Northern Michigan University's distinguished faculty announced

Three Northern Michigan University professors have been honored with 2011 Distinguished Faculty Awards from the school, for their professional contributions.

Kenneth Janson, Shelley Russell and Mary Jane Tremethick will be given the awards during spring graduation this year, on April 30.

Janson is a professor in the NMU College of Business, and came to the school in 2001 after a stint as director of D&N Capital Corporation. His previous work also included teaching accounting at other Michigan and Wisconsin colleges, and serving as a consultant. His papers on investing and financing have been published in industry journals.

Russell is a theater professor in the communications and performance studies department and has been at NMU since 1983. She has served as director for more than 60 theater productions at NMU and in the community. Russell also is a playwright, penning well-known locally-inspired works like Haywire, Beacon on the Rock, Holdin' Our Own and Superior Heroes.

Tremethick joined the NMU faculty in 2000 and has received the NMU Excellence in Teaching Award, as well as the Michigan Campus Compact's Faculty/Staff Community Service Learning Award. She's been instrumental, along with fellow nursing professor Eileen Smit, in developing a service learning class taking NMU nursing students to Honduras to serve rural populations without access to health care. Tremethick also has been published on health and aging issues, and volunteers with U.P. Home Health and Hospice and the Marquette County Aging Advisory Committee.

Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Kristi Evans, Northern Michigan University