thank you EVERYONE!

07/23/2026

Another busy day at the U.P. Future Health Leaders Camp! This year, students were able to do rotations in intubation, bronchoscopy, wilderness medicine, and life-sized operation at UPHS-Marquette. They also learned about direct care workers, toured mobile units, and dissected sheep eyes back on campus. For dinner, they were joined by healthcare workers to ask questions and enjoy pasta with the providers. The campers closed out the long day with a photo scavenger hunt. We cannot believe we are already halfway done with the week!

07/23/2026

What do you get when you take fifty 9th and 10th graders, mix them with health professionals, and explain that their dreams can come true? You get the 3rd day of our U.P. Future Health Leader Camp!

Thank you Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and MSU College of Human Medicine UP Region for an amazing half day of sessions at UP Health System - Marquette.

Thank you Impart Alliance for educating students about the importance of caregiving and what developments and trainings are occurring across Michigan.

And thank you Upper Great Lakes Family Health Center and Munising Memorial Hospital/ Bay Care Medical Center for providing students tours of your medical and dental mobile health units and educating them about your efforts to increase access to care in our rural region.

07/23/2026

So incredibly proud of our team, our partners Michigan Center for Rural Health and Everyday Life and all of the Community Health Workers (CHWs) we continue to engage with across the state!

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1493132372859508&id=100064882797104

Since July 2023, the NMU Center for Rural Health has certified 152 community health workers to connect underserved Upper Peninsula residents with vital medical and social resources. Funded by the Michigan Rural Health Transformation project, this initiative integrates workers into 30 regional organizations to strengthen the area's healthcare infrastructure.

- Read the full UPword story bit.ly/3RPXxfx