This weekend, Northeastern Illinois University will host its first series of virtual Commencement ceremonies! We hope all of our students and their families and friends will join us as we safely celebrate the remarkable achievements and endurance of our 2020 graduates. View the Commencement schedule and more in this week’s edition of Noteworthy at Northeastern.
Around the Commons
Virtual Commencement Ceremonies
Northeastern will honor the May, August and December 2020 graduates with a series of six virtual Commencement ceremonies, providing a fun, innovative and safe platform to celebrate the achievements of the graduates. The ceremonies will launch concurrently at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 13 at neiu.stageclip.com. “This has been a challenging year, but let this celebration of the Class of 2020 serve as an affirmation of our collective grit and determination to keep teaching, keep learning and keep growing,” President Gloria J. Gibson and Vice Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs/Interim Vice President for Student Affairs Dennis Rome said in a joint statement. “Congratulations, Class of 2020! We are so proud of you!”
Undocumented Cookbook
Undocumented Student Resources, in collaboration with Undocumented, Resilient and Organized, continues to invite Northeastern immigrants of any generation and any status as well as allies to share cultural recipes and memories of what makes the dish special on a personal level. Selected recipes will be added to a digital “Undocumented Cookbook by NEIU Immigrants.” The Undocumented Cookbook is a borrowed idea from the national immigrant advocacy organization United We Dream. Just like this organization, the idea is to celebrate immigrants through one of the things that brings people close together: food. Northeastern students, faculty and staff are all encouraged to submit recipes and memories. Questions can be directed to Luvia Moreno, lu-moreno@neiu.edu.
And there’s more!
- Northeastern’s Winter Recess for students begins Dec. 15. Spring classes begin Jan. 11, 2021.
- Northeastern’s library is seeking student submissions for “Sheltering in Place: NEIU Archives COVID-19 Documentation Project.” All current Northeastern students as well as alumni who were students during the Spring and Summer 2020 terms are encouraged to submit pieces to the archive.
- Northeastern’s student media organizations are currently recruiting students. Any students interested in participating can fill out the NEIU Student Media Interest Form or contact Student Media Coordinator Dennis Sagel at drsagel@neiu.edu for more information.
To do
Art Sale
The Art + Design Department is hosting the Annual Student Art Sale online through Dec. 12. Since the gallery is closed this semester, students have put together individual online shops in order to continue this NEIU tradition. Head to the Art + Design Community website to check out the sale. All proceeds go straight to the students and alumni.
Uplift Me NEIU
Undocumented Student Resources, in partnership with Undocumented, Resilient and Organized student club, has worked with undocumented students and allies to create a Uplift ME NEIU, a collaborative Spotify playlist to help the Northeastern community get through these stressful times. The playlist has a wide range of genres, but is full of feel-good tracks. Students and allies can continue to add songs to the playlist. Tracks can be in any language, any genre and do not have to be about immigration. They should, however, be uplifting and help spread the message that “you are not alone, you matter, and you belong.” Questions can be directed to Luvia Moreno, lu-moreno@neiu.edu.
Coming next week!
- Lunch & Learn: Staying Organized During Your Career Search, noon, Dec. 15
- LGBTQ+ Meetup, 2 p.m., Dec. 17
In the media
- The Chicago City Council Latino Caucus has named alumna Leslie Dimas (B.A. '11 Interdisciplinary Studies) to its 2021 Leadership Academy Fellows program.
- The Pioneer Press reported that alumnus Jorge Torres (B.S. '82 Business and Management, Computer Science) has been selected to lead the Arlington Heights Building and Life Safety Department.
Student Support Spotlight
Student Counseling Services
Students are welcome to contact NEIU’s Student Counseling Services to set up an appointment to talk either by phone or their online platform for teletherapy. To access NEIU’s Student Counseling Services, call (773) 442-4650 or send an email to counsect@neiu.edu. The hours are 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.
Career Development
Northeastern’s Office of Career Development offers various resources and services are available to Northeastern students and alumni to help them achieve their career goals. These services include assistance in choosing a major or career path, resume and cover letter writing help and assistance with job search strategies and networking. To make an appointment with Career Development, contact ocs@neiu.edu or (773) 442-4680.
Alumni Association
The Northeastern Illinois University Alumni Association (NEIUAA) is a network of more than 83,000 members throughout the U.S. and around the world. The NEIUAA is proud to welcome all 2020 NEIU graduates into this network through a free one-year membership! This membership allows graduates to receive special discounts from businesses, discounts on continuing education courses offered at Northeastern and many other perks and programs throughout the year to keep alumni engaged with their alma mater. All NEIU 2020 graduates are automatically enrolled in the NEIUAA. Graduates from prior years are encouraged to renew their NEIUAA membership to take advantage of all the benefits the NEIUAA has to offer.
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