NIU Today

A first-generation college student from Mendota, Timothy Dimond realized at a young age that taking up the family business wasn’t for him. “I grew up on a farm,” Dimond said. “Aside from dreaming about being an astronaut or cowboy, realistically I could have been a farmer. But the industry was getting tougher, so I decided...

What does teaching accomplish? Jim Schmidt, chair of the NIU Department of History, strives for “true learning.” “Having been in the classroom for more than 20 years, I have come to realize learning is not primarily dependent on what material I present or how I present it. Instead, it’s ab out creating an environment where...

Many educators – Gulsat Aygen included – love to teach the elite learners, those students who continually are tops in their classes and eager to discover even more. But it’s the others in the attendance lists who truly ignite Aygen’s zeal for teaching. “My major goal is creating an intellectual environment where everyone learns, especially...

The Graduate School invites faculty, staff and students to join in celebrating the outstanding accomplishments of NIU’s graduate students. The event is being held Tuesday, April 21, in the Altgeld Hall auditorium. A reception begins at 3 p.m., followed by an awards presentation at 3:30 p.m. Recipients of the following awards for 2014-15 will be...

Memory, impressions and social perceptions are among the research specialties of psychology professor John Skowronski, Northern Illinois University’s newly named 2015 Board of Trustees Professor. And NIU students who have taken his courses will tell you the professor certainly is unforgettable. Alumnus Randy McCarthy remembers Skowronski’s “smooth lectures,” the precise way he communicated complex topics...

Four members of the Supportive Professional Staff (SPS) have been chosen to receive the university’s 2015 SPS Presidential Awards for Excellence. The recipients are Pat Anderson, director of Alumni Relations; Ben Bingle, specialist/outreach coordinator of the Center for Non-Governmental Organization Leadership and Development (NGOLD); Betsy Hull, assistant to the dean in the College of Education; and...

NIU’s Presidential Commission on the Status of Minorities (PCSM) has selected students Sandra Gonzalez and Sara Briseño and Karen Baker, associate vice president of Administration and Human Resources, as the recipients of this year’s Deacon Davis Diversity Award. Named in honor of Deacon Davis, founder and former director of the CHANCE (Counseling Help & Assistance...

At NIU, innovation is new knowledge put to new use. NIU’s Division of Research & Innovation Partnerships requests nominations to recognize NIU faculty, staff and students who have gone above and beyond in the area of innovation. This is the second year for the Innovation Certificate of Recognition Program, which acknowledges the contributions of individuals...

NIU’s Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center is seeking nominations for the 2015 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Awards. These awards acknowledge outstanding graduate teaching assistants for their contributions to the teaching mission of NIU. Each recipient of the award will be presented with a plaque and recognized at the Graduate Students Reception sponsored by the...

The Supportive Professional Staff Council is requesting nominations for the Presidential Supportive Professional Staff Award for Excellence. This award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the university. All Supportive Professional Staff are eligible. Individuals who were nominated previously but did not win are eligible again. Four awards in the amount of $1,500 will...

Vice Provost Anne Birberick is seeking nominations for the 2015 Presidential Teaching Professorships. Nominations are due Monday, Oct. 27, to Anne Birberick in the Office of the Provost, Altgeld Hall 215. Electronic submissions are preferred via email to jrat@niu.edu. Following receipt of a letter of nomination, the selection committee will invite each nominated faculty member...

NIU faculty, staff, students and community members are invited to nominate NIU professors with outstanding records of community engagement for the 2015 Presidential Engagement Professorships. Nominations will be accepted now through Friday, Oct. 3. Established in 2010, the Presidential Engagement Professorships recognize faculty members who exemplify the following criteria: Commitment to fostering reciprocal partnerships in...