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As we close out the semester, it can seem overwhelming for our students, especially those in their first year at NIU. The good news? Huskies help each other. Faculty, advisors and staff can refer students to the Founders Memorial Library (FML) Learning Commons, a one-stop shop for assistance and resources.

 “This approach allows students to get multiple services in a single visit,” says Kimberly Shotick, Assistant Professor and Student Success Librarian at FML. “The service points also work together on programs that support students, such as the Late-Night Study Sessions, so we can holistically address students’ academic needs.”

Services and resources at the Founders Learning Commons include:

Help with Studies

Technology Support

There are some surprises, too, including:

  • Assistive technology and support for individuals with disabilities.
  • A Reflection Room for individual reflection, meditation, or prayer.
  • Gender inclusive restrooms
  • Einstein Bros. Bagels
  • Flexible furniture and study spaces, making it easy to work individual or with a group

The biggest surprise? Probably the biggest item in the library, located just inside the main doors on the first floor: Science on a Sphere.

“Students are stunned when they first see it, this global display system that projects planetary data onto a six-foot diameter sphere,” says Shotick. “We often find students relaxing by the sphere or engaged in conversation about the data and our planet.”

The Founders Learning Commons is open until midnight most weekdays and has weekend hours. Full building hours can be found here.

Date posted: November 28, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on Resources and surprises await students in Founders Learning Commons

Categories: Faculty & Staff Homepage Students

It can be challenging for teenagers to advocate for themselves, and even more challenging for those with a disability diagnosis. Members of NIU’s Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic hope to change that with Ignite, a new program being launched in 2023.

“As a clinician at the NIU Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic, I often hear from families and school professionals that there are not enough opportunities specifically designed to empower and support middle school-aged students,” said Allison Gladfelter, professor of speech-language pathology. “To address this need, we have been teaming up with RAMP, a non-profit organization that promotes independent living and self-advocacy and through this collaboration to offer RAMP’s Ignite curriculum at our clinic.”

Ignite is a student empowerment program designed for students ages 10 to 16. The program is being made possible thanks to a generous donation to the School of Allied Health and Communicative Disorders from John and Audrey Chiricotti, who are both NIU alumni.

“We are thankful to be the recipients of the Chiricotti’s continued generosity,” said Sherrill Morris, chair, School of Allied Health and Communicative Disorders. “For many years, they have provided scholarship funding for exceptional students studying speech-language pathology.”

Morris said that this year, their impact will have an exponential effect in that multiple students and faculty will participate in the innovative and interdisciplinary Ignite program. Moreover, adolescents in the community will benefit from the services the Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic are able to provide.

Anna Cannone, professor of speech-language pathology, said their team realized that explicitly teaching self-advocacy is a fundamental skill that participants with disabilities can benefit from.

“A person’s ambitions, career and personal goals, and experiences will be negatively impacted if they feel incapable of getting their needs met,” Cannone said. “Partnering with RAMP to implement Ignite will help us use neuro-affirming therapy to teach the students skills they can use across all stages of life.”

The professors and speech-language pathologists speak from experience. Gladfelter has over 15 years of clinical experience supporting children and has led the NIU Autism Caregiver Group for seven years. In turn, Cannone has over six years of experience providing speech-language services with pediatrics in diverse settings and co-runs the autism diagnostic team with Gladfelter.

Gladfelter said the program has two main objectives: to empower students to learn how to advocate for themselves and to help students transition into high school/begin high school with the tools needed to be successful.

“One of the goals it to encourage students to confidently attend their own Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meetings,” Gladfelter said. “It’s important for students to attend to have their voice heard as decisions about their academic accommodations, modifications, and transition plans are made.”

In addition, the Ignite program is designed to help students adjust to high school by focusing on successful study habits, personal goal-setting skills, and understanding how communication and personality styles influence their academic and social success.

While they are currently seeking community members to participate in the Ignite program, Gladfelter said the program will also help a future generation of clinicians.

“Opportunities like this are also really important for our graduate speech-language pathology clinicians,” Gladfelter said. “Many of our graduates go on to work in schools or clinical settings that serve middle school students; getting firsthand experiences working with this population will set them up to be strong clinicians and leaders in their communities.”

Stephanie Good Salas, a graduate student in NIU speech-language pathology program, shared the sentiment.

“I am very excited to be part of this incredible program designed to empower teenagers to develop self-advocacy skills and navigate the world as they transition into adulthood,” Good Salas said. “I’m honored to be a small part of this crucial time in their lives.”

NIU graduate student, Olivia Zimmermann, agreed.

“Self-advocacy is a difficult skill for anybody to utilize and is one of the most necessary skills we take with us into our adult lives,” Zimmermann said. “Opportunities like Ignite are a great way to learn how to advocate in a collaborative and supportive environment. I hope that participants in this program enjoy the opportunity to celebrate themselves and the future visions they are building.”

The program is seeking students (ages 10 to 16) with a disability diagnosis who are interested in self-empowerment and advocacy to join the NIU Ignite program. Classes meet on Wednesdays from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the NIU Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic. Dates for 2023 include: 1/25, 2/8, 2/22, 3/8, 3/22, 4/5, 4/19 and 5/3.

The cost is $280 per participant and financial scholarships are available. For more information, contact Anna Cannone (acannone@niu.edu) or Allison Gladfelter (agladfelter@niu.edu).

Date posted: November 22, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on Ignite for self-advocacy at NIU

Categories: CHHSnews Community Faculty & Staff Homepage Students Uncategorized

Zach Wahl-Alexander
Zach Wahl-Alexander

Since joining the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education faculty in 2015, Zach Wahl-Alexander has taught in plenty of Anderson Hall spaces.

None is remotely like where his KNPE 343 class is meeting this fall.

Wahl-Alexander accepted the university’s invitation to teach in the metaverse, which came complete with the construction of virtual reality “twins” of an Anderson classroom and gym.

“I was approached because, in the past, I’ve done some research looking at using virtual reality (VR) to prepare the preservice teachers,” says Wahl-Alexander, who almost turned down the offer. “The more I thought about it, I realized this could be just a really cool opportunity.”

Powered by VictoryXR technology, Meta’s “metaversities” replicate college campuses with virtual grounds, building exteriors and interiors “fully ready for large groups of students ready to learn with their professor and other students.”

The metaverse version of NIU’s campus includes Altgeld Hall, Cole Hall, Founders Memorial Library, the Holmes Student Center, the Peters Campus Life Building and the MLK Commons.

Using headsets or PCs, students enter immersive classrooms where they can interact in a synchronous yet virtual environment. Students also can work and collaborate “hands-on” on projects, enter simulation labs or gather in remote meeting places.

Zach Wahl-Alexander
Zach Wahl-Alexander

Each set of goggles is equipped with a microphone and speakers; students also are provided “paddles” for their hands – much like the controllers for video game consoles, including buttons and triggers – that permit them to maneuver and interact.

All the students need to supply are Wi-Fi connections.

For Wahl-Alexander, the preparation included training throughout the summer so that he could understand, use and teach the technology.

During this fall’s pilot phase, he is “basically supplementing the class with some virtual reality experiences” and outfitting the actual Anderson Hall gym with a couple of 360-degree cameras to display the floor, the ceiling and everything in between.

“KNPE 343 is the elementary clinical, so I have them cut their lessons and, before they teach, they go into the VR space, they run through their lesson, they record it and then they rewatch it,” Wahl-Alexander says.

“I’m also going to have the footage from previous lessons that my students videoed this year, and then they’re going to be able to walk through,” he adds. “They’re able to analyze the performance. They’re able to critique certain things. They just get a different perspective that is literally impossible to get anywhere else.”

Brett Marth
Brett Marth

Brett Marth, a senior P.E. major from Genoa-Kingston, has enjoyed “learning how well it can help prepare me for things that are to happen in my actual teaching.”

“During the year, we used the VR set-up – how our gym space would look – and we would record our teachings in the metaverse. It became a helpful tool for me to understand how and what I was going to actually say to my students during my lessons,” Marth says. “It was also very neat to see that even though this was VR it was still resembling true features on how my teaching will in fact look.”

Marth expects that the hands-on experience in the metaverse and the resulting knowledge will benefit his career through “having the ability to think further ahead into what I want to do.”

“If I record my teachings and look back, I realize and hear things that others don’t. I notice specific words and phrases that I hear, and that don’t make sense, and I can change that,” he says. “Writing a lesson plan doesn’t specially show me that, but hearing it and listening to myself is a big factor. It helps me make changes and adjustments.”

NIU’s journey into the metaverse began last spring, says Jason Rhode, associate vice provost for Teaching, Learning, and Digital Education and associate professor in the Department of Educational Technology, Research and Assessment.

“We were approached institutionally with an opportunity to learn more about VictoryXR, a provider that helps institutions build out a presence in the metaverse,” Rhode says. “After attending a demo where we got a glimpse for teaching and learning in the metaverse, we then began to further explore the potential opportunities for becoming an early partner.”

Jason Rhode
Jason Rhode

Although the 10 pilot institutions already were chosen, he says, NIU’s leaders told VictoryXR that they would want to continue discussions if a spot opened.

That exact scenario transpired – and NIU joined the roster.

“VictoryXR worked with us to build a VR digital twin campus for NIU, providing initial licenses for 50 users and 50 Oculus 2 headsets. We’ve purchased a few more and are looking to provide interested faculty with the opportunity to learn more about the potential for using VR in teaching.,” Rhode says.

“We’re starting to hear interest bubbling up,” he adds, “with people saying, ‘Hey, what’s this VR thing? How can I get it and start using it?’ As there are other faculty who might be interested, we can start to connect those faculty together and let them share ideas among each other.”

Celeste Latham, associate vice president for Facilities and Resources in the Office of the Provost, says NIU administrators believe students also are eager to explore the technology.

“Looking at the future, in addition to the faculty who are looking at the opportunity, this provides our students with an alternative space to practice tasks and enhance learning,” Latham says.

“Professor Wahl-Alexander’s students, for example, can practice those simulations over and over in an environment that is similar to where they will teach – in this case a gymnasium. There are also future opportunities for health practicing students,” she adds. “Overlaps also are available, which would allow students to continue to enhance their skills as they move forward with mini tutoring sessions.”

That mirrors the real world, adds Rhode, whose brother is a pilot: “He spends as much time, or more time, in simulators than he does actually flying the physical plane because it gives him that same experience.”

For colleges and universities, Rhode says, VR is “a new horizon in education.”

Celeste Latham
Celeste Latham

“Actually teaching with VR is the really exciting part, when we start to think about what we can do differently,” he says. “I think the initial allure to institutions was during the height of the pandemic, when you weren’t physically able to have in-person classes, and many of our subjects that are very tactile require that in-person manipulation.”

Entering the metaverse is worth the trip for NIU, both say.

Morehouse University, which Latham says is a pioneer in this sphere, already has logged “a huge increase in student scores and student engagement.”

“When you have the headset on, you’re not distracted by what’s outside the window or who’s walking outside the classroom,” she says. “That’s one of the really positive learning outcomes. You’re immersed in that environment. You’re surrounded by everything that you’re trying to learn.”

The world within the headsets is simultaneously familiar and unfamiliar, Rhode adds.

“As part of this partnership, we have access to over 60 VR learning spaces – environments that faculty could teach in,” he says.

“For example, there’s a fully functional chemistry lab with burners and beakers and the various equipment, including an eye-wash station: the pieces where you could teach chemistry in VR space,” he adds. “If we have faculty who want to do that, we have access to that kind of environment. We could provide that.”

Meanwhile, he says, “there are lots of historical places. You could go on virtual field trips. You could go to the Louvre. It wouldn’t necessarily just be teaching your full class in VR. It could be taking your students to experience an environment they couldn’t otherwise. VR provides that.”

Zach Wahl-Alexander
Zach Wahl-Alexander

Virtual Reality has long fascinated Wahl-Alexander, who Rhode says “checks all the boxes” when it comes to piloting NIU’s metaversity.

His future teachers complete clinical experiences in every level of K-12 school, teaching between 15 to 20 consecutive lessons in each place they where are sharpening their abilities.

“Four or five years ago, I partnered with a student in the virtual reality department here, and he basically built out the gym space of Jefferson Elementary School – one of the local elementary schools I use for clinicals,” Wahl-Alexander says.

“What I had my student-teachers do is to prepare their lessons in the VR space. They script their lesson plans, set it all up and run through it. Then, they would literally drive to the school and teach the lesson,” he adds. “The concept is sound, and it was definitely effective for the students. I could see a difference in their preparation.”

Although he continues meets with students face-to-face three times a week this fall, they can tackle homework and lab projects in the metaverse.

Huskies enrolled in KNPE 343 in the spring, however, will spend more of their time inside the headsets.

“Basically, I’ll teach them in person – and then half of the class will come to the next two class periods and the other half won’t, so it’s just me and 15 students versus 30,” he says. “The half of the class that’s not meeting is actually going to do their own labs in the VR to get that real-time practice and then, when it switches, they’re going to come back and do it person. It’s essentially going to be more preparation.”

Hula hoops and bean bags!
Hula hoops and bean bags!

Wahl-Alexander also will keep assigning 360-degree video reviews within the goggles.

“Some class periods, I will go into the videos with them and provide my feedback while they’re also in there, and others will be doing them on their own,” he says.

“One of the things I always preach is that I don’t see how much they practice or prepare for any of the practical assignments; I give them tools in order to help them practice on their own, and all I see is the product,” he adds. “This is a way I can tangibly show them exactly what to do. They can record it, and I can go back and check up on them, making sure that the practice is going as well as it should.”

No matter the result of this fall’s trial run or next spring’s full launch, Wahl-Alexander says the potential of the metaverse for the preparation of teachers, and for higher education itself, is staggering.

“For my students, when you’re trying to teach anything – whether it’s playing sports or flying a plane – the more practice you have, the better you’re going to get,” he says. “But it’s not practice that makes perfect. It’s perfect practice that makes perfect, so this is as realistic of a setting as we can make it for our students to practice and prepare, and the better their practice is going to lead to a better product and a better outcome.”

Outside the scope of Wahl-Alexander’s program, meanwhile, lies the potential for a systemic game changer.

“For youth of low socioeconomic status, or from communities of color, the statistics are pretty alarming in terms of never stepping foot on a college campus,” he says, “and for those students who might not necessarily have the ability to travel to see a college or a university, but they might be interested in attending those schools, this makes that a lot more tangible and realistic.”

Rhode and Latham are similarly energized about what’s next.

NIU’s Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning, which Rhode oversees, is already holding workshops and facilitating discussion groups for faculty interested in the metaverse in particular and in VR in general.

Eager participation “shows we’re willing to try new things,” Rhode says.

“Other VR apps are out there that faculty are experimenting with,” he says, adding that he expects prices for the equipment to become more affordable as availability grows. “Ultimately, we’d love to eventually be able to provide more devices and places where faculty could bring their classes for virtual field trips.”

Those faculty place NIU in rare company.

“This is still cutting-edge, and we’re still in the very forefront of what is happening in this space. I’m hearing from colleagues at other institutions who have heard that we’re dabbling in this space, and they’re wanting to hear what we are doing well, how we are evaluating and what we are looking at,” he says.

“We don’t know all the answers yet because we haven’t seen broad adoption and use of this technology yet, but it’s exciting to know that we had someone like Professor Wahl-Alexander who’d already published on his use of VR in teaching. Other faculty on campus are looking to do research on teaching with VR,” he adds. “We’re again helping to blaze the trail for other institutions and for higher education more broadly.”

Latham calls the implications of VR on higher education “endless.”

“I just came back from EDUCAUSE, where there were large discussions about the future of virtual reality and artificial intelligence in the classroom and how it can transform learning,” Latham says. “The possibilities are endless, and we’re excited to move forward.”

Date posted: November 21, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on Goggles on, paddles in hand: NIU serves as pilot ‘metaversity’ to test VR teaching

Categories: Faculty & Staff Homepage Uncategorized

Within the span of less than two weeks, Anna Quider racked up two major national awards in recognition of her outstanding federal relations efforts.

Based in Washington, D.C., Quider serves as NIU’s assistant vice president for federal relations.

Anna Quider, NIU’s assistance vice president for federal relations.

On Monday, Nov. 8, the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) Council on Governmental Affairs (CGA) honored Quider with its Jennifer Poulakidas Outstanding Achievement Award. The award recognizes “unique and substantial accomplishments in helping to resolve university governmental relations issues” of importance to APLU member institutions. Quider was nominated and selected for the award by her peers.

Nine days later, she was named a 2022 Top Lobbyist, a distinction for only 100 state and federal lobbyists across the nation, by the National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics and its partner, Leadership Connect.

Quider received the APLU award during the organization’s annual meeting in Denver. She joins an illustrious list of past honorees from primarily larger research institutions, including the universities of California, Michigan, Washington, Pittsburgh, Georgia, Cornell University and The State University of New York System.

A leading voice for the equitable distribution of federal research funding, Quider served the APLU as the Science Team Lead for the CGA and as an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee of the Council on Research. She has spearheaded successful efforts to convince lawmakers to support and recognize the important contributions of Emerging Research Institutions, such as NIU.

“I’m thrilled that Anna was selected for these incredible and much-deserved honors,” said Gerald C. Blazey, vice president of NIU’s Division of Research and Innovation Partnerships.

“Anna does a tremendous job representing NIU in Washington, D.C. While she has helped us over the years punch well above our weight in our research endeavors, she also has changed the national discussion on research equity, advocating for universities nationwide.”

In addition to her two recent awards, Quider was elected a year ago as a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS) in recognition of her “stellar leadership in science policy and advocacy, and for promoting and mentoring early-career physicists.”

Quider joined NIU as its federal relations director in 2014 and is one of the nation’s few Ph.D.-trained scientists currently leading a public research university federal relations office. She holds a Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Cambridge, where she was a Marshall Scholar and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow.

In Washington, D.C., Quider advocates for NIU students and faculty and has introduced many of them to Illinois congressional delegation members. She shares NIU’s leading edge research with members of Congress and their staffs, and also has mentored faculty and students in the workings of federal policy and the importance of federal funding for research.

Quider works with students at NIU and other institutions to help them develop applications for prestigious scholarships and fellowships. She was elected this year to the chair-line of the Forum on Physics and Society within the American Physical Society, and as such, is presently Vice-Chair. Additionally, she was elected to the Board of Directors of the Association of Marshall Scholars and serves on the selection committee for the Marshall Scholarship by appointment of the United Kingdom’s ambassador to the United States. She previously served on the selection committees for the APS Congressional Science Fellowship and for the American Association for the Advancement of Science congressional Science and Technology Policy Fellowship.

Through speaking engagements, Quider has addressed thousands of people on the topics of science policy and scientific policy careers. She has delivered invited talks at such venues as the APS, National Society of Physics Students, American Astronomical Society, the University of Michigan, the University of Cambridge, the University of Notre Dame, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Carnegie Institution for Science, the Smithsonian Institute and the British Embassy.

Quider is a past elected president of the Science Coalition, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization representing more than 50 of the nation’s leading public and private research universities. The Science Coalition is dedicated to sustaining the federal government’s investment in fundamental scientific research.

“It’s such an honor, and I am thrilled to bring home these distinctions for NIU,” Quider said. “Federal relations is a team sport, and success in the federal policy arena is enabled by our outstanding campus community.”

Date posted: November 17, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on Anna Quider honored twice over for outstanding federal relations achievements

Categories: Faculty & Staff Homepage

After a year of study and dialogue, the NIU Greek Life Task Force has completed a report analyzing the state of fraternity and sorority life at NIU and is making recommendations for how to reshape its future.

The 33-page document, which can be found on the NIU Fraternity and Sorority Life website, examines the relationship between the university and Greek organizations, and offers a series of recommendations to help those organizations thrive.

“NIU strongly believes that a healthy, vibrant Greek community can be a vital part of university life, and we would like that to be part of the student experience here at NIU,” President Lisa Freeman said. “I thank the task force for their time, thoughtful feedback and suggestions that will inform our practices and benefit the experience students have at NIU.”

The task force was comprised of student representatives from all four Greek councils on campus, alumni of the NIU Greek life community, university administrators and a DeKalb community representative. The group was led by alumnus Jeff Liesendahl and alumnae Melody Mitchell (who also serves as assistant dean of Strategic Communications, Alumni Engagement, and Diversity Initiatives for the NIU College of Law) — both of whom were active in Greek life during their college careers.

The history of Greek life at NIU stretches back to 1944 when the first sorority was established on campus, followed by the first fraternity in 1947. Greek organizations began flourishing at NIU during the 1960s, and a thriving Greek Row developed north of campus in the 1970s. Participation in Greek life peaked in the early 1990s with approximately 2,500 students participating. In the decades since, those numbers have declined significantly with only 691 students participating during the 2020-21 academic year.

Encouraged by alumni for whom Greek life was an important part of their college experience, Dr. Freeman formed the task force to not just document the challenges, but also to look at best practices that can be applied to revitalize our Greek community.

The task force met with a number of key constituencies including university officials, Greek student leaders from all four councils, DeKalb city officials, local law enforcement, Greek chapter advisors, national and regional Greek executive board members, Greek housing representatives and Greek alumni. Among the topics they explored were how Greeks recruit and retain members, housing, safety, and revitalization plans for the Annie Glidden North area.

The final report includes a comprehensive list of recommendations touching upon these areas and more.

Among the recommendations:

  • Adding staff in the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and refocusing the activities of that office on leadership development, support and advocacy for students.
  • Streamlining the event approval process.
  • Working with Greek councils and chapters to improve how they market themselves to potential members.
  • Creating a Greek Life Housing Advisory Board to help enact new strategies to improve Greek housing, including multiple groups sharing a single building and shared event spaces for chapters that do not have a house.
  • Creating a Greek Alumni Council to improve communication between chapters and their alumni to improve the recruitment, training and support of alumni chapter advisors.
  • Continuing the university’s commitment to safety in the Greek Row area.
  • Developing comprehensive training for Greeks on topics such as sexual assault awareness and prevention, leadership development, and recruitment and retention.

The authors also suggested the creation of a Greek Life advisory board composed of Greek life students and alumni as well as university personnel to advise the university on the long-term needs of Greek life at NIU.

NIU Vice President for Student Affairs Clint-Michael Reneau was excited by the findings of the report, heralding it as an opportunity to renew and transform Greek life at NIU.

“This report offers reasonable, measurable and manageable recommendations with the potential to guide NIU toward a fraternity and sorority experience that is a national exemplar,” Reneau said. “With this, we remain hopeful about the future and are committed to the successful implementation of the recommendations from this report.”

The task force co-chairs share that belief and acknowledge that their report is just the beginning of what must be an ongoing process.

“While much work remains to be done to revitalize Greek life at NIU, we wish to thank the university, especially the Division of Student Affairs, for embracing the commitment to the revitalization of Greek life at NIU,” Liesendahl and Mitchell said. “It is our hope that the recommendations included here will meaningfully contribute to the revitalization of the Greek community and to the student experience at NIU.”

Date posted: November 17, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on Task force report offers ideas to revitalize Greek life at NIU

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The Northern Illinois University Jazz Orchestra will be heading to New York City in January to compete in the third annual Rudin Jazz Championship at Jazz at Lincoln Center, and you can get a preview of that performance at their concert Thursday, November 17 at 7 p.m. in Boutell Memorial Concert Hall in the Music Building on the NIU campus in DeKalb.

The Jazz Orchestra is one of only ten college jazz orchestras from around the nation to be invited to compete, and they received that invitation directly from Wynton Marsalis, world-famous musician and managing and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center.

The NIU Jazz Orchestra is directed by Reggie Thomas, Professor of Music and Head of Jazz Studies.

The November 17 set includes works by Freddie Green, Luis Hernandez, Juan Tizol, Lil Hardin Armstrong and Don Raye, Matt Harris, Joey DeFrancesco, Jacob Mann and Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington. Guest artists include Jason Swagler, Director of Jazz Studies at SIU-Edwardsville on saxophone and Liam Teague, NIU Presidential Research, Scholarship and Artistry Professor and Head of Steelpan Studies on steelpan.

Tickets may be purchased online, and are $5 for adults, $3 for non-NIU students and NIU students may attend free of charge. The concert will also be live streamed at go.niu.edu/music-live.

Date posted: November 17, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on NIU Jazz Orchestra to preview their Lincoln Center set at concert Nov. 17

Categories: Community Faculty & Staff Homepage Students Uncategorized

Laurie Elish-Piper

Laurie Elish-Piper regards NIU as an agent for change.

Consider, she says, how many Huskies are the first in their families to attend college, or who come from underrepresented or lower income backgrounds, and who go on to achieve amazing things after graduation.

“I love the student population we serve,” Elish-Piper says. “I truly feel that we make a difference with what we do to support social mobility and what we do to provide transformational learning experiences that are accessible and affordable for students who might otherwise not have access to higher education.”

Yet the dean of the College of Education also sees similar potential for faculty and staff.

“NIU is a place of possibilities and a place of opportunity,” she says.

“As a professional, I have appreciated throughout my career here that, when I had a good idea or I had something that I thought would be important to do, I was given encouragement to do those things and to contribute in ways that I felt were meaningful and that were personally and professionally rewarding to me,” she adds. “I have been able to grow in my career because NIU afforded me that opportunity.”

Her next step comes July 1, 2023.

President Lisa Freeman has named Elish-Piper as the university’s interim executive vice president and provost, pending Thursday, Dec. 8, approval from the NIU board of trustees.

Elish-Piper will succeed Provost Beth Ingram, who earlier this month shared with her team and NIU leadership that she will step down June 30 to begin an administrative leave before returning in 2024 as faculty in the Department of Economics.

Before then, Ingram and Elish-Piper will partner throughout the spring semester to develop and implement a comprehensive transition plan while Provost Ingram also oversees an internal search for an interim dean of the College of Education.

“We deeply appreciate the expertise, attention and care Provost Ingram has for our students, faculty and staff, and recognize the leadership she has shown throughout the past three years, especially during the challenges we faced from COVID-19,” President Freeman says. “She has made a notable difference in how we support our students’ success while they are at NIU and beyond.”

The university will launch a national search in the coming year to identify internal and external candidates, who could include Elish-Piper, to hire a permanent successor by fall 2024.

Dean Elish-Piper’s “exemplary leadership, scholarship and passion for education and student success has been evident since she came to NIU,” President Freeman says. “Colleagues value her ability to advance strategic initiatives, galvanize teams and build consensus, which is true not only within the college and NIU administration but across Illinois. I have great confidence in Laurie and look forward to working with her in this new capacity.”

Officially leading the College of Education since 2016, after one year as acting dean, Elish-Piper is ready to amplify her commitment to NIU’s mission, vision and values – and to roll up her sleeves.

“I welcome this opportunity and challenge to serve NIU in a new capacity,” she says, “helping the university to accomplish its goals and advance important initiatives already underway.”

Those include centralized advising for first-year students, strategies to foster student retention and success, and work that promotes diversity, equity and inclusion.

Key to those efforts is cultivating and nurturing a sense of belonging for students, something she has emphasized throughout the College of Education and has made visible throughout the hallways of Graham, Gabel and Anderson Halls.

Doing so comes naturally to Elish-Piper, the daughter of a teacher who followed her father’s footsteps into the classroom.

She came to NIU in 1995 to begin a career that has earned her honors as a Distinguished Engagement Professor and Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.

“I am, first and foremost, a lifelong educator,” she says. “I am incredibly committed to the quality of teaching that we provide at this university, because that is core to our mission of providing rich, relevant and robust degree programs and courses for students so that they are able to pursue their personal and professional goals.”

Before becoming dean, Elish-Piper served as director of NIU’s Jerry L. Johns Literacy Clinic, co-director of the NIU Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language and Literacy, and acting chair of the department of Literacy Education.

Her research focuses on literacy leadership, literacy coaching, teacher professional development, literacy assessment, family engagement and struggling readers. In 2021, she received the A.B. Herr Award for outstanding contributions to the field of reading.

Professional roles off campus have included serving as president of the Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers, chair of the Illinois Association of Deans of Public Colleges of Education and as a member of the board of directors of the International Literacy Association and the governing board of ACE (Alignment Collaborative for Education).

Elish-Piper also partners with the state on programs such as the Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity and the Illinois Tutoring Initiative, for which NIU serves as Region 2 hub coordinator.

At the same time, she has become a powerful voice in Springfield through meeting with lawmakers to testify and advocate for or against legislation or proposed policy changes that impact educator preparation.

The College of Education’s own PLEDGE (Partnering to Lead and Empower District-Grown Educators) program addresses the teacher shortage by meeting future teachers and school leaders where they are.

Meanwhile, in the six years since she was named dean, her team has signed two dozen 2+2 agreements that give students at community colleges seamless transfer pathways to NIU College of Education bachelor’s degrees.

Despite her leadership résumé, Elish-Piper continues to see herself as a faculty member.

She is still directing dissertations and serving on dissertation committees. She is still visiting classes and providing guest presentations. She is still engaged in her academic discipline, conducting and publishing research.

Consequently, she sees herself as part of the team.

“I’m proud of the work that our college has done, and that we’ve done it all collaboratively. I’m proud of our team members who have contributed in so many meaningful ways, resulting in both the efficacy and the impact of what we’ve able to accomplish,” Elish-Piper says.

“I promise to bring that same philosophy and that same spirit as I engage in work with colleagues across campus and in the university community,” she adds. “Serving NIU for the last nearly 30 years has been a tremendous honor, and I am excited to serve the university in this new role.”

Date posted: November 16, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on Dean Laurie Elish-Piper to serve as Interim Executive Vice President and Provost for AY 23-24

Categories: Centerpiece Faculty & Staff Uncategorized

Tickets for the performance may be purchased online at: go.niu.edu/arts-tickets.
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A scholarship has been established in Melanie’s memory. For 23 years she worked and taught in the School of Theatre Dance first as costume director and instructor and then as costume designer. She became the associate dean of CVPA in 2013 and served in that role until 2018.

Melanie’s talent for design was equaled only by her ability to connect with students, and though she missed teaching, she was flattered to be identified by the outgoing associate dean as someone who would serve students well in that college-wide role.

She is fondly remembered for her upbeat sunny nature, talent, style, advocacy and wit, as well as her love of shoes, the color pink, and Elvis.

This scholarship in the School of Theatre and Dance will help the program’s recruiting efforts to further access and opportunity in the school and assist current costume design students in need.

Date posted: November 15, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on Scholarship established, and reception scheduled to honor Melanie Parks before Sunday’s Dance Concert performance

Categories: Arts Faculty & Staff Homepage Students

WNIJ received several top broadcasting awards from the Illinois News Broadcasters Association (INBA) during the association’s fall convention on Oct. 8, 2022, including Second Place in the Best Station category. The station is part of Northern Public Radio – the broadcasting arm of Northern Illinois University – and is housed in the Division of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development.

WNIJ also took home awards in the categories of investigative reporting, best writing and best digital presence, demonstrating the breadth of the station’s news, arts and culture coverage.

“Our reporting team truly embodies the mission to enrich, inspire and inform adults in northern Illinois through journalism that shares ideas, encourages thought, gives pleasure and creates community,” says WNIJ News Director Jenna Dooley. “These honors remind us that quality journalism is recognized and appreciated.”

WNIJ education reporter Peter Medlin received a First Place “Crystal Mic” award for his investigative series looking at efforts to improve water quality in Sycamore, Illinois. Originally aired on February 14 and February 15, 2022, Medlin’s stories report on lead testing in DeKalb and Sycamore schools, as well as elevated lead levels found in Sycamore homes – and the lack of guidance families say they’ve received when dealing with lead.

Medlin says the Crystal Mic award is a testament to the in-depth, investigative reporting that’s possible in the WNIJ newsroom.

“Not a lot of news organizations can afford to have their reporters spend a few months on a story, collecting data and conducting interviews,” Medlin says. “I’m proud to have that opportunity and try to make the most of it.”

Medlin began his investigation after seeing concerned Sycamore residents on social media showing pictures of their discolored, bad-smelling water. From there, the story expanded as Medlin began interviewing experts about the effects of lead exposure and city and school officials about the process of testing drinking water for lead.

“One of the stories in our series followed up on the lead water testing that Illinois schools had to do in 2017 after the crisis in Flint, Michigan,” Medlin says. “I wanted to know what happened if schools found elevated lead levels. Were they required to tell parents? Were they required to fix the issues? Have they had to re-test since?”

Medlin says this series reminded him of how important community relationships are to good reporting.

“This was a very serious topic. People trusted me with their kids’ medical information. They told me about their frustrating experiences with public officials and government agencies,” Medlin says. “You need to sincerely build trust over time. That’s one of the big reasons these investigative projects should take time. You’re talking to real people who have been through real trauma and pain; they aren’t just your sources.”

Arts reporter Yvonne Boose also brought home an individual award. Boose took Second Place in the Best Writing category for her feature on a 101-year-old-poet, “Jazzy Jean” Schildbach, and she was also voted by general membership to serve on the INBA board.

As WNIJ’s arts and culture reporter, Boose covers artistic, cultural, and spiritual expressions. She’s also a practicing poet and the host of Poetically Yours, a weekly segment that highlights the voices of northern Illinois poets.

Boose calls her interview with Schildbach – who writes a poem every day – one of her most memorable.

“Schildbach’s passion for words encourages me to keep writing,” Boose says. “She said she usually writes in the late-night hours. I now wake up when poetry shows up for an unannounced appointment. I’ve realized if I don’t the words may be sent back into the universe.”

Boose explains that during a pandemic, poetry is more important than ever.

“Poets are vulnerable, and this openness reminds others that they are not alone, which can sometimes allow the listener or reader to begin their healing journey. Art can be interpreted in many ways, but I think all of its expressions help take the focus from the many misfortunes happening across the world.”

Boose came to journalism recently as a second career.

“This award reiterates that I made the right decision when I left my 22-year-long career,” she says. “I was successful and received many awards during that time, but this recognition hits differently. It will always serve as a token that reminds me of what can happen if I push through my fears.”

WNIJ’s new bilingual digital community “WNIJ.org/hola” also took Second Place – in the Best Digital Presence category. The new website launched only a few months ago in summer of 2022, and it brings together news, arts, music, events and even recipes into an online hub that celebrates, connects and informs the Latino community in DeKalb County.

“The Latino community in DeKalb is a significant and growing portion of the population, but it’s a population that our on-air programming doesn’t serve very well,” said WNIJ General Manager Staci Hoste when the platform launched. “We wanted to intensify our engagement efforts to the Latino community and provide more resources in Spanish.”

WNIJ also won Second Place in the Best Station, Small Market Radio category in recognition of the news team’s coverage of breaking news, education, environment and arts stories over the past year.

WNIJ 89.5 FM is one of two non-commercial public broadcasting radio stations managed by Northern Public Radio, the broadcast arm of Northern Illinois University. Learn more at wnij.org.

WNIJ won Second Place in the Best Station, Small Market Radio category. Receiving the award are (from left to right) Guy Stephens, Jenna Dooley, Peter Medlin, Maria Gardner Lara, Yvonne Boose and Joe Kuntz.

Date posted: November 15, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on WNIJ wins awards for writing, digital presence and investigative reporting from Illinois News Broadcasters Association

Categories: Community Faculty & Staff Homepage

On Saturday, Oct. 15, approximately 4,000 visitors, including 13 buses full of K-12 students and their families, gathered in the center of NIU’s campus for STEM Fest – a free annual celebration of science, technology, engineering and math. The event highlighted student and faculty research and artistry and offered hands-on learning activities for the whole family. It relied on the time and effort of more than 300 NIU student, faculty and staff volunteers and showcased contributions from six NIU colleges.

One of the new activities featured this year was the chance for families to participate in the National Science Foundation funded research of Yanghee Kim, the director of NIU CREATE Center and professor of Educational Technology, Research and Assessment. Dr. Jaejin Hwang, NIU associate professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering collaborates as the co-principal investigator. Kim and her team are developing a STEM learning environment that combines humanoid social robots and augmented reality, where young children can practice computational thinking skills while playing. They’re now in year two of the project, and the team is currently inviting children in kindergarten through second grade to play with their robot while they observe to see what and how the children are learning.

Key to Kim’s research is the combination of a humanoid robot with an augmented reality environment. This allows the children to move around and be physically active while problem solving, which is important for both learning and assessment at such a young age.

“This arrangement of different technology tools will help us to get more accurate information of their efficacy in problem-solving,” Kim says. “We are dealing with 5- and 6-year-old children, and written tasks or surveys wouldn’t work to measure their problem-solving skills.”

The research team was excited to participate in STEM Fest because it offered them an additional chance to observe how children interact with the augmented reality environment. “My team were able to interact with many children and parents who liked our robot (LiniBot) and the game environment a lot,” Kim says. “This interaction gave us good insights to further refine our app environment.”

Kim’s research team observes as a young child walks around the room while navigating obstacles in a virtual reality environment.

Ultimately, Dr. Kim and the research team hope their new technology will help to overcome important challenges that public education currently faces. “These cutting-edge technologies can help to offer high-level thinking and skills development as well as personalized learning, helping to prepare children for the technologically advanced future world they will live in,” Kim says.

Five graduate students from the NIU Department of Computer Science, led by Dr. Hamed Alhoori, also shared their research with the public through interactive learning activities.

Ashiqur Rahman, Rami Lake and Devesh Seethi are part of a joint study of the DATA Lab of the NIU Computer Science department, in collaboration with Spirit AeroSystems, Argonne National Laboratory and Texas Research Institute. This Department of Energy-funded project aims to build AI models to detect flaws in airline manufacturing automatically using ultrasonic signals.

The graduate students and faculty were faced with an interesting challenge when preparing for STEM Fest: How could they describe this complex research – which has important implications for flight safety – to visitors as young as elementary students? Their solution was to use games, both visual QR code puzzles and Jenga, to demonstrate the process of spotting defects.

“Conducting research is a challenging and rewarding task in itself. However, nothing beats sharing research, especially with future scientists,” Lake says. “I must have interacted with hundreds of kids, and with each one, we worked together to identify defects in popular QR codes. We were able to learn how small changes in a QR code (i.e., changing a square from black to white) can have massive impacts on the code working, either making or breaking it. It was an awesome experience and an otunity to share our research with tomorrow’s leaders.”

“STEM Fest was an absolute delight for a whole day of learning through play,” Seethi adds. “Through a game of Jenga, we taught young inquisitive minds the concepts of machine learning, defect detection and reproducibility. Many were familiar with the game. However, we added a twist to the rules. The game’s objective was to identify the defective blocks and find any patterns in the location of defects.”

Miftahul Jannat Mokarrama and Colin Brown presented a LEGO game to visitors to help explain the concept of reproducibility in science.

“We tried to introduce kids to the reproducibility crisis on which an NSF-funded research project is being conducted in the Department of Computer Science led by Dr. Hamed Alhoori and Dr. David Koop,” says Mokarrama. “We offered them options to pick the LEGO design and instructions to build it. Sometimes there were some missing parts, and interestingly, some kids were real quick in thinking out of the box, and instead of panicking, they tried to fix the LEGOs with some alternative parts! Great scientific traits indeed!”

In the foreground, visitors compare QR codes to spot the defect and guess which code is functional. In the background, visitors search for defects in a Jenga tower.

Brown describes the connection to computer science research, saying, “In my research, we have computational notebooks with all the code and associated data. These notebooks are often believed to be reproducible.” However, Brown notes that the notebooks are often missing certain components. “Results can differ from what we expect when we have different versions of libraries or associated data.”

These are just a few examples of the hundreds of hands-on, interactive lessons offered by NIU departments, student organizations and outside organizations. Visitors also tried out Meta’s Oculus VR headsets, witnessed high school and college robotics competitions, piloted drones, heard from expert speakers and enjoyed many more hands-on activities.

“We’re so grateful to all the NIU faculty, staff and students who put in the hard work to present their research and artistry to the public through hands-on, accessible activities and inspiring talks,” says NIU STEAM director Kristin Brynteson. “We have three main goals with STEM Fest: to inspire excitement about STEM fields, to help visitors understand the impact of STEM fields on all of our lives, and to build a pipeline to STEM careers.  We received overwhelmingly positive feedback from our visitors showing that we’re achieving all three of these goals.”

Brynteson wants to encourage faculty, staff and students to begin thinking about exhibitions for STEM Fest 2023 – which will be sometime in October of next year, with registration opening this coming spring.

“NIU students and faculty have shown amazing ingenuity in sharing complicated concepts with visitors of all ages in ways that are accessible and fun,” she says. “I can’t wait to see what new exhibits we have next year.”

Learn more about NIU STEAM or sign up for the biweekly STEAM newsletter at niusteam.niu.edu.

 

Date posted: November 15, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on NIU STEM Fest showcased student and faculty expertise for 4,000 visitors

Categories: Community Faculty & Staff Homepage Students Uncategorized

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences honored 10 alumni, faculty and staff Oct. 28 during their annual event at Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center.

The CLAS Distinguished Awards program honors individuals who have achieved prominence in their professional fields or who have made major contributions to the college, its mission and its reputation for excellence. The 2022 honorees will join a distinguished group within the CLAS community – the 171 alumni, faculty and staff honored since the awards were established in 2009 as part of the College’s 50th anniversary.

2022 Class of Honorees

Marcus Leshock  – B.A., Communication – Media Studies, 2003; M.A., Communication Studies, 2005; Emmy Award-winning journalist and broadcaster at WGN

Timothy P. Marshall  – B.S., Meteorology, 1978; senior engineer and meteorologist for Haag Engineering Company; assesses storm damage to uncover fatal building construction flaws; often enlisted by NSF and NOAA-supported research field campaigns to serve as the primary operational meteorologist for deployments in both severe thunderstorm and hurricanes;

Joseph “Tip” McFadden  – Ph.D., History, 1968; earned the second Ph.D. awarded by the NIU Department of History and being one of the earliest doctoral degree recipients in the College and NIU as a whole; educator at University of Nebraska- Kearney and Slippery Rock University; president of three universities: Northern State University, The University of South Dakota and the University of St.Thomas

Robert M. Sobel  – B.S., Chemistry, 1998; Ph.D., Chemistry, 2004; vice president of research and innovation for McCormick FlavorSolutions (formerly known as FONA International); pioneered new methods of microencapsulation and he has become a world-wide expert in this technique for the releasing of flavor components into foods and beverages.

David Changnon  – Professor Emeritus, Department of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment; Board of Trustees Professor 2010; Distinguished Teaching Professor 2008

Michael J. Day  – Professor Emeritus, Department of English

Heide Fehrenbach  – Professor Emerita, Department of History; Presidential Research Professor 2007; Board of Trustees Professor, 2012 and 2017

Anton Zettl  – Professor Emeritus, Department of Mathematical Sciences; Presidential Research Professor, 1995

Suzanne Hogan  – Administrative Aide for Undergraduate Affairs and Research and Graduate Affairs

Renee Page  – Administrative Assistant to the Dean

CLAS alumni, current and emeriti faculty, instructors and staff are eligible for these awards. Nominations for the 2023 CLAS Awards will open in February.

Date posted: November 15, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on CLAS honors 10 during annual awards

Categories: Faculty & Staff Homepage Liberal Arts and Sciences Students Uncategorized

A new course that debuted this fall to help students prepare for internships and jobs after graduation is off to a strong start.

Nearly 200 students enrolled this semester in UNIV 301: Braven Leadership and Career Accelerator, a 3-credit elective online course taught by Leadership Coaches currently working in a variety of industries. Students are grouped in small cohorts with the same Leadership Coach throughout the semester. These mentors provide students with valuable feedback and insights and help them prepare for their future.

While the course is just under three months old, and with Spring 2023 Registration now underway, early feedback from students has been positive. Sophomore Jesika Pabello is a second-year computer science major who says the connections she’s made with students and her Leadership Coach have been valuable.

“The people in my cohort are amazing and are always engaged during our Learning Labs,” she says. “My Leadership Coach has helped provide feedback for my resume and has also stayed past class time to help me when I or anyone in my cohort is struggling.”

The class is part of a five-year partnership signed in 2022 between NIU and Braven Inc., to help students develop a strong foundation of skills, networks, experience and confidence to land an internship during their time at NIU or a job after graduation. Founded in 2013, Braven is a Chicago-based non-profit that works with underrepresented young people to help them make a strong transition from college to first jobs and graduate school.

Support continues after students complete the class throughout their time at NIU. Coaches leading the current NIU cohorts include professionals from Allstate, CIBC Bank, Cambridge Computer, LinkedIn, Medline, Nike, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Rockwell Automation, Salesforce, TJX Companies and others.

Nichole Knutson, Associate Vice Provost for Student Success, says UNIV 301 offers students a guided pathway to build a variety of skills and experiences as they work toward academic and career goals.

“The course helps students increase their self-confidence, obtain integrative learning experiences, and build a strong professional network,” she says. “We’re committed to providing purposeful and strategic opportunities for students both in and outside of the classroom. These intentional experiences encourage active learning, curiosity and creativity.”

While any student in any major can enroll, the course is designed ideally for second-year students so they can receive ongoing support from Braven after they complete UNIV 301.  NIU is one of six Braven partner universities located in the midwest and on both the east and west coasts.

UNIV 301 provides a variety of benefits to students including:

  • Small class size. Students are teamed up with 5-8 other Huskies from a variety of majors, allowing them to connect with peers and form connections outside their academic area of study.
  • Completely online and once-a-week. Students meet with their mentor and teammates once a week online. They can enroll in a class that meets on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
  • Career exploration and preparation. Students who know what they want to do after they graduate will discover the steps to take to get there. Students who are uncertain will be able to explore what’s possible. And, students will develop a professional portfolio, resume and LinkedIn profile and learn key interview skills.
  • Hands-on learning with leading companies. Students will work with their teammates on creating solutions for real companies and real clients. Braven has a large network of participating companies across the Chicago region and nationwide.
  • Long-lasting support. Once students complete the Braven Accelerator course, they are paired with a mentor to support them through their academic and professional career planning.

“We hope our students will use that time and the skills obtained from UNIV 301 to secure internships, participate in undergraduate research, expand their professional network, attend career fairs and meet with career advisors,” Knutson says. “Ultimately, we hope our students feel more confident in themselves as they complete their degrees at NIU and pursue graduate degrees or enter the workforce.”

Jaylah Townsend is studying broadcast communications and says the support within the cohort has helped her manage the workload.

“The most surprising part is how it feels hands-on throughout the entire class and we feel connected even though it’s virtual,” she says. “I would recommend this course to other students. It motivates you to sharpen your resume and profile to be as professional as possible.”

Students remain in cohorts for the entire semester and then present as a group a capstone project at the end of the semester. This semester the group will be presenting marketing and promotion ideas to the Chicago Bulls for the team’s January 19, 2023 game in Paris against the Detroit Pistons—students will choose different roles, including project manager, lead presenters and deck designers.

“In today’s workforce, we are likely to work in environments that are interdisciplinary in nature,” Knutson says. “The course encourages integrative inquiry and multidisciplinary approaches to problem solving, communicating, operations and working in teams to solve a problem.”

You can learn more here: UNIV 301: Braven Leadership and Career Accelerator

Date posted: November 10, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on New UNIV 301 course helps students on path to success

Categories: Faculty & Staff Homepage Nick-Test Students Uncategorized