Bulletin boards around campus are often layered with colorful posters advertising student groups and events. For the NMC Student Life department, these posters represent more than vivid graphics with dates and times— they are invitations to feel connected, supported, and part of something bigger during a student’s time at the college. With enrollment rates rising 6.3% since spring 2025, student connections seem more important to push now than ever.

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With students returning to more normal routines post-pandemic, NMC’s Student Life team sees this moment as an opportunity to strengthen campus culture. Engagement may not yet match the growing student population, but staff and student leaders are working to show how joining a club, attending an event, or simply stopping by a table can boost confidence, build friendships, and ultimately help students stay and thrive.

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Trunk-or-Treat before Halloween is typically the most popular event of the year, registering 23 cars in 2024. But this year, only 13 cars signed up. Student participation hasn’t declined dramatically in events like Fall Fest—an opportunity for students to explore different student groups—but attendance has stayed consistent with years where enrollment was lower.

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Student Life office manager Katy Knight attributes some lack of participation to less foot traffic on campus due to online classes and dual-enrolled or early college students, whose enrollment has increased 13% since fall 2024, according to the admissions office. But she also said that students may be anxious to participate in events. Geographical factors may also inhibit students from participating.

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“We want everyone to feel invited,” said Knight, whose responsibilities mostly revolve around arranging and helping student groups plan events, while also advising the Student Ambassador and Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) groups.

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With variations between commuters, early college and dual-enrolled students, and dorm residents spread throughout the Great Lakes, Aero Park, and main campuses, it’s difficult to wrangle a decent number of students into one area. 

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“PTK is trying to come up with ways to combine the campuses, or to make a central location,” Knight said.

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Although they are still fleshing out ideas, PTK’s plan aspires to benefit student engagement and morale on campus by giving students a sense of belongingness.

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When students encounter opportunities, they’re often unsure whether or not they are private events. That’s where PTK’s upcoming college project comes in: a sticker pasted to a table, sign, or outside of a door to signify that everyone is welcome.

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Knight said the project is designed to reduce doubt or hesitation that turns students away from participating and missing a fun experience, especially for students who are new, nervous, or unsure of where they fit in.

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State-wide initiatives like the Community College Guarantee and Michigan Reconnect, as well as the Admissions department’s new marketing strategies, which the White Pine Press covered in our Sept. 25 issue, have all contributed to the enrollment boom. But the work doesn’t end at attracting students on campus. Once classes begin, the focus shifts from recruiting to helping them stay, succeed, and enjoy the college experience.

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Attending a single event can make a real difference. Events like Fall Fest and Paint and Sip–a student ambassadors event in early November–allow students the opportunity to mingle, make friends, and explore their interests. These low-pressure activities help break students out of their shells and feel more comfortable navigating campus, Knight said.

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Some students find community through personal interests in a more intimate setting. NMC currently supports approximately 30 student groups, with more expected to come in the spring 2025 semester. According to Knight, these groups help students gain confidence and life skills during their experience at NMC.

“Clubs help students build leadership and social skills and they have more fun,” Knight said.

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She noted that engagement can look different for everyone. Some choose to take on leadership roles and plan events, while others prefer to simply show up for the experience, which is just as valuable.

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Dean of Students Lisa Thomas echoed the importance of engagement.

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“If you can feel connected and feel like you belong, you're more likely to stay and persist at whatever your educational or personal goals are,” she said. “Belongingness is a really important part of the college experience.”

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Research across the country backs her up. In an article published by the University of Houston, data shows that over 19,000 undergraduate students from diverse educational backgrounds engaged with student affairs, including events and student groups, which led to a noticeably higher retention rate, “especially among first-time-in-college (FTIC) and Pell-eligible students.”

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Although it may be intimidating for some students to walk into an unfamiliar environment with strangers, it only takes one step, said Knight.

“You don’t have to be outgoing or know anyone,” Knight said. “Just show up, and we’ll handle the rest.”

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Having planned inclusive student events for nearly five years, she has witnessed beautiful friendships blossom by people simply being present and stepping out of their comfort zones.

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As the spring semester approaches, Student Life plans to introduce new student groups and continue organizing events that support a shared goal of fostering belonging. Because every flyer taped to a board is more than just a piece of paper— it’s an invitation to connect, grow, and find friends at NMC.