Meet Our Alumni

Our Stories: Jim Quinn ’73

Northland College, in short, is why my professional life was so rewarding. The best decision I made in the spring of 1969 was to attend Northland College. That decision afforded me the chance to become a successful educator, both in the classroom and as an administrator. Without the professors and fellow students, I firmly believe…

Northland College Yearbooks on a shelf

Carrying Northland With You

Oral history project volunteer editor finds a beautiful similarity to all our stories.

When Jackie Moore ’05, executive director of institutional advancement, asked me to help read and edit the stories collected for Northland’s oral history book, I had no idea how many great memories they would trigger. So many of us have similar stories of finding “home” at Northland, a purpose in life, and lifelong friends. As…

Amanda Petty receives large check in classroom surrounded by students.

Robots for the Win!

Not many teachers come home from school knowing their classroom received $60,000 for curriculum enhancement, but thanks to her passion for providing new learning opportunities and her stellar, on-the-fly videography skills, this Northland alum sure did. Seventh grade science teacher Amanda Petty ’14 remembers the day her boss told her to “wear something nice to…

Alaina Kuhlman ’22

A RARE Opportunity

AmeriCorps experience gives Northland grad the chance to service rural Oregon’s renewable energy needs.

I’ve lived my whole life in Wisconsin. It’s a great place to be from, for sure! Right before my last semester at Northland, however, I decided I wanted to live somewhere completely different. I landed on a plan to move to Oregon, primarily because of the many different ecosystems throughout the state—valleys, mountains, high deserts,…

Cameron Jaeger ’23 and Liam Jansen ’23 canoeing through the ravine on campus as Bay City Creek is high with snow melt.

Outdoor Education Graduates Win Gold

Recent grads Cameron Jaeger ’23 and Liam Jansen ’23 win North American whitewater canoe championships.

Just a few weeks after Commencement, Cameron Jaeger and Liam Jansen are already putting skills they learned at Northland to work—on a national stage. The two 2023 outdoor education grads just won gold in the men’s tandem event at the 2023 North American Whitewater Open Canoe Slalom Championships. Liam and Cam first learned whitewater canoeing…

Alum Bob Schopp ’69 stands on the field at Ponzio Stadium

For the Love of Learning

In the spring of 1965, I graduated from high school and looked forward to the end of my formal education. After four years of being force-fed information for seemingly no purpose other than regurgitation for exams, additional schooling was on the bottom of my list and the last thing I wanted for the next four…

Melissa Damaschke ’03 on a swing outside of the former Gaia’s Cradle, now the Diversity Center.

The Company You Keep

We usually think of a highway as straight. But the reality is, highways are full of twists and turns (along with the occasional bear or state trooper). My journey started with the image of a red canoe on a postcard, something rather useless in the metaphor but important in my relationship with Northland—and perhaps others’…

Pride Flag in the Ponzio Campus Center

The Story Behind the Pride Flag on Campus

As we reach the end of Pride Month, student intern Toni Alioto ’22 delves into the history of the pride flag—its creation, its meaning, and its continuous adaption to the changing landscape that is the LGBT2QAI+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two-spirit, queer/questioning, ally, intersex, +) community. The rainbow flag has become an international symbol for…

Becky Brun ’00 sits atop St. Peters Dome south of Ashland.

Half Hugger, Half Hooper

When I arrived at Northland and met my new basketball coach and teammates, it didn’t take long before I acquired the nickname “4-H’er—half hugger, half hooper.” I was the weirdo who didn’t eat meat and read books by the naturalist Edward Abbey, but I also loved shooting free throws, doing box-out drills, and practicing baseline…

How I Met My Husband, Our Illegal Wedding, and Other Adventures

I first met my husband at a Sunshine bike build. It was a warm September evening during my first week as a Northland freshman. A dozen or so students were beginning to assemble bikes from piles of parts laid out in the garage. In the yard, a variety of chilis and corn breads sat on…