NIU Today

Honorable Mentions has begun its second year since its re-launch as it continues to celebrate and laud the creative, academic, and extracurricular accomplishments and experiences of the University Honors community. Honorable Mentions is a student-run publication, an omnibus of the University Honors community. Honorable Mentions offers an excellent opportunity for students to be published as...

As more students express an interest in participating in the NIU Honors Program, a substantial financial gift to the program by two NIU alumni should help foster future opportunities for students engaged in honors studies. Three years ago, Earl and Cindi Rachowicz of Evanston designated the University Honors Program as the recipient of a $50,000...

With the desire of reaching out to the DeKalb community, the University Honors Program initiated a service learning project called “Birthday Boxes,” during the 2011-2012 academic year. This service project has since grown and become a staple of the University Honors Program tradition. Partnering with Safe Passage and Hope Haven, Birthday Boxes provides University Honors...

University Honors kicked off the year with its annual Welcome Back Barbeque, with guest of honor President Doug Baker in attendance. Baker shared his six priorities with attendees and encouraged students to take advantage of the many opportunities and initiatives at NIU. More than 200 University Honors students were in attendance and enjoyed from a...

This summer, NIU honors students got a taste of the Great White North when they visited St. Joseph’s Oratory and the Moment Factory, learned about Canada’s Medicare system and video game industry, and sampled local foods – such as poutine and queue de castor – during the “Discover Montreal” short-term study abroad program. “Discovering Montreal”...

J.D. Bowers believes he has found the perfect position to capitalize on his diverse teaching, administrative and service experience: associate vice provost of University Honors. Bowers begins his new job Monday, July 1. “University Honors has some of the most engaged and rigorous academic offerings, exciting programming and sustained student, faculty, staff and alumni outreach...

Wayne Duerkes and Anastasia Kocher – NIU’s inaugural University Honors Scholars – delivered the findings of their Honors Capstone projects at a public presentation and reception hosted April 25 by the University Honors Program. In attendance? The 2013 University Honors Summer Scholars: Octavio Escalante-Aguirre, Elliott Ihm and Lauren Nale. Provost Ray Alden and about 50...

Tim Ryan, assistant professor of English, is the recipient of the 2013 University Honors Great Professor Award. Ryan is a specialist in twentieth century American literature and culture, modernism, African-American literature and Southern studies. This university-wide award, which was established in 2001, recognizes a faculty or staff member who has, over time, contributed significantly to...

Members of the University Honors Program had the opportunity to meet with and ask questions of Jaron Lanier, the father of virtual reality and the keynote speaker for NIU’s 2013 Celebrating Excellence event. Lanier, named one of Time Magazine’s great minds, has spent his life devoted to researching and developing new methods of computing and...

Four candidates for the position of associate vice provost for University Honors at NIU will hold open forums Monday, May 13, and Tuesday, May 14. The finalists are David Ballentine, J.D. Bowers, Jeffrey Chown and William Pitney. NIU’s Honors Program provides an engaging educational experience for academically talented and committed students in all undergraduate colleges....

Approximately 75 students representing different facets of Northern Illinois University gathered Tuesday morning at the New Residence Hall Complex Community Center to participate in the College Challenge, which aired live on the WGN Morning News. The “Minute To Win It”-inspired feature brought WGN morning host Frank Holland to NIU’s campus, where he interviewed students and...

Northern Illinois senior Jenelle McCalla (Whitby, Ontario, Canada/Father Leo J. Austin Secondary School) was awarded the inaugural Outstanding Student-Athlete Award from NIU’s University Honors Program in a program Sunday night. The award is given to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average among all other student-athletes in the University Honors Program. “It means...