A Valentine’s Day conversation at Reagan National Airport grew into summertime fun and learning for all ages at DeKalb’s Kishwaukee Family YMCA. The YMCA’s Kish Camp already provided children in kindergarten through fifth-grade with group activities, creative arts experiences, games, sports and a weekly field trip that improved their social and emotional skills in the...
For years, Linda B. Grandolfo, ’73, M.S.Ed. ’77, has dedicated her time, talents and resources to strengthening Northern Illinois University and expanding opportunities for fellow Huskies. Through her volunteer leadership, philanthropy and alumni engagement, she has helped foster connections among alumni while championing programs that advance student success. In recognition of her outstanding commitment to...
The opening production in the 2026-2027 Production Season in the NIU School of Theatre Dance is Men on Boats, a 2017 comedy adventure by playwright Jaclyn Backhaus that tells the “true-ish” story of John Wesley Powell’s expedition to map the Colorado River in 1896. This production of Men on Boats features neither men or boats....
Olha Ketsman The NIU College of Education has unveiled the open-access, online Journal of Applied Educational Research and Evaluation (JAERE) to publish scholars of all levels throughout the university and beyond. JAERE focuses on high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship that bridges research, practice and policy across educational contexts. Successful submissions are expected to promote interdisciplinary inquiry by...
Richard Bell, a historian, author and a popular America250 speaker, will discuss “Globalizing the American Revolution,” as part of the NIU Department of History’s annual Lincoln Lecture. The presentation is free and open to the public. During the lecture at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, in Altgeld Auditorium, Professor Bell will discuss his latest book, “The...
NIU’s Penguin Players returns to the Cavan Auditorium stage this fall with “The Pinocchio Show.” A campus-wide, cross-college effort is underway to resurrect the theater troupe for “artists” – adults with special needs – and “mentors” from the Huskie student body. The College of Education, College of Health and Human Sciences and College of Visual...
Preserving coherence through change can be make-or-break for any business venture, especially those that are just getting started. But maintaining an organization’s identity amid transformation and growth is a complex process for most entrepreneurs. When NIU Management Professors Furkan Gur and Christine Mooney began researching entrepreneurial identity eight years ago, they wanted to learn more...
Nearly 200 students took advantage of personalized career preparation opportunities during NIU Career Services’ annual Career Success Clinic on Thursday, Sept. 10, an event that featured campus and community collaboration to support student success. Approximately three dozen employers, along with representatives from NIU departments and alumni volunteers met individually with students to provide advice and...
This October, the NIU Alumni Association will recognize Nancy Prange, M.S. ’97, M.P.H. ’21, Ph.D., ’21, and Pattie Schiele, ’86, as the 2026 recipients of the Northern Lights Award— honoring volunteers that embody the spirit of the Huskie Pack and the enduring legacy of Liz McSpadden, ’10, M.B.A. ’16. A devoted Huskie, McSpadden exemplified selfless service even while...
Like every educator, David Serowka was, of course, once a student. He hasn’t forgotten that time or what truly enriched his NIU experience. “In the times when we had guest speakers coming into the kinesiology undergrad program that I did at Northern, I was like, ‘This is really great because we’re actually learning from people...
Two recent NIU engineering graduates are among the latest success stories of a local education-to-industry pathway that includes collaboration with area community colleges and professional preparation via hands-on internships. Joseph Rayner, who earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from NIU in May 2026, now works as an application engineer at Elgin-based Assurance Technologies Inc....
Great professors don’t just teach the material — they make you want to learn it. For Accountancy Professor Meghann Abell Cefaratti, that ability to spark curiosity, connect with students and make an impact beyond the classroom has earned her another well-deserved title. Cefaratti — who serves as Deloitte Foundation Professor of Accountancy, director of certifications...
