From left: Northeastern students Erica Bland and Emma Oberdick and DePaul University graduate Maureen Davies perform “Cosi Fan Tutte” last month.

Friday, December 5, 2014

Can you feel the excitement? Northeastern Illinois University is about to enter finals week! We’ve got the details on where students can relax between exams, how much the community raised for neighbors in need and much, much more.

Around the Commons

Take a finals break

Finals are coming! Finals are coming! Here is how students can decompress:

  • Main campus: Student Health and Counseling Services invites all students to the Stress Free Zone on the second floor of the Student Union from 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. from Dec. 9-11. Students should bring their ID cards to enjoy food, massage services and games. Student Leadership Development will host a study break from 7-11 p.m. Dec. 8 in the lounge with snacks, karaoke and games.
  • Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies: This location will help students de-stress for finals by hosting massage services and games from 3-5 p.m. Dec. 10 in Room 102. The Carruthers Center also will serve snacks from 5-7 p.m. Dec. 8-11 in the library.
  • El Centro: This location is hosting karaoke night from 6-8 p.m. Dec. 5 in the Community Room.

Northeastern COMMUNITY gives back

Responding to a call to action after a fire left a 10-year-old boy dead and 11 others injured just blocks from the main campus last month, Northeastern’s Foundation, faculty, staff and students raised $6,080 for the families in need. Northeastern President Sharon Hahs was joined by Vice President for Student Affairs Frank Ross and students Nicholas Martinez and Brenda Bedolla on Dec. 1 as they presented the check to not-for-profit Friends of Peterson.

In the neighborhood

Kris Pierre and Karl Voigt of the Division of Student Affairs have both been selected to join the North River Commission’s Board of Directors. Former Northeastern President Jerome Sachs played a key role in the development of the organization.

Publishing from CCAS

Center for College Access and Success Director of Research and Evaluation Jan LeDonne Alexander co-wrote an article that was recently published in Global Education Review titled “In Support of Access and Inclusion: Joint Professional Development for Science and Special Educators.” Additionally, Director of Math, Science, and Technology Roxana Hadad co-wrote a chapter that was recently published in Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology, Third Edition, titled “Assessing Computational Thinking.”

And there’s more!

  • Campus Recreation is offering a certification course to be an American Red Cross Lifeguard on Dec. 13-16. For details, contact Gail Ito at g-ito@neiu.edu or (773) 442-4246 or visit the Aquatics Office in the P.E. Complex.
  • The Ronald Williams Library will be open for extended hours through Dec. 12.
  • The cafeteria on the main campus will be closed Dec. 11-Jan. 4 for the winter break.

In the media

Back in The Mash

The December installment of Northeastern’s partnership with The Mash, the Chicago Tribune’s publication for teens, featured Associate Professor of Management and Marketing Qiumei (Jane) Xu. She doled out some great advice on gap years, work-school balance and how to best use a professor’s office hours.

Also in the media ...

  • The Windy City Times mentioned that Assistant Professor of Educational Inquiry and Curriculum Studies Sunni Ali will be on a post-screening panel for “Afraid of the Dark” on Dec. 6.
  • El Centro made the cover of the November issue of Consulting-Specifying Engineer magazine.
  • The Gazette and the Marion Times reported that Education instructor Quintin Shepherd has been named superintendent of the Linn-Mar Community School District in Iowa.
  • Northeastern alum Jordan Hamson-Utley will direct the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences online Master of Health Science in Athletic Training program, bwwfitnessworld.com reported.

To do

Spanish for the holidays

Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theatre will present its critically acclaimed Concierto Navideño holiday concert on Dec. 9, 10 and 12 in the Auditorium. Concert highlights include favorites and masterworks from the Ensemble’s repertoire of classical, folkloric and Flamenco dances, Spanish music, and four never-before-seen pieces.

Jewel Box preview

Award-winning German vocal group Calmus will bring its program Touched to Northeastern’s Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 23, as part of the University’s Jewel Box Series concert events. The quintet, with its unique lineup of soprano, tenor, countertenor, baritone and bass, made its debut in 2010 at Carnegie Hall in New York.

Mark your calendar!

#FollowFriday

What a Tuesday!

In its first foray into #GivingTuesday, the philanthropic cousin of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the NEIU Foundation raised $4,935 that will go toward student scholarships. The campaign was largely promoted through Northeastern’s growing Facebook and Twitter channels.

Do you have a story tip? Let the public relations office know!

Mike Hines, director of public relations, m-hines@neiu.edu, (773) 442-4240