Northeastern Illinois University is now the home of U.S. Representative Luis Gutiérrez’s congressional archive! Read more about Gutiérrez’s contribution to his alma mater, a major technology upgrade, and a number of awards won by Health Sciences and Physical Education students in this week’s edition of Noteworthy at Northeastern.
Around the Commons
A congressional archive
U.S. Rep. Luis Gutiérrez returned to Northeastern, his alma mater, on Dec. 3 to formally donate his congressional archive to the institution. Gutiérrez’s collection includes legislative files, press releases, articles, bills, floor speeches, awards and photos. It is expected that many of the documents in the archive will relate to his work on immigration reform. Once all the items have been received and properly sorted, the materials will be available for public viewing as part of Northeastern’s permanent collection at the Ronald Williams Library. It is anticipated that it will take two to three years before the archive is open for use.
IAHPERD award winners
Thirty-three Northeastern undergraduate students in the Department of Health Sciences and Physical Education attended the Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (IAHPERD) state conference. The IAHPERD conference is open to all physical education professionals and students and is helpful for professional development and networking. Nine students won awards and one was chosen as IAHPERD’s president-elect.
Home-grown hackathon
Almost 45 students from Northeastern, Triton College and local high schools participated in a Local Hack Day meta-event hosted by Major League Hacking on Northeastern’s Main Campus on Dec. 1. Northeastern was the only university to host this international event in Chicago. The event was organized by the Computer Science Society and Game Maker Club with Claudiu Moise taking the role of lead supervisor.
Technology upgrade
A recent assessment found that Northeastern’s technology environment was ready for an upgrade to keep up with modern advances and practices. With the approval of the Board of Trustees, the Office of University Technology Services embarked on a $1 million information technology project that will roll out at the end of the year. Northeastern’s innovative approach to the University’s technology systems earned the Hybrid Iaas/Paas and Cloud Storage awards at Educause’s annual conference, which took place in Denver from Oct. 30 through Nov. 2.
And there’s more!
- Associate Professor of Teacher Education Amina Chaudhri and four teacher candidates in the Elementary Education program presented at the annual conference of the National Council for the Social Studies on Dec. 1. Graduating seniors Mirsad Muminovic, Beata Soltys, Ayesha Yousuf and Alexa Zajac joined Chaudhri for a talk titled “Teaching and Learning About September 11, 2001: A Collaborative Inquiry Project.”
- Professor of Earth Science Laura Sanders gave an invited presentation as part of the Palmer Geology Lecture Series at Kent State University in Ohio on Dec. 1 titled “Urban Hydrology, the Chicago Water System, and Freshwater Mussel Success.” In the talk, Sanders described the research she and Biology Professor Jennifer Slate performed with students over the past two summers. At the conclusion of the talk, Sanders was presented with the Kent State University Department of Geology 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award.
- Assistant Professor of English Ryan Poll published an article titled “How It’s a Wonderful Life Seized on an Urbanizing America’s Nostalgia for the Small Town” on What it Means to be American, a joint project hosted by the Smithsonian and Arizona State University.
- The NEIU Foundation raised nearly $30,000—including a $10,000 grant match from the Healthcare Foundation of Lake County—on Giving Tuesday.
In the media
Mossadegh Initiative
Associate Professor of History Mateo Farzaneh appeared on IRTV to discuss his role as principal of Northeastern’s Mossadegh Initiative. The interview was conducted in Persian.
To do
Commencement is coming!
It’s almost time to celebrate the newest class of graduates! If you can’t attend the Dec. 16 ceremony, you can watch the live stream starting at 2 p.m. at neiu.edu. Got questions about the ceremony? Check out the Frequently Asked Questions.
Mark your calendar!
- Student Holiday Art Sale, through Dec. 7, Fine Arts Gallery
- “High Fidelity,” Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 8 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Stage Center Theatre
- Ensemble Español Holiday Concert, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 15, Auditorium
#FollowFriday
Do it for the ‘Gram
Whether you are a soon-to-be #NEIUgrad, one of our #NEIUalumni or living the #NEIUlife, share your Northeastern experience on Instagram! While you’re at it, follow us @neiulife for a look at our vibrant community.
Do you have a story tip? Let the Office of Public Relations know!
Mike Hines, Director of Strategic Communications, m-hines@neiu.edu, (773) 442-4240
