NIU Today

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) will be hosting four presentations over the lunch hour during the month of September.

These presentations will be held in the HSC Blackhawk Annex from 12-1 p.m.

Starting on Thursday, Sept. 8, we will present “Planning for Retirement” which will focus on transitioning to a new and different life after retirement.

Thursday, Sept. 15, we will have a presentation and a demonstration on “Mechanical Motion Therapy” which is a newer technology that helps with pain and inflammation.

On Thursday, Sept. 22, our program will focus on “Deciding to Retire from NIU” and will teach the NIU processes you need to complete to ensure the transition from employee to retiree.

Finally, we will close with “No Need to Fear, Fear” on Wednesday, Sept. 28, focusing on understanding your fears and learning how to channel your fear to not allow fear to control your life.

All programs are open to everyone and pre-registration is preferred. You may register by email at EmployeeAssistance@niu.edu or by calling 753-9191. To see a full description of each program, please visit niu.edu/hrs/work_life/employee_assistance.

Holly Nicholson and Cathy Doederlein

The presidents of NIU’s Supportive Professional Staff Council and Operating Staff Council are looking forward to a productive year of shared governance.

For Holly Nicholson, second-year president of the Operating Staff Council and a web content manager in the Division of Marketing and Communications, her nomination came as a surprise but offered an intriguing opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Andy Small and Jay Monteiro.

“I’ve found this to be a really important way to serve the university. My privilege to speak up on behalf of 1,500 Operating Staff employees is a great honor,” Nicholson says.

“I love working with the administration and the council, and being able to bridge that communication,” she adds. “My goal is to improve our communication to the rest of the campus.”

The Operating Staff Council is an integral part of NIU’s governance system through its participation, communication, advisement and assistance on the resolution of issues and the formulation of policies relevant to the general welfare of operating staff employees.

Nicholson’s goals for the 2016-17 year include a climate survey – a similar assessment conducted a few years ago provided insight on the Civil Service workplace atmosphere and spurred new initiatives, including professional development opportunities – as well as employee morale and wellness.

“We’ve been focusing on morale for the last couple of years,” she says, “and this year we have added a standing committee for employee morale.”

Meanwhile, she adds, Operating Staff employees who attended their council’s annual Staff Fest celebration in early August were encouraged to improve their health by drinking more water. To that end, each who attended the event received a free Mavea water filter pitcher. 

For Cathy Doederlein, the new president of the Supportive Professional Council, the main objective of the year is the completion of a climate survey of SPS employees in the spring. “Those findings will guide the council’s goals moving forward,” she said.

“Our survey covers everything, from the general campus climate and opportunities on the job to ways in which we can improve things for them,” says Doederlein, director of Internships and External Relations in Career Services. “It’s a good barometer for us to create plans and ideas to share with the president’s cabinet and the other shared governance committees and organizations.” 

The council provides communication to more than 800 SPS employees on campus. It also serves as a vehicle for articulating the interests and concerns of SPS employees to other constituents of the university community. 

Personally speaking, Doederlein says she hopes to perpetuate the level of leadership and advocacy demonstrated by past council presidents Deb Haliczer and Steve Builta.

“I’ve really valued my time with the council as a member and I’ve seen the contributions the council makes to the university as a whole — especially to its SPS constituents,” she says.

“We’ve had the good fortune to have some really outstanding people in the president’s role in the past, and they’ve set a great precedent,” she adds. “It looked like a role that I could definitely contribute to and grow with. They’ve already done such a good job of blazing the trail, and I hope I can continue on with the tradition.”

Don’t be late to this OHANA meeting because we will share tips on how to manage your hectic college schedule! Join us on Tuesday, Sept. 6, at 5 p.m., in the Capitol Room at the Holmes Student Center.

For more information, contact the Asian American Center at (815) 752-1177 or email AsianAmericanCenter@niu.edu. 

WNIJ 89.5 FM invites all to submit a short story to the Flash Fiction Contest. The contest, hosted by Dan Klefstad, will air interviews with the writers of the winning stories every morning at 6:50 and 8:50 a.m. beginning Monday, Oct. 3, during the station’s broadcast of Morning Edition.

Contest entrants must write a 500-word story using the following prompt:

The first sentence of your story must describe an outrageous, inexplicable situation, like Franz Kafka’s protagonist waking up to discover he’s a giant insect.

WNIJ invited prize-winning author Molly McNett to create the prompt and to select the winning stories. McNett’s writing has appeared in The Best American Short Stories, an anthology of some of the best fiction published during the calendar year; The Pushcart Prize and many literary journals. Her book, One Dog Happy, which won the John Simmons Short Fiction Award from the University of Iowa Press, was a 2012 selection in WNIJ’s “Read With Me Book Series.” McNett teaches writing at Northern Illinois University, and the station is proud to collaborate with her, one of the acclaimed authors in the region.

The contest deadline is 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 12, 2016. Learn more about the contest rules and how to enter at northernpublicradio.org/post/outrageous-inexplicable-situation-prompts-fiction-contest.

WNIJ develops writing contests as a way to engage its listening audience with outstanding work by writers and writing enthusiasts across the region. Staci Hoste, director and general manager of the station, looks forward to the announcement of the winners: “We are privileged to serve our community with programming that showcases local talent and aims to connect our listeners with one another through literature. We are passionate about making WNIJ a gathering place for writers and readers alike.”

For more information about the Flash Fiction contest and other WNIJ literature programs, visit wnij.org.

De Mujer a Mujer: Latina Assistance Program (LAP) focuses on providing academic support to increase the retention and graduation rates of Latinas on campus by offering programs, activities and leadership opportunities that foster self-confidence, self-awareness and self-esteem. The LAP meets every Wednesday, starting Sept. 7th.

Over the years, De Mujer a Mujer has created opportunities for Latina college students to enhance their leadership skills. For example, through the establishment of an executive board, Latinas are able to take on roles that contribute to the program and their student career success. This year’s executive board members are: Christine Diaz Luna, Guadalupe Barragan and Abigail “Abby” Vidal. All these students were interviewed for their respective roles and encompass the essence of Latina empowerment.

The new LRC student coordinator for the program is Priscilla Montes, a senior majoring in Family and Child Studies. Priscilla is certified in Infant, Child and Adult CPR and First Aid. She currently serves as a Direct Support Person (DSP) at Opportunity House, where she helps to assist individuals with intellectual disabilities learn skills on how to live more independently.

For Priscilla, De Mujer a Mujer was the “push” she needed, “It pushed me mentally, emotionally and academically. It pushed me to grow into the leader I am today.”

Every spring, De Mujer a Mujer hosts an annual Women’s Empowerment Conference. In April, it hosted its fifth Annual Women’s Empowerment Conference, where executive board members assisted with planning and organizing the event. The conference focused on encouraging participants to build confidence, discover their voice, express themselves and make wise decisions. The event featured informative and inspirational workshops, guest speakers, as well as  panels led by female leaders on topics such as leadership, cultural identity, mental health/wellness and student career success.

Students are encouraged to attend the weekly meetings held on Wednesdays at the Latino Center. The first meeting will be on Wednesday, Sept. 7th, from 5  – 6 p.m. in the Latino Center. For more information, contact Angélica Mendoza, assistant director of the Latino Resource Center at 815-753-8645 or amendoza7@niu.edu. You can also “like” our De Mujer a Mujer Facebook page to obtain more details at facebook.com/demujeramujerniu.

The Office of Student Academic Success is pleased to announce our “Destination Gradation” workshop series will be returning for the upcoming 2016-2017 academic school year.

This informative series of academic workshops provides students with a free lunch while learning about various topics critical to helping students work toward graduation and into the job market or graduate studies. Topics for the fall of 2016 include:

Resume Building: Learn the how to prepare a professional resume that highlights your skills and knowledge for a specific job. Put your best foot forward. Learn tips and strategies to help you stand out from the competition. Join us on Wednesday, Sept. 7, from 12-1 p.m., at the Campus Life Building in room 100.

Networking: Learning how to network effectively is one of the most powerful tools to advance your personal and professional life. This workshop will teach you where, how and with whom to network and how this can lead to future opportunities. This workshop will be held on Thursday, Sept. 22, from 12:30-1:30 p.m., at Altgeld Hall in room 125.

Interviewing:  Looking for aid in the interviewing process? Join us on Tuesday, Oct. 4, from 12:30-1:30 p.m., at the Campus Life Building in room 100 and find out the top ten interviewing tips, phone and skype interviewing etiquette, and many other helpful strategies to know as you prepare for job searching. 

Etiquette Dinner (Must RSVP): This workshop will provide students an opportunity to learn and practice proper business etiquette as well as conversation tips in preparation for job and grad school interviews, conferences and other professional occasions. This event will be held on Thursday, Oct. 20, from 4-6 p.m., in the Campus Life Building in room 100. The deadline to RSVP for this event is on Oct. 15. Please do so by emailing osas@niu.edu or calling 815-753-HELP (4357).

Graduate School Preparation: This workshop on Wednesday, Nov. 2, from 12-1 p.m., at the Campus Life Building in room 100, will review the options you have after graduating to further your education. Participants will also learn about the different tests you may be required to take and tips to help find and get accepted into the right program. 

For more information, please feel free to visit niu.edu/osas/Workshops/DestinationGraduation or contact the Office of Student Academic Success at 815-753-HELP (4357) or OSAS@niu.edu.

Come meet several Asian interest organizations and engage in various hands-on activities at Asian American Welcome Night, 5 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 13, at the Asian American Resource Center.

NIU alumnus and admissions counselor Lhee Santos will offer opening remarks stressing the link between campus engagement and student success. Students and student organizations will also be performing.

Invite all your friends to this fun event where you can learn about campus resources, meet up with friends, engage in activities and hang out. Light refreshments are donated by Chicago’s Thalia Spice- Asian Fusion Bistro & Bar (first-come, first serve).

This event is sponsored by the Asian American Resource Center and co-hosted by Chi Sigma Tau Fraternity and PLUSH!

The Asian American Resource Center is located at 429 Normal Road. For more information, please contact (815) 752-1167.

NIU’s Huskie Food Pantry will move onto campus this September as it drops anchor on the south side of the Chick Evans Field House. 

Formerly housed in the Grace Place Campus Ministry at the corner of Lucinda Avenue and Normal Road, the pantry opens Thursday, Sept. 8, in the field house.

Hours are 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. every Thursday except for holidays and university closures.

“We are open to all students who are experiencing food insecurity,” says Liz McKee, assistant director for the NIU Community Service and new supervisor of the pantry, which is now an official operation of the university. “Students just need to bring their NIU OneCards.”

Students who visit the pantry can choose what to take with them from a stock that includes cereal, shelf-stable milk, canned fruits and vegetables, pasta and sauce, fruit and grain bars, peanut butter and jelly, snacks and toiletry items.

Most visitors take only enough to get them through to the next week, McKee says. “Our students know more or less what they need,” she says. “They’re not taking more than that.”

Those with emergency needs in between Thursday evenings can learn online about additional assistance.

Between 70 and 100 students visit each week during the academic year, she says. That number drops to about 30 during the summer, when the pantry is open once a month. Many are non-traditional students. 

Launched in 2014 by Kathy Zuidema, employer relations specialist in NIU Career Services, the Huskie Food Pantry tackles a difficult problem on college campuses: food insecurity.

A study of food insecurity among Illinois public university undergraduates, published in April, found that 35 percent of respondents from NIU, Eastern Illinois University, Southern Illinois University and Western Illinois University were considered food-insecure.

Working toward “an NIU student population not challenged more by their food needs than by their education needs,” the pantry is also providing students with career skills.

“Our goal is that I will oversee student interns who are predominantly responsible for running the pantry – finding volunteers, helping with food orders,” McKee says. “We really want to give that experiential learning to our students.”

Want to help?

• Volunteers are needed to receive, stock and shelf inventory; shop for food; assist clients; organize food drives; and much more. Sign up online!
• Host a collection drive: If your organization or place of work is interested in hosting a collection drive, call 815-753-1421 or email communityservice@niu.edu for a list of preferred items and successful strategies to score donations for this worthy cause.
• Monetary donations to the Huskie Food Pantry can be made online through the NIU Foundation. (Type “Huskie Food Pantry” in the “Other” box.)
• Financial gifts also are taken in-person or by mail. (Make checks payable to NIU Foundation and write “To benefit Huskie Food Pantry” in the memo line.) To send by mail, use this address: NIU Foundation, c/o Huskie Food Pantry, DeKalb, IL 60115.

For more information, call 815-753-1421 or email communityservice@niu.edu.

As the fall semester starts, NIU STEAM Works is gearing up for another season of diverse programs that combine content from science, technology, engineering, the arts and math to spark creativity, innovation and problem solving.

STEAM Works programs bring together the existing roster of STEM Outreach programs and expand to include programs that emphasize the arts and design.

For all ages, STEAM Works has something to offer. Check out niusteamworks.com today to see which events belong on your calendar!

 STEAM Fun for Everyone

Kids age 7 and up love our STEM Saturdays: One- and two-session classes, offered on Saturday mornings, on topics like LEGO Robotics, 3D printing, learning to fly and stop-motion animation. These popular classes fill up fast––especially the STEM Divas sections, which are specially designed for young girls––so don’t wait to check out the full schedule and register for your top choices. Classes start Sept. 17.

Thousands of families will explore science, technology, engineering, arts and math together at our annual STEMfest, to be held this year on Oct. 8, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the NIU Convocation Center. People come from across northern Illinois to enjoy hundreds of hands-on activities and displays presented by more than 40 NIU departments, student groups, regional corporations, museums, educators and national laboratories.

Students in middle school, high school and college who are interested in learning about computer coding should sign up for this year’s 24-hour Huskie Hack, which starts at noon on Nov. 5, in the Holmes Student Center. Registration is free, but required. No coding experience is needed, just enthusiasm for team-based collaboration and innovation in fields as diverse as local government, social services, fashion and athletics.

Our STEM Cafés will continue to bring experts to local restaurants to share their cutting-edge perspectives in an informal setting, with refreshments available for purchase. We’ll cover the Physics of Baseball on Sept. 14 at Two Brothers Roundhouse in Aurora. Other topics scheduled for this fall include sustainable food sourcing and the sharing economy.

STEM Outreach will continue to dazzle and amaze students and families through school demonstration shows, traveling hands-on exploration labs and family nights. Contact niustem@niu.edu to arrange for a tailored experience sure to engage and educate the audience you have in mind.

STEAM Up Your Classroom

For educators looking to STEAM up their students’ semesters, STEAM Works has a variety of options.

On Sept. 24, K-5 educators interested in learning how to introduce their students to computer science basics in a fun, accessible format can register for a free Code Studio workshop at the Kaneland Meredith Road Middle School, 1N377 Meredith Road in Maple Park. The workshop, facilitated by national leader code.org, will run from 6-8 p.m. Details and registration are available online.

High school teachers can sign their classes up for the Nov. 17 or 18 STEM Read field trip. Attendees read the popular sci-fi novel, Mike Mullin’s Ashfall, then gather on the NIU campus to hear Mullin speak, ask him questions and learn more about scientific concepts relevant to the novel’s plot, including volcanology, physics, engineering and food science. For more info, head to stemread.com.

STEAM Works can also come to your school and customize a class for students or professional development for teachers. To get the conversation started, contact Kristin Brynteson (kbrynteson@niu.edu). “We’re happy to work up a program that will be energizing and educational for any age group,” says Brynteson. “Thanks to our experienced instructors, a STEAM Works visit is guaranteed to maximize classroom engagement.”

Millions of people worldwide face food insecurity daily, including people in the DeKalb County area. The DeKalb County Sondra King Memorial CROP Hunger Walk works to change this by organizing an annual walk to raise money and help stop hunger. The CROP Hunger Walk honors Sondra King , who was a faculty member in the College of Health and Human Sciences. Many NIU student organizations and a few faculty participate in the walk and work to help raise money, particularly the organizations focused on food insecurity, such as the Student Dietetic Association (SDA) and Bread for the World. Additionally, SDA has two NIU faculty serving on the CROP board this year.

This is just one of many walks in the country that fight hunger both globally and locally. CROP Hunger Walks help to provide food and water, as well as resources that empower people to meet their own needs worldwide; however up to 25 percent of the funds raised will go towards fighting hunger in the DeKalb community. These funds are allocated towards programs such as Meals on Wheels, Safe Passage, Hope Haven and local food pantries.

If you are interested in joining the walk, it will take place on Sunday, Oct. 16, at Westminster Presbyterian Church with a pre-walk program beginning at 2:30 p.m. For more information, please visit crophungerwalk.org/dekalbil or email Martha O’Gorman at walkcoordinators@yahoo.com with any questions.

NIU’s Department of Accountancy is proud to once again partner with Goodwill to host the Voluntary Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. This program will take place from January 31st until tax week (April 10-15) in the Holmes Student Center Gallery Lounge.

We need volunteers to help us bring this great program to NIU and the surrounding community. NIU is looking for eight customer service specialists. Volunteers can be students, faculty, staff or community members. Customer service specialists are responsible for running the front desk, checking people in and customer service on the VITA site. No experience is needed and volunteers do not have to be tax experts. Training is provided. Volunteers will work a four-hour shift every other Tuesday throughout tax season. It is a great way to give back to your community and to build your resume.

If you would like to volunteer or have any questions about the VITA program, contact Lisa Holland, Financial Cents coordinator in the Office of Student Academic Success, at lholland1@niu.edu or at 815-753-HELP.

Children ages 7-15 are invited to join CSA Children’s Choir Director and NIU Professor Mary Lynn Doherty for a great year of music and fun. Challenging and varied repertoire from all over the world inspires students who love to sing. Placement auditions are required for all new and returning choir members and are being held on Wednesday, Aug. 31, for children ages 7-15, at the Music Building 132. Parents can call Kristin at 815-753-1450 to choose a placement audition time.

The CSA Children’s Choir is a wonderful opportunity for children to learn to sing and develop musical skills by studying and performing high-quality choral music of different genres. Rehearsals are high energy and fast paced. The choir serves as an extension to area choral programs, fostering a high level of musical and personal achievement through the choral music experience.

The rehearsal schedule starts on Sept. 7 and covers 28 Wednesdays, through to May 10. There are no rehearsals on Nov. 23, Dec. 14 – Jan. 11 or March 15. Final rehearsal in the fall is Dec. 7; rehearsals resume in 2017 on Jan. 18. All rehearsals will be from 4:45 p.m. – 6:15 p.m, in room 171 at the Music Building.

Come to a picnic on the second-night rehearsal on Sept. 14, at 6 p.m., in Annie’s Woods, weather permitting, or in the Concert Hall lobby.

Interested? Stop by the Music Building to register or visit csa.niu.edu to register online. To learn more about the Children’s Choir, visit niu.edu/extprograms/csa/ensembles/choral.