The Presidential Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (PCSOGI) is the primary channel by which advice is given to the president of NIU on issues and concerns affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender non-conforming individuals at the university.
PCSOGI recently collaborated with the Undergraduate Research & Program Partnerships to create an award to recognize LGBTQ+ research during NIU’s Undergraduate Research & Artistry Day (URAD). The PCSOGI URAD Awards are two $100 awards given to the top two undergraduates research and artistry projects that spotlight themes, problems or issues important or related to the LGBTQ+ community. Awards are judged by a jury of PCSOGI member during URAD. PSOGI hopes giving these awards will help encourage undergraduate students to pursue artistic and research projects that address the concerns of the underrepresented and underserved populations of the LGBTQ+ community.
The two winners for the 2018 PCSOGI URAD Award are:
Cayli Mitchell, “Nahua Women: The complimentary life of a women in the 16th century before and after Spanish conquests”
Emily Eckles, “Der Rosa Winkel: The Colors of Persecution and the Damnation of Homosexual Men in Nazi Germany”