Family Ties

Hey! My name is Katherine and I am a sophomore at NU. I'm in the Entertainment and Sports Promotional Management major here and I really like it. I never thought I would find a place that lets me talk about sports so much in class! :D

Athletics have always been a huge part of my life and I've been blessed to be able to continue that here at Northwood. I play softball for the Timberwolves and I love it! The girls on the team made it so easy for me to transition from being at home to coming to school. They were immediately my family just because we spent so much time together. However, we've been through so much now, we've gotten even closer. I can't wait to go to Kentucky and then Florida with them over Spring Break. We're playing softball the whole time and I am so excited. We leave in 8 days! :D

There are many other activities up here at Northwood that have made me feel at home. I am a member of Church ReLoaded here on campus and the people I have met there have changed my life. It is so awesome to be a part of it.

Also, I'm a member of the Student Ambassadors, which is basically marketing the school to prospective students through calls and tours. This is my job on campus and it has definitely helped me with time management. It is also because of this that I get to write blogs!

I am a Resident Assistant on campus this year as well. I have become very good friends with a few people on staff and it has also helped me with networking for when I am done with school. Although sometimes very stressful, it has taught me so much about myself and I am looking forward to continuing next year.

I am so grateful that Northwood offers such amazing opportunities. These activities have made me feel comfortable at Northwood from day one. They are so enriching and are helping me become who I want to be.

Study, Have Fun & Excel!

Hi, I am Helen, an international student from Kenya. I transfered from Wayne County Community College last fall to Northwood. So far, I have had a whole new experience here at Northwood. Last fall I had a chance to be part of the annual Auto Show that is run by students.

Just last week for valentines day, Northwood Intercultural Club hosted a STOPLIGHT PARTY. We had a Salsa and Mambo instructor, and one of the Chinese student performed a beautiful Chinese dance. There is always something fun going on with all the student organizations not forgeting Tae-Bo with Sydeny, way to go gal!

To crown it all, you get Excel credit for participating in any activities. This is a separate transcript from your academic transcript. I am sure it will come in handy when we graduate especially in this era where employers are looking for an all round individual.

Well, Finals are around the coner. Wishing everybody all the very best and a great Spring break. Apparently, it is still winter -<>-! Later.

No Car...No Worries!

So my name is Jenna and I am a Junior at Northwood University. I transfered from Ithaca College in NY. Northwood University has made my transition so effortless and I am loving everything about school so far! When I decided to transfer I knew I would want my car on campus so I could go visit family that lives about an hour away. Yes I know, having a car means spending money on gas but personally I think it is well worth it!

How can you spend money on gas when your car won't even turn on?? This is the situation I experienced about a week ago. Being that my car isn't that old when the battery light came on and my car was making weird noises I wondered what could be wrong. Without a car I thought I would go crazy. Well all you Freshman that are coming to school without a car.... don't worry that is PLENTY to do!

Here is just a few of the MANY things to do on campus!
1. Student Union: Art room where you can do crafts free of charge, ping pong, pool, wii, etc.
2. Hach: Full basketball courts where you can play simple games like PIG or start a game with a bunch of kids. Not to mention there is a sauna in both the men's and women's locker room! So after that intense work out you can relax:) Also when its cold out there is an indoor track!
3. Bike trail! The bike trail can be accessed right from campus. Although you may not be able to ride bikes in the winter... you can bundle up and go on a walk with friends!
4. Special Events: The RA's and student organizations have TONS of events that you can attend throughout the weeks. Events such as learning to salsa dance, competitions such as dart throwing and even a dating game!

Sooo when it all comes down to it... don't complain to your parents about not letting you have a car! Save yourself some money and do the fun things that are offered on campus!

Now you know when you come to Northwood University you won't find yourself bored wondering what to do, you will be busy with friends working out, playing pool, or perhaps even finding a valentine;)

Trip to Chicago

It feels great to wake up in the windy city, looking out to see buildings reaching toward the sky. Normally I wake to birds singing but not this weekend, thanks to an organization at Northwood called the Student Alumni Board. I am Vice President of this organization and it provided me with a great net working opportunity this past weekend at the Chicago Auto Show. Not only did I get to take a trip to the Chicago and see one of the greatest car shows there is to see, but I also got the opportunity to see the city first hand with the with past alumni that are now living in the Chicago area. I received many business cards and contacts to help further my career now and after I graduate. I feel like Northwood really cares for its students and their futures.

Mark Thompson

So Many Activities!

Hi! My name is Chris, I'm a junior at Northwood this year. Northwood has a lot of great groups and organizations to get involved with. I've always been in a few of them, but I've recently joined a couple new groups that are really great as well.

This past weekend, I took part in a LifeSkills Leadership Training that Northwood brings to campus. It was a great experience, and really tought me what I need to do to accomplish my goals and improve myself as a leader. It was also cool to meet a bunch of other students at NU that I didn't know before the training. So many people have gone through this training that there has been a group created on campus for graduates of the training. It's called COGS, and I'll have to get back to you about what it stands for... but I went to their meeting this week and it was a lot of fun.

I'm also involved with Circle K, an organization that gets involved with a lot of volunteer activities on campus and in the community. The Finance Association at Northwood is another group that I am in. We stay up on financial news and have speakers from the financial industry. I am also a member of the Student Alumni Board, which has different things to get students involved with Alumni on and off campus. This weekend, I'm going to the Chicago Auto Show with a few other people from that group. Northwood has an alumni gathering at all of the major auto shows in the US, and we're going to help out at the one in Chicago...should be a great time!

We're also working on Northwood's Auto Show for next year already! I'm on the executive board for the show, and we have meetings every week to get moving on putting the show together. It will be in the fall, October 2,3, and 4, and everyone that reads this should come! It's the largest new car outdoor auto show in North America. aka...AWESOME!

There's a ton going on right now, so it's been a fun week. Stay tuned for more!

The Wood

Hi! This is Willa Faye Booth. I am 18 years old, a freshman here at Northwood, and I am studying Hotel/Restaurant/Resort Management….and I love it! I’m from Chelsea which is near Ann Arbor. I truly cannot imagine going to college anywhere else. I really love it here.

I am the youngest of four kids and have lived in the same house in the same little town my whole life. I was scared to go away to college. I had no idea what to expect or what was going to happen when I arrived at Northwood. I was really expecting to be homesick for a while after I moved into the dorms. Well, it turned out that I haven’t felt homesick at all since I’ve been up here. Don’t get me wrong, I love going home and seeing my family but I really think of Northwood as my home now. I have made so many friends through classes, clubs, campus activities and life, work, through walking the dorm halls and even while getting food in the cafeteria. I love the atmosphere on campus. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming and there are so many opportunities to get out of your room and have fun. I do not have a car on campus, so it is rare if I go home for a weekend but I always have things to do. I went to the Soaring Eagle Casino in Mt. Pleasant last weekend. I’ve never been to a casino before so I was pretty excited. I got ten dollars free since it was my first time, and I left with eighteen dollars in my hand. I’m hoping it wasn’t just beginner’s luck.

As an HRM student, I’ve already had tons of opportunities to get out there and get some experience in the industry. In January, all of Northwood’s HRM students put on the 34th annual Stafford Dinner at Valley Plaza. I was a member of the reception team. I greeted guests as they entered and offered them snacks while they participated in the silent auction. I also helped out the wait staff during the dinner and refilled water glasses and served coffee. I applied for a department head position for next year’s Stafford Dinner. My interview is this Sunday. I really hope that I get one of the positions because I really want to get involved in as much as I can while I’m here and the Stafford Dinner is such a great experience to have.

Well I have to leave soon to go to my Food Sanitation class. The nice part about this class is that at the end of the term, as part of the course I have to take the Servsafe Exam. If I pass, then I will be Servsafe certified, which is a great benefit for me when I start looking for jobs.

Thanks for reading…I’ll talk to you again soon!

Last weekend!

Hi I'm Dumisile

Wow! Those were the only words I had to describe this past weekend. This past weekend I took part in lifeskills leadership which is a program provided through Northwood University free of charge to students. This two day experience was so amazing. I got to get to know the people I know on a whole other level and I was also able to make new freinds in the process. The coolest part was getting to bend steel and break wood. In the end it was just a fun life changing experience which would not have been possible without the work of Northwood University and I thank them.

Balancing work and play

This is my first blog so I am so EXCITED! :-)

This is week nine which means that we are only a week away from finals. :-( So before I start losing my hair stressing about test, I am going to look back at some of the more enjoyable moments I’ve had at Northwood. My friends and I sometimes hang out at the game room in the student union; we play pool, ping-pong, cards and tons of board games. Last year we would all meet there at least once a week and have all kinds of competitions; sometimes we’d play boys verses girls. Of course the ladies won! (lol) It really helps to have a place on campus that we can hang out, kick back and have fun with your friends without spending any money. It’s not all work and study and it’s not all fun and games the trick is to find a healthy balance of both. Figure out what works for you and your college experience will be a hundred times more enjoyable. As for me I have to have some relax time before finals week.

Until next time,

LaTerry Aaron

My First Year

Hey! My name is Hanna Langston and I am a Freshman here at Northwood. I am double majoring in Advertising & Marketing/Business Management, with a minor in Economics. I am from Waterford, Michigan and attended Waterford Kettering High School. Waterford is ten minutes from the Palace of Auburn Hills, where the Detroit Pistons play. Northwood is about 100 miles from Waterford.

The five months that I have spent so far at Northwood have been the greatest times of my life.

I live in the dorms and I love it. The dorms are essential in having fun your first year of college. I went to high school with my roommate, Sarah and we are going to live together next year. The food on campus is pretty good. I love the Mid-Cafe, which is located on the other side of campus. One nice thing about the dorms is the convenient location of some resident classrooms, in addition to the main Cafeteria (also referred to as the "Caf"). On cold and snowy days, it is nice to be able to roll right of bed and go to class, without ever going outside. My AVD 110 class is located in Miner Lounge, and I love that one of my classes is right down the hall from my dorm. The rest of my classes are within a ten minute walking distance.

Only being here a few months, I have taken advantage of many of the opportunities Northwood has to offer students. Just some of the organizations I am involved with include; Student Ambassadors, AAF (American Advertising Foundation), DEX, & the Auto Show.

As a Student Ambassador, I give tours to prospective students, discuss Northwood on student panels, and BLOG! I am also involved in AAF (American Advertising Foundation), where I am a member of the marketing research team. We are currently working on an advertising campaign for the century council against binge drinking. I am also involved in DEX (Delta Epsilon Chi), the collegiate version of DECA. I recently was a judge at a high school DECA competition. The Auto Show, which was in October was a blast. I was on team John Deere and we had so fun much.


















I can't wait for winter to be over and spring to be here!

Thanks for reading!

Hanna Langston

Opportunities of Northwood

Hi! I'm Sydney Swetich a Junior here at Northwood and working towards my degree in Advertising/Marketing/Management. A little background on me: I'm from Lake Orion, MI, it's about an hour and a half south of Midland. Music is my passion and I hope to get into the promotions side of the music biz. I love to be involved in school and Northwood has given me a lot of opportunities to get involved.

One of my favorite things that I do on campus is instructing the Tae-bo classes on campus for the students and staff three nights a week. It's free for everyone and we have so much fun! It's great to be able to go to a school that allows me to be a leader and to start activities to better myself and others.

Another thing I'm really glad I got involved in is my Co-Ed Business Fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi. I know what you're thinking your a girl isn't it a sorority? Nope it's just another equal opportunity for men and women in the business world. I'm on the executive board as VP of Alumni where I basically do alumni PR. We do a lot on campus and I've really met some awesome alumni and students along the way. Greek Life is so much more then people think and I truly value the experience that I've had with my "brothers" and other Greeks.

Also I'm a counselor's assistant/ student ambassador for Northwood, hence me writing this blog. I give the tours, talk on the phone to applicants (I've might have talked to you!) and blog! It's a lot of fun for me to talk about Northwood to others. I'm a very passionate person and Northwood is for sure one of my passions! Both my parents went to Northwood and so did my older sister. She was a Senior when I was a Freshmen so I got to see first hand how to do the college thing which was helpful.

There are so many opportunities on Northwood's campus to be a leader, meet new people, and have fun! The opportunities are everywhere so my advice to anyone who is coming or is thinking of coming to Northwood is to get involved. Don't over load yourself but get involved enough so you can learn how to manage your time and become a well rounded individual. Thanks for reading!

Sydney Swetich