Participants at the annual educational forum learn about and explore potential careers in sports.
Among nearly 1,000 applicants from every level of collegiate athletics across the nation, NIU received news that Alex Elias (Phoenix, Ariz./Boulder Creek) from women’s soccer, Andrew Frankenreider (Peoria, Ill./Dunlap) of baseball and Emily Naegele (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) from NIU’s MAC West-winning softball team were each selected as participants.
Embracing the Student Career Success model outlined by NIU President Doug Baker, the trio of Huskies was also the only group of student-athletes to represent the Mid-American Conference at the event, which was held for the seventh consecutive year with several keynote speakers and panelists highlighting the four-day conference.
Upon their return to DeKalb from the NCAA Career in Sports Forum in Indianapolis, Elias, Frankenreider and Naegele each spoke glowingly about their experience at the event.
“It was a fantastic opportunity to hear from and meet the NCAA Board of Directors, several athletics directors and numerous people working in marketing, business and coaching in college sports,” said Elias, a rising NIU women’s soccer senior who majors in mathematics education.
Andrew Frankenreider
Frankenreider, a pitcher for the Huskie baseball team working on a business degree, highlighted the DISC assessment given to each participant at the conference as something that especially benefited him.
“The DISC assessment was a really cool activity that was an extremely accurate reflection of our personalities and taught all of us how to manage our behavioral styles to work well in team settings,” Frankenreider said, “which is something that’s certainly important to know about when working in sports and other professions as well.”
And Naegele, who just finished her remarkable softball career by being chosen as a CoSIDA First Team All-American and a NFCA Third Team All-American while completing her pre-physical therapy degree, discussed her appreciation for being able to get a head start on networking with fellow student-athletes who might also work in athletics in the future.
“I definitely think one of my favorite parts was being able to meet 200 other student-athletes from Division I, Division II and Division III who are doing what we’re doing on a daily basis and being able to network with them because they’re going to be our colleagues and peers in the future,” Naegele said.
“As I consider a future in business or information technology, Melissa Dawson thought this would be a great chance for me to see how that career path could overlap with sports, which is definitely something I’m very passionate about,” Frankenreider said. “I’m so glad I had the opportunity to do that.”
Alex Elias
As she prepares to enter NIU’s graduate school for physical therapy, Naegele spoke about her newfound full appreciation for the work administrators in collegiate athletics do, saying that “with all the athletic directors and administrators at the conference, it was extremely interesting to hear from them about why things are done the way they are on all levels. That part was very cool to learn about.”
And Elias summed up the experience by explaining how the chance to attend a NCAA national conference such as this was just the latest in a long list of highlights in her collegiate career at NIU.
“Spending the last few years as a student-athlete at NIU has allowed me to make the most of so many opportunities,” Elias said.
“Being a LEaD Huskie, serving as a captain on my team and working with the great SAASS office have allowed me to get the most from my student-athlete experience. It feels incredible to have the support from the administrators at our school and to see how much they care about helping us in our careers.”
The closure will allow the Union Pacific Railroad to repair its Main 1 grade crossing and reconstruct its Main 2 crossing.
To provide a detour that will accommodate truck traffic, the following detour routes will be used:
IL-23 northbound traffic will proceed east on Fairview Drive to Peace Road; thence north on Peace Road to Barber Greene Road; thence west on Barber Greene Road back to IL-23.
IL-23 southbound traffic will proceed east on Barber Greene Road to Peace Road; thence south on Peace Road to Fairview Drive; thence west on Fairview Drive back to IL-23.
IL-38 westbound traffic will proceed south on Peace Road to Fairview Drive; thence west on Fairview Drive to IL-23 (south Fourth Street); thence south on IL-23 to Harveststore Drive; thence west on Harveststore Drive to south First Street; thence north on south First Street to Fairview Drive; thence west on Fairview Drive to Annie Glidden Road; thence north on Annie Glidden Road back to IL-38.
IL-38 eastbound traffic will proceed south on Annie Glidden Road to Fairview Drive; thence east on Fairview Drive to south First Street; thence south on south First Street to Harveststore Drive; thence east on Harveststore Drive to IL-23 (south Fourth Street); thence north on IL-23 to Fairview Drive; thence east on Fairview Drive to Peace Road; thence north on Peace Road back to IL-38.
Motorists are urged to use caution and expect delays while traveling the detour route: slow down and use extreme caution while driving through all work zones.
Orientation & Family Connections has begun campus-wide orientation for incoming freshmen and transfer students and their families.
During orientation (a two-day program for freshmen and a single day for transfers), incoming students gain an increased understanding of resources, identify opportunities for engagement and involvement and begin to learn what it means to be part of an inclusive community.
The two-day freshman program affords students time to learn about academic expectations and responsibilities.
Students attend a sample class designed to highlight the classroom experience and present strategies for success from a faculty perspective. Students also meet with academic advisers, register for classes and begin to prepare for their first semester.
The transfer students’ orientation program focuses on getting connected to campus as quickly as possible. Sessions are tailored to finances, academics and the business of being a student at NIU.
Optional activities for both programs include campus and housing tours and individual meetings with financial aid counselors.
Family members are also invited to attend orientation to discover the resources available to them and learn more about their role in their student’s success in college. Family discussions focus on academics and student life, safety, student health, managing college costs and common transitional issues. The DeKalb community also participates in freshmen family orientation by conducting bus tours of the community.
Orientation & Family Connections partners with the academic colleges and numerous departments throughout campus to create a great experience for incoming students and their families. Orientation sessions continue throughout the summer months.
The director of Catering Operations will play a critical role in re-envisioning catering services within the campus community. The director will be significant in providing an outstanding culinary experience on campus through Campus Dining Services.
The director also will be a strong partner with NIU’s conference and event services, an office that is expanding its mission and growing its client base in, and outside of, the university.
NIU staff, faculty and students are invited to participate in this important search by attending the forums, scheduled from 3:15 to 4 p.m. in Room 315 of Altgeld Hall.
This two-hour interactive workshop is scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. in Room 100 of the Campus Life Building. Seating is limited.
Presenters will cover strategies and best practices for recruiting a diverse qualified applicant pool.
Participants, meanwhile, will receive sample forms and templates for conducting an efficient and successful search.
Did you know? NIU conducted more than 320 searches for faculty and staff positions last year.
This training is open to all NIU employees; however, individuals responsible for maintaining the hiring paperwork, search committee members and chairs, and hiring officials responsible for the hiring record, are encouraged to attend.
Email AAEC_Training@niu.edu to register. For more information, call Roselyn Snell at (815) 753-6038.
Date posted: June 3, 2016 | Author: Mark McGowan | Comments Off on Search procedure training offered for recruiting faculty, staff
Advance registration is preferred, but not required, by emailing: employeeassistance@niu.edu or calling (815) 753-9191.
The starting at 12:05 p.m. summer presentations begin Wednesday, June 8, with “Deciding to Retire from NIU” in the Blackhawk Annex.
Other sessions:
Thursday, June 16, begins an educational series for all ages starting with “Feel Better and Function Higher with and without Arthritis” in the Blackhawk Annex.
Tuesday, June 21, focuses on finances during the session “Tips for Saving” in the Glidden Room.
Wednesday, June 29, concludes the summer series with “How to Lose Your Student Loan Debt without Losing Your Mind!” in the Blackhawk Annex.
Meanwhile, Weight Watchers has contacted NIU regarding its interest in restarting the At Work Program on campus. For this program to return, NIU will need at least 15 interested employees in order to schedule a free informational meeting. Interested? Call (815) 753-9191 or email employeeassistance@niu.edu by Friday, June 24.
Date posted: June 3, 2016 | Author: Mark McGowan | Comments Off on Employee Assistance Program plans brown bag luncheons
Some levels of the parking deck will close for maintenance and cleaning from Monday, June 6, through Friday, June 10.
Levels will open as work is completed.
During this time, any valid blue or yellow permit holder will be able to park in any legal parking space on all open levels, with the exception of reserved spaces and handicap spaces.
Imagine getting lost in your own home or neighborhood. Imagine feeling disoriented, unsure of where you are or how you got there.
For individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s and other neurological disorders or trauma – and more Americans than ever are diagnosed with these conditions each year – this “spatial disorientation” can be a daily occurrence and something that causes significant distress.
At the next STEM Café, called “Saving the Brain,” NIU Associate Professor of Psychology Doug Wallace will discuss the science of what happens to the brain during these diseases and the possibility of life-changing therapies that alleviate the symptoms.
Wallace’s research focuses on the neural networks we use to navigate the world. By understanding how these networks develop, he argues, we can learn how they might be repaired. Spatial disorientation, for example, could become a thing of the past.
Doug Wallace
“The human brain is extraordinarily flexible. It is capable of adapting to all sorts of setbacks,” Wallace says. “I’ll be talking about how ongoing research into the brain’s adaptability can help doctors encourage the highest level of adaptation, ensuring that people with Alzheimer’s and other brain conditions can recover as much functioning as possible.”
“More and more of our senior citizens are suffering from diseases like Alzheimer’s,” says NIU STEM Outreach Associate Judith Dymond. “Doug Wallace’s talk will shine a light on how that suffering might be reduced and on the vital role to be played by research at state-funded universities like NIU.”
This event is part of NIU STEM Outreach’s series of STEM Cafés, all of which are free and open to the public. Food and drinks will be available for purchase from Giovanni’s.
For more information, call (815) 753-4751 or email jdymond@niu.edu.
Date posted: June 2, 2016 | Author: Mark McGowan | Comments Off on How to save a brain
It is notable that a sampling of just some of the NIU faculty who gained national and international recognition this spring for their scholarship represents life and health sciences, social sciences, physical sciences and humanities:
Holly Jones, who holds a joint appointment at NIU with biological sciences and the Institute for the Study of the Environment, Sustainability and Energy, garnered global attention for her study on how native species responded to projects that eradicated invasive mammals from islands.
Lucy Bilaver, an assistant professor in our School of Nursing and Health Studies, helped to conduct research that determined that low-income families of children with food allergies spend 2.5 times more money on emergency room visits and hospitalization costs.
NIU psychology professors Larissa Barber and Alecia Santuzzi continued their groundbreaking exploration of the modern phenomenon they dubbed “telepressure.”
Zhili Xiao, an NIU Board of Trustees Professor in the Department of Physics, led a team of scientists working at Argonne National Laboratory in the creation of a new material called “rewritable magnetic charge ice.”
Poet Amy Newman, a Board of Trustees Professor in the NIU Department of English, received critical acclaim from David Kirby in the New York Times Book Review.
Needless to say, these headlines and more have come despite the challenges and uncertainty associated with the state budget impasse. We need to be intentional about dedicating resources to faculty efforts in research, scholarship and artistry despite the challenging environment, in order to sustain our institutional mission.
Restructuring and reengineering our budget processes and financial functions will help provide the stability and predictability needed to fund scholarship. This is a long-term effort, but one to which I am committed as a key element of faculty support.
Amy Newman
I was also pleased to note that the recommendations arising from Program Prioritization indicated strong support for faculty scholarship. Broad recommendations made by the Academic Task Force advanced suggestions for strengthening NIU through investment in tenure-track faculty with active research agendas and encouragement of interdisciplinary collaboration. Key programs of the Division of Research and Innovation Partnerships, including the Office of Innovation and Faculty Research and Development Support were recommended for enhancement by the Administrative Task Force.
I will work with Provost Lisa Freeman, VP Jerry Blazey and VP Al Phillips to shape these programs and to bolster our commitment to faculty. Details of our progress and future plans will be shared in an upcoming NIU Insider podcast.
The great work performed by NIU faculty is valued, both inside and outside the university community. This work advances positive social change and economic development and engages and inspires undergraduate and graduate students.
I applaud the work of our faculty that distinguishes our university and helps us fulfill our mission that is critically important for society.
Date posted: June 2, 2016 | Author: Mark McGowan | Comments Off on Baker Report: In support of faculty research, scholarship and artistry
Any undergraduate student who has participated in faculty-mentored research or artistry over the course of the 2015-16 academic year is encouraged to present his or her project at the symposium.
Community college students planning to transfer to NIU are also welcome to present their projects at the symposium.
Students have the ability to showcase their work through either a poster or a 15-minute oral presentation. Registration and an abstract submission are required for students to present and must be completed by Friday, July 8.
Mike Mann, NIU’s director of State Relations, and I were in Springfield earlier this week working with legislative leaders and the governor’s office. It’s clear that both the legislative and executive branch members understand the extreme budget challenges facing higher education in particular and state government in general.
In spite of their desire to solve these challenges before the end of the regular legislative session, the Illinois General Assembly adjourned its spring session for the second consecutive year without a comprehensive state budget in place.
All involved assure us that they appreciate how vital such funding is to ensuring that universities can continue their educational mission. Members of the Illinois House of Representatives have pledged to continue working for compromise and to holding special sessions on Wednesdays through the end of June with the aim of finding a solution.
We continue to work with other universities, state education agencies, legislators in Springfield and the governor’s office to craft a budget agreement that appropriately funds public universities and MAP grants for both FY16 and FY17. Such funding is critical to our ability to support the efforts of our staff and faculty as they work to ensure student career success. It also is critical to our ability to support the social and economic prosperity of Illinois.
Despite this latest setback, we are on track to open for normal operations this upcoming academic year. This is due to the hard work of our faculty and staff as well as to careful management of our resources. My thanks to all the university members who are working diligently to address our current challenges and create a strong future for the university.
Forward,
Date posted: June 1, 2016 | Author: Mark McGowan | Comments Off on President Baker emails university community on Springfield situation
If you work from the Outlook on the Web (OWA) Client, you might have noticed a new feature has been added to your set of collaboration tools, Power BI.
This powerful tool was first released by Microsoft in July 2015. With the licensing agreement between Microsoft and NIU, you now have access.
What is Power BI? It is a cloud-based business analytics service.
It enables you to analyze one or multiple sets of data with its natural query language.
Creating interactive visualizations just became that much easier: You create reports and dashboards with ease. Structure your data in a way that makes sense.
To learn more about Power BI for Office 365, visit go.niu.edu/Lynda.
Date posted: May 31, 2016 | Author: Mark McGowan | Comments Off on Power BI now available
