Northeastern Illinois University has a long history of being a welcoming space for all who wish to pursue higher education. In the spirit of that tradition, Northeastern will offer tuition and fee waivers for up to 15 qualified Afghan refugees who settle in Chicago or nearby areas. Read more about this initiative, Stage Center Theatre’s reopening, an alumna named a MacArthur Fellow, Latinx/a/o Heritage Month events, the latest Vaccine Incentive Program and COVID-19 updates and more in this week’s Noteworthy at Northeastern.
Around the Commons
Northeastern to offer tuition and fee waivers for Afghan refugees for the 2021-2022 academic year
Northeastern Illinois University will offer up to 15 tuition and fee waivers for qualified Afghan refugees who settle in Chicago or nearby areas. These University-sponsored discretionary waivers will cover the cost of tuition and fees for 12 credit hours in the current academic year and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for continuing and prospective students. Housing will also be available for these students, if needed. “Northeastern Illinois University is proud of its legacy as a lighthouse of hope and possibility for those historically excluded from the pursuit of higher education," President Gloria J. Gibson said. “This legacy calls us to declare solidarity with all refugees displaced from their homes. Given that it was a Black Haitian, Jean Baptiste Point DuSable, who founded the city of Chicago, it is especially important to make explicit our sense of shared responsibility to create pathways of possibility for all refugees from Afghanistan to Haiti and beyond, and we welcome them to NEIU.” The application deadline for Spring 2022 enrollment is Oct. 1 for international undergraduate and graduate students and Nov. 1 for domestic applicants. Those interested in this program are encouraged to apply online or contact the Admissions Office at admissions@neiu.edu or (773) 442-4050 for more information.
Northeastern’s Stage Center Theatre reopens
After nearly a year and a half of no public performances, Northeastern’s Stage Center Theatre began welcoming back visitors Sept. 30 with its Nuevas Voces 10-Minute Playwriting Festival and Contest. “This year's festival continues the theatre's evolution as a home for new voices as well as our active pursuit of work built on the pursuit of social justice, intersectionality, and community,” Assistant Professor of Communication, Media and Theatre and Artistic Director of Stage Center Theatre Adam Goldstein said. “Each of these plays dives into huge questions about our world in amazingly different ways. Whether it be grief, the epidemic of gun violence in American schools, or the complexities of familial identity, this year's works present a remarkable space for discovery, discussion, and change." COVID-19 restrictions are in place and tickets must be ordered in advance.
And there’s more!
- Heartland Health Centers will recognize President Gloria J. Gibson with the Community Partner from The Heart Award for her leadership in providing a larger space for the centers to administer COVID-19 vaccinations. The virtual ceremony will take place Oct. 2.
- Associate Professor in Teacher Education Elaine Pierce Chakonas has published a textbook titled “Elementary School Teaching: Plan, Teach, Inspire” (Kendall Hunt Publishing Company).
- Director of STEAM Pathways, TRIO UB, UBMS and CCLC for the Center College Access and Success Aaron Cortes Minor has been selected to be part of We Will Chicago, a citywide planning initiative that will encourage neighborhood growth and vibrancy while addressing social and economic inequities that impair Chicago’s legacy as a global city.
- Safe Zone training is open for faculty and staff through Oct. 5.
- SEEDS Literary Journal is accepting submissions for its zine, Seedlings, through Oct. 31.
- Que Ondee Sola (QOS) is seeking contributions for its Latinx Heritage month issue. View the latest issue of QOS and contact QOS at queondeesolamag@gmail.com for more information on contributing.
To do
Latinx/a/o Heritage Month
The Angelina Pedroso Center for Diversity and Intercultural Affairs is hosting a series of events to celebrate Latinx/a/o Heritage Month. Upcoming events include:
- The Realities of Latin America: Cuba, 3 p.m. Oct. 6
- Im/migrant Woman = Abundance = Entrepreneurship, 5 p.m. Oct. 6
- Cantar y Desempeñar: National Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration, 5:30 p.m. Oct. 6
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
- Blood drive at El Centro, 2 p.m. Oct. 5
- The Diversity Org Virtual Info Session, 3 p.m. Oct. 5
- The Diversity Org Virtual Info Session, noon Oct. 7
- Katherine Petersen, soprano: Condemned Cosmopolitanism, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7
View the NEIU events calendar for additional information on all upcoming events.
In the media
2021 MacArthur Fellow
Northeastern alumna Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor (B.A. '07 Board of Governors) is a 2021 MacArthur Fellow. The MacArthur Fellows program, commonly known as the “Genius Grant,” is a five-year grant awarded to individuals who "show exceptional creativity in their work and the prospect for still more in the future." Taylor was a 2020 Pulitzer Prize Finalist in History. Her critically acclaimed book, “Race for Profit: How Banks and the Real Estate Industry Undermined Black Homeownership,” examines exploitative real estate practices that did not end after housing discrimination was made illegal. Currently an assistant professor of African American Studies at Princeton University, Taylor was featured in the Chicago Sun-Times and The Buffalo News and mentioned in USA Today, Ebony, Inside Higher Ed and on CNN.
COVID-19 update
During the week of Sept. 22, 2021, four students and two employees reported a positive COVID-19 test. One student and one employee were on campus. Since March 2020, a total of 65 employees and 302 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.
Other COVID-19 updates
- Jewel-Osco will host a COVID-19 and flu shot pop-up clinic from 2-4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 7 at The Nest. Advance sign-up is recommended. Walk-ups will be accommodated based on availability.
- 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.
- SHIELD Illinois COVID-19 testing is available at the Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies in addition to the Main Campus. Due to increased demand for testing, the hours of operation for the Main Campus are changing. Beginning Oct. 4, testing on the Main Campus will be held 9 a.m-noon Mondays and Wednesdays and 2-5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
- 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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