As program and business development manager at Engie Services – North America, Carolyn Kiesner is fulfilling a promise she made to herself over 10 years ago. After earning a degree in mechanical engineering from NIU’s College of Engineering and Engineering Technology in 2007, she found real-world experience working first in sales engineering and then in...

NIU’s 125th anniversary celebration officially kicked off in January 2020, a century-and-a-quarter after the university was founded in 1895.  A 25-member committee created the outline for a year-long observance of the university milestone, but that changed when the COVID-19 pandemic began. As a result, NIU will continue to commemorate history in 2021—when it is safe to...

Angel Hannah got more than a diploma during Northern Illinois University’s virtual commencement ceremony last month. The 23-year-old received her bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Sciences along with a marriage proposal from Wade Harnesk, 23, of Kennesaw, Georgia. “I was honestly so shocked and surprised,” Hannah, of Country Club Hills, said. “When I...

A panel of experts in political science, law and sociology will participate in an online forum, 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 14, on Teams Live to discuss the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, our Constitutional processes and the peaceful transition of power. The forum will allow members of the university community to learn more...

As a high school student, Jake Walker, ’19, was devoted to music. He dreamed of being a band director and became focused on finding the right college to help him reach his goal. “I knew that I was looking for a school with a respectable music education program,” he said. “Growing up, I always heard...

Max Anderson Max Anderson is on a unique journey. He was the first instructional designer hired by the University of Illinois College of Medicine. That was 2013. And when college administrators were ready a few years later to recruit and appoint a director of Instructional Design and Learning Innovation, they turned to Anderson. Well, sort...

Jessica Wagner’s connection with NIU didn’t end when she graduated. In fact, the 2016 graduate of the Doctor of Audiology program said it continues to grow thanks to mentorships that were established while a student. “NIU gave me something beyond a classroom or clinic experience,” said Wagner. “I developed a lifelong mentorship with both Dr....

While the COVID-19 pandemic has robbed us of many special moments, Northern Illinois University is determined that the graduating classes of 2020 will get the send-off they deserve. This Saturday and Sunday, the university will host virtual commencement ceremonies to honor the accomplishments of those individuals, streaming  online ceremonies where students, family, friends, faculty and...

NIU’s significant contributions to the community, state and beyond were officially acknowledged by the U.S. Congress on Oct. 30. “This year, NIU celebrates its 125th anniversary,” said U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, an NIU alumna. “I ask that this congratulatory message be read into the Congressional Record in honor of this significant milestone.” Kelly read the...

Ami Patel, ’02, landed her dream job in Silicon Valley eight years ago. As the manager of product operations for LinkedIn, she is making her mark on this commonly used social media platform every day. However, Patel was not always sure what she wanted to do. She grew up as a very reserved child in...

Mary Holland, a 2007 BFA graduate of the NIU School of Theatre and Dance is the co-writer and co-star of Hulu’s acclaimed new holiday movie, Happiest Season. Holland co-wrote the romantic comedy with Clea DuVall, whom she starred with on HBO’s Veep, and the film also stars Kristen Stewart, Mackenzie Davis, Dan Levy, Mary Steenburgen, Alison Brie, Aubrey Plaza, and Victor...

David Benson Families in the 15,000-student Thompson School District of Loveland, Colorado, were offered an intriguing and innovative option this fall as the COVID-19 pandemic barreled into another semester. Called Thompson Connect Online (TCO), it’s a completely virtual “school” created solely to enroll the 1,800 kindergartners through high school seniors who chose to learn exclusively from their home computers....