At Northeastern Illinois University, you’ll get a quality education—and we have the certifications to prove it! In this week’s edition, learn about our new course certifications from Quality Matters. Plus, prospective undergraduates are invited to our Preview Day and all are welcome to attend a number of our upcoming cultural and academic events. Read about all this and more in Noteworthy at Northeastern.
Around the Commons
Quality Matters Certification
Northeastern Illinois University has earned Quality Matters (QM) Certification for course design quality following a rigorous review process for nine of its online courses. The QM Certification Mark is the internationally recognized symbol of online and blended course design quality and represents Northeastern's ongoing commitment to creating learning environments that provide students with a clear pathway to success. “The certification is the result of the hard work and dedication to continuous improvement of the faculty,” said Coordinator of Learning Innovations Liz Rodriguez, who led the Center for Teaching and Learning’s Online Course Quality Initiative. All nine courses are now listed on the QM-Certified course directory.
Undergraduate Preview Day
Calling all prospective undergrads! If you’re considering going to college next year and want a sneak peek at what a day at Northeastern Illinois University is like, join us for Undergraduate Preview Day, Friday, Oct. 21! Chicago Public Schools students: We know you have the day off. So come out to our Main Campus and check out our student housing, participate in activities, have lunch in our cafeteria and see for yourself what makes NEIU a place where students don’t just learn, they soar! Parents and guardians are welcome to attend this event with their students. View the Preview Day itinerary and sign up today.
#NEIUReads
October is National Book Month. As Latinx History Month comes to a close, we suggest reading “Latina/o/x Education in Chicago: Roots, Resistance, and Transformation” (University of Illinois Press) edited by Professor of Educational Inquiry and Curriculum Studies Isaura Pulido, Director of Proyecto Pa’Lante Angelica Rivera and Ann M. Aviles.
Use #NEIUReads on social media to share your reading recommendations by NEIU authors!
Open House Chicago
Northeastern Illinois University is proud to be a part of this year’s Open House Chicago, organized by the Chicago Architecture Center. Visit the historic Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies, formerly known as the Abraham Lincoln Center, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on Oct. 15 to learn more about this historic Bronzeville building, designed in part by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Admission is free and all are welcome.
Nobuntu
The 2022-2023 Jewel Box Series continues at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 21 with Nobuntu, a female a cappella quintet from Zimbabwe. Nobuntu has drawn international acclaim for their inventive performances that range from traditional Zimbabwean songs to Afro jazz to gospel. The ensemble’s concerts are performed with pure voices, augmented by minimalistic percussion, traditional instruments such as the mbira (thumb piano) and organic, authentic dance movements. Nobuntu was nominated for Best Musician of the Year at the Zimbabwe International Women Awards in London in 2015 and are currently a two-time winner for the Best Imbube Group at the Bulawayo Arts Awards 2017 and 2019. The word Nobuntu is an African concept that values humbleness, love, unity and family from a woman’s perspective. The ensemble represents a new generation of young African women singers who celebrate and preserve their culture, beauty and heritage through art. Get your tickets today to see them in NEIU’s Auditorium on the Main Campus!
Cybersecurity Awareness
The Computer Science Department in the College of Business and Technology have organized a series of events to celebrate National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Next week’s events include:
- Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Women in Cybersecurity Panel Discussion, 1 p.m. Oct. 17
- Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Cybersecurity Major Info Session, 3 p.m. Oct. 18
These events are a great way to learn more about Northeastern’s new Cybersecurity major!
And there’s more!
- Professor of Anthropology Russell Zanca has been awarded a senior fellowship for Spring 2023 at the Collegium Helveticum, the joint Institute for Advanced Studies of the ETH Zurich and University of Zurich. While in Switzerland, Zanca will collaborate in planning long-term anthropological fieldwork among pastoralists in Kazakhstan with Dr. Peter Finke, an economic anthropologist specializing in Central and Inner Asia.
- Ayesha Ahmed (B.A. ’98 Elementary Education) and Daphne Watson (B.A. ’21 Communication, Media and Theatre) were published in the Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council. Both students were part of Northeastern’s Honors Program. The journal issue focused on "The Value of Honors," students who graduated from an honors program.
- The Department of Communication, Media and Theatre has created a video of the 6th Annual Nuevas Voces Playwriting Contest and Festival.
To do
Latinx Heritage Month
Northeastern Illinois University is proud to be the longest-standing four-year public Hispanic-Serving Institution in the Midwest. This year’s Latinx Heritage Month culminates with the Latino Heritage Month Job Fair at El Centro on Oct. 15. The fair begins at 10 a.m. This event is co-sponsored by Delia Ramirez, 4th District State Representative; Sen. Aquino Sen. Pacione-Zayas; Rep. Guzzardi Ald. Ramirez-Rosa; Ald. Rodrigues-Sanchez.
NEIU Libraries has also put together a set of online resources to celebrate Latinx Heritage Month.
LGBTQ+ History Month
Join the Angelina Pedroso Center for Diversity and Intercultural Affairs in celebrating LGBTQ+ History Month. Next week’s events include:
- Lecture: LGBTQ+ History from the 1930s-1960s, 1:30 p.m. Oct. 18
- International Pronoun Day, Oct. 19
- Spirit Day: NEIU Purple Out, Oct. 20
View the LGBTQ+ events calendar and NEIU Libraries LGBTQ+ History Month virtual book display for more ways to celebrate.
More to do
- “Where She Comes From,” through Oct. 28
- Bra Drive for Breast Cancer Awareness, through Oct. 31
- Info Session: Biological and Physical Sciences Graduate and Summer Research Programs at University of Chicago, 3 p.m. Oct. 18
- NEIU Wind Ensemble, 7:30 p.m. Oct 18
- FAFSA and RISE Act Application Completion Workshop, 11 a.m. Oct. 20
- Lawrence Frank Lecture: Evan Maina Mwangi: “Ubuntu, Ecology, and Global Blackness,” 3 p.m. Oct. 20
- Guitar Studio Showcase, 3:05 p.m. Oct. 20
COVID-19 updates
In accordance with guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Northeastern has adopted new strategies for mitigating COVID-19. Contact tracing will be conducted as needed. However, weekly reports of positive cases and vaccination rates will no longer be reported. 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. We continue to follow Chicago Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines as we ensure proper protocols and preventative measures are in place for the health and safety of our students and employees.
Stay up to date on everything regarding COVID-19 by visiting the COVID-19 Response website.
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