Younghee Woo of Food Channel Network Korea poses Feb. 19 at the Lunar New Year celebration during Diversity Week.

Friday, February 20, 2015

Diversity Week at Northeastern Illinois University did not disappoint. While the University celebrated cultures from around the world, it also celebrated the launch of a continuing education office, faculty successes and the debut of a new play.

Around the Commons

Best of the year!

An article co-written by Psychology Professor Breckie Church has been selected by Routledge Education to appear in a collection of the most-read pieces from its journals in 2014. “How Teachers Link Ideas in Mathematics Instruction Using Speech and Gesture: A Corpus Analysis,” which was the year’s most-read article in Cognition and Instruction, will be available to view for free through the end of the year.

Introducing CAPE

Registration is now open for non-credit programming offered through the new Office of Continuing and Professional Education (CAPE). CAPE brings together members of the community with talented professionals on our main campus and at El Centro to participate in non-credit seminars and workshops. The duration of each seminar and workshop varies, depending on topics covered.

 

Making a career

Check out this new video from the Career Development Center! Featuring alums Miguel Loeza, Siddhee Kasudia and Sean Smith, the video tells the stories of students who took on the challenge of underemployment of college graduates following the recession and who practice good career management. They sought out happenstance and serendipity to carve out a future. The video is the result of collaboration between Communication, Media and Theatre grad student Carrie Reffitt, Accounting alum Justin To and the Media Services office.

Serving the Hispanic population

Northeastern’s Hispanic Serving Institution Affairs Committee will host a discussion about HSIs and emerging HSIs on Feb. 20 at El Centro. The topic of the discussion is: Beyond the 25 percent enrollment requirement, what does it mean to be a Hispanic Serving Institution?

And there’s more!

  • Attention, students! Registration for the summer sessions and fall 2015 semester begins Feb. 23.
  • Ensemble Español Executive Director Jorge Perez is featured in a video produced by the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce highlighting his experience in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Initiative.
  • Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies Director Conrad Worrill served as a special guest of WVON 1690-AM’s Black Heritage Film Series on Feb. 18 for a screening of “Malcolm X: Make it Plain.”
  • Financial Aid Director Maureen Amos has been named President Elect of the Illinois Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. After one year, she will serve as President, then she will serve as Past President to finish her three-year commitment.
  • Biology Associate Professor Emina Stojković has accepted an invitation to deliver a presentation at the prestigious Gordon Research Conference on Photosensory Receptors and Signal Transduction on Jan. 24-29, 2016, in Galveston, Texas.

In the media

Late-night radio

Northeastern's resident Chicago Clarinet Ensemble performed Feb. 16 on WGN Radio’s “Pretty Late With Patti Vasquez,” and the host described virtually growing up on the main campus when her mother attended school there. Clarinet students Miguel Hernandez and Elizabeth Kostencki (pictured above with Vasquez), who met at Northeastern and now are engaged, then told their love story for the Valentine’s Day-themed show. Awwww! You can watch the ensemble perform March 9 in the Recital Hall on the main campus.

Honoring the victims

People’s World covered Northeastern’s Feb. 17 memorial for three Muslim students who were killed last week in North Carolina. "Yusor, Razan and Deah were college students working for their degrees just like you and I,” Social Work major Amani Abutaleb was quoted as saying. “They are remembered for their community service, selflessness, kind interactions with family and friends, and their short-lived marriage.”

Also in the media ...

  • The Final Call quoted Political Science Professor Emeritus Bob Starks in a story about the African-American vote in the Chicago mayoral election.
  • DNAinfo Chicago mentioned NEIUGround in a story about registering for community garden plots.
  • The Chicago Tribune previewed a Feb. 28 performance by Lyra Guitar Quartet, mentioning that the group had its origins at Northeastern.
  • The Chicago Tribune previewed an exhibit from Art instructor Deanna Krueger that will run from Feb. 27 through April 14 at the Robert T. Wright Community Gallery of Art at the College of Lake County.
  • The Chicago Tribune reported that Christopher Dignam (B.S. '97 Biology and Secondary Education) has been hired as principal of Deerfield High School.

To do

‘Gregor and Squonk’

Stage Center Theatre debuted its latest production, “Gregor and the Squonk,” on Feb. 19. The play is a modern fairytale with a bit of a twist. It tells a story of Margaret Courtepy and her undying desire for beauty, which has led her to an obsession with plastic surgery. Meanwhile, husband Gregor Courtepy is in search of a mystical squonk, who has the ability to grant eternal beauty.

Education Job Fair

Northeastern will host an Education Job Fair on Tuesday, Feb. 24. The free event, which will draw more than 50 school districts from eight states, is scheduled from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in Alumni Hall. The job fair is also open to the public. Attendees are required to bring a resume to enter and are encouraged to dress professionally.

Women in Operations Management

The Association for Operations Management will host its annual Women in Operations Management Panel Discussion on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at Northeastern. The panel, moderated by Kraft Foods Senior Manager Nancy Villani, will consist of a diverse group of women who are all successful operations professionals.

Mark your calendar!

 

#FollowFriday

Stage Center Theatre

Follow Stage Center Theatre on Facebook and Twitter to get a sneak peek behind the curtain. You'll be the first to see photos and videos from rehearsal, and get all the details about upcoming productions. You'll also be the first to receive announcements about auditions and future seasons.

Milestone watch

Northeastern’s official Twitter account blew past 3,000 followers this week. If you’re on Twitter, be sure to get on the bandwagon and tweet hello!

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