Nick J. Rajkovich Memorial Scholarship Fund

NMC faculty and community members established this scholarship in 1970 to honor the memory of NMC faculty member Nick Rajkovich. Born in Yugoslavia in 1910, Mr. Rajkovich immigrated to the United States with his family in 1921 and settled in Ironwood in Michigan"s Upper Peninsula. After earning bachelor"s and master"s degrees from Michigan State University, he returned to the U.P. in 1935 to teach at Gogebic Community College. He joined the NMC faculty in 1952 as an instructor of political science and economics. Known as “Mr. Rack,” he was active in developing physical education programs and establishing the college"s first basketball team. Mr. Rajkovich was also dedicated to community service. He was member of the City Commission of Traverse City and the Grand Traverse County Board of Supervisors (1967-69). He was serving as mayor of Traverse City at the time of his death on November 11, 1969. The NMC physical education building, which opened in the fall of 1969, was renamed the Nick J. Rajkovich Physical Education Building on April 5, 1970 and rededicated in 2000 as the Nick and Frances Rajkovich Physical Education Center.