MARQUETTE, MI-- The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees has elected a board chair and
vice chair for the 2016 calendar year.
New chair H. Sook Wilkinson of Bloomfield Hills holds a doctorate in psychology and has practiced in the field for more than 35 years. Born in South Korea, Wilkinson is an expert in international adoption and helps adoptees develop healthy identities through research, clinical work, and volunteering.
Vice chair Thomas Zurbuchen of Ann Arbor earned a doctorate of astrophysics from the University of Bern in his native Switzerland. He’s a professor of space science and aerospace engineering at the University of Michigan, and led the team that developed NASA’s Fast Imaging Plasma Spectrometer to explore the planet Mercury.
Zurbuchen says, “This is the first time in the history of NMU that the board chair and vice chair are first-generation immigrants and also hold PhDs. We are both excited that NMU offers a comprehensive and engaging education that encourages not only
academic excellence, but also enriching experiences such as study abroad.”
