NIU Today

The Latino Resource Center’s (LRC) peer mentoring program has wrapped up its semester. The program assists Latino freshmen students in their transition and adjustment to college life by providing social, cultural and academic support through the help of a mentor. Approximately 30 mentors and mentees were accepted into the peer mentoring program this fall. Mentees were...

Nearly 200 students danced the night away in the Duke Ellington Ballroom at the Holmes Student Center for the third annual Noche de Gala on Saturday, Oct. 1. The black-tie event, which was co-sponsored by the Latino Resource Center, Verizon and several student organizations, included dinner, a DJ and dancing. Noche de Gala is an annual fundraiser for...

The Latino Resource Center welcomed students to campus with their fall kick-off event, Latin Chill, on Friday, Sept. 2. Representatives from each Latino student organization, as well as some NIU departments and DeKalb community members, were on hand to meet and greet students. This fun cultural event also featured ethnic food, upbeat music and dancing. The...

De Mujer a Mujer: Latina Assistance Program will host a “Girl Talk” from 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, at the Latino Center. Tashena Briggs, residence hall director and Canon Fellow for the Latino Resource Center, has developed the program for female students of color on NIU’s campus. All are welcome. Girl Talk is...

De Mujer a Mujer: Latina Assistance Program will host its fifth annual Women’s Empowerment Conference from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 2, in Room 100 of the Campus Life Building. The annual conference hopes to inspire young women of color, specifically Latina students in college or high school, to progress in their education...

NIU will participate Wednesday, March 23, in the largest health service learning initiative in the nation: the National Cesar E. Chavez Blood Drive Challenge. Founded in 2009 with initially 42 college campuses, more than 300 campuses and 100,000 college students have participated since then. The Latino Resource Center, the Asian American Center, the Center for...

NIU’s Latino Resource Center is partnering with Friends of the NIU Libraries and the DeKalb Public Library to host several free events leading up to a visit by Julia Alvarez, author of this year’s Big Read Book, “In the Time of the Butterflies.” The book was chosen by the DeKalb Public Library Steering Committee. DeKalb’s...

NIU’s Mentoring for Academic Success/Freshmen Receiving Experience and Study Habits (MÁS/FRESH) peer mentoring program is currently seeking volunteer peer mentors for fall 2016. The program is designed to provide a welcoming environment and a “home away from home” atmosphere for first-year Latina/o college students by providing social, cultural and academic support. Mentors will assist Latino...

De Mujer a Mujer: Latina Assistance Program focuses on providing academic support to increase the retention and graduation rates of Latinas on campus by offering programs, activities and leadership opportunities that foster self-confidence, self-awareness and self-esteem. Over the years, De Mujer a Mujer (a translation for “woman to woman”) has created opportunities for Latina college...

As part of the celebration of Latino Heritage Month, the Latino Resource Center – in partnership with the NIU College of Business – will host the first Latino Business Panel from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12, in Barsema Hall 301. The panelists are Raquel Vega, Martha Dominguez, Roberto Carmona and John Rico, three...

Latin culture is imbued with passion and expressed through art, dance, music and literary contributions, and NIU is going to celebrate all of it with ongoing fun and inspiring events throughout the next month. NIU’s Latino Heritage Month provides a firsthand look at Latin culture and its influence on the United States and American society....

On Sunday, May 3, the Latino Resource Center hosted the third annual Latino Graduation Ceremony for the Class of 2015. Thirty-six Latino-descendant students were recognized. Together with family, friends, and Northern Illinois University advisers and faculty, about 100 people celebrated the students’ achieving the goal of a college degree. Introducing the event were Katrina Caldwell,...