Nov 22
Aug 06, 2020
Lake Superior State University Alumnus Joel Postma Named Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Coordinator for Michigan
Sault Ste. Marie, MI — Lake Superior State University alumnus Joel Postma has been appointed coordinator for missing and murdered indigenous persons for Michigan by the Department of Justice (DOJ). Postma, a 1992 graduate of the criminal justice program and a veteran FBI agent out of Detroit, is one of only 10 coordinators named by the DOJ to investigate such cases involving Native Americans.
This new position is part of a DOJ effort to respond to missing and murdered Native Americans nationwide, in this case, spanning the 12 federally recognized tribes in Michigan. Postma is tasked with identifying cases in Michigan and collaborating with tribal communities and law enforcement.
Earlier in his career, Postma investigated missing children, runaways, drug crimes, and deaths in Indian Country in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He also served on the Tribal Multi-disciplinary Team and Child Protection Team. Postma additionally created a ride-along program to facilitate relations between tribal law enforcement and the FBI.
LSSU President Dr. Rodney S. Hanley said, “Joel is a great example of the Superior Education here at LSSU. We are proud of the work that Joel has done, not only during his time at LSSU, but also into his new endeavor.”
About Lake Superior State University: Lake Superior State University is one of Michigan’s most affordable public universities with One-Rate at Lake State tuition for all. Surrounded by three Great Lakes, LSSU is an unsurpassed location for research, innovation, and real-world experiences. Signature programs include fisheries and wildlife management, engineering, nursing, criminal justice, business, robotics engineering, and fire science. In 2019, Lake State launched the first cannabis chemistry program in the nation. LSSU also was the first campus nationwide to offer an accredited four-year fire science program; it is one of three in the U.S. LSSU was the first campus nationwide to offer an accredited four-year robotics engineering technology program and is the only university nationwide to offer undergraduate education in industrial robotics. LSSU also offers several certificate programs, including a one-year culinary arts chef certificate at its 5,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art Les Cheneaux Culinary School in Hessel. Regional centers are in Escanaba, Iron Mountain, and Petoskey. LSSU opened its newest location in St. Helen in 2020. Additional LSSU hallmarks include the annual Banished Words List that receives worldwide media coverage and a student-run Atlantic salmon hatchery at its renowned Center for Freshwater Research and Education. LSSU’s NCAA Division I hockey team has won five national championships; men compete in five other sports and women in six at the Division II level. Lake State was founded in 1946 in Sault Ste. Marie, the oldest city in Michigan (1668), on the site of the former U.S. Army’s Fort Brady. Lake State has approximately 2,000 undergraduate students, with 88 percent coming from Michigan, and with every county represented. Ninety percent of full-time students receive financial aid.
###