Emma Hastings When Emma Hastings arrived in Richmond, Virginia, for the National Conference of Undergraduate Research (NCUR), she expected to present her findings alongside hundreds of undergraduate scholars from across the country. What she didn’t expect was students from other universities showing up specifically to hear her speak. “That kind of energy and support is...
Navigating college as a first-generation student comes with unique challenges, but it can also lead to powerful growth, resilience and purpose. For Ian Rabanal, his journey at NIU’s College of Business was not defined by having all the answers but by his willingness to figure things out along the way. He learned to navigate academics, involvement...
The SPS Awards Committee recently honored the recipients of this year’s certificates, SPS Awards and SPS Dependent Scholarship. 2026 Certificate Recipients: Jessica Madrigal, Human Patient Simulation Coordinator, School of Nursing, presented at Educating Nurses: A Call for Radical Transformation 2026 in Las Vegas, NV, in January 2026. Her session, titled Integrating Tanner’s Model with Neuro-Based...
Skye McCord remembers becoming fascinated by archaeology by watching as many documentaries and PBS Nova episodes on the subject as possible as a kid growing up in Crystal Lake, Illinois. They joke that it felt natural because they have “nerdy” parents who encouraged them to follow their interests wherever those interests led. When McCord couldn’t...
Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, secured $850,000 in Community Project Funding to support updates to childcare spaces and career training at Northern Illinois University. Rep. Underwood met with campus leaders on May 6 to discuss the Education for Parents Project, tour the Child Development and Family Center and classrooms...
Representatives from NIU, Nicor Gas and Trane Technologies gather to celebrate $311,000 in energy rebates and incentives, recognizing NIU’s campus-wide sustainability efforts and ongoing partnership to drive efficiency, cost savings and emissions reduction. (Photo: NIU Foundation) Northern Illinois University’s push toward a more sustainable future reached a visible milestone this month, when Nicor Gas presented...
In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control reported that 40% of high school students had persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, 20% seriously considered attempting suicide and 9% attempted suicide. Yet, the American School Counselor Association reported that the K-12 student-to-school counselor ratio across the nation was far below recommendations. Students are facing a mental...
When Rena Cotsones came to NIU in 1999 to establish the university’s first Office of Community Relations, little did she know she would go on to earn her master’s and doctoral degrees and help build NIU’s Division of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development (OERD) into a force for good in the region and beyond. Over...
Michelle Bezark, Ph.D., senior policy research associate at NIU’s Center for Early Learning Funding Equity (CELFE), recently published Making Babies Count: The Sheppard-Towner Act and the Building of the Modern Administrative State with Cambridge University Press. Her book shares the story of the Sheppard-Towner Act of 1921, the first federal policy aimed at improving health...
Northern Illinois University sent a delegation of a dozen Huskies downstate to Springfield’s Model Illinois Government intercollegiate legislative simulation and competition this year. More than two hundred students representing 18 institutions across the state attended the simulation in March, with a few from NIU chosen for key roles. Cameron Ryan and Andrew Rast were both...
Student leaders have joined the ranks of Order of Omega at NIU, continuing the growth of the national honor society’s recently rechartered Zeta Eta chapter. The organization initiated 24 students this spring, marking one year since Order of Omega officially returned to campusafter a multi-year hiatus. The honor society recognizes fraternity and sorority members who...
Undergraduate Research month culminated with the 2026 Conference on Undergraduate Research and Engagement (CURE) at NIU. CURE brought together over 300 students to share 208 research, artistry and engagement projects. 100 judges played a key role by providing students with feedback on their ability to communicate their work in meaningful and engaging ways. CURE offers students the opportunity to share...
