Northeastern celebrated its Spring 2021 graduates on May 9 and welcomed a new group of alumni into its ranks. We can’t wait to see what the Class of 2021 will achieve! This week, we recap Commencement and meet an alumnus who’s working on making NEIU history with a new scholarship fund. Read about all this and more in the latest edition of Noteworthy at Northeastern.
Around the Commons
Hope Is Creating Courageous Scholars
Northeastern Illinois University double alumnus David D. Robertson is not just hoping for a better world, he’s creating it. Robertson (B.A. ’16 University Without Walls (UWW); M.A. ’18 Community and Teacher Leaders), who is the founder of the nonprofit organization the Hope Is Foundation, is partnering with Northeastern Illinois University to break the economic barrier of receiving a college education and spreading a message of hope. He’s doing this by creating two new scholarship initiatives–The Robertson Family Education Enrichment Award and Hope Is Foundation Courageous Scholars Scholarship–and virtually returning to Northeastern on May 20 for an NEIU Alumni All Access event to discuss innovative ways to build community and various forms of philanthropy. Once the endowment goal is reached, the Hope Is Foundation Courageous Scholars Scholarship will be Northeastern's first endowed scholarship established by a Black alumnus in NEIU Foundation history. “Both scholarships are a tool for student success, creating unique opportunities where students and alumni can engage and enrich their lives and the NEIU campus,” Robertson said. “Aside from the financial support, students take away a stronger sense of community, the power of communication and the courageous voice of vulnerability that fosters a sense of belonging to a network of support.”
Commencement Recap
Northeastern Illinois University honored May 2021 graduates with a series of six virtual Commencement ceremonies, providing a fun, innovative and safe platform to celebrate the achievements of our graduates. The ceremonies were held concurrently at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 9. This year’s Commencement speaker was Illinois Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza. If you were unable to view the ceremonies when they first aired, you can watch all three ceremonies on the Commencement webpage. Graduates can also find their individual clips on StageClip.
And there’s more!
- Registration for Summer 2021 and Fall 2021 is now open.
- Professor and Coordinator of Linguistics Richard Hallett and Frances M. Quiñones (’16 B.A. Spanish and Spanish (K-12), expected ’21 M.A. Linguistics) published an article titled “The Linguistic Landscape of an Urban Hispanic-Serving Institution in the United States” in the journal Social Semiotics. Quiñones was accepted into the Linguistics Ph.D. program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and plans to begin the program in Fall 2021.
- Associate Professor of Political Science WIlliam Adler published an article about the 2020 U.S. Census and its implications for American politics over the next decade on NBC News’ Think website.
- NEIU Libraries recently published their Year in Review highlighting some of its successes over the past academic year.
- The NEIU Alumni Association is hosting its May Membership Drive and encourages Northeastern alumni to consider joining the Alumni Association. One third of membership donations support the NEIUAA Internship Scholarship! Make a lasting impact on NEIU students by joining or renewing your membership today!
To do
Virtual Information Session: TRIO Student Support Services
Sign up to learn about TRIO Student Support Services during a virtual information session on Thursday, May 20 from 3-4 p.m. TRIO SSS programs are free academic and professional development programs for students who are income-eligible, first-generation, and/or who have disabilities. TRIO SSS members benefit from academic support and advising, TRIO scholarships, career planning, test preparation, and scholarship and financial aid guidance. Also, 93 percent of TRIO SSS members are in good academic standing, and 90 percent stick with TRIO SSS. You may apply to TRIO SSS online. Questions can be directed to TRIO Student Support Services at triosss@neiu.edu.
In the media
- Professor Emeritus of Economics Ed Stuart was a featured speaker for ASCM Chicago Chapter’s Economic Update Series on May 13, discussing abrupt shifts in the economic landscape.
Student Support Spotlight
Mental Health Awareness Month: Social Media
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Student Counseling Services (SCS) aims to break the stigma around mental health. Whether you do self-care activities on your own, with family, friends or co-workers, implementing ways to de-stress is a great way to care for your mental health and raise awareness of mental health issues. This week, SCS shares some resources for self-care using social media. While giving yourself breaks from social media is good for you, sometimes we may not be able to stay away from the online world. In that case, following pages that are inspirational or educational is a good way to add some breaks into your timeline:
- These 10 Instagram Accounts Will Take Your Self-Care Game to the Next Level
- Facebook Page: Self-Care is for Everyone
SCS has also provided some tips for helping individuals manage anxiety and worry they may be feeling, and listed some important resources. Students are welcome to contact SCS to set up an appointment to talk either by phone or their online platform for teletherapy. To access NEIU’s SCS, call (773) 442-4650 or send an email to counsect@neiu.edu between 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. After hours, students may also reach a counselor for more urgent consultation by calling the main number and pressing “2” during the outgoing message.
More resources for students can be found on the Keep Learning website and the COVID-19 Student FAQ page. General information about Northeastern’s response to the pandemic and the latest University updates regarding COVID-19 can be found on the NEIU Coronavirus Response page.
Follow Northeastern on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter! Do you have a story tip? Let the Office of Public Relations know at public-relations@neiu.edu.
Top photo: A graduate holding a Northeastern diploma cover with other graduates walking behind them at Commencement 2018.
