It was a summer of opportunity for NIU’s National Pan-Hellenic Council sororities. Members of the university’s four NPHC sororities traveled to regional and national conferences across the country this summer, joining thousands of collegiate and alumni members. While each event had its own traditions, all involved said they gained new ideas, professional connections and a...
Marisol Morales, Ed.D., NIU’s new Vice President of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development doesn’t just champion community engagement. She has lived it from many different perspectives – as a student, as a community partner, and as a university adjunct faculty member and administrator. During her decades of experience working on community-university partnerships, Vice President Morales...
Most friendships are measured in years. For Northern Illinois University alumni Jim Lipuma, ’83, and Dr. J.D. McCourt, ’83, their friendship will soon be measured in miles. This August, the two Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity brothers will climb onto their bicycles in Minnesota and begin a 2,500-mile journey following the Mississippi River to the Gulf....
Preparing tomorrow’s leaders begins with meaningful partnerships. Through a new collaboration with The Alden Network, the College of Health and Human Sciences established The Alden Network Leadership in Aging Services and Senior Living Program, expanding opportunities for students while helping address one of society’s most pressing workforce needs. “This partnership creates valuable opportunities for students...
When students arrive at NIU, they are immersed in a community of people who often begin as strangers. Together, they navigate challenges, build friendships and create memories that last a lifetime. More than three decades after graduating, Carlos Fulcher, ’90, wanted to recreate that experience. The former NIU gymnast recently organized a weeklong Appalachian Trail...
NIU’s Student Athlete Academic Support Services has been recognized for organizing impactful civic initiatives for NIU student athletes and was named a top three finalist for the 2026 NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl. Alongside Boise State and winner Rutgers University, NIU advanced through the top 10 and top five, before being...
Instead of taking on his senior design project elsewhere, recent mechanical engineering graduate Joseph Rayner, ’26, saw an opportunity to build one with the company where he already worked — Assurance Technologies, Inc. “I realized I could either partner with another company on the work they were doing, or I could make a stronger...
At Custom Aluminum Products, middle school students took the lead on a project to design, manufacture and sell a new aluminum table and bench set. The program was part of a partnership between the Genoa-based company and NIU STEAM, in the NIU Division of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development. DeKalb middle schoolers from the NIU...
As part of its ongoing commitment to the success of transfer students, NIU has been named to the 2026 Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Transfer Honor Roll. The Transfer Honor Roll is one of the nation’s most comprehensive recognitions of transfer excellence. Colleges are assessed across five dimensions shown to influence transfer success: Transfer student success...
Many faculty members leave a lasting legacy with the students they teach and mentor. However, after they retire, it takes an educator with a giving spirit and an eye for the future to be committed to the success of future students and faculty members. Schriber, with her National Defense Education Act-supported Ph.D. in Comparative Literature...
Graham, Gabel, Cole and Patterson halls came alive the week of June 8 to welcome and host NIU’s Summer Camp for Responsive Education. The eighth edition of the camp focused on the Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards adopted by the Illinois State Board of Education in March 2021 as “research-based best practices for closing...
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are helping NIU create a more personal, connected experience for students. Through interactive tools available within the Navigate and Mission AI platforms, NIU is leveraging AI to provide support and reduce barriers. This high-tech, high-touch approach helps staff members respond quickly, identify concerns and connect students with the appropriate resources. “What...
