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Researchers have tapped into what could become a new, and better, tool for human resource professionals trying to predict the success of job candidates.

It’s called Facebook.

Don Kluemper, a professor of management at Northern Illinois University’s College of Business, and a team of researchers, found that impressions gleaned from a five- to 10-minute perusal of Facebook pages were actually a stronger predictor of a candidate’s likelihood to excel in a job than the personality surveys that many companies require job candidates to complete.

Don Kluemper

Don Kluemper

Of course, human resource departments have been trolling Facebook profiles for almost as long as the social media site has existed.

However, until now, there has been no statistical data to prove that the practice has value. The study did not take into account potential legalities regarding the practice.

“A lot of actions are taken based on Facebook profiles – people are hired, fired, suspended – but this is the first study to systematically examine whether using Facebook to help make such decisions has any validity,” said Kluemper, the lead author of the study, which was published this week in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology. The work was co-authored by Peter A. Rosen and Kevin W. Mossholder, of the University of Evansville and Auburn University, respectively.

For the study, the researchers had a group of subjects complete a personality questionnaire commonly used by companies to gauge five key traits: conscientiousness, agreeableness, extraversion, emotional stability and openness.

The subjects also granted a team of three raters access to their Facebook profiles. Each rater perused the profiles and answered questions about the subject that were similar to those on the self-report personality questionnaire. For instance, the students were asked to rate their agreement with the statement, “I am the life of the party.” For raters, the question was phrased as, “Is this person the life of the party?”

Researchers then calculated two personality scores per subject, one based on responses from the subject and the second based on responses from the raters. The team found that the Facebook raters had a pretty good handle on the subjects they evaluated.

Photo of fingers typing on laptop computer“Based upon other studies, we were able to conclude that after a five-minute perusal of a Facebook page, raters were able to answer questions regarding the subject about as reliably as would be expected of a significant other or close friend,” Kluemper said.

Researchers followed a subset of students who were employed six months later, asking their supervisors to complete a performance evaluation. Comparing those scores to the personality scores they found that the Facebook-derived scores provided a more accurate predictor of future job performance than the score derived from the self-evaluation.

In a second study, they discovered that student Facebook scores were a better predictor of future academic success (based upon grade point averages) than personality and IQ scores combined.

Kluemper had not expected to find that Facebook was actually a stronger predictor than personality and IQ measures currently being used, but he suspected that it had some value for such uses, based simply on the volume and variety of data it provides.

“In five or 10 minutes, our raters could look at the tone of a subject’s wall post, note the number of friends they have, peruse their photos to see how social they were and assess their tastes in books and music. It’s a very rich source of information,” said Kluemper, who himself uses Facebook to keep in touch with friends.

Another reason Facebook might be a more valuable predictor is that users are less likely to get away with putting up a false front.

“Personality profile questionnaires are subject to people providing what they think is the socially acceptable answer. It’s harder to do that on Facebook – your friends will call you out.”

For all of its apparent advantages, Kluemper is not advocating that human resource professionals toss aside existing tests and replace them with Facebook. For starters, as the first study of its kind, it bears repeating to see if the results can be duplicated. Secondly, there are multitudes of potential legal issues that still need to be resolved.

“Before it can be used as a legally defensible screening tool, it has to be proven valid,” Kluemper said. “This research is just a first step in that direction.”

by Joe King

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Date posted: February 20, 2012 | Author: | Comments Off on Facebook beats personality tests for predicting job success, NIU management professor finds

Categories: Business Centerpiece Research

Illinois Congressman Mike Quigley (D-Chicago), who sits on the House Judiciary Committee-Subcommittee on the Constitution, heard NIU Law professor Amy Widman’s testimony.

Illinois Congressman Mike Quigley (D-Chicago), who sits on the House Judiciary Committee-Subcommittee on the Constitution, heard NIU Law professor Amy Widman’s testimony.

Amy Widman, an assistant professor in the NIU College of Law, testified Feb. 2 before the United States House of Representatives Judiciary Committee – Subcommittee on the Constitution in Washington, D.C.

Widman was asked to testify in support of her recently published article, “State Attorneys General’s Use of Concurrent Public Enforcement Authority in Federal Consumer Protection Laws,” which she co-authored with University of Minnesota Law School Professor Prentiss Cox in the October 2011 issue of the Cardozo Law Review.

“Our article examined how and when state attorneys general enforce federal consumer protection laws,” Widman said.

For the past three decades, Congress has passed consumer protection statutes that allow for state attorneys general to enforce the federal law alongside the federal agency.

While critics of state enforcement of federal law claim that such concurrent authority will result in over-enforcement or even enforcement contrary to the federal law, Widman’s study was the first to examine what in fact has happened historically.

She concludes that states have used their authority responsibly, and federal agencies have worked cooperatively with the states.  The cooperation between the federal agencies and states in the use of concurrent enforcement power was the most striking finding in that it greatly minimizes the fear that the laws will be enforced inconsistently.

Amy Widman

Amy Widman

“It was an honor to be invited to Congress and testify before the subcommittee about my research,”  Widman said. “As a professor of legislation and administrative law, the experience was also a nice complement to my teaching.”

NIU Law Dean Jennifer Rosato noted that Widman’s testimony epitomizes how the influence of NIU Law professors extends beyond the classroom.

“It’s a fine example of the myriad ways that our faculty use their scholarship and service to impact public policy,” she said. “Remarkably, professor Widman has been able to make such an impact in her first year at NIU Law.”

Widman has a background in areas of consumer protection and legislation. She joined the NIU Law faculty in 2011 and teaches torts, administrative law and legislation.

Previously, she served as legal director at the Center for Justice & Democracy, a non-partisan consumer advocacy group. There she organized legislative campaigns to support the civil justice system.

Prior to that, Widman clerked for Magistrate Judge Theodore H. Katz of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

She holds a B.A. from Northwestern University in comparative literary studies and was a cum laude graduate of the New York University Law School.

Date posted: February 13, 2012 | Author: | Comments Off on NIU Law’s Widman testifies before Congress

Categories: Did You Know? Latest News Law Research

Alan Hurt

Alan Hurt

A simple mouse click can help a team of NIU business and engineering students win funding to start a company that they believe can provide safe and affordable electric power to millions of Africans.

The team, Light Up Africa, is competing in the Dell Social Innovation Challenge, competing against other college students across the country for seed money to launch companies that have a goal of solving social or environmental problems.

Projects focus on areas such as health care, education, economic development, providing clean drinking water and others.

The NIU team (comprised of NIU engineering student Alan Hurt and accountancy majors Jason Schwebke, John Harkness and Mike Sutarik) hopes to build, market and sell a product called Zoom Box.

The portable device can be attached to a boat, bicycle, oxen or just about any other moving object and convert that kinetic energy into electrical energy that is stored in a battery. The energy can be used to charge cell phones or power small appliances and replaces dangerous kerosene lamps with safe electric light.

Once launched, the team believes it can sell 100,000 of the devices (at about $54 apiece) in the first 12 months.

To help Light Up Africa, visit their project page on the DSIC website. Voting runs until Thursday, May 3, and supporters may vote only once. While the team only recently entered the contest, it currently ranks among the Top 10 for projects in the African region. Top vote getters in each region earn $1,000 seed money.

A team of judges also reviews all projects, selecting several to proceed to a second round where they will receive mentoring. Teams that emerge from that round will be flown to Austin, Texas, where they will compete for a chance to win up to $50,000 in prize money.

The quartet of Huskies first joined forces for the first ever Social Venture Business Plan Competition at NIU.

The actual competition was the culmination of a semester long class designed to teach teams how to become social entrepreneurs who work to improve the world. They won that competition and received $10,000 in seed money to help launch their company, but will need far more to turn their plans into reality.

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Date posted: February 6, 2012 | Author: | Comments Off on Light Up Africa competes for seed money

Categories: Business Centerpiece Communiversity Did You Know? Engineering and Engineering Technology Faculty & Staff Global On Campus Students

Huskie sweethearts: the Hon. Sharon Johnson Coleman and new NIU Trustee Wheeler G. Coleman

Huskie sweethearts: the Hon. Sharon Johnson Coleman and new NIU Trustee Wheeler G. Coleman

The swearing in of Northern Illinois University’s newest trustee, Wheeler G. Coleman, ended in unusual fashion Thursday.

It was sealed with a kiss.

Perhaps it wasn’t all that unusual, considering that the person administering the oath of office was his wife, the Hon. Sharon Johnson Coleman, a federal judge serving the Northern District of Illinois.

Fittingly, she recalled, that peck came almost 32 years to the day (well, 32 years and two days, for those keeping score) since the couple shared their first kiss, at the McDonald’s on West Lincoln Highway in DeKalb.

“We were a really low key couple. Most of our dates were in the library,” she said with a laugh, recalling that the romance blossomed from a friendship that began in a class back when she was studying for a degree in history and he was looking to earn a degree in computer science.

She graduated in 1981, he in 1983.

“Not only was he this cute, tall, young man with a great voice and a great smile, he was also the most determined and focused person that I had ever met, and have ever met,” she told the board of trustees, prior to administering the oath.

“I say that especially knowing that he was not coming from college educated parents parents, but from parents who had raised their kids in the West Side projects and on the South Side of Chicago. But they understood that their children’s future could be more, and that education was the way.”

The two have come a long way since dates meant textbooks and hamburgers.

While Sharon serves as a federal judge in Chicago, Wheeler is the  vice president and chief technology officer for Health Care Service Corporation (formerly known as Blue Cross/Blue Shield Illinois), one of the largest health insurance providers in the country.

The two have supported each other every step of the way along the journey.

“I thank God for Northern, because Northern brought her into my life,” Wheeler says. “I met her here and we’ve been married 29 years. My wife is my best friend.”

So, when the topic of a swearing in ceremony came up, Wheeler knew immediately who he would be looking in the eye when he raised his right hand. “When I heard what today was all about, and what we had to do, I said there is no doubt that my wife is going to swear me in. That is a must.”

NIU Board of Trustees Chair Cherilyn G. Murer observes Wheeler G. Coleman's oath of office Thursday, Feb. 2

NIU Board of Trustees Chair Cherilyn G. Murer observes Wheeler G. Coleman's oath of office Thursday, Feb. 2

It was a proud moment for them both.

“It’s great that I get to do this for him,” Sharon said just before the ceremony. “He has held the Bible for me and stood by my side through passing the bar, being sworn in as a lawyer, as a judge of the circuit court and the appellate court. It’s really a neat thing that I will be swearing him into something he feels so passionate about.”

Of course, she shares his passion for NIU.

“I’m excited about where NIU is going,” she says. “It’s thrilling that we get to be a part of it, but I’ll be in the background … whispering from time to time, my opinions as an alum.”

The Colemans, who live in Chicago, are parents to a 23-year-old son and a 13-year-old daughter.

Date posted: February 3, 2012 | Author: | Comments Off on Swearing in a family affair for Colemans

Categories: Alumni Latest News On Campus

The Hon. Sharon J. Coleman, a federal judge for the Northern District of Illinois, administers the oath of office to her husband, Wheeler G. Coleman.

The Hon. Sharon J. Coleman, a federal judge for the Northern District of Illinois, administers the oath of office to her husband, Wheeler G. Coleman.

Thursday marked a homecoming for Wheeler G. Coleman.

Thirty-four years removed from his arrival on the campus of Northern Illinois University as a freshman, he stepped to a podium in Altgeld Hall and was sworn in as the university’s newest trustee.

“I’m glad to be back home,” Coleman said after taking the oath of office from his wife, the Hon. Sharon J. Coleman, who serves a federal judge for the Northern District of Illinois.

She is also an NIU alumna, graduating with a degree in political science in 1981

“Less than 34 years ago I was admitted to NIU and I came through these doors wide eyed, naïve and ill-prepared for the academic and social challenges I was about to face,” said Trustee Coleman, who grew up on the West Side of Chicago.

“However, with the help of great people – from the faculty, my fellow students and from the administration – I was able to get through this university with a degree in computer science in 1983.”

Immediately after graduation, Coleman took a position as a programmer at what was then a small, nearly bankrupt company: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois.He moved into management four years later and was part of the team that built the company into what is now the largest, non-investor owned insurance company in the nation.

He currently holds the position of vice president and chief technology officer at what is now known as Health Care Service Corporation. That experience, he said has prepared him to assist NIU as it moves ahead, and he hopes to apply some of the lessons and philosophies that helped turn that company around.

“We have a philosophy at our company that there are no excuses. No excuses for failure, no excuses for being average, no excuses for not winning and no excuses for being unethical or for not working as one team,” Coleman said. “And I hope as I come to you today that some of that no excuses philosophy is something that we can adopt as a university.”

Wheeler G. Coleman

Wheeler G. Coleman

Such an attitude, and a laser-life focus, will be required to move NIU ahead, he said.

“I am not naïve to the challenges that we are going to be facing and that we are facing as an institution. I am also not naïve to the financial ills and the lack of funding that we have or to the social challenges that we have to address. I am not naïve to the fact that industry is changing, and that we must change our academic offerings in order for us to stay relevant,” Coleman said.

“We must address our shifting, changing and shrinking enrollment. We have to address our housing and our campus image. We have to shore up our infrastructure, our operations and our technology. And we have to compete for the very best talent that is out there – be it students, faculty or administrators.”

Coleman, who lives in Chicago, is active in many civic organizations.

He sits on the boards of the Black Ensemble Theater and the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Foundation. He was a fellow of Leadership Greater Chicago in 2006 and was named Chicago United’s Leader of Color in 2007 in recognition of his business accomplishments and civic contributions.

He also has served on the NIU Alumni Association Board of Directors since 2010. In addition to his degree from NIU, he also holds an MBA from the University of Notre Dame.

Coleman was appointed to the NIU Board of Trustees by Gov. Pat Quinn in November 2011 to fill the unexpired term of Manny Sanchez.

Coleman’s full address to the NIU Board of Trustees

President Peters, Chairmen, Dr. Williams, fellow trustees, administrators, faculties, students, family and friends,

I am humbled and honored to join this prestigious body, the NIU Board of Trustees. I cannot begin to tell you how special this is for my family and me. NIU holds a very special place in my heart…it is the place where I met my wife of 29 years, it is the place that gave me a “Chance” to develop the necessary skills to have a successful business career.

First of all, I want to thank Governor Quinn for appointing me. I want to thank my friends who helped me during the process. You know who you are. I also want to thank my best friend, my biggest cheerleader and my toughest critic for loving and supporting me not only in the good times but also in the bad times, my wife.

Since most of you are not familiar with me I would like to spend a few minutes sharing my background and providing you with a prospective of our challenges.

Nearly 34 years ago, I was admitted to NIU from a small private high school in downtown Chicago. I came through these doors, wide-eyed, naive and ill-prepared for the academic and social challenges that I was about to face. However, with the help of my fellow students, administrators, and faculty members, I was able to graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science in 1983.

Presently, I work for the largest non-investor owned insurance company in the nation which means that we can make long term strategic investments that are in the best interest of our organization without dancing to the tune of Wall Street. We have over 16,000 employees severing over 13 million members. If you compared our revenue to Chicago’s largest publicly traded companies on Crain’s Chicago top 100, we would rank in the top five with the likes of Walgreens, Boeing, Kraft and Sears.

After developing software for almost 5 years for Health Care Service Corporation, I moved into management and have held various leadership titles over the last 24 years, living out the true creed of NIU…”Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow”.

Ten years ago, while working full time, raising two kids, I went back to school full time and got my MBA from the University of Notre Dame. I currently hold the title of VP and CTO with the responsibilities for setting the technology standards for the company, developing Information Technology or, “IT” strategies, overseeing the IT Budget and leading the transformation activities for IT division. In the last two years, I led the effort to reduce the IT budget by over $140m (70M a year) without any adverse impact to our operations, innovation, system reliabilities and availabilities. If you do not know it by now, I come from a large institution that is highly regulated with a lot of constraints.

I am sharing my personal background with you not to brag nor to boast but to let you know that I know that I did not get to this point in my career alone…I did not get through this institution alone. I had a lot of support and help from great people like Dr. Mitchell, the late Leon Miller and a host of others from NIU. Furthermore, I understand the value and role that people who came before me played in opening doors of opportunities for me and others.

Twenty years after NIU opened its doors in 1895, the first African-American by the name of Fanny Ruth Patterson graduated from NIU with a degree in education. She was a trailblazer and many people who came after her continued to open up more doors of opportunities for me and others to succeed. I am grateful for these trailblazers for they had a tremendous impact on NIU, our society and on me directly.

This is like a home coming for me. After 34 years since first enrolling into NIU, I am proud to say, I’m BACK! I am back with stronger eyeglasses, some grey hair and I am still a little naive. However, I am not naive to the magnitude of the responsibilities associated with being an NIU Board Trustee.

I return to NIU knowing that we have a tremendous amount of work ahead of us…NIU, as are other institutions, is at a reflection point. We have to address some of the social challenges of our society, the financial ills and the lack of funding. We have to address the changing needs of industries and adjust our academic offerings to match those needs to stay relevant.

We have to address our shifting and shrinking enrollment, housing shortages and campus image. We have to sure-up our infrastructure, our operations, our technology, and compete for the very best talent among students, professors and administrators.

I return to NIU knowing that if we are going to conquer the challenges that we face, we have to have laser-like focus and collectively work as a team – and time is of the essence!!!

In order for us to achieve the 2020 strategic plan, developed by a team of visionaries, collectively, we have some very difficult decisions to make! The things we do well today will not be enough to compete tomorrow; these things we do well today will not sustain us in 2020. Clearly, we will have to do more to compete!

Over the last three years working with the Alumni Association and specifically the last two months, I had the privilege to meet with many outstanding individuals at NIU and I am very impressed by the talent, commitment and love they have for this institution. I am inspired and very hopeful because we have the core ingredients and people to build upon the work so many others have started in shaping NIU as an outstanding University among universities.

In closing, Dr. Peters, Chairmen, fellow trustees, administrators, faculties, students, family and friends, let’s collectively go to work because greatness is our destiny and I want to thank all of you in advance for the opportunity to work with you and to help create new paths for generations to come. Thank you!

Date posted: February 2, 2012 | Author: | Comments Off on Wheeler G. Coleman sworn in as NIU trustee

Categories: Alumni Faculty & Staff Liberal Arts and Sciences On Campus

Northern Illinois University’s Sigma Nu fraternity is raising money to promote autism awareness.

Members of the fraternity will be selling bracelets featuring the words “Autism Speaks” for $1 apiece from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1, and Thursday, Feb. 2, on the lower level of the Holmes Student Center, and 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, in the lobby of DuSable Hall.

All profits will be divided between Sigma Nu and Autism Speaks, the nation’s largest autism science and advocacy organization.

For more information, contact Kevin Hannon at kevin_hannon17@ymail.com.

Date posted: January 31, 2012 | Author: | Comments Off on Sigma Nu promotes autism awareness

Categories: Community Communiversity On Campus Students What's Going On

Bruce Niemi's "Remembered" sculpture in the Memorial GardenFive Northern Illinois University students who excel in and out of the classroom have been selected as recipients of the 2012 Forward, Together Forward Scholarships.

The recipients – Rachael Bardell, Jenifer Camery, Daihee Cho, Eric Solomon and Faith Stauersboll – each will receive a one-time scholarship of $4,000 for the 2012-13 academic year.

“The Forward Together Forward Scholarships, which honor the memory of the students we lost on Feb. 14, 2008, is among the highest honors NIU can award to current students,” said Provost Raymond Alden.

“This year’s recipients were selected on the basis of character, service, leadership, academic achievements, intellectual curiosity, work ethic and regard for others. Each of these outstanding individuals is a living example of the true meaning of ‘Huskie pride.’ ”

An initial field of 30 applicants applied for the scholarships. Each wrote short essays on what it means to be an NIU Huskie; on how tragedy shapes character; and about their dreams for the future.

They were also asked how they will honor the memories of Gayle Dubowski, Catalina Garcia, Julianna Gehant, Ryanne Mace and Daniel Parmenter.

“This year was extremely competitive,” said Anne Hardy, director of the NIU Scholarship Office. “The committee found it very difficult to make the final decision because all of the students were of such high caliber.

“All five of the scholarship winners have such pride in being an NIU Huskie,” Hardy added. “I would say they’re truly representative of the heart and soul of our institution.”

Funding for the scholarships was provided by an unsolicited outpouring of generosity by friends of the university who wanted to memorialize the fallen students. About 1,800 donors helped build the scholarship fund to more than $700,000.

Here is a closer look at the five Forward, Together Forward Scholarship recipients:

Rachael Bardell

Rachael Bardell

Rachael Bardell

For someone who prefers to work quietly behind the scenes, Rachael Bardell makes a huge impression on those she meets.

Whether serving as a peer instructor helping new students make the transition to campus; guiding freshmen and their families across campus as an orientation leader; planning programs for her fellow honor students as an Honors Program house leader, she has always impressed those around her with her quiet determination and focus on serving others.

“I have been truly amazed by her courage, drive and humility. Rachel is a bright, kind, well liked young lady, yet there isn’t an ounce of ego in her,” said Kate Braser, who oversaw Bardell’s work in the honors program. “She is a perfect model of someone who leads by example.”

Bardell’s commitment to serving others extends beyond campus borders. She has tutored grade school and middle school students at a DeKalb Latino center, Conexion Comunidad, done volunteer work at animal rescue operations and women’s shelters (through the Lambda Sigma Sophomore Honor Society), and serves as a Northern Light Ambassador.

She also enrolled in an alternative spring break program, traveling to the Dolphin Research Center in Florida last year.

A senior majoring in mathematical sciences from Dakota, Ill., Bardell, is funding her own college education. Her outstanding commitment to community and campus service, coupled with her perfect grade point average have helped her earn a number of scholarships including an Alumni Merit Scholarship, the Patricia Bragg Expendable Scholarship and the Gail Master’s Gallagher Memorial Scholarship.

It’s a level of commitment that others may find daunting, but it all brings her closer to a goal. “I want to graduate with more than just a degree,” she says. “I want to know that I did something; that through my involvement and volunteering someone had a better day, an easier transition to college and a better college experience.”

Jenifer Camery

Jenifer Camery

Jenifer Camery

Jenifer Camery defines the word “busy.”

Not only does the Batavia resident have a full load of classes in her elementary education major, but she volunteers for the Safe Passage children’s program, donates time to Special Olympics and is an active member of the Phi Beta Delta International Honor Society.

With all that, she also takes part in the Dynamic Dance Allstars, presides over the NIU Educators’ Club, an organization she founded, and works part time at the Founders Memorial Library.

Along with education, dance is her passion.

“She is literally the Energizer Bunny for (NIU’s Alpha Sigma Alpha chapter)” said Kristin Huben, the chapter’s adviser. “Jeni never succumbs to pressure or exhaustion. I am constantly impressed by watching Jeni take what she is learning in her educational coursework and applying it to our chapter women.”

When the junior graduates in May 2013, she most likely will continue being just as busy and outstanding as an alumna.

She plans to work with children in a Chicago elementary school and create a “Freedom Writers” environment where students learn, share, trust and accept their classmates no matter what their backgrounds.

Eventually, she hopes to return to graduate school and study special education. When she graduates with her master’s degree, she hopes to work as a classroom teacher and a dance coach.

“Dance has been such a positive influence for me. One of the experiences I have had at Northern Illinois University is participating in the Northern Dance Theatre’s Art for Life Performance, which is a student-run performance that raises awareness for HIV/AIDS,” she said.

“I would love to one day open my own dance studio or be a coach at the local high school dance team bringing these types of experiences to kids. Dance and helping kids grow are my passions in life.”

Daihee Cho

Daihee Cho

Daihee Cho

Daihee Cho moved to the United States as an eager 16-year-old high school student from Seoul, South Korea.

Unable to speak English, he was limited to facial expressions and body language as his primary means of communication. Without the nearby support of family and friends, he felt alone and scared in his new surroundings.

His determination and enthusiasm for being involved in his community helped subdue his initial discomfort. He quickly established relationships with high school classmates and faculty members, and by the end of his first full year, he was president of the student council at Timothy Christian High School in Elmhurst.

As he transitioned to life in college, Cho once again found himself forced to adapt to new surroundings. This time, though, Cho had a blueprint for success following his high school experiences.

“Since it was another new start for me and I didn’t know anyone, I was afraid to get involved,” Cho said. “However, that fear could not stop me.”

Cho, who is majoring in accountancy, wasted little time establishing relationships across the NIU campus community, sacrificing personal time for the betterment of NIU and the local community.

He joined eight different organizations as a first-year student, while maintaining a 4.0 grade point average. His dedication and involvement helped earn him the Freshman Honors Enhancement Award and a Freshman Leadership Award in 2011.

“Strong work ethic defines Daihee Cho,” College of Business instructor Dennis Barsema said. “He is a tireless worker, involved in a number of community and academic programs and groups, and maintains an extremely high GPA.”

Currently, Cho is a member of the Campus Security and Environmental Quality Committee and the Community Standards and Student Advisory Board. He is the president of the Residence Hall Association, the vice president of the Honors Student Association, a Northern Light Ambassador and a Research Rookie.

“He is one of the finest young men I have seen on this campus,” Barsema said.

Eric Solomon

Eric Solomon

Eric Solomon

Someday, Eric Solomon hopes to broadcast games to sports fans across the nation.

For now, he works quietly to make the NIU campus, the DeKalb community and his hometown of Northbrook better places to live and learn.

His passion for volunteering was kindled when he was 13 and began accompanying his father to help out at a homeless shelter in Palatine, where he worked with and mentored children. “Ever since then I have reached out to other people with special needs, children who need mentoring and comforting, and volunteering wherever needed to assist those who can use a hand,” says Solomon.

Toward that end, he spends time each week working with children at the Hope Haven shelter in DeKalb, and working with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization in DeKalb, which named him its Big Brother of  the Year for 2011.

He also frequently takes the train back to Northbrook on weekends to work with Northwest Special Recreation Association, where he has volunteered since the age of 16.

Those efforts, combined with strong academic performance, helped him receive a Freshman Leadership Award in 2010 and Sophomore Leadership Award in 2011.

“Eric makes a difference in the lives of all who meet him,” said Sandra Dawson, an instructor in NIU’s Department of History. “Whether as a Big Brother, a lifeguard, as a mentor to homeless children or as an encouragement to abused women, he has made a difference in the lives of many more people than he realizes.”

The Forward, Together Forward Scholarship is a stepping stone toward helping others in bigger and better ways after graduation, says  Solomon, who is majoring in journalism. “If I realize my dream of becoming a professional broadcaster I can work with many more organizations and reach out to even more people as a mentor and role model. I can make my way in life, and at the same time help many others make theirs.”

Faith Stauersboll

Faith Stauersboll

Faith Stauersboll

Growing up in sports-crazy Belvidere, Faith Stauersboll chose a different path than every other child she knew at school: dance.

Her decision meant almost-daily practice at a dance studio, where she missed out on the bonding of a team. When she reached high school, she created the free Leap of Faith Dance Program that teaches children not only how to perform the art she loves but gives them the “team experience” she always wanted.

“(My) program has been growing ever since and is now the most in-demand program at the school and church,” said Stauersboll, who’s already volunteered nearly 800 hours. “The girls now have strong friendships through this class, and dance is finally accepted in the community I grew up in.”

The sophomore nursing major hopes to make similar impacts at NIU, where she is active in the Honors Program, and in her eventual life in health care.

“A nurse is a person who helps people through the worst day of their life,” she said. “I want to be that person. I want people to be able to trust in me to make them as comfortable as possible.”

Stauersboll is a leader in the Honors House and vice president of both the Lambda Sigma Sophomore Honors Society and the Honors Student Association. An essay she wrote during freshman English was published in NIU’s “Y1 Writes” book.

She volunteered for Conexion Communidad and the Honors Program’s Birthday Boxes project and performed with the Animation Dance Team, where she learned more about Filipino culture.

“Faith’s motivation comes from within,” said Emily Del Monaco, former honors program coordinator. “Faith actively seeks out challenges both inside and outside of the classroom due to the sense of fulfillment she receives from knowing she has done her personal best and given each day her all.”

2012 Forward, Together Forward scholars

Date posted: January 29, 2012 | Author: | Comments Off on Forward, Together Forward scholars named

Categories: Awards Business Education Faculty & Staff Health and Human Sciences Latest News Liberal Arts and Sciences On Campus Students

James Burton

James Burton

If your boss is giving you a hard time – lying, making fun of you in public and generally putting you down – he or she might benefit from some exercise, according to a new study by James Burton, who teaches in the Management Department in the NIU College of Business.

Burton and his team of researchers found that stressed supervisors, struggling with time pressures, vent their frustrations on their employees less when they get regular, moderate exercise.

The research is published online in Springer’s Journal of Business and Psychology.

In the current economic climate, it is not unusual to come across stressed supervisors. But does that mean that they have to transfer their frustrations onto the people they supervise?

Research shows that when a supervisor experiences workplace stress, his or her subordinates feel they bear the brunt of that frustration. Burton and his team’s study is the first to examine how exercise can buffer the relationship between supervisor stress and employee perceptions of abusive supervision or hostile behavior towards them.

A total of 98 MBA students from two universities in the Midwest and their 98 supervisors completed questionnaires.

Students rated their perceptions of how abusive their current supervisor was; for example, “my supervisor tells me my thoughts or feelings are stupid,” or “my supervisor puts me down in front of others.”

Photo of adult exercising on a elliptical machine.Supervisors answered questions about how often they exercised and about their levels of workplace stress; for example, “working my current job leaves me little time for other activities,” or “I have too much work and too little time to do it in.”

The researchers found that, as expected, when supervisors were stressed, their subordinates felt more victimized.

However, analyses also showed that when supervisors experienced stress, but engaged in exercise, their subordinates reported lower levels of abusive supervision.

Interestingly, only moderate levels of exercise were necessary to minimize abusive supervision, such as one to two days of exercise per week, and the type of exercise seemed to make little difference.

The authors conclude: “It appears that the simple act of exercising minimizes the negative effects of supervisor workplace stress on subordinates. Wellness programs, often inclusive of exercise components, have been advocated to control workplace stress for years. This study adds support to their specific relevancy in smoothing supervisor-subordinate relationships.”

Date posted: January 25, 2012 | Author: | Comments Off on Exercise soothes the savage boss

Categories: Business Research

Jennifer L. Rosato

Jennifer L. Rosato

New rankings released by the National Jurist recognize the NIU College of Law as one of the best schools in the nation for students interested in pursuing careers in public service or public sector jobs.

According to the magazine, 16.6 percent of NIU law graduates pursue careers practicing law in government, placing it in the top 20 in that category. The government classification includes lawyers who practice in areas such as zoning and taxes, or who handle legal affairs for public agencies.

“It’s wonderful to receive such national recognition,” said Jennifer L. Rosato, dean of the NIU College of Law. “It’s a tremendous honor for the college, for our alumni and for our students who are exploring this avenue, which has been an area of strength for the college since its inception.”

Nearly a quarter of NIU law graduates choose to start their careers pursuing some aspect of public interest law, said Greg Anderson, director of career opportunities and development for the college.

“While this particular ranking focuses on the number of graduates working in government, there are many others who go on to work as prosecutors, public defenders and for public interest agencies.”

Educating lawyers for those jobs is something the college is proud of, Rosato said.

“Serving the public good is an important role for every public law school, and as the only public law school in northern Illinois, we have always embraced that mission,” Rosato said. “It is important for public law schools to serve the needs of the community, and that includes not only government, but also those who need access to legal assistance.”

That history of graduates entering public service has helped to perpetuate that dedication to public interest.

Alumni, many of whom retain close ties to the law school, often provide students with opportunities for internships and frequently are in position to hire new graduates who in turn follow that path.

NIU College of Law students stand outside the doors of the Zeke Giorgi Legal Clinic in downtown Rockford.

NIU College of Law students stand outside the doors of the Zeke Giorgi Legal Clinic in downtown Rockford.

In addition, while the college does not have a formal program designed to prepare students for work in the public sector, many faculty have a background in that area and there are student organizations, internships and externships that allow students opportunities to explore the field. Included on that list is the Zeke Giorgi Legal Clinic in Rockford, which specializes in serving individuals who otherwise cannot afford legal assistance.

Another factor that makes NIU a popular destination for those interested in careers in public law is its affordability.

Law students at NIU graduate with less than half as much debt as typical law students, allowing them to pursue careers in public interest law where the financial rewards are typically lower than in private practice.

“It’s an important consideration for students,” Anderson said. “Students who graduate with tremendous debt, and who want to work in the public sector, often have to pursue different paths because they need higher salaries to pay back their loans.”

While public service and public interest law jobs pay less and place lawyers in the trenches of the legal profession, they can also be a launching pad to much bigger things, said Anderson, who points out that a background in public interest law has helped many NIU law graduates go on to become judges.

In its brief 34 year history, the NIU College of Law already boasts 77 sitting and retired judges among its alumni.

For more information about the NIU College of Law, call (815) 753-8595 or email lawadm@niu.edu.

Date posted: January 25, 2012 | Author: | Comments Off on NIU Law makes top 20 for public interest law

Categories: Did You Know? Latest News Law On Campus

La Vonne I. Neal

La Vonne I. Neal

Northern Illinois University’s oldest college was honored this week for its excellence in harnessing cutting-edge technology to educate the next generation of teachers and school administrators.

U.S News and World Report announced Tuesday that the NIU College of Education had earned a place on its Honor Roll for Online Graduate Education Programs. Only 14 programs in the nation were afforded that distinction.

La Vonne I. Neal, dean of the college, was delighted to see the online programs receiving such recognition.

“Our faculty and staff recognized that change was appropriate in order to prepare premier professional educators, leaders and scholars for the 21st century. They took action to design and offer online education programs, and I am thrilled those efforts are being recognized by U.S. News and World Report,” Neal said.

“To be declared a leader in Online Graduate Education Programs confirms that we are on the right path to lead meaningful change.”

From an initial field of more than 1,000 graduate programs in education, U.S. News narrowed the field to 161 meeting a specific set of criteria for online offerings.

Among those finalists, the NIU College of Education was ranked:

  • First in the nation for the credentials of its online faculty.
  • Seventh in student services and technology for online courses.
  • Twenty-sixth for student engagement and accreditation.

Nearly every graduate level program in NIU’s College of Education has an online component.

Two departments offer degrees that can be earned almost entirely online: the Department of Educational Technology, Research and Assessment program aimed at individuals striving to become school technology specialists, and the Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations program for individuals wishing to become school business managers.

Both of those programs had excellent reputations long before they were delivered online about two years ago.

Jeff Hecht

Jeff Hecht

“When people around the country talk about top programs in instructional technology, NIU is always part of the discussion, and our LEPF program is the top trainer of school business officials in the state,” said Associate Dean Jeff Hecht. “Our faculty was insistent that when we took those classes online that the quality be at least the equal of face-to-face classes and that the rigor be no different.”

Ensuring that consistency was not too difficult.

In many instances the same faculty teach both the traditional and online versions of the classes, working to exploit the advantages of each medium, Hecht added.

That helped propel NIU to the top of the rankings for faculty as the university was one of only two programs in the nation that could claim that 100 percent of its online faculty held doctoral degrees, had two or more years experience in online instruction and had received specialized training for teaching in that medium.

The college’s other Top 10 placement, for technology, came as no surprise to Neal, who is proud to point out that the college has made a commitment to not only providing, but also supporting, the latest technology for students.

“Our buildings are now wireless and we have created a Technology Oasis for students to receive personalized support for problems on a variety of technology platforms and in the use of advanced software,” she points out.

NIU mobile appEven before those innovations, the college had been an enthusiastic early adopter of technology. It was the first college on campus to create a website optimized for mobile devices, Hecht said, and was quick to take advantage of the university’s smart phone application when it was released last year.

As for online classes, the college strives to ensure that they are more than taped versions of classroom lectures, Hecht said.

Instructors leverage the flexibility offered by online classes by breaking down classroom lectures into smaller components, building in multi-media content and creating podcasts that walk students through specific projects or delve more deeply into an important aspect of a subject.

NIU programs also scored well for the support provided to online students.

According to the survey, faculty typically responded to inquiries or requests for help within 24 hours and made regular use of software such as Adobe Connect to tutor or consult with students via the Internet.

The online offerings from ETRA and LEPF have been popular with both faculty and students.

Lara Luetkehans and Charles Howell

Lara Luetkehans and Charles Howell

Of the 26 students who enrolled in ETRA’s first 14-month accelerated program for school technologists, 90 percent completed the program on time, and half of those had job offers prior to graduation, said Lara Luetkehans, chair of ETRA. In LEPF, the first two cohorts filled up quickly, and a third cohort scheduled to start later this spring is nearly full already.

In LEPF, even faculty who had little experience with online technology have become enthusiastic about it, with several finding ways to incorporate online learning into their on-campus classes, said Charles Howell, who chairs that department.

The U.S. News and World Report rankings were based on a survey of 161 colleges of education that met their criteria for offering online graduate programs – those in which course content was at least 80 percent accessible to students online. Other schools on the honor roll include Auburn, Syracuse, Nebraska and Bowling Green State.

NIU’s College of Education is a link to the university’s roots as a teacher’s college that opened in 1899 to train teachers to work in one-room school houses that dotted the prairies. The university remained primarily known for teacher education for more than half a century. One of the largest colleges of education in the state, it claims amongst its graduates one in four school superintendents in Illinois.

While proud of its history, the college keeps its focus on the future. Online learning is a key part of that.

“The NIU Vision 2020 plan inspires us to become more student-centered and promote faculty, staff and facility excellence,” Neal said. “At the College of Education, we recognize our students rely heavily on technology and that they are also seeking different learning options and opportunities.”

For more information on graduate programs in the NIU College of Education, visit http://www.cedu.niu.edu/programs/grad.shtml or call (815) 753-1948.

Date posted: January 13, 2012 | Author: | Comments Off on U.S. News spotlights NIU College of Education on honor roll for online graduate programs

Categories: Awards Did You Know? Education Faculty & Staff Graduate School Latest News On Campus

Photo of moneyLast year, 8,101 NIU undergraduate students received need-based financial aid in the form of state, federal and institutional grants.

However, hundreds of thousands of eligible Illinois college students missed out on state financial aid by not completing the required Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) soon enough.

For this new year, the NIU Office of Student Financial Aid recommends getting an early start on the college financial aid process with early FAFSA completion. NIU’s priority 2012-2013 FAFSA application date is Thursday, March 1.

The U.S. Department of Education began accepting FAFSA forms Jan. 1 for the 2012-13 school year. The FAFSA is available online or in paper form, and in Spanish.

“Attending college and receiving a degree is a great investment for your future, but many families need financial assistance,” says Inali Saghu, associate director of NIU’s Office of Student Financial Aid. “Current and prospective students can get help by visiting our website, by speaking with a counselor in person or by calling our toll-free number, 1-800-892-3050.”

By completing a FAFSA, students could be eligible for more than $10,000 in federal and state financial aid, depending on the financial circumstances of the applicant. Federal aid can come in the form of Pell grants and federal student loans (which also require FAFSA submission), while state aid includes Illinois’ $400 million Monetary Award Program (MAP).

Additionally, students can be eligible for additional institutional aid in the form of grants and merit scholarships.

In the fall of 2011, nearly 1,700 new students enrolled with an NIU merit-based scholarship – an increase of 35 percent from the year prior.

“As part of our Vision 2020 initiative, we have a goal of increasing the amount of merit-based scholarships offered to incoming and current students to $10 million a year,” says Anne Hardy, director of NIU’s Scholarship Office. “However, to be considered for a scholarship, students should apply to NIU and be admitted by Jan. 15, 2012.”

“Filling out the FAFSA is the essential first step in receiving college financial aid, and it determines eligibility for grants, scholarships, loans and work-study programs,” Saghu adds. “So make a resolution that’s easy to keep and could pay huge dividends: Complete your FAFSA early.”

Date posted: January 3, 2012 | Author: | Comments Off on Need a new year’s resolution? Financial Aid encourages students to fill out FAFSA forms

Categories: Events Faculty & Staff Latest News On Campus Students

Light Up Africa took home the prize of $10,000 towards their business plan.

Armed with a business plan that could provide inexpensive electrical power to families across the developing world, Team Light Up Africa took top honors in the first ever Social Venture Business Plan Competition at Northern Illinois University.

Their ambitious plan to build and sell small generator/battery storage units – which can be powered by the movement of a bicycle, boat, or even oxen – captured the imagination of judges and successfully met the challenge set forth on the first day of class when instructor Dennis Barsema challenged teams to “Go change the world.”

“This is not only a great idea for a business, but one that will have a far reaching impact. It could touch millions of lives,” said Barsema, who created and taught the class to show students how to write business plans, but more importantly to introduce them to social entrepreneurship. The class is believed to be the first college business plan contest to focus specifically on creating businesses for the social sector.

“I figured, instead of talking about the social entrepreneurs in the world, let’s be social entrepreneurs. Why read about them when you can be one of them?” Barsema said.

The six teams enrolled in the course included students from not only the College of Business, but also the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, as well as the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Once assembled, the teams faced the task of compressing into a few weeks a job that can take professionals months or even years. “I know from being an entrepreneur myself that it can take 15 weeks just to come up with an idea, let alone write a business plan and then prepare a presentation for investors, ” said Barsema, an NIU alumnus who once spearheaded one of the largest initial stock option offerings in Wall Street history and who has more recently turned his attention to the social sector and teaching at NIU.

For most of the teams, coming up with an idea was the easy part. They chose projects that tapped into something about which they were already passionate. They quickly learned, however, that it takes more than enthusiasm to create a business plan.

“When we started writing the plan we realized that there were a lot of things that we didn’t take into consideration when we were just talking amongst ourselves,” said Eric Obrecht, a junior mechanical engineering major from Wayne, Ill, who was part of the Appropriate Technologies Team.

Other teams shared that same experience.

“It’s like putting together a puzzle,” said Light Up Africa’s Alan Hurt, a senior majoring in both electrical and industrial systems engineering. “You think that you have a good idea, then someone shoots it down and you have to start over.”

Providing students an opportunity to experience – and overcome – those frustrations was one of the primary reasons for the course, said Dean of the NIU College of Business Denise Schoenbachler.

“When students have the opportunity to do real projects and have some tangible experiences they become better business people and professionals,” she explained.

The opportunity to work through those problems with a cross section of students from other disciplines was particularly beneficial.

“It’s critically important for engineering students to understand the importance of business planning,” Promod Vohra, dean of the NIU College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, who was thrilled to see students from his college participating.

The culmination of the teams’ work came Thursday, Dec. 8, when the teams presented their business plans to a panel of experts from the not-for-profit arena. The judges had to determine which idea had the greatest potential for success. For the winner, Barsema provided $10,000 in seed money so that they can work with a business incubator that specializes in social projects and hopefully move closer to launching a company.

In the end, the judges’ job was nearly as difficult as that of the students.

“There was no doubting the thoughtfulness that went into each of these ideas. The passion of the teams was exciting and inspiring.” said Judge Jennifer Matringa, senior vice president for outreach and new initiatives for Opportunity International, an organization that fights poverty through microloans. “

It was a shame that only one team could win, said Barsema, who felt that all six ideas presented held promise and that he fully expected several may eventually come to fruition. Many of the participants shared his optimism.

“We planned to pursue this, win or lose,” said business student Dan Carqueville, of the Appropriate Technologies team, who considered the class and competition to be invaluable experiences.

Jonathon Kite, a Communication Major who was part of Holistic Innovations, said that the class had opened his eyes to an entire new career path, one that extends beyond the organic gardening idea contained in his team’s plan. “Since the class began I’ve come up with four other social enterprises, and I’m already working with friends to move two of them forward. This class has provided a whole avenue of expansion for what I want to do with my life.”

Maria Torres, a senior majoring in Community Leadership and Civic Engagement through the university’s new Center for Nongovernmental Organizations Leadership and Development program, also hopes that her team’s plan (a cosmetology school for individuals with learning disabilities) will someday become a reality. That her team, Revolution Cosmetology School, fell short in its first bid for some venture capital funding, did not phase her at all.

“I’m not sorry that we didn’t win. I look forward to getting some feedback from the judges so that we can adjust our plan and try again,” Torres said. “It was a very tough competition, and I am just happy to have been a part of it. It was the experience of a lifetime.”

Other teams competing were:

  • New Horizons – A team of three students – one each from Mexico, India and Iran – were inspired to create a business accelerator/incubator to assist Latinos in DeKalb in launching businesses by helping them over come technological and language barriers. The center would be staffed by NIU students who would assist in the creation of business plans, web sites, marketing materials and more.
  • Holistic Innovations – Looking to provide organic produce for campus residence halls, this team developed a business plan to create a company that will work with universities to develop customized plans for green houses, composters (that would be fed by cafeteria scraps) and vegetable gardens. (Adam Lagerhausen, business; Jonathon Kite, liberal arts and sciences.
  • Appropriate Technologies – Looking for a way to solve the problem of providing clean drinking water in areas like Delhi, India, where electricity is often more plentiful than potable water, this team has invented a large dehumidifier to extract, filter and purify water from the air.
  • Revolution Cosmetology School – Inspired by a team member who earned a college degree despite a learning disability, this group devised a plan to launch a cosmetology school tailored to the needs of individuals with learning or hearing disabilities.
  • Open Door – Looking to break the cycle of homelessness and unemployment in Rockford, this team devised a plan to create a job skills training center to make individuals more employable, and even provide some temporary work.

 

 

Date posted: January 3, 2012 | Author: | Comments Off on Class launches social entrepreneurs

Categories: Alumni Business Faculty & Staff Global