A photo of Julio E. Arreola in a suit and tie standing in front of the Chicago skyline.

Thursday, February 11, 2021

This week, meet a Finance student who did the math and figured out internships were a solid investment of his time. Plus, Northeastern Illinois University’s celebration of Black Heritage Month continues and Student Counseling Services provides some tips for self-care. Read about this news and more in the latest edition of Noteworthy at Northeastern.

Around the Commons

Invested in Internships

With a dream job already lined up after graduation, Finance major Julio E. Arreola is looking forward to spring Commencement. “I’ve grown a lot professionally and that has a lot to do with Northeastern,” said Arreola, a graduate of Prosser Career Academy. “It’s helped me a lot in terms of getting to know people. It’s taught me how to be proactive and resourceful.” After completing an internship with ORIX Real Estate Capital Holdings, LLC, an international financial services group with headquarters in Japan, he’s accepted a position as an analyst for Lument, a brand of ORIX. Through their associate development program, Arreola will work on financial analyses for underwriting senior housing, healthcare and affordable housing. This was Arreola’s fifth internship in the past four years, working with companies such as AIG and CBRE, the largest commercial real estate services company in the world. Arreola credits his internships to the power of networking. “I can’t preach this enough, but mentorship and networking, getting advice from seasoned professionals who’ve walked the path before, is so valuable,” Arreola said. “To get advice from someone else's point of view is incredibly helpful.”

And there’s more!

  • The University will be closed on Friday, Feb. 12, in observance of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday.
  • AACRAO honored University Registrar Dan Weber with the Thomas A. Bilger Award, which is presented to a member in recognition of consistent vision, service and leadership in AACRAO with seven or more years of volunteer service. Weber was recognized for serving as the coordinator of and faculty for AACRAO's Registrar 101 course, a course that introduces new registrars to the profession and helps provide them the knowledge they need to be initially successful in their position. Additionally, he was recognized for authoring or co-authoring chapters in six different AACRAO publications over the last several years.
  • The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) selected Professor of Health Sciences and Physical Education Jennifer Banas as a winner of its 2021 Writing Award, which aims to honor exemplary writing featured in its blogs and journals. Her article, “A Public Health Approach to Uncovering the Health-Related Needs of Teen Library Patrons,” was published in the Journal of Research on Libraries and Young Adults and was co-authored by Assistant Professor Michelle Oh and staff from the Chicago Public Library.
  • Assistant Professor of English Ryan Poll published “Lynn Nottage's Theatre of Genocide: Ruined, Rape, and Afropessimism,” in the Journal of Dramatic Theory and Critism. 
  • Northeastern’s Diversifying Faculty in Illinois (DFI) program is seeking applicants for the 2021-2022 DFI Fellowship. Applications are due by Feb. 12. 
  • The ChicagoCHEC Research Fellows Program is accepting applications for the 2021 summer cohort through Feb. 28. 
  • Student applications for the 28th NEIU Student Research and Creative Activities Symposium are open until Mar. 8. The virtual conference will be held April 22-23, 2021.
  • The Student Government Association is seeking Senators and Council of Clubs Representatives. Students interested in these positions should complete the SGA Interest Form.
  • 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 2020 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. Additionally, the Northeastern Programming Board and Student Government Association are hiring student workers. Students interested in any of these opportunities can contact Student Media Coordinator Dennis Sagel at drsagel@neiu.edu for more information.

To do

GHRAD Center Conference

Northeastern’s Genocide and Human Rights in Africa and the Diaspora (GHRAD) Center is hosting its 7th annual Genocide and Human Rights in Africa and the Diaspora Conference on Feb. 11-12. It will be streamed on the GHRAD Center website, Zoom and Facebook. This free conference is open to the public and will feature global experts in genocide and human rights, specifically in Africa and the diaspora. This year’s keynote speaker will be Mark Mathabane, author of the award-winning book “Kaffir Boy: The True Story of a Black Youth's Coming of Age in Apartheid South Africa.” The featured speakers are Bonny Ibhawoh, a professor of Human Rights History and African History at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, and Edward Kissi, an associate professor in the school of Interdisciplinary Global Studies at the University of South Florida, Tampa.

Black Heritage Month

The Angelina Pedroso Center for Diversity and Intercultural Affairs and the Black Heritage Month Committee invite the University community to celebrate Black Heritage Month 2021 by participating in a series of virtual events. Next week’s events include: 

To view the complete schedule and sign up for more events, visit the 2021 Black Heritage Month website. 

Galentine’s Day Dance Classes

Ensemble Español invites the University community and general public to celebrate female friendships by taking an introductory Flamenco class.  

Coming Next Week  

Student Support Spotlight

Student Counseling Services

Mental health awareness has been on the rise since the start of the pandemic, with many people working and studying from home. It can seem hard to separate our personal space from our workspace, but it is important to find time for ourselves to check in with our mental health. Student Counseling Services recommends the following self-care articles to learn more:

Student Counseling Services has provided some tips for helping individuals manage anxiety and worry they may be feeling, and listed some important resources. Students are welcome to contact 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 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.

Couple and Family Counseling

The Counseling and Wellness Center of the Northeastern Illinois University Department of Counselor Education is now accepting couples and families as clients. This free counseling service is offered to the University and community at large. The Counseling and Wellness Center is a training center for advanced graduate students in NEIU’s Couple and Family Counseling Program, under the direct and live supervision of an experienced faculty member within the Department of Counselor Education. The counselors-in-training provide couples and families with insightful help while the reflecting team assists these couples and families by highlighting their strengths. Space is limited during the Spring 2021 semester. Sessions will take place on Zoom due to COVID-19. Weekly sessions begin on Feb. 22 and run through the end of April, for a total of seven or eight consecutive sessions. These one-hour sessions will be available from 4-9 p.m. on Mondays. The counseling services are confidential and free. Sessions are recorded for training purposes. The recording is encrypted and destroyed after review. If you and your loved ones might benefit from our services, please contact Associate Professor Laura Tejada at ljtejada@neiu.edu for more information or to schedule a phone consultation.

Student Food Pantry

The Student Food Pantry has a new partnership with the Greater Chicago Food Depository and will now be able to offer fresh fruits and vegetables in addition to canned and other non-perishable items. Due to COVID-19 regulations, the Student Food Pantry will continue its online ordering service through a new system and steps to complete orders are available on the Student Pantry website. Hours of operation are 1-4 p.m. Monday and Thursday. For questions, please contact Chris Maxwell at c-maxwell2@neiu.edu.

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