Four triangular, glass Alumni Awards against a black background

Friday, October 15, 2021

For the second year in a row, Northeastern Illinois University’s Golden Gala and Alumni Awards Ceremony is going virtual! Everyone is invited to join the celebration honoring four alumni and a current student for their contributions to their communities, and place bids in an online auction for items, including trips and tours. Read about all this and more in Noteworthy at Northeastern. 

Around the Commons

NEIU Golden Gala and Alumni Awards Celebration

Northeastern's Alumni Association invites the community to attend its virtual Golden Gala and Awards Celebration from 7-9 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 16. This year’s ceremony will be emceed by internationally acclaimed comedian, public speaker and entrepreneur Mona Aburmishan and honor a current Northeastern student and four outstanding alumni, including the 2021 Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient, Miguel del Valle (B.A. ’74 Secondary Education-Spanish; M.A. ’77 Guidance and Counseling). A virtual auction is now open for bidding. Donations and sponsorship opportunities to support scholarships through the NEIU Foundation are also being accepted. Please sign up in advance to receive the event link. 

LGBTQ+ History Month

October is LGBTQ+ History Month. NEIU Libraries has created a virtual display of books, streaming media and online collections. Students, faculty and staff can request materials from the library to learn more about the cultural significance of this month, recognize important moments in the history of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, and celebrate important roles LGBTQ+ people have taken in creating the social, legal and political worlds we live in today.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In light of the heightened isolation experienced by many domestic violence survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial—now more than ever—that we advocate for awareness around this issue. Northeastern’s K(NO)W More campaign developed the Red Folder as a resource for survivors of sexual violence and other students in distress. The Red Folder offers a directory of counseling and support resources available for students, including a 24-hour emergency hotline. This guide will help individuals recognize indicators of distress, respond appropriately, and refer the student for assistance. K(NO)W More is a partnership between many departments throughout the University and community providers that help those impacted by sexual violence. Please visit the K(NO)W MORE website for more information.

And there’s more!

  • Associate Professor of History Francesca Morgan will givebe giving a presentation sponsored by the U.S. National Archives on her new book, “A Nation of Descendants: The Politics and the Practice of Genealogy in U.S. History” (University of North Carolina Press) with Dr. Karin Wulf, Director and Librarian of the John Carter Brown Library at Brown University. The talk will be held from noon-1 p.m. DATE on YouTube. 
  • Associate Professor of History Josh Salzmann and Assistant Professor and Social Sciences Librarian Edward Remus participated in a panel discussion, “Chicago Municipal Records: Access and Accountability” on Oct. 14. Salzmann and Remus worked together to produce the NEIU Libraries research guide on Chicago Government Records, which helps scholars find and use city documents held at a variety of archives across Chicago, including the rich materials in the Illinois Regional Archives Depository at NEIU's Ronald Williams Library. 

To do

Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater

Ensemble Español, the premier Spanish Dance Company and Center in the United States in-residence at Northeastern Illinois University’s Department of Music and Dance, is celebrating their 45th anniversary season titled “Zafiro Flamenco (Sapphire Flamenco): New Era, New Works, New Legacies.” The company is performing Saturday, Oct. 16 at the Auditorium Theatre. Use code SPAIN to get $10 off tickets.

Undergraduate Open House

Northeastern will hold an undergraduate open house from 4-6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 20 on the Main Campus. Prospective students can learn about academic and support programs, meet with financial aid advisors, visit with faculty and staff, and take a tour of the campus and student housing. This event is geared for undergraduate students to review our programs in the arts and sciences, education and business.

Coming next week

View the NEIU events calendar for additional information on all upcoming events. 

COVID-19 update

During the week of Oct. 6, 2021, one student reported a positive COVID-19 test. The student was not on campus. Since March 2020, a total of 65 employees and 307 students have self-reported to the University that they tested positive for COVID-19. Employees and students who feel sick should stay home. If you test positive for COVID-19, students should immediately notify Student Health Services, and employees should notify their supervisors and the Office of Human Resources. Additionally, faculty and staff are required to report positive and presumptive student COVID-19 cases and exposures to Student Health Services. When someone who has been on campus tests positive, Northeastern works with the Chicago Department of Public Health to determine the appropriate response, which differs greatly depending on the situation. We continue to follow Chicago Department of Public Health and CDC guidelines as we ensure proper protocols and preventative measures are in place for the health and safety of our students and employees. 

Vaccine clinics

Northeastern has partnered with the Illinois Department of Public Health to provide on-campus COVID-19 vaccine clinics beginning Monday, Oct. 18, 2021.The clinics are free and open to everyone age 12 and older for first or second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Those under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to be vaccinated. Pfizer and Janssen (J&J) vaccines will be available. Boosters will be available to eligible recipients who completed their initial Pfizer series at least six months ago. Please bring your vaccination card. 

Other COVID-19 updates

  • SHIELD Illinois COVID-19 testing is available for NEIU students, employees and community members on the Main Campus. Testing is also currently available for NEIU students and employees at the Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies. Testing for NEIU students and Employees at El Centro will begin Oct. 20.
  • As part of Northeastern’s Vaccine Incentive Program (VIP), all students and employees who have completed and submitted their COVID-19 attestation or exemption forms can stop by Village Square to pick up a free NEIU keychain and a $5 gift certificate to Fooda or Café Descartes Tuesdays from 11 a.m.-noon, Wednesdays from noon-1 p.m. and Thursdays from 3-4 p.m. through October. 
  • COVID-19 attestation or exemption forms and COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements for Students and COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements for Employees can be found on the University website.

Stay up to date on everything regarding COVID-19 updates by visiting the Return to Campus website. 

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