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The Latino Resource Center (LRC) is starting off the fall semester strong, providing new and returning students with engaging programs, wellness resources and celebratory events.

Students visiting the Latino Resource Center relieve some stress by coloring on the “Color Me Stress Free” wall.

One of their newest wellness resources was debuted during a recent Latinx student organization leadership retreat. The center unveiled “Color Me Stress Free,” a coloring wall where students can relieve stress and connect with their peers.

“We hope this new activity will draw more students to the Latino Resource Center so they can discover the resources we offer and participate in our programs that support their success as Huskies,” said Luis Santos Rivas, director of the LRC.

The new coloring wall is one of many resources and activities that the LRC provides for Huskies. The center offers many support services such as mentorship programs and student organizations and annually plans events to celebrate Latino Heritage Month that runs from mid-September through October 15.

On Wednesday, September 13, the Latino Resource Center and NIU’s School of Music will officially kick off the Latino Heritage Month celebration with a the Opening Parade. Students, faculty, staff and community members are invited to participate and to bring flags and musical instruments. The event will begin at 4 p.m., in the MLK Commons. Huskies will enjoy musical performances by Banda and Mariachi NIU then walk around campus ending at the LRC. Once at the LRC, they will celebrate “El Grito,” a celebration of the anniversaries of independence for different Latin American countries, with music, fun and free food sponsored by the Latino Resource Center, Undocumented Student Resource Center and Alpha Psi Lambda.

“We’re excited to launch Latino Heritage Month with our parade,” said Santos Rivas. “It’s going to be an exciting way to celebrate Latinx culture and kick-off our month-long celebration of cultural and educational programming.”

Another event on the Latino Heritage Month calendar is a special guest lecture with Christopher Rivas, author of Brown Enough: True Stories about Love, Violence, the Student Loan Crisis, Hollywood, Race, Familia and Making it in America. Those who attend the presentation will have the opportunity to win a copy of the book during a free raffle at the event.

The presentation will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 26 from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Carl Sandburg Auditorium at the Holmes Student Center.  Rivas will speak about his book and life journey of finding his true self while simultaneously having a racial awakening amidst the struggle to be “perfectly” Latinx, woke and as Brown as possible to make it in today’s America.

“We think that our Latinx community will be able to relate to the themes of Rivas’ book,” said Santos Rivas. “While all of our experiences are different, we all can see ourselves in some aspects of Christopher’s story and observations.”

Visit the NIU Calendar for a full list of Latino Heritage Month events.

Date posted: September 6, 2023 | Author: | Comments Off on Latino Resource Center celebrates Latino Heritage Month with programs, resources and events

Categories: Community Faculty & Staff Homepage Students Uncategorized

‘We’re all Huskies here’

Expect an even bigger celebration at this year’s 116th Homecoming when NIU takes over downtown DeKalb for a Huskie Homecoming Block Party.

The NIU 116th Homecoming Blocky Party will shut down a portion of Lincoln Highway in downtown DeKalb from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, and feature what can only be described as a true “communiversity” celebration.

We’re talking a car show, a kid zone, sidewalk cafes, street food and drinks, live music, vendors and so much more. Visitors can stop by a Huskie Town, pick up swag and take photos in a Huskie Pride booth alongside athletes, Victor E. Huskie and Mission.

Unique to this year’s celebration will be the unveiling of a new Huskie Pride statue presented by FNBO. And, of course, the party wouldn’t be complete without the exciting March of the Huskies and a Pep Rally.

“This aspect of NIU’s Homecoming celebrations underscores the importance of our university community family,” said Jennifer Groce, an event co-chair and director of Community Promotion for the Division of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development.

“The Block Party brings together alumni, students, staff, faculty and fans to show our collective Huskie Pride. And it’s a great way to show our students how much the community supports them. We’re all Huskies here.”

The streets of downtown DeKalb will be filled with #HuskiePride during the Homecoming Block Party scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023.

NIU has hosted Homecoming block parties in past years, including a block party in and around the Egyptian Theatre during last year’s Homecoming celebration. Based on the overwhelming success of that celebration and the blossoming partnership with the City of DeKalb, this year’s event called for more space, attractions and activities.

“The Block Party is one of our signature NIU Homecoming events and I am excited to see it continue to expand in downtown DeKalb,” said Matt Streb, NIU chief strategy officer/liaison to the Board of Trustees and chair of the NIU Homecoming Committee.

The fun begins even before the official 4 p.m. event with specials at downtown restaurants and businesses and sidewalk sales throughout the day on Oct. 12. Then comes the big event, with attractions for all ages.

On-the-go food and adult beverages will be sold by downtown restaurants and food trucks. A classic car show, live music, kid zone, sidewalk cafes, food trucks and NIU engagement vendors will begin at 4 p.m., followed by the March of the Huskies on Lincoln Highway from Third to First Street at 6 p.m.

The Pep Rally and statue unveiling will begin at 6:15p.m., followed by a live music performance by Rocking Moxie at 6:30 p.m. at Second Street and Lincoln Highway.

Other events will include the crowing of NIU Royalty, an announcement of the 2023 Huskie Pride car show winners, along with the winners of a Victor E. children’s coloring contest hosted by Shaw Media and more.

All are not-to-miss attractions, Groce said, but her favorite is the March of the Huskies and the Pep Rally.

Special guests will include NIU President Lisa C. Freeman, DeKalb Mayor Cohen Barnes, NIU Head Football Coach Thomas Hammock and fellow NIU athletics coaches, the Huskie Marching Band, Victor E. Huskie and Mission, Huskie student-athletes, student organizations and others.

When visitors belt out the Huskie Fight Song, there’s an unforgettable roar, Groce said.

She credited event co-chair, Cortney Strohacker, executive director of the DeKalb County Convention and Visitors Bureau, as well as the work of a roughly 20-member planning committee made up of community members and Huskies, with bringing the expanded celebration to fruition.

“Closing a highway is significant,” Groce said. “Everyone has just been amazing. This was a community-university partnership from the get-go.”

The block party will be presented by Midwest Tents & Events, and downtown restaurants and retailers will serve as Huskie hosts. All are eager to show off their Huskie pride.

“The DeKalb County Convention and Visitors Bureau (DCCVB) is extremely excited to partner again this year with NIU and the city of Dekalb on the Homecoming Block Party. Last year’s event was such an amazing success, and this year will be bigger and better,” Strohacker said. “The sea of black and red is incredible and the energy and buzz is unbelievable. Huskie fans of all ages will have an incredible time in downtown DeKalb.”

Date posted: September 6, 2023 | Author: | Comments Off on NIU, DeKalb partner to celebrate Homecoming with downtown Block Party

Categories: Centerpiece Community Faculty & Staff Students Uncategorized

Megan has been amazing! She is incredibly responsive, patient, and knowledgeable. When a tech incident occurred during a 4-week summer class, she quickly helped me transition using a remote teaching tool I was not familiar with.

Date posted: September 4, 2023 | Author: | Comments Off on Megan Holt – Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning

Categories: Applause

The CLAS IT Team has done a tremendous job as we prepare for the start of the semester. They made themselves available to solve tech problems for faculty and staff and lend a hand for those less technically savvy. They always step up to help and we appreciate their work.

Date posted: September 4, 2023 | Author: | Comments Off on CLAS IT Team – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

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The Northern Illinois University Art Museum is facilitating two upcoming bus trips this fall through their Get-on-the-Bus program: Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, the NIU Art Museum will travel to Crab Tree Farm in Lake Bluff, Illinois and the Driehaus Museum in Chicago, and Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023 the NIU Art Museum will travel to the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie, Illinois.

On Friday, Sept. 22, the NIU Art Museum will have a private tour of the Arts and Crafts collection at Crab Tree Farm in Lake Bluff. This exciting tour should not be missed, as Crab Tree Farm is not open to the public and is only open to group-organized tours.

Crab Tree Farm is the last working farm in Illinois on Lake Michigan. Previously called Ash Meadow Farm, the name changed in 1905 when Scott and Grace Durand purchased 250 lakefront acres of property in Lake Bluff, Illinois. After a fire in 1910, Mrs. Durand chose Solon S. Beman as the architect for her modern dairy farm complex.

The tour goes through 30 rooms of Arts and Crafts interiors and exhibits. No interior photography is allowed.

Later in the afternoon we will have a guided tour at the Driehaus Museum in Chicago. The Driehaus Museum showcases art, architecture and design from the late 19th and 20th century in a meticulously restored Gilded Age home.

From 2003 to 2008, the late Richard H. Driehaus supported the restoration of the building to create a publicly accessible, nonprofit museum. The museum’s collection reflects the interests, vision and focus of its founder, Richard H. Driehaus.

On exhibit is “Hector Guimard: Art Nouveau to Modernism,” which explores the life and work of the French architect. We will see furniture and design objects, jewelry, metalwork, ceramics, drawings and textiles from collections worldwide, as the Driehaus is the first major American museum exhibition devoted to Guimard since 1970.

Bus begins boarding at 7:45 a.m. on Locust Street on the north side of the NIU parking garage, between Normal and Carrol Streets on the NIU DeKalb campus with access from route 38. Departure at 8 a.m. Lunch (on your own) with many options in the River North neighborhood. Final departure at 4:30 p.m. with an estimated return arrival in DeKalb around 6:30 p.m.

Costs: Round-trip transportation and tours at Crab Tree Farm and the Driehaus Museum: $75 for NIU Art Museum members, $80 students/seniors, $90 nonmembers. NIU Art Museum registration and payment deadline for this trip has been extended to Friday, Sept. 8.

On Sunday, Nov. 19, and in conjunction with the NIU Art Museum’s food exhibition, we will visit the Illinois Holocaust Museum’s exhibit, “I’ll Have What She’s Having: The Jewish Deli.”

In addition, participants have the opportunity to view the “Interactive Holograms: Survivor Stories Experience.” This award-winning innovative exhibition allows the audience to view a hologram of a Holocaust survivor as they tell their story of survival. After watching a short introductory film, the hologram will respond to questions from the audience, inviting visitors to have a personalized, one-on-one “conversation.”

After the museum, participants will stop at Kaufman’s Bagel and Delicatessen for lunch. We will then travel to Mitsuwa Marketplace in Arlington Heights, a Japanese grocery store chain with a food court, book store and bakery as we continue to celebrate food and culture.

Bus begins boarding at 8:45 a.m. on Locust Street on the north side of the NIU parking garage, between Normal and Carrol Streets on the NIU DeKalb campus with access from route 38. Departure at 9 a.m. Lunch and other food items on your own. Estimated return arrival to DeKalb around 6 p.m.

Costs: Round-trip transportation and group tour of the Holocaust Museum: $50 NIU Art Museum members/seniors, $60 nonmembers, $45 students under 22.

NIU Art Museum registration and payment deadline for this trip has been extended to Friday, Nov. 10.

Payment for these trips may be made with check, cash or credit card. Call 815-753-1936 to register.

The Get-On-The-Bus Trips of the NIU Art Museum are great ways to meet other art lovers, keep up with what’s happening in the art world, see innovative historical exhibits, and travel without the hassle of traffic, tolls and parking. Bus trips are planned to take advantage of the best visual art offerings in the region, in correlation with the museum’s own exhibitions and by suggestion of the members of the Friends of the NIU Art Museum.

The NIU Art Museum works with Coach USA/Van Galder whose buses include large, comfortable reclining seats, Wi-Fi and restroom, and they undergo intensive cleaning and sanitation after each trip, featuring filtration of the onboard air every two minutes and a complete replacement with fresh outside air every 10 minutes. Van Galder bus drivers participate in a Greenroad program gaining points for conscientious environmental driving practices.

Please check our website go.niu.edu/artmuseumevents for our hours, program schedule and instructions on how to join virtual talks. Have our event announcements and program information delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up at go.niu.edu/artmuseumsubscribe.

Date posted: September 4, 2023 | Author: | Comments Off on NIU Art Museum to host two upcoming bus trips

Categories: Arts Faculty & Staff Homepage Students Uncategorized

More than a dozen NIU alumni are preparing for something radically different this fall, compared to previous years.  Instead of preparing for another semester at NIU, 13 former members of the Department of Military Science’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program will prepare to report for duty to the U.S. Army.

Graduates from the Department of Military Science’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.

ROTC is a college program that prepares young adults to become officers in the U.S. Military. The program includes early morning physical training three days a week that starts at 6:30 a.m., rigorous training exercises on and off campus, and Military Science classes that teach basic military skills, fundamentals of leadership and lay groundwork to become an Army officer.

The May commissioning ceremony, or military graduation, was steeped in tradition. Students first take an oath to their country and are officially admitted into the U.S. Military. Then they immediately graduate to the rank of Second Lieutenant when they receive two sets of gold bars, pinned by loved ones on the shoulders of their military uniform. The ceremony ends with the officer’s first salute, significant because it marks their transition from an officer trainee to a commissioned officer.

New officers then, as a form of respect, present a silver dollar to the enlisted service member who gives them their first official salute. After that, the new lieutenants remove a cover of the Huskie Alumni Project to reveal their engraved plate on the memorial. It signifies their transition from cadet to alum.

“These young men and women are setting forth on their new adventure of becoming the leaders of the American Army,” said scholarship and enrollment officer, Keith Buchanan. “They’ve been entrusted to the lives of the sons and daughters of American citizens to defend our nation. It’s been an honor and a privilege to watch them grow into the future of the U.S. Army.”

Congratulations to the following military officers:

  • Joseph Boland – engineer, Ft. Leonardwood, Missouri
  • Deandre Canty – quartermaster, Ft. Gregg-Adams, Virginia
  • Elizabeth Carney – infantry, Ft. Moore, Georgia
  • Johnathan Cato – ordnance, Ft. Gregg-Adams, Virginia
  • Marquila Harthrone – ordnance, Ft. Gregg-Adams, Virginia
  • Devin Johnson – chemical corps, Ft. Leonardwood, Missouri
  • Bishnu Kafley – engineer, Ft. Leonardwood, Missouri
  • Angel Latham – education delay, at NIU
  • Ashwin Moses – aviation, Ft. Novosel, Alabama
  • Nelson Robles Jr. – chemical corps, Ft. Leonardwood, Missouri
  • Chelsea Smith– signal corps, Ft. Gordon, Georgia
  • Kasondra Roby – adjutant general, Ft. Jackson, South Carolina
  • Nicholas Wheeler – field artillery, Fort Sill, Kklahoma

Date posted: September 4, 2023 | Author: | Comments Off on Department of Military Science cadets are ready for service

Categories: CHHSnews Faculty & Staff Homepage Students Uncategorized

Marcella Otto-Dorenkott

Marcella Otto-Dorenkott

To call Australia a sports giant is an understatement.

Just look at the women’s World Cup team or the Olympic swimming pool, where the athletes from Down Under have turned heads and collected plenty of medals and trophies in the process.

Or consider that Australia hosted the Olympics in 2000 (Sydney) and will do so again in 2032 (Brisbane).

So when Marcella Otto-Dorenkott pondered where to take Sport Management students for an international and educational journey from May 14 through May 27, the choice was obvious.

“Australia is known as being one of the most dominant sport countries because sport is essentially part of everyone’s daily life activity,” Otto-Dorenkott says. “They are a powerhouse.”

Otto-Dorenkott, who is teaching an online course for the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education this fall in addition to her new work as an assistant professor at Hampton University in Virginia, accompanied Kyle Long, Owen Lynch, Nicolas McDaniel, Jack Mizgalski and Tom Wilson on the Engage Global trip.

NIU’s travelers visited professional sport organizations, local sport clubs, universities, a UNESCO facility, an active living program and fitness classes.

Meanwhile, they attended presentations on “So This Is Australia!” and “Australian History 101” to learn more about their host country; other talks covered race and ethnicity in Australian sport and sport governance.

Jack Mizgalski, Nicolas McDaniel, Tom Wilson, Kyle Long and Owen Lynch.

Jack Mizgalski, Nicolas McDaniel, Tom Wilson, Kyle Long and Owen Lynch.

“What I wanted them to get out of this trip was just a better understanding of sport because, a lot of times, people – especially in the U.S. – are focused on, ‘OK, we have the all the five major sports in the U.S.’ and we think only about what is in America,” Otto-Dorenkott says.

“But there are so many opportunities in sport to go and work abroad. For example, with the NFL having more and more expansions, and having four games played in Germany, there will be job opportunities, and being aware of that is really a key component,” she adds.

“Having also explored other continents and just seeing other cultures will broaden everyone’s horizons. That’s really want I wanted them to see: ‘There’s something else out there that people can engage in’ – and maybe come to realize, ‘Hey, that’s what I want to do.’ You never know if, at the right time and in the right spot if something will fall into your lap.”

Reflections from an NIU student: My initial impression of Australia was that it was going to have small cities. I didn’t think that Sydney would be as big as it was. On our first day in Sydney, walking around the city downtown felt like a big city feel. It felt like a Chicago or a St. Louis. I understand that the U.K. is Australia’s “bigger brother,” and I thought that it would have more of an England feel to the city. But after being in Sydney, Australia has its own culture, differences and swag. Sydney and Australia so far have been amazing and very unique.

Jack Mizgalski, Nicolas McDaniel, Tom Wilson, Kyle Long and Owen Lynch.

 

Day Four put the travelers in the bleachers to watch the South Sydney Rabbitohs face off against the Parramatta Eels on the rugby field.

On Day Seven, NIU’s group visited Cairns Central University for talks about field hockey and health in the local community’s indigenous population of teenage girls; the Carins Taipans Basketball Club; and the sport science of Australia’s National Basketball League.

Two days later, students could attend presentations on health screenings in Outback indigenous communities and/or case studies in heat and hydration.

Students watch a demonstration on how to play the didgeridoo.

NIU students watch a demonstration on how to play the didgeridoo.

Day Eleven brought travel to Southern Cross University for a talk on “Centenarian Models of Physical Activity in Blue Zones.” The United States is one of five zones around the world where people consistently live past age 100; students heard how physical activity modes in those zones are influenced by environment, geography and culture.

Meanwhile, the Huskies learned how to throw boomerangs, watched a demonstration of how to play the didgeridoo and took a surfing lesson – and, the next day, learned about beach safety, rip currents and protecting and saving the lives of surfers.

In between, the students took in as much Australian culture as possible, including Sydney tours such as the Opera House, the Harbour, the Hyde Park Barracks, the Botanical Gardens as well as the Great Barrier Reef, Kuranda National Park Rainforest, Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures Zoo and more.

This trip has definitely impacted my future from just learning the different things and cultural/global differences and the way I see things. It also is going to make me want to travel more to experience even more new things and differences. For my future, I would say some of the sports management tips will correlate to my future career. But just getting the insight of the rugby teams and basketball team, I feel, will be helpful for when I enter the industry. Then, just getting to experience a new culture is something that can help me connect with others. And this is something that will make my résumé look better will I apply to new jobs. Overall, this trip will positively affect my future.

Huskies meet Borobi, the official mascot of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Huskies meet Borobi, the official mascot of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Some of what the NIU students learned came from what they didn’t find.

“They really enjoyed the rugby game, and they saw what they thought was a really interesting thing,” Otto-Dorenkott says. “They noticed a difference in the behavior of the fans there versus fans in American stadiums. They basically realized that fans over there are a lot more in the game with their heart whereas it’s different with the whole marketing aspect of sport entertainment in the U.S.”

Yet, as people who do call the U.S. home, they’ve gained a powerful way to market themselves when they apply for jobs.

“Traveling to Australia is not something that every student does,” she says. “They went outside of the country. They’ve seen something else. They can always refer back to what they’ve experienced and to the conversations they’ve had that broadened their horizons.”

For example, Otto-Dorenkott says, Australians – just like fellow Germans in her native land – are not shy to confront others to instigate difficult conversations on topics of politics or race.

Nicolas McDaniel, Jack Mizgalski, Tom Wilson, Kyle Long and Owen Lynch.

Nicolas McDaniel, Jack Mizgalski, Tom Wilson, Kyle Long and Owen Lynch.

People in the United States are the opposite, she says. “Usually, you don’t talk about these things.”

“It’s just learning that they’re not trying to offend you or trying to get you to say something you don’t want to say. It’s just a different culture, and we have to deal with that, working on communication skills and being presentable,” she says.

“I always told my students, ‘I expect you, regardless of what you do, to be presentable because you’re not representing me but you’re representing our program and the university. Once we leave, I want everyone to say, “Those kids were awesome. We want to want to have them back,” ’ she adds.

“And all of them did that, holding doors open, saying thank you and asking questions, which some of the other students from the other group did not, and so I was very proud. They were able to hold themselves very accountable and to such a high standard.”

Marcella Otto-Dorenkott, Tom Wilson, Nicolas McDaniel, Jack Mizgalski, Kyle Long and Owen Lynch.

Marcella Otto-Dorenkott, Tom Wilson, Nicolas McDaniel, Jack Mizgalski, Kyle Long and Owen Lynch.

The professor counts herself among those who came back changed.

“It was my third trip to Australia, but the first time I went I was 12, and then when I was 15, and I didn’t do any of the things we did on this trip, so it was very different,” Otto-Dorenkott says. “I grew my knowledge of sport in Australia and, in thinking about anyone who teaches Introduction to Sport Management or any course with a global aspect, I was reminded that there is so much out there, and that we must continuously evolve and grow. Applying those experiences in the classroom is important.”

This study abroad program has made me acutely aware of our relative insignificance in the grand scheme of things. This realization is not meant to evoke a sense of negativity or futility but rather a positive outlook. It implies that if something won’t matter in five years, there is no need to fret over it excessively. The world will carry on, and we will be okay. This newfound perspective encourages me to embrace discomfort and prioritize the process over the end result. It frees me from unnecessary worry and allows me to focus on pursuing endeavors that challenge me and contribute to personal growth. Overall, this study abroad experience has left an indelible mark on my life. It has instilled in me a thirst for adventure and a curiosity-driven mindset, propelling me towards new opportunities in Chicago. Simultaneously, it has taught me the importance of embracing our smallness in the world, enabling me to let go of insignificant worries and focus on what truly matters.

Date posted: September 4, 2023 | Author: | Comments Off on Sport Management students experience Australian approach to sports industry

Categories: Faculty & Staff Homepage Students

Adam has been amazing to work with this week when the air in our building wasn’t working correctly. He was kind and patient with us even though I’m sure there were a lot jobs waiting for him, given the heat. He kept checking back to see if things were getting better. We should all take a lesson from him on being kind to our fellow employees.

Date posted: September 4, 2023 | Author: | Comments Off on Adam Baie – Physical Plant

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Andrea showed such care and compassion for a student who entered our office after a fire destroyed her home. Andrea was able to secure funding to assist the student during this time of hardship very quickly. The student kept stating over and over again how grateful she was.

Date posted: September 4, 2023 | Author: | Comments Off on Andrea Allen – Financial Aid and Scholarship Office

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