Diana & Richard Milock give $3 million to NMC through Be What’s Possible campaign

Diana and Richard Milock (download a high-resolution version here)TRAVERSE CITY — The Northwestern Michigan College Foundation today announced it has received a $3 million gift commitment from community members Diana and Richard Milock. This gift will support the college’s Audio Technology program, Great Lakes Culinary Institute and Dennos Museum Center.

This is the largest single gift from a living donor in the college’s history. Richard and Diana Milock have now given more than $5.3 million to the NMC Foundation as part of the current Be What’s Possible campaign, making them the lead donors in this effort. With this gift, the campaign has raised more than $37 million to date. The campaign will continue through June 30, 2021 to raise support for scholarships, programs, facilities, and the Fund for NMC.

“The generosity of Richard and Diana will support student success and the sustainability of a treasured cultural asset—in turn making so much possible for the entire community,” said NMC President Nick Nissley. “This multidisciplinary gift reflects the scope of NMC’s offerings—arts and culture, technical education, and emerging programs.”

This new gift will:

• Establish an endowed fund to support the greatest needs of the Dennos Museum Center with $1.5 million;
• Create an endowed fund to support students at NMC’s Great Lakes Culinary Institute through scholarships and the greatest needs of the program with $1 million;
• Support the current needs of the Audio Technology Program and the Dennos Museum Center, including key equipment updates to the Milliken Auditorium and support for the Audio Technology Program to encourage student success with $500,000.

“It is an honor to work with Diana and Richard—two amazing and generous leaders—to achieve their philanthropic goals through the NMC Foundation,” said Rebecca Teahen, Executive Director of the NMC Foundation. “This gift speaks to their belief in NMC and the power of philanthropy to make a difference for our students and the whole community.”

The Milocks have supported both the Dennos Museum Center and NMC’s Great Lakes Culinary Institute for nearly two decades, most notably with a $2 million gift to expand the museum in 2015. Diana Milock serves on the board of the NMC Foundation and as a member of the campaign steering committee for Be What’s Possible, the Campaign for NMC. The Milocks were named NMC Fellows, the college’s highest honor, in 2014.

Northwestern Michigan College is a publicly funded community college that offers associate degrees, professional certificates, and bachelor’s degrees in more than 80 areas of academic study including the Great Lakes Culinary Institute and the Audio Technology program. For more information, visit Northwestern Michigan College at nmc.edu.

The Michael and Barbara Dennos Museum Center at Northwestern Michigan College is the region’s premier cultural center offering world class programming in the visual and performing arts. The museum offers a changing array of exhibitions in three galleries and a sculpture court; features a hands-on Discovery Gallery; and a Gallery of Inuit art, the museum’s major permanent collection. The museum’s 367-seat Milliken Auditorium offers concerts in blues, jazz, chamber and world music and hosts the productions of numerous performing arts groups in the region. For more information, visit the Dennos Museum Center at dennosmuseum.org.

 

Release date: APRIL 21, 2021

For more information:

Rebecca Teahen
Associate Vice President for Resource Development
Executive Director, NMC Foundation
rteahen@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1855