Students, staff, alumni and friends form a giant letter N on the University Commons

Friday, January 25, 2019

What a week! Northeastern Illinois University wrapped up its first comprehensive fundraising campaign—smashing the original goal by almost $3 million. The University also announced the launch of a new program for Fall 2019. Read about all of that news and more in this week’s edition of Noteworthy at Northeastern!

Around the Commons

Transforming Lives

Northeastern has successfully completed the institution’s first comprehensive fundraising campaign. Transforming Lives: The Campaign for Northeastern Illinois University raised more than $12.87 million to support student scholarships, academic research and campus life. The funds raised by the NEIU Foundation included the creation of 76 new scholarships, the first endowment of a faculty position, the first faculty research scholarship and an emergency fund to assist students with essential expenses during periods of temporary and unexpected hardship. In total, 5,944 individuals contributed $12,878,881. More than 3,500 of the campaign’s donors were new contributors to the NEIU Foundation.

Master of Public Health

Beginning in Fall 2019, Northeastern will offer a Master of Public Health. This 42-credit-hour degree program covers a broad range of public health issues and will be taught in a hybrid of on-campus and online courses. It will be taught by a team of faculty members across disciplines to provide a unique, generalist approach to the field. The program is headed by Department of Health Sciences and Physical Education Chair James Ball and Associate Professor Jennifer Banas, who also serves as coordinator of the Community Health program.

And there’s more!

  • Northeastern will host an Undergraduate Open House on Feb. 27.
  • The College of Business and Management graduate programs will host an open house and networking event on Jan. 29.
  • Associate Professor of History Joshua Salzmann delivered a lecture titled “The Creative Destruction of the Chicago River Harbor” at the Chicago Maritime Museum on Jan. 18. The lecture addressed how several factors, including pollution and conflicts over bridge use, led to a decline of the river for industrial use and the subsequent beautification of the lakefront and downtown riverbanks.
  • El Centro has published its Fall 2018 newsletter.

In the media

  • Carruthers Center Director Andrea Evans and College of Arts and Sciences Acting Associate Dean Tim Libretti joined Black Ensemble Theater’s Daryl Brooks on Paul Lisnek’s WGN podcast “Behind the Curtain” to discuss the Jackie Taylor Anti-Racism Drama Series, which continues in February at the Carruthers Center. The discussion begins at the 18:05 mark.
  • WTTW’s “Chicago Tonight” invited Economics Professor Emeritus Edward Stuart to discuss the government shutdown and the U.S. economy.

To do

‘Nuevas Voces’

The Department of Communication, Media and Theatre and the Office of Community and Professional Education will present Nuevas Voces: A Ten-Minute Play Festival and Contest in Stage Center Theatre on Jan. 25-26. We thank all contestants for their play submissions. There were many wonderful plays to judge in this year's submission pool, and it was a delight to read them all. Directed by Nathon Santana, Teatro Vista Ensemble member, the winning plays will be performed Jan. 25 at 7:30 p.m. and Jan. 26 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

The 82

The Department of English will continue its literary series, The 82 (Creative Writing Minor Reading Series) on Tuesday, Jan. 29, at 3 p.m. at the Angelina Pedroso Center for Diversity and Intercultural Affairs. Writers Peggy Shinner, Aricka Foreman and Juan Martinez will read and discuss their writing processes.

Mark your calendar!

#FollowFriday

NEIU on YouTube

Check out President Gloria J. Gibson’s reflections on the conclusion of the Transforming Lives campaign and lots more on Northeastern’s official YouTube channel!

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