2022 President's Report

Northeastern Illinois University

Letter from the President

I am delighted to share that Northeastern Illinois University is thriving and moving forward after facing significant challenges over the last few years. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity I have had to serve as the University’s President. As Northeastern embarks on a new chapter, I have unassailable faith that the strength of the University community will serve as the foundation for future success.

In this report, you will hear from some of the President’s Cabinet members about how they are shaping, innovating and implementing new initiatives on campus to serve the Northeastern community.

Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Terry C. Mena shares his office’s progress with restoring and strengthening student activities and campus facilities, including almost full occupancy at The Nest and revitalizing participation in student government, clubs and campus recreation.

Vice President for Finance and Administration Manish Kumar, brings us up to date on Northeastern's technological improvements. In addition, Northeastern received several upgrades to its credit rating from Moody’s Investor Services. These upgrades assist the University as we move into the future and possibly consider other financial initiatives.

And our former Vice President for Enrollment Management Kimberley Buster-Williams, assures us that after a few years of declining enrollment, by implementing the Common Application as well as other software technologies, Northeastern is seeing an increase in applications, acceptances and intent to enroll for Fall 2023!

Senior Executive Director for Government Relations Suleyma Perez, established international connections in Medellin, Colombia, with their Secretary of Education and a team from Northeastern that traveled to South America. General Counsel G.A. Finch brings a wealth of knowledge to Northeastern to navigate an increasingly complex legal environment.

Please take time to read the interviews with Kamu Rashid and Concetta Zak. They discuss the new academic programs being developed—a doctoral program in Urban Education led by Rashid and a keenly awaited nursing program led by Zak. Interim Provost Andrea Evan’s leadership shepherded these programs from her role as Interim Dean of the Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education through the current program development.

Northeastern has a lot to celebrate, so don’t miss the University Highlights. So many improvements and advancements are happening to enhance the lives of students, faculty and staff!

Finally, get to know our Executive Director of the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Shrireen Roshanravan. In "Building a Culture of Care," she shares her commitment to developing educational, administrative and programming initiatives that provide leadership, vision and accountability at Northeastern. Her office is creating a welcoming, supportive and respectful environment for our entire campus while also addressing systemic and problematic inequities that exist in higher education.

I'm very proud of the Northeastern community—students, faculty, staff, administration, trustees, Foundation leaders and alumni—and all they do to make our University great! Read about our award winners and honor recipients and last fall’s beautiful Golden Gala, which raised more than $114,000 in gifts and pledges for student scholarships.

In closing, I share the words of Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Our students and alumni prove this is so, as they impact their lives, their family’s lives, and the life of their communities. I have been so honored to work with each and every one of you to carry Northeastern’s mission forward. I encourage you all to persevere and continue to uphold the University's mission to “provide an exceptional environment for learning, teaching and scholarship as Northeastern prepares a diverse community of students for leadership and service in our region and in a dynamic multicultural world.”

My very best wishes,

Table of Contents

Gloria J. Gibson, Ph.D. President, Northeastern Illinois University

Editors: Chris Childers

Designer: Carrie Reffitt

Photographer: Todd Crawford

Features Writer: Mary McClenahan Fielding

Contributors: Liesl Downey and Mary Kroeck

Copy Editors: Anna Cannova, Mary Kroeck and Vesna Misoska

University Leadership

Established by the State of Illinois, the Board of Trustees has the authority and responsibility to operate, manage, control and maintain Northeastern Illinois University.

President’s Cabinet

Together with President Gibson, the Cabinet oversees the implementation of the University’s Strategic Plan by promoting leadership in specific operational areas. Organized to promote the University’s mission, individually and collectively they support student learning, teaching and research; optimize and secure financial resources; and engage the broader community.

Gloria J. Gibson, Ph.D., President

Andrea Evans, Ph.D., Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Terry C. Mena, Ph.D., Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students

Manish Kumar, M.B.A., Vice President for Finance and Administration

Liesl V. Downey, B.A., Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Suleyma Perez, Ph.D., Senior Executive Director for Government Relations

Shireen Roshanravan, Ph.D., Executive Director for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

G.A. Finch, J.D., General Counsel

Kimberley Buster-Williams, Ed.D., Vice President for Enrollment Management

Chris Childers, M.B.A., Executive Director of Marketing and Communications

Sherry Eagle Vice Chair

Johnathan Stein Secretary, M.A. '08

Carlos Azcoitia

Charles Serrano

Marvin Garcia M.A. '08

Ann Kalayil B.A. '82

Shyrice Howell Student Trustee

Jim Palos Chair

Front row, left to right: Manish Kumar, Suleyma Perez, Terry C. Mena, Gloria J. Gibson, Shireen Roshanravan

Back row: Kimberley Buster-Williams, Liesl Downey, G.A. Finch, Andrea Evans, Chris Childers

with President Gloria J. Gibson

QTELL US ABOUT WHY YOU CAME TO NORTHEASTERN AND YOUR PASSION FOR WORKING WITH STUDENTS.

ANortheastern is a special institution, and it’s made special by the University's students. I am a first-generation college graduate. My parents migrated to Illinois from the South for a better life. Many of our students have parents or grandparents who also came to Illinois for that same reason. So, my passion for higher education is grounded in the understanding that students’ lives can be transformed, and Northeastern plays a pivotal role in that transformation. For me, there is real joy in working with our students and seeing them grow over time. Students come to Northeastern to receive a quality education and successfully enter careers as teachers, counselors, social workers, artists and business owners; it runs the whole gamut. Many go on to graduate programs and continue their education to become doctors, lawyers and CPAs – a host of professional positions. When you look at our alumni, you see they are very successful. So, working with students has been very rewarding for me. Northeastern continues to provide an exceptional educational experience for students, and that’s based on the faculty, staff and alumni who serve the University. Understanding Northeastern’s potential and what Northeastern can grow into over the next five, 10 or 20 years has fueled my passion for leading the University.

QWHAT ARE THE UNIVERSITY'S GREATEST STRENGTHS?

ADiversity is one of the University’s greatest strengths. This is a Hispanic-Serving Institution and Minority Serving Institution, and because our students are primarily from the Chicago area, they represent the diversity that we find throughout the city. In addition to Latinx and African American students, we have many Asian American students, immigrant students and first-generation students. That diversity extends to our faculty and staff also. Our staff is more ethnically diverse than our faculty, but one of the goals we have is to continue to increase the number of faculty from various ethnic backgrounds.

In addition to strong academic programs, another strength is the resilience of our students and how our faculty and staff work to empower them. So many of our students come from financially challenged neighborhoods but they are determined to receive their degrees and enter the workforce. When that happens, they have not only their degree to assist them in upward economic mobility, but their degree also benefits their families and, by extension, their communities. I’m very proud of our students' determination and the dedication of our faculty and staff.

QWHAT ARE THE UNIVERSITY’S GREATEST CHALLENGES?

AThere have been several major challenges. I arrived on campus in the summer of 2018. I started July 1, and the University had just gone through the Illinois state budget impasse, which negatively impacted Northeastern and other Illinois universities. Most of our financial reserves were depleted. There were layoffs and consolidations. And while enrollments had been declining for a number of years, the fall of 2018 saw first-time, full-time enrollment plummet to 451 students compared to 830 the previous year. Coming in on the heels of that reality in 2018 meant our campus was going through, and continues to go through budgetary challenges.

Another challenge was the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. In March 2020, we closed our facilities, and pivoted to learning and working from home. Our faculty turned to online teaching and additional professional development was offered by the Center for Teaching and Learning. Many of our students faced horrific challenges. Although COVID-19 was horrendous for everyone, it impacted families of color – Black and Brown families – at a much greater rate and in much more severe ways than the majority population. So, the pandemic was certainly a challenge, but again the administration, faculty and staff remained focused on providing the most positive and

excellent educational experience for our students. In addition, we raised over $100,000 through our Student Emergency Fund, enlarged our Student Pantry, provided computers and internet hotspots for students to enable them to study, and in some cases, even provided emergency housing in The Nest. I am very appreciative of everyone who assisted Northeastern through this difficult period.

QWHAT ARE YOU MOST OPTIMISTIC ABOUT?

AThe future is certainly brighter. Even coming out of the budget impasse and COVID-19, we are improving our enrollment numbers, so I’m very optimistic about Fall 2023. The numbers look favorable, and a major part of that stems from the infrastructure that was put into place in 2022. The University implemented a new customer relations management system that is helping us connect with prospective students and their families. We are also continuing the NEIU For You Scholarship and we’re using the Common Application for undergraduates. The number of applications is significantly higher, the number of students who have been admitted is higher, and most importantly our intent to enroll numbers are very promising, so we’re showing great progress in our enrollment projections.

We are making significant progress with our new nursing and doctor of education programs. As

Another campus-wide initiative where the campus came together was our first Seal of Excelencia application submitted in Summer 2022. Excelencia in Education established the Seal of Excelencia in 2019 as a national certification for institutions to go beyond enrollment and to intentionally serve Latinx students by strategically documenting the success of practices and initiatives. Although Northeastern did not receive the Seal, the work of the various campus committees laid the groundwork for a successful application in the future.

I’m very proud of the work of each of the cabinet members. When I look at the progress that’s been made over the past few years, significant accomplishments have been achieved.

Returning to enrollment, the recruitment pipelines have been strengthened. We’re working with Chicago Public Schools and the City Colleges of Chicago to strengthen those pipelines. Dual enrollment courses for high school students continue to expand. We’ve also increased our focus on recruiting international students.

I would be remiss if I did not mention how proud I am of the contributions of our two centers: El Centro and the Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies. These sites are integral to the mission of Northeastern. Their contribution to the Latinx and Black communities is irrefutable. Withstanding budget cuts and other challenges, they stand as a beacon for Chicagoland to understand the power of education for all and the inextricable

in Chicago or nearby areas to attend Northeastern through University-sponsored discretionary waivers and offer housing to students who need it. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the James and Grace Gibson Memorial Scholarship I established in memory of my parents. The first recipients received the scholarship in Fall 2022.

I am most proud of the NEIU For You Scholarship as an example of providing support for students with the greatest financial need. Fueled by the Illinois Board of Higher Education Strategic Plan, "A Thriving Illinois: Higher Education Paths to Equity, Sustainability, and Growth," the top-off scholarship addresses equity and access as it assists students reach their full educational potential without acquiring a mountain of debt. The initiative, led by the Vice President for Finance and Administration, was collaborative with input from Blue Rose Financials, the cabinet and the Board of Trustees. The Board not only endorsed the scholarship, but also voted to use dollars from the University reserves to fund the initiative.

Besides the NEIU For You Scholarship, you will read about Northeastern's Title V Grants, Chicago CHEC, and the CROCUS grant in this issue. I am grateful for these grants and the faculty and staff who, over the years, receive external funding to support their research and engage undergraduate and graduate students.

the University moves forward, Northeastern is preparing students for the Illinois workforce. We understand new fields of study are emerging, and we must continue to align our academic programs and degrees with what the Illinois workforce demands. I’m optimistic about the future of the academic programs we’re currently working on and those that will be developed in the future. And, I must say, Northeastern is the closest it has ever been to a groundbreaking for the new education building. It has been in the works for the past 20 years. The final drawing will be finished in 2023 with groundbreaking to follow. Let’s keep our fingers crossed!

QWHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF DURING YOUR TENURE AS PRESIDENT OF NEIU?

AI’m very proud of the Climate Study that was completed in 2021. The University community came together, with the assistance of our consultants, to provide an in-depth analysis of how we need to create a sense of belonging. Several recommendations were made, including hiring a staff member – Shireen Roshanravan – at the cabinet level to be responsible for equity, diversity and inclusion.

link between that power and the progress of their communities.

I’m very proud of the increased occupancy at The Nest. Part of that growth is related to the establishment of the Living Learning Communities (LLCs), which are thriving.

Terry Mena, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, has worked with our faculty and staff, along with the Provost’s Office, to promote and help establish these communities. We have seven LLCs, and those students are doing very well. Another LLC will be established in Fall 2023. The university must continue to seek funding for our endowments and external grants with foundations; this is another area where Northeastern has excelled. Vice President for Institutional Advancement, Liesl Downey, working with outside consultants, has developed a 10-year plan to increase our fundraising and endowments.

In 2020, the George Floyd Social Justice Scholarship was established and thanks to generous donors contributing to the fund, seven students have benefitted from the scholarship.

In 2021, the Afghan Transition Program, an initiative of the Board of Trustees, was created to provide support for qualified refugees who settled

I greatly appreciate the support of the NEIU Foundation and the Alumni Association. While I cannot mention everyone, I extend special thanks to Dan Goodwin, Sasha and Eugene Gerritson, President Emerita Salme Harju Steinberg and President Emerita Sharon Hahs for their sustained support over many years. And to the countless donors who have given to the university, please accept my heart-felt appreciation. Thank you!

QARE THERE ANY MEMORIES THAT YOU ESPECIALLY CHERISH?

ACommencement! That’s the day we all cherish as we watch our students cross the stage. Some finish in four years, others –like our oldest graduate, who completed their degree at age 90! – take longer to complete their degree, having to start and stop for a variety of reasons. As I shake their hands, some proudly share how long it took them to get there. No matter the time it takes, I am very proud of each student. They are NEIU Golden Eagles forever!

Lastly, I cherish and I am thankful for our University staff who work tirelessly for NEIU! I am especially grateful to Asma Raouf for her devoted service to the Office of the President.

“As the University moves forward, Northeastern is preparing students for the Illinois workforce. We understand new fields of study are emerging, and we must continue to align our academic programs and degrees with what the Illinois workforce demands.”

University Highlights

U.S. Department of Education awards NEIU $1.3 million McNair grant

The U.S. Department of Education awarded Northeastern Illinois University a five-year, $1.3 million Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program grant. Northeastern is the recipient of one of 189 new grant awards to institutions of higher education. In total, $51.7 million in McNair grants were awarded across the country.

Northeastern’s McNair Scholars Program was founded in 2003 with a Department of Education grant. To date, it has served nearly 300 students. The McNair grant is named for the late Ronald E. McNair, an astronaut and expert in laser physics who lost his life in the Space Shuttle Challenger accident in January 1986.

Northeastern, Argonne National Laboratory and others partner in a new study on climate change

The U.S. Department of Energy awarded a five-year, $25 million grant to Argonne National Laboratory and a team of academic and community leaders, which includes Northeastern Illinois University, to advance urban climate science by studying climate change effects at local and regional scales. The results of this new research will inform communities to build resilience against future effects of climate change.

Argonne and partners will establish an Urban Integrated Field Laboratory called Community Research on Climate and Urban Science—CROCUS—focusing on the Chicago region.

Chair of the departments of Physics and Environmental Science Gregory Anderson, is the principal investigator for Northeastern on the CROCUS grant. "I am excited that NEIU is part of the CROCUS collaboration,” Anderson said. “The Community Research on Climate and Urban Science grant aligns with NEIU's dedication to civic engagement, social justice and scientific inquiry. This grant, and the partnership with collaborating institutions, will allow NEIU to expand and strengthen its emerging environmental monitoring program as we prepare our students to address current and new environmental challenges facing our community and the world."

Growing with Google

Northeastern is the only four-year institution in Illinois to partner with Google on the Grow with Google Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Career Readiness Program initiative. Northeastern began partnering with Google in 2019 to host the Computer Science Summer Institute Extension at El Centro. The program will help Latino students at 35 HSIs across the U.S. prepare for the workforce through digital skills training and career workshops. A $2 million investment in the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities supports training for 200,000 Latino students by 2025.

“Northeastern believes in empowering students with the tools they need to successfully navigate their professional exploration and journey," said former Interim Assistant Director of Career Development Lorena Gasca. "Through this career readiness program, our students will develop skills to secure successful careers in the ever-growing and changing digital marketplace.”

Northeastern receives a second credit upgrade from Moody’s

Northeastern received a one-notch upgrade to its credit rating from Moody’s Investors Service in Spring 2022 after a three-notch upgrade in December 2021. This movement marks a significant and rapid turnaround in the financial outlook of the University, which Moody’s regards as “stable.”

Moody’s noted a “continued strengthening of the State of Illinois’ [stable] fiscal condition with positive downstream effects to the university and an improving operating environment,” as the rationale for the upgrade. The State of Illinois recently passed its 2023 budget with a 5% increase for Northeastern and increased funding for the Monetary Award Program, which provides financial aid to students. The state is also increasing contributions to its pension program, which will lessen the risk of future pension liabilities and associated contributions to Northeastern.

New website in the works

The University’s website will be getting a makeover, with an internally phased rollout beginning in the second quarter of 2024!

The Division of Marketing and Communications is working with Carnegie Dartlet, a leader and innovator in higher education marketing and enrollment strategy, to create streamlined menus, clear navigation and a responsive layout for all platforms.

Prospective students use college and university websites as their one-stop shop to learn about schools and decide where to apply. Northeastern’s updated website will provide helpful information with a welcoming, contemporary design. By featuring more student stories, simplifying content and increasing the visibility of the University’s many academic programs, more students and prospective employees will be able to see themselves at Northeastern.

Update on Title V grants

Northeastern has received U.S. Department of Education Title V grants for nearly 20 years. The five-year grants average $3-$5 million and are designed to assist Hispanic-Serving Institutions with expanding educational opportunities for Hispanic students. One of the University’s Title V grants will start this September and the College of Graduate Studies and Research is in the application stage for another.

These grants benefit all students and the University as a whole by providing funds to renovate science labs and classrooms, support faculty professional development, student research and conference attendance for students, and also provide counseling, career guidance and tutoring services. The University currently has four active grants: two related to STEM, one supporting programs that ensure student success and career readiness, and one designed to strengthen the University’s graduate school programs and support students in their degree completion.

“These grants support faculty and staff funding for research, which many students become involved in,” Interim Dean of the College of Graduate Studies and Research Marcelo O. Sztainberg said. “All the grants involve recruitment, retention and graduation of students. Some also support connections to careers, so students not only earn their degrees, but we help make sure they get into jobs after graduation.”

Fall Career Fair

On Nov. 10, 2022, Northeastern’s Office of Career Development held a Career and Internship Fair. More than 50 Chicago area employers from various industries attended the fair to meet our students, share job opportunities and network with our community members.

BIG Making it

Northeastern recently launched

ChicagoCHEC

In 2021, the National Cancer Institute awarded a five-year, $17.7 million grant to the Chicago Cancer Health Equity Collaborative (ChicagoCHEC), a partnership led by Northwestern University, the University of Illinois Chicago and Northeastern. Its mission is to advance cancer health equity through scientific discovery, education and community engagement.

Since 2016, ChicagoCHEC has brought the University several opportunities, including the ChicagoCHEC Fellows and Learning Experiences and Programs (LEaP), and created the Center of Health, which sponsors research projects, statistical consultation services, Women in Science Conferences, math modeling workshops and summer data camps.

Professor of Economics Christina Ciecierski serves as Principal Investigator (PI), along with Department of Mathematics Chair Lidia Filus.

“ChicagoCHEC has had a significant impact on our students,” Ciecierski said. “Over the years, we’ve had 30 ChicagoCHEC Fellows, six Senior Fellows, nine LEaP students and 29 students participate in ChicagoCHEC research projects. Collectively, our students have participated in 160 presentations and helped author eight published manuscripts.”

Ciecierski also noted the impact ChicagoCHEC has had on faculty.

“Since ChicagoCHEC’s inception, 14 faculty members have participated in our Early Career Faculty program with nine participating in research projects resulting in 38 publications from ChicagoCHEC sponsored research,” Ciecierski said. “ChicagoCHEC has greatly benefited our students and faculty and we look forward to serving the University community in the future.”

the

Business Innovation & Growth Center (BIG).

Through an Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity grant, Northeastern’s Business Innovation & Growth (BIG) Center will have its first physical location.

A hub for our students, faculty and local community, the BIG Center helps entrepreneurs start new businesses and assists existing businesses to accelerate and grow. The Center was designed to strengthen the economic parity for the Northeastern community at local, state, national and international levels, and to develop the next generation of business leaders.

The first BIG Center location will open at the Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies (CCICS) in May 2023.

FacultyAwards&Recognition

Brommel Research Award

Professor of Biology

Aaron Schirmer was honored with Northeastern Illinois University’s 2022

Bernard J. Brommel

Distinguished Research Professor award.

The late Bernard J. Brommel, Professor Emeritus, established the award to be given annually to the tenured or tenure-track member of the Northeastern faculty who best demonstrates excellence in research and scholarship.

Schirmer has been teaching at Northeastern for nearly 14 years and centers his research primarily on the study of circadian rhythms and the effect that these rhythms have on animal and human behavior and physiology. Much of his research has been co-authored with students in his research lab at Northeastern.

“Students have been a critical part of my research, and my laboratory's achievements would not have been possible without all of my amazing research students,” Schirmer said. “My biggest reward for our research efforts is the excitement that my students experience when they earn a positive lab grade, are accepted to their graduate program of choice, or when they see all of their hard work culminate in a publication. While Northeastern is known primarily as a teaching institution, there is really impressive research being done here as well. I hope we can continue to expand this aspect of our scholarship and find novel ways to showcase it to our community.”

DFI Fellows

This State of Illinois Diversifying Higher Education Faculty in Illinois (DFI) program is designed to increase the number of minority, full-time, tenure-track faculty and staff who work in the state’s public and private colleges and universities.

2022-2023:

• Jennifer Estrada, (B.A. ’21 Psychology) M.A. Educational Leadership-Higher Education

• Sussan Oladipo, (M.A. ’20 Literacy Education) M.S. Chemistry

• Latonya Burris, Master of Social Work

• Paola Martinez, M.A. School Counseling

Board of Trustees awards tenure and promotions to faculty members

The following faculty members were awarded tenure and promotions to associate professor by Northeastern's Board of Trustees in 2022:

• Zachary Bloom, Counselor Education

• Jenny Ruth Dawley-Carr, Educational Inquiry and Curriculum Studies

• Sarah Fabian, Communication, Media and Theatre

• Stacey Goguen, Philosophy

• Orin Harris, Physics

• Casey Holtschneider, Social Work

• Manar Mohaisen, Computer Science

• Alex Peimer, Geography and Environmental Studies

• Katherine Petersen, Music

• Rachel Trana, Computer Science , Literacy, Leadership and Development

Reynolds Teaching Award

Co-Associate Chair and Professor of Biology Pam Geddes was honored as the 2022 recipient of the Audrey Reynolds Distinguished Teaching Award.

Professor Emerita of Linguistics Audrey Reynolds established the award to be given annually Northeastern faculty who best demonstrates distinguished teaching. Geddes received

$5,000 and made a presentation regarding excellence in teaching last fall.

Geddes, who is from Argentina, has been teaching at Northeastern for 13 years. She feels teaching at Northeastern is a unique experience because of the wide range of backgrounds of the University’s students.

“I strongly believe in the importance and transformative power of mentoring,” Geddes said. “As a first-generation, immigrant student myself, I experienced the support, mentoring and encouragement of many people along the way and I would not be where I am today without their support. I hope I can be one of those teachers that can make a difference in students’ lives.”

Goodwin Lecture Series

Dr. Ngozi Ezike, president and CEO of Sinai Chicago and former director of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), was the eighth Goodwin Distinguished Lecture Series lecturer. Ezike, a board-certified physician in internal medicine and pediatrics, was the first Black woman appointed to lead IDPH in its nearly 150-year history as a state agency and is a nationally recognized expert in the area of healthcare within the juvenile detention and justice systems.

As the state’s top official for public health from 2019-2022, Ezike said the COVID-19 pandemic’s extreme challenges underscored the importance of effective communication strategies to reach vulnerable communities about the importance of vaccinations.

“The messaging that works for one community won’t necessarily work for another,” Ezike said, adding that finding “trusted messengers that people will actually listen to” was a key component of the state’s efforts to educate and vaccinate the public.

Ezike described leaders from different religious denominations helping to organize, distribute information and be leaders in their communities to get vaccinated. She said when people could see their trusted community members getting vaccinated, they were more inclined to follow their example. The state also adopted a COVID-19 ambassador’s program to communicate with the public. She shared that nearly 1,500 people were recruited, including teachers, pastors and stay-at-home moms. The ambassadors were willing to use their social networks to share accurate and vetted health information with their friends, family and community.

Concluding her lecture, Ezike said the virtual platforms used during the pandemic’s lockdown and post-lockdown periods for work, religious and social meetings and healthcare appointments were efficient, valuable and

should be maintained. However, she noted many continue to experience mental health trauma due to COVID-19.

“We know there aren’t enough mental health specialists throughout the state for everyone, so using telehealth to be able to reach more people,” Ezike said.

She added that building a wider telehealth network and sustaining the partnerships developed during the pandemic would help address issues the pandemic brought to light.

“There are quite a few lessons from the aftermath of COVID that we need to take from, to not repeat some of the lessons from the past and, hopefully, do things better for us,” Ezike said.

The Daniel L. Goodwin Distinguished Lecture Series was created in 2015 by Daniel L. Goodwin, Chairman and CEO of Inland Real Estate Group of Companies, Inc., as part of his historic $2.5 million commitment to Northeastern Illinois University. The lecture series fund supports freedom of speech by providing prominent thinkers representing all sides of issues.

New Appointments

Chris Childers Executive Director of Marketing and Communications

Northeastern Illinois University named Christopher Childers as its new Executive Director of Marketing and Communications in August 2022. He started on Aug. 29. He reports directly to President Gloria J. Gibson and is part of the President's Cabinet.

Childers comes to Northeastern from the Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL), where he served as the Chief Marketing Officer and managed all facets of the AUSL brand.

Before joining AUSL, Childers served as the Assistant Vice President of Marketing at North Park University and as a Senior Executive Director at Valparaiso University, where he was responsible for admissions and marketing. Prior to his higher education experience, Childers served as a Vice President and Senior Marketing Manager at JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, and IBM, where he implemented strategic marketing initiatives to support aggressive, profitable growth in domestic and international markets.

Childers is a Chicago native. He graduated from Marquette University’s Olin School of Engineering and earned a Master of Business Administration from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

Tom Philion Dean of the Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education

Thomas Philion was appointed dean of Northeastern Illinois University’s Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education in July 2022.

Philion came to Northeastern from Roosevelt University, where he served as the dean of the College of Education and associate provost of Strategic Initiatives. Prior to becoming dean in 2013, he served as associate dean and teacher preparation department chair at Roosevelt. Earlier in his career, he was an assistant professor of English and assistant director of the English Education Program at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He is also a former middle school reading teacher.

Over the last nine years, Philion has been responsible for the acquisition of $10 million in external grants and contracts, including a recent grant to create a new tutoring corps for Chicago Public Schools. He is a member of Deans for Impact, a national nonprofit organization focused on improving student-learning outcomes by changing the way this country prepares teachers. Philion also serves on the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board in Illinois.

Philion earned a B.A. in English from Fordham University, and an M.A. in English and Ph.D. in English and Education from the University of Michigan. He has authored more than 20 articles and reports on topics such as teacher research, portfolio pedagogy and collaborative learning.

Andrea Evans Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Andrea Evans was appointed as Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, where she led the University to the approval of the master's program in Nursing, scheduled to launch by 2025. In addition, she pursued the development of the University’s first doctoral program in Urban Education, which will seek campus approval in Fall 2024 and launch in 2025.

Prior to her role as Interim Provost, Evans served as Interim Dean of the Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education and director of the Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies. Evans spent half of her career in higher education administration, serving as dean, department chair and program coordinator at several universities.

Evans earned a Ph.D. in Education Policy Studies and a B.S. in Biological Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Program Development at DePaul University.

Lincoln Laureate awardee The roots of MASS Violence

Jeanine Ntihirageza is the founding Director of the Genocide and Human Rights Research in Africa and the Diaspora (GHRAD) Center founded in the fall of 2019 at Northeastern. She leads a group of concerned faculty, students and a community of friends, who together promote awareness and actions toward the prevention of genocide and other crimes against humanity in Africa and the Diaspora.

Every fall, the Lincoln Academy of Illinois honors one graduating senior from each university in the state who demonstrates leadership and service contributions on campus and beyond, academic success and extracurricular achievements with the Lincoln Academy Student Laureate award.

Javonti Mordican (B.A. ’22 Communication, Media and Theatre); who grew up in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood, was the first in his family to attend college. After graduating from Michele Clark Academic Prep Magnet High School, he was drawn to Northeastern for its affordability and proximity to his home. After commuting to school for his first two and a half years, he decided to live on campus in student housing and became a resident assistant.

Mordican's other activities include: Student Theatre Council, Black Caucus, First-Year Experience Mentor, charter member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity: Phi Rho chapter, Board of Trustees Student Trustee and internships with the American Medical Association and America Needs You.

Awards Employee Excellence

The GHRAD Center hosted its 9th Annual Genocide and Human Rights Research Conference, "From Roots to Reparation to Trust Building," in February 2023. They invited scholars and those working in the field of genocide, human rights, truth-telling and reparations to explore the roots of mass violence and propose ways to prevent further occurrences.

The conference’s keynote speaker was the United Nations Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu. Nderitu, who is from Kenya, is a recognized voice in the field of peace-building and violence prevention, having led as a mediator and senior adviser in reconciliation processes. Widely published, she is the recipient of awards recognizing her commitment to peaceful conflict transformation throughout Africa and her innovative approach to mediation.

Other speakers included Honorable Judge Lionel Jean-Baptiste, David Ragland and Jermaine McCalpin. The workshop presenters were Lucy Duncan and Melinda Salazar.

Northeasten's Employee Excellence Awards acknowledge, honor and award employees. Nominations were submitted by co-workers, faculty orself-nominations. Once submitted, all nominations were reviewed by the Employee Excellence Award Committee, which chose the awardees based on their contribution to student success; demonstration of overall excellence in work performance; carrying-out consistent and quality service; creative problem solving and initiatives; and commitment to fostering growth through leadership and teamwork. The 2022 awardees were:

Conversations with the Cabinet

Manish Kumar began his role as Vice President for Finance and Administration in January 2020.

“Six weeks into my job, before I could even get to know anybody, we all were sent home due to the pandemic,” Kumar said. “No university was ready to be remote, or was prepared for COVID-19 challenges.”

Kumar has worked at companies that rank in the top 10 of the annual Fortune 500 list and large universities, like Rutgers and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. When he arrived at Northeastern, the pandemic immediately highlighted issues for his office: none of the school’s business processes were designed for remote work, they were all on paper; there was no official University policy for remote work; the infrastructure didn’t easily support a shift to remote work.

Yet, Kumar had been drawn to Northeastern by President Gloria J. Gibson’s vision for the University: a student-centric, service-oriented institution where everyone can make a difference in the lives of the students, faculty, staff and beyond. That vision ultimately shaped the University’s response to COVID-19.

“The goal of my office immediately became to get through the pandemic without laying off any employees,” Kumar said.

This would, no doubt, be a challenge. There had been a steady decline in enrollment for the past decade, causing University structural deficits. This led to the University repeatedly receiving credit rating downgrades.

“Achieving savings through refinancing, and balancing a budget with a continuous structural deficit, without laying anyone off, was a huge, huge challenge for the entire Finance and Administration team,” Kumar said. Despite that and other challenges, Kumar said the University was able to embrace operating from a risk-averse mode to a calculative risk-embracing mode. In the process, he was able to help the University establish the NEIU For You scholarship, which covers the cost of tuition for undergraduate students who meet certain criteria.

“First-time, full-time enrollment increased by over 58 percent from Fall 2022 to Fall 2023,” Kumar said. “A large component of that success could be directly attributed to the NEIU For You scholarship program which opens the door to higher education for those who might not be able to pursue a degree without personal and financial hardship.”

Through investments from the State of Illinois and federal grant funding, the Office of Finance and Administration, in partnership with other University offices, are implementing a number of new technologies to enhance both the student and employee experience at Northeastern. Some of the

platform that is being used to better communicate with prospective students and their families; and Degree Works, an academic planning tool which helps advisors guide students to complete their degrees on time. There will also be a new e-procurement system to increase efficiencies in compliance in business transactions and expand the University’s capacity to participate in the State of Illinois’s business enterprise program.

“Upgrading our technologies will help bring us up to par with other universities in Illinois and across the country,” Kumar said.

The State and federal pandemic relief funds, along with strengthening the University’s balance sheet, helped Northeastern receive credit upgrades from Moody’s Investors Service in 2021 and 2022, marking a significant turnaround in Northeastern’s financial outlook.

“Moody's upgraded the University by a total of four notches since 2021,” Kumar said. “When a credit rating agency tells you you have been doing a great job, you know you really are doing a great job.”

In spite of all the challenges he’s faced since his arrival, Kumar said he’s thankful to be at Northeastern.

“Working at Northeastern has been an amazing opportunity thus far,” Kumar said. “President Gibson and the cabinet have worked together on solving a lot of issues, but there is always more to be done.”

“Working at Northeastern has been an amazing opportunity thus far. President Gibson and the cabinet have worked together on solving a lot of issues, but there is always more to be done.” —manish kumar

In her 13 months as Northeastern's inaugural Vice modernized the University’s enrollment process for prospective students leading to a remarkable increase in applications and intent to enroll for Fall 2023.

When she arrived on campus in January 2022, the COVID-19 catastrophe was largely in the past. Unfortunately, a crisis still existed in Enrollment Management. The pandemic had deepened what was already a troubling downward trend in enrollment. On top of that, key leadership positions under her office’s oversight were unfilled: registrar, director of undergraduate admissions, director of graduate admissions, and the associate vice president for student success and retention. Her first order of business was to fill those vacancies. “You have to have the staffing addressed first, then the technology, and the plan creation and tracking,” Buster-Williams said.

With new leadership in place, Buster-Williams shifted her focus to moving the University from a paper-based enrollment system to a completely online system. When she started at Northeastern, the school was in the middle of adopting thecustomer relationship management (CRM) Slate but hadn’t finalized the process. The University still needed to implement the Common Application for undergraduates, too. “My role was to bring some of these projects across the finish line,” Buster-Williams said.

Initially, Northeastern rolled out Slate without the component that allows students to see their total financial aid package. Buster-Williams knew Slate’s financial aid portal would be necessary for applicants. “This is significant because one of the things that NEIU implemented was a need-based scholarship called NEIU For You,” Buster-Williams said. “… This particular scholarship is a gap filler. But the challenge, because of the type of scholarship it is, without this Slate portal, the students couldn’t see their gap. We were awarding it to them, but they couldn’t see it. So that may not seem like a big thing, but financial aid is so critical for students and families.” Students can now log into the portal and see their complete financial aid package. “Not just your federal grants, your state grants, but you’re also going to be able to see this top-up award that we’re going to award you. They weren’t able to see it without that portal.”

Buster-Williams said rolling out new software that provided robust communications to students was a best practice, but she also had to ensure her office established other best practices. “There had been no written plans before, there had been no written tactical plans, and that is the best practice,” she said. Then she had to educate the campus community on the difference between a strategic enrollment plan – a five-year down-the-road plan – and a tactical, short-range plan. “You need both. You kind of have to think fast and slow.”

data and ran a regression analysis. “We can see the students. What are the characteristics or the variables of students who have enrolled historically? Then how do you line that up with who we have in our current pool? That is a best practice to use some predictive models to try to gauge your class early on,” Buster-Williams said. Her office used the model to guide their activity and reach their goals, noting, “Without a predictive model, it’s harder to know and to make the necessary adjustments.”

Buster-Williams attributed the significant increases in applications and intent to enroll to the changes she was able to make. Still, she noted that when schools start using the Common Application, there’s usually an uptick in applications and acceptances. However, Northeastern’s successful enrollment numbers are not entirely based on the Common Application. “I think [students] heard from us quicker,” she said. “They were able to see their financial aid right away. I would attribute that increase more to our efficiencies and things that we’ve put in place, as opposed to just it being all a result of the Common App.” She praised President Gibson for assembling a solid team of leaders and said she would miss the president and cabinet colleagues. “I was really drawn to President Gibson’s vision in the sense that she knew she would need a strong team [for the institution] to come out of the pandemic,” BusterWilliams said. I really admired her awareness of how difficult the challenge was going to be and the understanding that she really needed some experts to address the situation. … She had to really pull us through a pretty awful time.”

Buster-Williams said she felt good about the infrastructure pieces her office put in place and hoped the next vice president could pick up where she left off. “It’s like a baton. You pass the baton onto the next person, and hopefully, that person will carry it forward, continue the work, build upon it. Enrollment has changed so dramatically. What we used to do in prior years, we can’t do anymore. Most people have come to realize that you have to be paperless. Kids want a response this fast,” she said, snapping her fingers. “Any of the stuff we used to do, forget about it. It’s extremely competitive.”

As colleges and universities vie for the attention of prospective students, Buster-Williams said NEIU’s greatest strength was its mission, that “It’s a regional public university, it’s a Hispanic-Serving Institution, and its strength is its roots in the community and its longevity.” She said future enrollment goals should capitalize on Northeastern’s reputation and reach beyond communities that already know the school well. “I think going forward the brand needs to broaden. We can’t be such a secret outside of those communities that know us best.”

maintaining the University’s energy throughout the remote learning and working period, as well as revitalizing in-person activities as quickly and safely as possible.

“There’s no surprise when I say this: It starts with students,” Mena said. “They were asking to have more opportunities to be engaged in the safest ways possible and we owed it to them to do just that.”

Mena joined the administration in February 2021. Not long after he arrived on campus, students approached him about planning a concert featuring the Puerto Rican rapper and global superstar Bad Bunny. While things didn’t work out to bring Bad Bunny to the University (at least not yet), Mena and students booked the trailblazing reggaeton artist Ivy Queen for Fall Fest 2022.

“We had well over a thousand people participate in Fall Fest and attend the concert,” Mena said. “It was quite an accomplishment to get Ivy Queen to perform for our students.”

The concert coincided with NEIU Weekend, which is organized by the Office of Alumni Relations. Throughout the weekend, current students, alumni, faculty, staff and community members were able to engage in a number of events.

"University events are really essential," Mena said. "They energize our community and are important to help create a sense of belonging."

Mena oversees many aspects of the student experience at Northeastern, Student Leadership Development; Career Development; Student Counseling Services; Student Health Services; Student Union, Event and Conference Services; Student Disability Services; Campus Recreation; Undocumented Resources and Student Care; TRIO Student Support Services; Student Conduct and several areas of Enrollment Management. He also works closely with American Campus Communities to oversee The Nest, Northeastern’s student housing. Last fall, The Nest saw a record 92 percent occupancy rate. He expects a similar occupancy rate for Fall 2023 if enrollment goals are met. This is, in part, thanks to housing scholarships such as Living Learning Communities (LLCs).

“I’m excited to see the progress that has taken place at The Nest,” Mena said. “Through our Living Learning Communities, we are helping students apply what they learn through their courses in new ways. Even if students aren’t involved in LLCs, students living at The Nest are learning about themselves and their roommates, share a living space, and learn to cook, negotiate and mediate conflict. These essential skills complement what students learn in the classroom.”

Mena’s introduction to student leadership and campus involvement began as an undergraduate and has influenced, if not defined, his academic career. He said he was very involved in campus life as a student and, through guidance and mentorship, he was able to continue his education, earning a master’s degree from Columbia University and a Ph.D. from Florida Atlantic University. He hopes to provide opportunities, like the ones he had, to Northeastern students.

“I am passionate about the work of helping young people find their pathways in higher education,” Mena said. “We have to ensure students are involved in the process of their own experience. They should be involved in our committees, in our searches for new employees and on different councils and groups that provide governance to the community. Students must have a voice on campus, and I am committed to making that happen.”

“University events are really essential. They energize our community and create a sense of belonging.”

University General Councel G.A. Finch has had a legal career lined with unique opportunities coupled with fortuitous events. He grew up in Camarillo, California, about an hour north of Los Angeles. He attended the Commonwealth School, a co-ed independent day school in

Finch has had many professional achievements in the public and private sectors. As deputy planning commissioner for the City of Chicago, he led the redevelopment and revitalization of the city’s North Loop and South Loop districts in the late 1980s. He was general counsel to the Chicago Housing Authority under Mayor Richard M. Daley. He also helped integrate the private law firm space. He was the first African American to be named co-managing partner of Chicago’s Querrey & Harrow law firm. He credits his family’s “high regard for education” as inspiration for serving as a member of education boards and coming to Northeastern.

“My family always viewed education as a ticket to upward economic mobility for everybody, especially for minorities and African Americans,” Finch said. “Maybe some people are into the latest baseball scores, but we’d be interested in running out and getting the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings of colleges.”

When he was asked to take on the role of lead counsel at Northeastern in September 2021, he didn’t hesitate.

“Northeastern has provided incredible opportunities for students who might not otherwise have a chance to go to college,” Finch said. “The fit was great, and the timing was great. I felt that this was an opportunity for me to make a contribution.”

Today, his work entails handling virtually every legal aspect facing the University, from contracts, leases and employment claims to intellectual property issues. His team includes Director of Equal Opportunity, Title IX and Ethics Natalie Brouwer Potts and Business Operations Manager Karl Voigt, who also serves as the

Creating International Connections

In August 2022, President Gloria J. Gibson and Senior Executive Director of Government Relations Suleyma Perez traveled to Medellín, Colombia, with Instructor of Computer Science and Director of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) Pathways Aaron Cortes, a few Northeastern staff members and eight high school students.

Cortes has ongoing collaborations with Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana and Universidad Salazar y Herrera. He has also built a relationship with the Secretary of Education in Medellín and ties to Chicago’s Colombian community. Through his work in STEAM education, the trip allowed Northeastern to establish three new memoranda of understanding (MOU) with the aforementioned schools.

Perez's doctoral training in international psychology organizations and systems as well as her knowledge of government operations contributed to the success of these collaborations. She carefully planned meetings and stayed in contact with university leadership and the Office of the Secretary of Education in Medellín to secure these partnerships.

“Colombia has a goal of becoming a bilingual country,” Perez said. “One of the MOUs is to help the universities in Medellín strengthen their faculty in English proficiency. The objective is to develop communications skills so students can read, understand and write in English.”

Perez noted that Northeastern’s Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education and College of Business and Technology would be involved in other collaborations.

“Colombia has a very strong STEAM component for middle school and high school students,” Perez said. “Aaron’s work in Chicago with his students was very appealing to them because it fits into their STEM focus. The Secretary of Education in Medellín was very interested in a formal collaboration.”

The hope is that Colombian students who receive education and STEAM training through these MOUs will be able to enroll at Northeastern for undergraduate study in computer science. The City of Medellín will help to finance students’ education and housing at Northeastern. Watch highlight video here: https://rebrand.ly/MedellinSummer2022.

George Floyd Social Justice Scholarship equality and equity for

For the third consecutive year, Northeastern awarded the George Floyd Social Justice Scholarship. This year’s award recipients are current undergraduate students Asha Brown (Sociology) and Prentice Hills (Social Work).

The George Floyd Social Justice Scholarship was established at Northeastern by President Gibson and the NEIU Foundation in 2020 as a direct response to Floyd’s death and the President of North Central University's call to action. The scholarship is awarded to Northeastern students who are dedicated to pursuing leadership roles in the multifaceted, intersectional work of social justice.

Brown, who attended Warren Township High School and transferred to Northeastern from the College of Lake County near her hometown of Waukegan, Illinois, connects deeply with the purpose of the scholarship.

“I applied for the George Floyd Scholarship because I felt that it applied to me so directly,” Brown said. “I was happy to see a scholarship directed toward Black students who fight for social justice.”

For Brown, social justice is all about equality and equity for all.

“Social justice is about bridging the gaps so purposefully created by white supremacy,” Brown said. “I promote social justice in my daily life by staying educated and informed. As a student of NEIU's wonderful Sociology Department, I make it my job to know and understand the social issues that take place at NEIU and the world. I know that knowledge is the first step toward change. How can we improve systems if we don't know first how they were created? How can we change what we do not understand? As the prolific Angela Davis said, ‘We have to talk about liberating minds as well as liberating society.’”

Brown and Hills both came to Northeastern because of its diversity. Hills, who attended Dunbar Vocational Career Academy, transferred to Northeastern from City Colleges of Chicago Kennedy-King College. Hills is a housing coordinator who advocates for the homeless population to receive fair, affordable housing.

“What social justice means to me is fairness as it manifests in society,” Hills said. “That includes fairness in healthcare, employment, housing and more. In a socially just society, human rights are respected and discrimination is not allowed to flourish.”

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Hills applied for the scholarship because he sees it as a unique opportunity for African Americans to promote and increase social justice in communities.

“I see this scholarship as a pathway to further my educational and career goals,” Hills said. “As a housing coordinator, I truly believe everyone has that basic human right to be housed—despite circumstances created by society beyond individual control. It is an honor and a privilege to receive this scholarship.”

Hills also reflected upon the evolution of Black culture and how it touches every aspect of society.

“It is not just a culture, it is a state of being, a way of life and a state of mind,” Hills said. “It is intentional, with the goal of uniting Black people and showing the world what our culture is capable of, despite where we may come from or what our history or social economic status has been. As we all can see, Black culture is copied in mainstream media daily. Black culture is by far the most powerful and authentic movement that exists. It is beautiful, strong and unique.

Brown, who also attended Northeastern because of other scholarships she was offered, is hopeful even more will be done to take the financial burden off of students in the future.

“NEIU offers an incredibly diverse student and staff population, which was extremely important to me while applying to colleges,” Brown said. “I was also offered a generous scholarship, which lifted some of the financial burdens that accompany higher education. This scholarship was just one small way that NEIU directed its attention toward Black students. I look forward to seeing many more financial resources made available to NEIU's Black student population.”

Edwin Medina (B.S. ’22 Marketing) is a campus leader, an MBA candidate in the College of Business and Technology (CBT) and the 2022-2023 Student Government Association (SGA) president. He serves as a member of the Student Advisory Council for GetSet, a students-only safe space for quick advice, support, and community.

What do you most appreciate about your Northeastern experience?

What I have appreciated from my Northeastern experience is the amount of support from those around me. I felt as though they were setting me up to watch me succeed. I’m especially grateful for the help I received from the College of Business and Technology. They are part of the reason why I was able to achieve many milestones. The faculty there have really shown me how much they care about their students.

What were your goals as SGA president? What compelled you to serve?

Throughout my time as SGA president, one of my primary goals was to give back to the students. As a result, I'm dedicating all of my remaining time and energy as president to making the University a greater place than before I arrived. I'm motivated to make a positive impact on campus because I enjoy helping students. As a first-generation college student, I understand the challenges of completing a degree program. I wanted to become that person, that example I wish I had while I was in college.

What opportunities have you been able to create and take advantage of as a part of Northeastern's College of Business and Technology?

I've had the opportunity to represent the business students on the College of Business and Technology Executive Council and provide a student perspective. I’ve been able to take advantage of the mentorship provided by Alicia Mendoza (B.S. '16 Marketing; MBA '17) who is also a member of the CBT Executive Council.

What makes a good leader and do you see yourself as a good leader?

Having the ability to empathize with others is what makes a good leader. To be a great leader, you must provide others around you with the resources they need to take on leadership roles of their own. As a result of my peers and my team's respect for me, I see myself as a good leader.

How will you use your degrees to advance equity and inclusion outside of Northeastern?

Equity and inclusion are essential to me because they give people a sense of belonging in the places where they are. The importance of inclusion can't be stressed enough since it gives people the confidence to say whatever they want, knowing their input is respected. With my marketing degree, I plan to promote the ideas of fairness and inclusion by recognizing that not everyone has access to the same resources. Businesses with generous marketing

budgets can leverage equity and inclusion to their advantage, but smaller businesses may not be able to do so. You will need to find a strategy to help them reach their goals.

What are your plans after earning your MBA?

After finishing my MBA, I want to take some time off and think about how far I've come. It's the end of one era but the start of another. I want to think of ways to help the next generation of students.

Could you share a favorite memory from your time at Northeastern?

Chatting with Dr. Gibson, Dr. Mena, Paola Vargas, Asma Raouf and Itzel Linares, are some of my fondest recollections. In those lighthearted times, I was reminded that we are all human beings making the best out of our days in our interactions with one another as we shared moments of laughter.

What will you miss about Northeastern once you graduate?

Really, this is a challenging question! The everyday interactions with my supportive friends and chosen family at Northeastern will be what I miss the most. Laughter and love fill my world; if you could see it through my eyes, you would see it too as I walked the campus. I won't be able to go into Veronica Rodriguez's office and pretend it's mine any longer.

What advice do you have for students? Be the person you wish you had been while growing up and become that person to others.

“I’m especially grateful for the help I received from the College of Business and Technology. They are part of the reason why I was able to achieve many milestones. The faculty there have really shown me how much they care about their students.”

– Edwin Medina

Developing New Academic

Northeastern's sights are set on offering a doctoral program in Urban Education and a Nursing program in Fall 2024.

Upon meeting Kamau Rashid, one immediately senses his passion for his work and for supporting students. As an “educator’s educator,” he has guided and mentored scholar-practitioners through their doctoral programs for over a decade. He’s currently collaborating with an internal Northeastern committee and an external community advisory group to develop a new doctoral program in Urban Education.

Rashid hopes to enroll 15 doctoral candidates in the first year of the four-year program. The program’s mission and several iterations of curricula and program design have been drafted. Course development and admission policies are advancing as well. He and his team worked with CiTTA Partnership, a Chicago-based consulting firm that specializes in helping nonprofits add new revenue streams. Their insights are helping Rashid and his team examine the program with attention to current educational and job market trends.

He explained the program would not be one that would provide licensure for principalship or superintendentency. Rather, this program would serve a wide range of people interested in deeply examining educational issues from a variety of angles.

“This program will be focused to serve a range of people who are situated in the context of education and leadership in the urban milieu,” Rashid said. “They might already be working in higher education. This program would provide deep, rich and informed insights in terms of how one can improve communities and structures within the institution that they operate.”

With experience as an advisor to doctoral candidates, Rashid emphasized the necessity to support students through the process.

“We need to engage very holistically with developing the students as whole human beings, not just as learning automatons,” Rashid said.

As a student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Rashid credited his dissertation advisor, William Trent, with helping him recognize how the journey to a doctorate “commingles the professional and the personal.”

“When I met with my advisor, we would spend the first third of the meeting talking about families and marriage, being husbands, being fathers,” Rashid said. “The meeting didn’t start with, ‘Oh, I read your latest draft of chapter three.’ It was always, ‘How’s your family doing?’”

Creating an atmosphere of community in the program and during the dissertation phase will be vital to retaining students.

“I think the dissertation phase is a very lonely stage for many people,” Rashid said. “You’re not in class anymore; you’re often not seeing the professors anymore. You’re doing something that takes a lot of time. Your family, your co-workers, they don’t know what you’re doing. Some program models have been very effective at creating that sense of community. That sense of community is key in terms of people’s persistence to graduate.”

Rashid envisions a holistic program where students and faculty truly get to know each other and support one another. His ideas are similar to those of Jacob H. Carruthers, who pioneered the development of

both Northeastern’s undergraduate and graduate programs in Urban Community Studies.

“In his paper, ‘Towards the Discipline of Inner City Studies,’ what Dr. Carruthers was essentially attempting to argue was that an inner city studies program should facilitate a different type of disciplinary approach, a very holistic approach to studying urban community,” Rashid said. “That has been inherently a part of how I thought about creating this doctoral program. It’s not something that’s bound within any particular disciplinary structure; but one that carries this work out through multidisciplinary lenses.”

What he was attempting to argue, essentially … is what the program should facilitate is a different type of disciplinary approach, a very holistic approach to studying urban community. And that has been inherently a part of how I thought about creating the doctoral program.

Academic Programs

Zak was born in Sicily, raised in Venezuela and arrived in the U.S. with her family when she was 15 years old. She is fluent in Italian, Spanish and English. Two seminal events influenced her decision to become a nurse. As a child, she became seriously ill and was under the care of a female pediatrician. Her early exposure to the healthcare system as a patient receiving treatment and taking medications made an indelible impression. Then, as a teenager in the U.S., she helped her pregnant mother navigate prenatal care.

“When we arrived at the office, the physician would not see my mother,” Zak said. “They sent us to the free clinic just because we didn’t speak English. I wanted to be a primary care provider that gave healthcare to people regardless of their socioeconomic background and language.”

In her profession, Zak has been able to do just that. When she meets with non-English speaking patients, she’s able to put them at ease.

“I could see their whole demeanor change,” said Zak, recalling interactions with Spanish speaking patients. “I would walk into the room and see their panic, worried I couldn’t talk to them. Then I would start speaking Spanish and I could see how comfortable they became just by the fact that I understood them and their culture.”

After starting her career working directly with patients, she pivoted and earned a master of business administration degree to work in nursing administration. She then earned her doctorate in nursing practice from Rush University. Zak has also been a nursing instructor and has worked on the corporate end of healthcare, designing health plans for disabled Medicaid recipients. These different but related realms have given Zak a broader vision of how healthcare can effectively treat and support various patient populations. Ultimately, she is passionate about educating nurses so they can return to their communities to provide primary care for patients, which is what this new program aims to do.

“The degree program will cover all the nursing essentials: basic medical, surgical, obstetrics, pediatrics, psychiatric, mental health and community health,” Zak said. “We will have a course in social determinants of health because that’s so important for nurses to understand—what factors stop patients from receiving care.”

Zak said students will also learn pharmacology and the fundamentals of nursing, among other topics. The program will be designed for non-nurses with at least a bachelor's degree in another field. After completing the program, students will be eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses to receive their registered nursing license.

Zak said the program would work with a number of healthcare providers for students’ clinical training, including local hospitals and other healthcare providers, acute care and community service providers, public health, mental health, pediatrics, women's health, hospice care and home healthcare agencies.

Zak believes Northeastern is ideally positioned to educate and train nurses, because the University serves a diverse population that tends to have the desire to give back to their communities. Though the program is currently designed to have two tracks—Mental Health and Geriatrics—Zak hopes to establish a track in the program to allow graduates to train new students, allowing one generation of nurses to support the next.

“Our nurses need to mirror the community that they serve,” Zak said. “The U.S. needs to recruit and retain a diverse group of nurses right now. With this program, Northeastern will be filling a critical gap in healthcare.”

“I could see their whole demeanor change. I would walk into the room and see their panic, worried I couldn’t talk to them. Then I would start speaking Spanish and I could see how comfortable they became just by the fact that I understood them and their culture.

Building a Culture of Care

Questions about equity and justice came early to Shireen Roshanravan.

Born into a South Asian and Iranian immigrant community in Chicago, she moved to Dallas, Texas, with her family when she was 10 years old. At that age, she sensed the anti-Mexican sentiment in her new neighborhood but didn’t quite have the language to express how she fit into the specific racial terrain of Texas.

She explained, “I, along with my family, experienced a lot of racism. Sometimes when this happened, I would be mistaken for being Mexican. Knowing there was racism toward a group of people to which I did not necessarily belong motivated an early commitment to forge solidarity with those beyond my own South Asian and Iranian community.”

Roshanravan said her political consciousness grew during her college years at Southwestern University. She began questioning how power worked to exclude people who did not fit into the Eurocentric organization of mainstream life. She came to understand “[the] history behind those exclusions and marginalizations that are hundreds of years deep. [These histories are] very different for different groups of people, but they’re also interdependent in that they connect and relate us to each other,” she said. As an undergraduate, Roshanravan focused on building relationships and coalitions to make changes at the University and in the surrounding community. She started collectives and met with other students of color, planning events to raise awareness about the intersection of gender, racial and economic violence.

After graduating from Southwestern, she enrolled in an interdisciplinary graduate school program at the State University of New York at Binghamton. She described the curriculum, named Philosophy, Interpretation and Culture (PIC), as “radical, intellectually and programmatically.” Unlike most institutions that issue a degree in philosophy, the PIC program “valued the philosophical contributions of thinkers from the global south as equally significant as their European counterparts,” Roshanravan said. Her research taught her the critical relationship between educational equity and access to the history, philosophy and literature of one’s own people. It was also a precursor to her future career. “There was responsibility placed on everyone in the program. Graduate students were invited to make programmatic decisions about what the program should be about and how it should be governed.”

Roshanravan took that experience and put it to use in her first academic position at Kansas State University. As a faculty member in academic departments centered on women, gender, sexuality and ethnic studies, she was fundraising, building programs, developing curriculum, advising student organizations and mentoring students. In time, she gravitated toward senior administrative work with college deans at Kansas State, asking, “How do we make tenure and promotion decisions more equitable for faculty doing research that challenges traditional criteria for measuring academic excellence? [How do we recognize] faculty and staff whose experiences, education and service are so important to retaining our traditionally underrepresented students?”

“As I did that work,” Roshanravan continued, “I arrived at a point in my career where I felt I could make a positive difference by committing to this administrative work full-time. I’m really grateful for the position here at Northeastern because it allows me to be holistic in my approach around advancing the University’s commitment to inclusive excellence.”

Roshanravan acknowledged Northeastern's history as a minority-serving and federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution. “We're blessed with representational diversity and have been for a while,” she said. And that’s great, but one of the things I always [point out] is representational diversity doesn’t always translate to inclusivity. So that means you can have folks from diverse backgrounds in great numbers in a particular community or institution, but it may not be the case that all members necessarily feel like the institution or community is creating a welcoming environment where they feel a sense of belonging.”

When Roshanravan was hired as the Executive Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the summer of 2021, she reviewed the Campus Climate Study. She saw that despite the representational diversity among students, faculty and staff, there were still challenges. Any lingering bias in the classroom or use of exclusionary language on campus was unacceptable, “regardless of the intentions behind these behaviors,” Roshanravan said. She emphasized, “We have work to do around making sure that we establish a shared understanding and accountability processes to stop all harassment and discrimination.”

Citing the study, she said the report revealed the importance for commuter and residential students to feel a sense of belongingness. She organized two task force committees to determine what kinds of extracurricular activities on campus would motivate students to come and attend and be part of the Northeastern community. She coordinated another task force to create a student-centered approach to accessing financial aid. Making the process of applying for aid “user-friendly” meant bringing people together from different parts of the University, breaking the silos they were in and streamlining the University’s complicated system.

What also surfaced from the study was a desire by staff and students for experiences and events that promoted joy and well-being. Roshanravan said, “We started a series that includes a mix of things that focus on how to be well together, in the sense of ‘Let’s do things – to bring us across our offices and division centers – together for physical and emotional health.’” Her office promoted “Walking Wednesdays” and “Mix and Mingle Mondays.” The programs, featured at all three University locations, encourage faculty, staff and students to gather to meet new people, catch up with old friends and enjoy refreshments. Creating feel-good, healthy ways to get together has helped people build relationships outside the institutional setting of work. “Having those relationships in place makes it easier when we do go in and need to collaborate around items where we might have disagreements and differing perspectives,” she said.

In addition to advancing the specific recommendations outlined in the study, Roshanravan established the annual President’s Inclusive Excellence and Diversity Awards. She saw the University needed to build more active appreciation for the work being done on campus to cultivate an environment of inclusion, equity and diversity. Her office created a nomination process where individuals could nominate each other or themselves. Then the nomination letters were made public to underscore a culture of appreciation at the University. “The great thing about the Awards cycle is that it promotes a culture of appreciation from beginning to end,” Roshanravan explained. “The very act of putting in writing the reasons why someone deserves to be recognized for their efforts creates a spirit of care.”

She’s rolled out other programs to foster inclusion and belonging. She started a C.A.R.E. (Courageous Action for Racial Equity) Lecture Series. It features activists, cultural practitioners and scholars recognized for creating a culture of care and connection for historically

underrepresented communities in higher education. Most of the lectures are virtual, so her office is building an archive, and the talks will be available on the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (OEDI) website, which is scheduled to go live in a few months.

Roshanravan shared the importance of gathering feedback to tell her whether OEDI’s programming is having an impact. “I always do a survey to find out how the event worked out. What could we do differently? Are we reaching the people we want to reach?” she said. And she stressed tracking program attendance, “If people aren’t showing up, then you already know that you’ve got some more work to do.” Working with Sandy Vue, Northeastern’s Institutional Research Director, on the University’s strategic equity plan, Roshanravan said the information gathering is focused on concrete metrics, measuring the numbers that spell out retention and completion rates for traditionally underrepresented students. “Once we file those plans, it will be really clear whether or not we’re meeting success at the level of increasing our retention and completion rates equally for all our students.”

Outside of the campus programming OEDI has launched, Roshanravan confirmed the success of the Grow with Google Career Readiness Program, a partnership that serves Latinx students on campus through digital skills training and career workshops. “My understanding is that industry wants to have diverse, culturally aware employees, so I think there’s more and more a desire for that, and NEIU is poised to tap into a lot of those initiatives,” she said. Currently, she’s collaborating with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on various initiatives, including supporting underrepresented populations to work in STEM, conducting programming regarding environmental injustice and grassroots organizing, and assisting NEIU students in obtaining externships, paid internships and careers with the federal government.

The University was recently named a designated host of the Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation Campus Centers underwritten by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Roshanravan explained how the designation dovetails with the work that NEIU and her office do. “One of the exciting things about the Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation initiative is to build partnerships with our surrounding communities. I think Northeastern is a great fit to become a host for this work,” Roshanravan said. “The work we already do fits into that commitment, diversifying our faculty and staff and making sure our students of color feel like they belong. All of that is encompassed, and doing a deeper dive into

“I arrived at a point in my career where I felt I could make a positive difference by committing to this administrative work fulltime. I’m really grateful for the position here at NEIU because it allows me to be holistic in my approach around advancing the University’s commitment to inclusive excellence.”

relationship building with our community partners on the South and North Sides. We’re lucky to have those campus linkages on both sides of the segregated city.”

Given everything Roshanravan has accomplished in less than two years, she admitted she’s proudest of the community-building she’s had a hand in advancing, “For some people, it might feel unusual to have the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Officer plan a softball tournament or some other less rigorous activity. My office hosted a teach-in on the uprisings in Iran, and people say, ‘Okay, that’s your lane.’ Or my work on the equity plan for the University. That’s ‘my lane.’ But it gives me great joy when I see staff and faculty and students together, feeling good together, laughing,” Roshanravan said. “There’s so much stress everywhere, but just feeling like they have some joy in their life, and it’s because of some of the work this office has been able to do. I take great pride in being able to have a hand in that. That’s wonderful!”

The 2022 Inaugural President’s Inclusive Excellence and Diversity Award Winners

STUDENTS

Alvin Gutierrez (B.A. Elementary Education), co-president of Pin@y Club, president of the Student Advisory Board of the University Honors Program, and treasurer of the Student Government Association.

Itzel Linares (B.A. Spanish), president of Undocumented, Resilient and Organized, vice president of Student Government Association and the social media ambassador for Student Affairs.

Rignesha Prajapati (M.A. Educational Leadership), ENLACE higher education leadership student, graduate assistant for Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Student Engagement in the Angelina Pedroso Center for Diversity and Intercultural Affairs and is acting as the advisor of the South Asian Club.

FACULTY

Dr. Durene Wheeler, professor of Educational Inquiry and Curriculum Studies with core faculty appointments in African and African American Studies and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies.

STAFF

Dr. Maria Luna-Duarte (B.A. ’02 Sociology, Women’s Studies minor; M.A. ’05 Educational Leadership), former director of El Centro and adjunct faculty member for the ENLACE Higher Education Leadership Master’s Program.

Paola Vargas (B.A. ’12 Interdisciplinary Studies and Spanish, M.A. ’16 Educational Leadership), assistant to the vice president and dean of students for Student Affairs.

ALUMNI

David D. Robertson (B.A. ’16 University Without Walls; M.A. ’18 Community and Teacher Leaders), founder and executive director of the Hope Is Foundation.

The second annual President’s Inclusive Excellence and Diversity Awards cycle is underway with award winners set to be announced in March 2023.

Presidential Lecture Series

Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor

MacArthur Fellow "Genius Grant" Recipient

The Northeastern community welcomed back one of its own, Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, for the 2022 Presidential Lecture Series. Awarded one of the prestigious MacArthur Foundation’s “genius grants” in 2021, Taylor is an acclaimed author, historian, scholar and activist who writes and speaks about Black liberation politics, social movements and racial inequality.

Her prize-winning books include: “Race For Profit: How Banks and the Real Estate Industry Undermined Black Homeownership,” “From #Blacklivesmatter to Black Liberation,” and “How We Get Free: Black Feminism and The Combahee River Collective.” She is a contributing writer at The New Yorker and has been published in the Los Angeles Times, Boston Review, Paris Review, Guardian, The Nation, and other notable periodicals. She is a former Contributing Opinion Writer for The New York Times.

In addition to her MacArthur Fellowship, Taylor also received a Guggenheim Fellowship. After earning her undergraduate degree from Northeastern through the Board of Governor’s program, known today as the Interdisciplinary Studies program, she earned her master’s and doctoral degrees from Northwestern

University. She was a professor of African American Studies at Princeton University for eight years. Last year, Taylor returned to Northwestern as the Leon Forrest Professor of African American Studies.

Northeastern Illinois University’s Presidential Lecture Series was created in 1995 by President Emerita Salme Harju Steinberg to bring world-class authors and thinkers to the institution and invite the larger Chicago community to experience Northeastern Illinois University’s values in action.

Previous Presidential Lecture Series speakers include:

• Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Walker (1998)

• Scholar and activist Dr. Cornel West (2000)

• Navajo Code Talker Dr. Samuel Billison (2001)

• Author Margaret Atwood (2002)

• Primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall (2005)

• Urban farmer and MacArthur Fellow Will Allen (2014)

The last Presidential Lecture Series was held in 2016. With the launch of the University’s new Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, the intention is to once again make the Presidential Lecture Series a hallmark University event.

NEIU Foundation

Way back in 2013, I was invited to be part of the NEIU Foundation, the fund-raising arm of Northeastern Illinois University that supports scholarships and academic activities for students. At that time, I did not know much about NEIU as I had not gone there and in fact only knew one person who had. But I spent some time on campus and met with the President and several cabinet members. I was duly impressed and happily joined the Foundation Board. It has been a great nine years, the last six of which I was honored to serve as board president.

But you know, what really sold me on NEIU back then was the students. Positive, upbeat, and smart, oh so smart. They continue to impress me to this day! Above all else, they were deserving. These students, many of whom are first-generation collegians, are deserving of the opportunity to grow to their full potential. Sometimes they do not even recognize their potential until NEIU faculty help them to look inside and begin to realize a dream they didn't know they could achieve.

It doesn't happen overnight. These are small steps that lead to giant leaps. Your financial support enables those giant leaps for deserving students day after day, semester after semester, and helps lead to their success after graduation. The greatest gift we can give someone is a solid education.

Given our bylaws, my time on the Foundation Board came to a close in December 2022. I am so pleased to welcome new Foundation Board

leadership in President Olga Camargo. Under Olga’s guidance, I know this organization is in very good hands, and I look forward to supporting and cheering on the work she and our current board will do to build support for our students and to take us to new heights.

For my part, I continue to be motivated by our students’ passion and dreams. So I guess I consider myself an honorary Golden Eagle. I won't fly far from the nest, and I hope you don't either.

Thank you for your support.

John F. Roskopf President Emeritus, NEIU Foundation Board

NEIU Foundation Board

Fiscal Year 2022

(July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022)*

Emeriti Board Members

Northeastern Illinois University Foundation

Board members who serve for three consecutive terms (nine years total) are eligible for Emeriti Board Member status. This designation honors and recognizes the commitment of those members who served with loyalty and distinction, who provided leadership and direction, and who fulfilled a commitment to service that advanced the Foundation’s mission to support Northeastern Illinois University.

Theodore Biedron

Jack Butler

Andrea Davey

Neal Fenwick

Randy Franklin

Robert D. Gecht

Thomas R. Gramins

John Gingell

William O. Maki

Amalia Monterroso

Thomas F. Power, Jr.

Ralph Collins Walter

Posthumous Members

Charles Berg

Robert L. Donahue

William Hetzel

Jacqueline Krump

Hilton Leibow

Joseph Monastero

Richard K. Rogers

Jerome M. Sachs

Lawrence P. Frank Vice President Kenn Ashley Treasurer Mark Van Ausdal Corporate Secretary

John F. Roskopf President

Jaime di Paulo

Rodrigo Garcia

J. Todd Phillips

Sharon K. Hahs

Jagannath Bobji

Olga Camargo

Alan Mares Student Member

Margaret Laurino Marcellus H. Moore, Jr.

Gregg Friedman

Board membership.

Giving Societies

The NEIU Foundation is grateful for the generosity of alumni and friends who provided financial support during Fiscal Year 2022.

Cumulative Giving Recognition

The President’s Circle is cumulative-based and measures total giving. Members receive invitations to exclusive events. In addition, members qualify for the University’s highest recognition awarded to benefactors of the institution: The Wentworth Prize. This prize is given by the NEIU Foundation and recognizes the significant investment made by donors in support of the University’s Mission.

Gold

$1,000,000 +

• Dr. Bernard J. Brommel *

• Ms. Sasha L. Gerritson and Mr. Eugene P. Jarvis

• Mr. Daniel L. Goodwin

• JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

Bronze

$500,000 -$999,999

• Anonymous

• MacArthur Foundation

• The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

$100,000 - $499,999

• Anonymous (2)

• The Chicago Community Trust

• Consulate General of Mexico

• Farzaneh Family Foundation

• First USA Bank, N.A.

• Dr. Lawrence P. Frank

• Lloyd A. Fry Foundation

• Greater Milwaukee Foundation

- Donald P. Timm Fund

• President Emerita Sharon Hahs and Dr. Billy Hahs

• Healthcare Foundation of Northern Lake County

• Estate of Mary Krebs Smyth

• Dr. Jacqueline Krump *

• Mr. Hilton Leibow* and Mrs. Shirley Leibow *

• Liberation Ventures Via PolicyLink

• Ms. Leslie W. MacDonald

• Dr. Calixto J. Masó *

• Alice K. Murata, Ph.D.

• Mr. Thomas F. Power Jr. and Mrs. Loretta Power

• Revada Foundation of the Logan Family

• Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Rocci

• Dr. Charles W. Shabica and Mrs. Susan Shabica

• President Emerita Salme Harju Steinberg and Dr. Michael Steinberg

* Indicates deceased

• Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement

• The Inland Real Estate Group of Companies, Inc.

• Mr. James Kaszubowski *

Annual Giving Recognition

• United Student Aid Funds, Inc.

• University of Chicago

The Wentworth Society builds upon the University’s history as an important educational institution within the city of Chicago. It is named for Daniel Sanborn Wentworth, founding superintendent of the Cook County Normal School, and the dates associated with it reflect significant milestones in Northeastern’s history. Membership in this society is based on annual giving, and members receive unique benefits including exclusive invitations to events to learn about the University’s new initiatives.

1867

Founded as Cook County Normal School in

• Farzaneh Family Foundation

• Ms. Sasha L. Gerritson and Mr. Eugene P. Jarvis

• Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement

• IGRB Foundation

• Estate of Mary Krebs Smyth

• Liberation Ventures Via PolicyLink

• The MacArthur Foundation

• Revada Foundation of the Logan Family

• The Sparkjoy Foundation

• Dr. Corinne Warsawsky * and Mr. Samuel Warsawsky *

• Mr. John L. Amundsen and Ms. Sarah Kane

• Mr. Richard M. Berlinger *

• Chicago Community Foundation

• The Chicago Community Trust

• Field Foundation of Illinois LLC

• Alice K. Murata, Ph.D.

• The Caroline and Sigmund Schott Fund

• Woods Fund Chicago

• Zakat Foundation of America

• Anonymous (2)

• After School Matters, Inc.

• Crossroads Fund

• Dr. Lawrence P. Frank

• Greater Milwaukee Foundation - Donald P. Timm Fund

• Illinois Humanities

• Korean Education Center

• Dr. Jacqueline Krump *

• Poetry Foundation

• Linda Sienkiewicz

• President Emerita Salme Harju Steinberg and Dr. Michael Steinberg

• Syrian Community Network, Inc.

• University of Pittsburgh

• Anonymous

• Art Institute of Chicago

• Dr. Rita M. Brusca-Vega and Mr. Flavio Vega

• Mrs. Olga Camargo and Mr. Jaime Alvarez

• CHEST Foundation

• Chicago Cubs

• Consulate General of Mexico in Chicago

• Mr. Emanuel Cruz

• Dr. A. Michael Drachler and Mrs. Nancy Drachler

• Mr. Louis Figueroa

• Mrs. Fern and Dr. Sanford Finkel

• President Gloria J. Gibson

• President Emerita Sharon Hahs and Dr. Billy Hahs

• Dr. Patricia A. Justice

• Dr. Calixto J. Masó *

• Mrs. Lois G. Melvoin *

• Mr. Thomas F. Power Jr. and Mrs. Loretta Power

• Dr. Audrey L. Reynolds

• Ms. Sheila L. Rotman

• Strada Education Network

• Mr. Daniel D. Toscano and Mrs. Tresa Toscano

• Weinberg/Newton Family Foundation

Founders Society

The Founders Society recognizes donors who notify the University that they have included Northeastern in their estate plans. We are grateful to all who choose to leave legacy gifts.

• Anonymous (3)

• Dr. Daniel Benjamin Bailey

• Dr. Jennifer R. Banas

• Dr. Harold E. Berlinger *

• Mr. Richard M. Berlinger *

• Mr. Lawrence Bernstein

• Mr. Stewart E. Brekke

• Dr. Bernard J. Brommel *

• Mr. Blair Brommel

• Mr. and Mrs. Bradley J. Brommel

• Mr. Brent Brommel

• Mr. Brian Brommel

• Ms. Michaela A. Brommel

• Ms. Claudette A. M. Daley

• David P. Dewar, Ph.D.

• Rory Donnelly *

• Ms. Debra L. Foyo

• Estate of Ronald Lee Fritz

• Mr. John P. Goldman

• Marilyn L. Gregory *

• Mr. Peter S. Groepper

• Dr. Maurice G. Guysenir *

• Dr. Jarice K. Hanson

• Mr. Joseph Hardy *

• Estate of Kay W. Hilton

• Ms. Marion K. Ishii *

Leader Society

• Ms. Barbara A. Joabson

• Ms. Donna Terry Katz

• Mr. Martin J. Kral *

• Estate of Mary Krebs Smyth

• Dr. Victoria Jones Lott and Mr. Ernest L. Lott

• Ms. Leslie W. MacDonald

• Dr. Elyse J. Mach

• Dr. Blase E. Masini

• The Estate of Marion Molyneaux

• Ms. Debra J. Niemann

• Dr. Charles R. Pastors and Mrs. Debbie M. Pastors

• Mr. and Mrs. William D. Pollakov

• Mr. Carl J. Ratner

• Dr. Audrey L. Reynolds

• Ms. Ana I. Rodriguez

• Ms. Melba Rodriguez and Dr. Angela M. Salas

• Ms. Sheila L. Rotman

• Mrs. Marta Masó Sayeed and Mr. Hassan Sayeed

• Ms. Judith Schust *

• Linda Sienkiewicz

• Dr. Edward F. Stuart

• Ms. Edith A. Taylor *

• Mr. Donald P. Timm *

• Mr. Dirk Tussing

• June M. Verbillion, Ed.D. *

• Mr. Larry A. Vigon

• Mr. George C. Williams *

The Leader Society is Northeastern’s foundational society and is based on annual giving. The name reflects the University’s mission of “preparing a diverse community of students for leadership and service.”

Visionary

($2,500 - $4,999)

Mr. Jagannath Bobji

Ms. Anita G. Brandes

Dr. Daysi X. Diaz-Strong

Ms. Liesl V. Downey and Mr. Michael T. Downey

Enterprise Holdings Foundation

The FAF Foundation

Ms. Diane Fiksel

Ms. Sara Hjalmarson Balawajder

Ms. Donna Terry Katz

Ms. Jean A. Kelchauser

The Lehman-Stamm Family Fund

Ms. Leslie W. MacDonald

Maine Community Foundation

Mr. Louis J. Marsico

Mr. Jacob D. Mihalak

Mr. Marcellus H. Moore, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Brandon and Jessica Mueller

Dr. Selina Mushi

Mr. Eric Rojas and Mrs. Jillian Rojas

Mr. John F. Roskopf

Mrs. Marta Masó Sayeed and Mr. Hassan Sayeed

Unity Earth, Inc.

Mr. Mark R. Van Ausdal and Mrs. Cheryl Van Ausdal

Champion

($1,000 - $2,499)

Abbott Labs

Dr. Tony Adams and Dr. Gerardo Moreno

Ms. Celia Jill Althage

Ms. Julia A. Anderson

Mr. Kenn Ashley and Mrs. Lyn Ashley

Aspira, Inc. of Illinois

Dr. Carlos M. Azcoitia

Mr. Alan Becker and Mrs. Mary J. Becker

Dr. Katrina E. Bell-Jordan

Benevity Community Impact Fund

Mr. Joel R. Berger

James and Margaret Blair

Dr. Howard J. Bultinck

Mr. John B. Butler and Mrs. Coralie C. Butler

CDW-G

Mr. Donald Robertson Chauncey, Jr.

Mr. Joseph M. Check

Mrs. Joyce T. Chen

Mr. Danny Crawford and Mrs. Claudia Crawford

Dr. Don J. Fanslow

Dr. Laurie S. Fuller

Dr. Jon B. Hageman and Ms. Susan Bax

Mr. Steven R. Harris

Mr. John Hjalmarson

William L. Howenstine and Alice V. Howenstine

Illinois Sports Facilities Authority

Mr. Joseph M. Jakcsy

Dr. Ann P. Kalayil

Mr. David Kamper and Mrs. Amelia Mechla

Ms. Mary T. Keating

Ms. Jane H. Kenas-Heller

Jon Klinepeter

Charlene R. Kornoski-DuVall and James DuVall

Mrs. Susan E. Landwer

The Honorable Margaret Laurino

Ms. Huong T. Le

Tim Libretti

Dr. Elyse J. Mach

Dr. William Markey

Dr. Blase E. Masini

Dr. Nancy A. Matthews and Dr. Lisa Frohmann

Mr. Kevin McGirr

Dr. Kennith Miller and Mrs. Brenda L. Miller

Mrs. Sally F. Mullan

National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture

National Philanthropic Trust

Ms. Debra J. Niemann

Dr. Wamucii Njogu and Mr. Richard Morgan

The Honorable Billy Ocasio

Mr. Jim Palos

Dr. Suleyma Perez and Dr. Santos Rivera

Mr. and Mrs. J. Todd Phillips

Ms. Susan Pritzker

Dr. Margaret Richek-Goldberg and Mr. Perry Goldberg

Robert R. McCormick Foundation

Mr. David D. Robertson

Dr. Dennis M. Rome

Mr. and Mrs. Douglas G. Rosskamm

Mr. Frank Sagmeister

The San Francisco Foundation

Mrs. Audrey I. Sanderson

Mr. Robert W. Schaack

Dr. Timothy H. Scherman

Ms. Kristina M. Schramm

Szkola Glowna Handlowa Nazwa

Dr. Marcelo Sztainberg and Mrs. Marcela Sztainberg

Mr. Howard Teich and Mrs. Vernell Crosby Teich

Ms. Mary R. Traynor Malloy

Mr. Scott Weil

Mr. Thomas J. White

Achiever ($500 - $999)

Anonymous (2)

Ms. Laura Aldag

Mr. Karl M. Amjad-Ali

Dr. Jacqueline R. Anderson

Mr. Jeffrey Beckman and Ms. Helene Pearlman Beckman

Ms. Jan Bigalke

Mr. Bryan K. Moore and Ms. Carla D. Boddy

Ms. Ann B. Botz

Mr. Terence C. Brady

Chicago Public Library Foundation

Sylvia, Thurston and Sophia Daniels

The Honorable Miguel Del Valle

Mr. Keith A. Devey

Ms. Lisa A. Domkowski

Mr. Stephen J. Dunnett

Dr. Sherry Eagle

Everett L. Edwards, II, Ed.D.

Mr. John J. Escalante

Facebook Campaigns

Dr. Lidia Z. Filus

Dr. Richard Hesler and Ms. Kathleen Gianaris

Mr. Lewis D. Goldstein

Mr. Chuck Good and Mr. Grant Peterson

Ms. Sally S. Gotaas

Mr. Geoffrey J. Harlow

Dr. Robert A. Heitzinger

Jeanette Hernandez-Kalin

Mr. John Hilburger

Ms. Paula Hild

Dr. Aaron Horne

Mrs. Cheryl Hylton and Mr. Jeffrey Hylton

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Dr. Brooke Johnson

Kale Realty

Dr. Keith Kelly

KPMG U.S. Foundation, Inc.

Mr. Ronald Lichter and Mrs. Glenda Lee-Lichter

Ms. Kathleen A. Martin

Ms. Carmen C. Martinez

Ms. Suzanne Maso and Mr. Donald Burnett

Mr. Conrad May and Mrs. Mary May

Dr. Terry C. Mena

Ms. Rita M. Moore

Ms. D. Lynne Mueller

Dr. Emmanuel Nyadroh and Mrs. Solace Nyadroh

Ms. Lydia C. Omori

PayPal

Dr. Alice M. Pennamon

Pi Sigma Alpha

PRP Wine International, Inc.

Ms. Sharon S. Rakowski

Ms. Carrie D. Reffitt

Mrs. Diane R. Sakai-Furuta

Mr. Gregory Senese-Evansky

Elizabeth Sengupta

Mr. Patrick M. Shine

Mrs. Barbara G. Sholle

Dr. Allen Shub and Mrs. Susan Shub

Dr. Jennifer Slate

Dr. Sudha Srinivas

Dr. Michael J. Stern

Dr. Richard Swanson and Mrs. Patricia Swanson

Dr. Olufemi Taiwo

Mrs. Damaris Tapia and Mr. Santiago E. Tapia

Mr. Larry A. Vigon

Joaquin Villegas

Mr. Tom W. Vogelsang

Mr. Karl T. Voigt

Ms. Barbara D. Waller

Ms. Lisa C. Wallis

The Adam and Jamie Weyeneth Charitable Fund

Ms. Ting-Ting Yang

Ms. Kim M. Zinman

Builder ($100 - $499)

Anonymous

Ms. Joan F. Abrams

Mr. Oswaldo B. Adame

Ms. Ashley K. Agron

Ms. Stephanie Altman

Amazon.com

Prof. Kimberly R. Ambriz

Ms. Marsha K. Amraen / Charles A. Anderson, D.M.A.

Ms. Heather Lynn Anderson

Mr. Tim W. Anderson

Ms. Lorene F. Andrewnovitz

Mr. Frank J. Anselmo, Jr.

Dr. Karen Appel-Drazin

Mr. David Armamentos

/ Class Gift Donors are typically graduating seniors who make a parting gift to the Class Gift Scholarship, which began in 1996 and is now one of Northeastern's largest scholarship funds.

* Indicates deceased

ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

Ms. Rose N. Arzu

Mr. William C. Ayers

Dr. Saba Ayman-Nolley

Mr. Arthur Baden and Mrs. Laura Baden

Mr. Bob B. Bagheri

Dr. Daniel B. Bailey

Mrs. Lynn V. Ballard Stoppelman

Dr. Jennifer R. Banas

Mr. Eric P. Bangeman

Mr. Scott W. Barnett

Dr. Timothy P. Barnett

Ms. Mary E. Barrett

Ms. Carolyn L. Bartman

Mr. Dave A. Bateman

Ms. Valerie Maglaras Beaudrie

Dr. Mike D. Bedell

Ms. Marcella Beni

Mr. Brad Bennett

Mr. Tom Benson

Mr. John F. Berninger

Mr. Lawrence Bernstein

Dr. Sharon Bethea

Dr. Sandra D. Beyda-Lorie

Mr. Anthony J. Bilotti

Mrs. Dorina Bizhga

Ms. Jennifer R. Blair

Ms. Judith K. Bock

Mr. Phil E. Bohlander

Dr. Georgia L. Bozeday

Dr. Anastasia G. Brelias

Ms. Colleen M. Brennan

Dr. Richard Hart Brewer and Dr. Mary Ann Schwartz

Ms. Lia J. Brilando

Ms. Valerie R. Brown

Mr. Brett Bucholz

Dr. Marcia Buell

Mr. Michael Burton

Rachel Burton

Mr. John A. Butterfield

Mr. Osvaldo Caballero

Dr. Ellen S. Cannon and Dr. Arnold M. Herskovic

Captain Seth E. Captain

Ms. Mary Lou Carta

Dr. Shirley J. Caruso

Ms. Jerilyn Cascino and Mr. Gary Wright

Mrs. Mary Jane Cascino *

Dr. John P. Casey

Caviness Insurance Services

Mr. Max A. Caviness

Ms. Victoria Caviness

Mr. John J. Cerwin

Elaine Chakonas

Ms. Mary Ellen E. Channon

Ms. Susan L. Chast

Christy Webber Farm and Garden

Mr. Robert J. Cisek *

Ms. Cathy R. Ciucci

Dr. Denise L. Cloonan Cortez de Andersen

Mr Mark A. Clover

Mr. Jay Coen Gilbert

Dr. R. Shayne Cofer

Mr. Daniel Contreras

Ms. Chaelecia Y. Cooper

Mr. Kevin C. Cooper

Mr. Thomas A. Corfman

Mr. Aaron Cortes

Mr. Joseph J. Cortese

Mr. Steve Costa

Mr. Michael Cott

Mr. Gregory A. Cox

Mr. Jerome Michael Pendergast and Ms. Kathleen Ann Craine

Prof. Dan Creely and Mrs. Kathleen Creely

Mrs. Mildred Crespo and Dr. John Erickson

Mr. David Criner

Dr. Julio Cruz

Ms. Anne K. Dahl

Mr. Michael Dao and Dr. Bich-Dao Nguyen

Mr. Richard W. Davids

Mr. Marshall W. Dawson, Jr.

Dr. Martyn De Bruyn

Mr. Denis DeCamp and Mrs. Dianne DeCamp

Delta Kappa Gamma

Dr. Tyffani Dent

Mr. Daniel Dillon

Mr. Nick A. DiMaso

Mr. Robert DiMeo

Ms. Audra DiPadova

Mrs. Anna M. Doherty

Ms. Laura L. Dojutrek

Ms. Diane R. Doll

Ms. Lisa Donahue

Mr. Michael C. Donatucci

Mr. William Dorsey

Mr. Paul E. Drennan

Ms. Susan P. Drinan

Dr. Timothy J. Duggan

Ms. Lotte L. Dula

Prof. Stephen Dundis and Mrs. Jo Ann Dundis

Mr. Travis E. DuPriest

Ms. Helen Murray and Mr. Henry Dwyer

Dr. Lincoln L. Eaton

Mr. Ralph Egan

Dr. Ashley L. Elrod

Mrs. Marjorie Ettlinger and Mr. Richard Ettlinger

Dr. Andrea E. Evans

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Mr. Adonay Perez /

Dr. Donald C. Perry

Mr. Derrill S. Peters

Mr. Wayne Peters

Ms. Constance K. Pettinger

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Delilah Phillips

Michael Piccoli /

Ms. Catrice Pierce /

Mr. and Mrs. Piette

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Ms. Monica A. Pipia

Mr. Spiros Pissios

Dr. Ryan H. Poll

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Carolyn Ponder

Miss Laculia Pope

Joel E. Porterfield /

Nanette Potee

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Noah H. Rife /

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Mr. David Rivera

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Joseph Rodriguez

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Mr. Michael Sinner

Kejuan Skanes /

Mr. Gregory B. Skinner

Mr. Theodore Skonberg and Mrs. Patricia Skonberg

Mr. Larry Skwarczynski

Ms. Alexis Smith /

Ms. Clara Smith

Mr. George Smith

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Marie Snyder /

Mr. Melvin R. Soderstrom

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Khatera Vinson

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Ms. Sharon A. Werner Burke

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Dr. Win Whelan

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Mr. and Ms. Philip J. White

Mr. William T. Whitehead

Mr. Guy S. Wicker /

Mr. Richard T. Wiedmann

Dr. Harvey Wigdor

Jules T. Wight

Mr. Harry Wilkins

Mr. Jerell Wilkinson

Mr. Ricardo Williams /

Mr. Wallace D. Williams

Ms. Janyce A. Williams-Eddleman

Ms. Sharon L. Willy

Mr. Alan R. Wilson

Mr. Paul E. Winer

Mr. Joseph A. Winfield III

Taylor Winfield /

Mrs. Maria Winter and Mr. Jeffrey Winter

Ms. Carole M. Witte

Mr. Ira Wiznitzer

Mrs. Marilyn K. Wojcik

Robert Wolff

Steven Wolk

Mrs. Neema Mekaba Woodard /

Dr. LaVonna R. Woodfork

Ms. Leida A. Woodham

Ms. Madeline Wright

Mr. Marty H. Wright

Piotr Wrzesien

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Mr. Corey W. Yasutake

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Linda Zemtseff

Kaila Zimmerman Moscovitch

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Overview of the Foundation’s Fiscal Year 2022 Audited Statement of Financial Position

NEIU Foundation Endowment Changes

NEIU Foundation Net Asset* Changes

• In fiscal year 2022, 1,807 donors gave $3.08 million to Northeastern (*including pledge payments)

Scholarship Impact at Northeastern

$742,706 in donor-funded scholarships

$1,473,877 in academic, grant and institutional support

359 students received private scholarships and awards

NEIU Foundation Prioritizes

The University has identified specific barriers students face during their academic journeys from matriculation to graduation. To support students in overcoming the obstacles that often stymie them from reaching their goals, the NEIU Foundation has embarked on a major philanthropic campaign to fund FIVE scholarship initiatives designed to help students pursue and complete their degrees.

alumni Advisory Board

The mission of the Northeastern Illinois University Office of Alumni Relations and the Alumni Association is to enhance and advance the relationship between Northeastern Illinois University and its alumni. Through alumni programs, we hope to inspire lifelong loyalty and pride among alumni and friends by strengthening their continued relationship with the University.

The following are members who served during fiscal years 2022 and 2023.

Dual Enrollment Scholarship Come Home Scholarship Momentum Scholarship Finish Line Scholarship Tomorrow’s Teachers Fund

5 Scholarship Initiatives

Funding these scholarships will provide powerful resources that help eliminate financial barriers that students often face on their paths to degree attainment. To learn more, contact neiufoundation@neiu.edu.

• Joe Anthony (Tony) Rodriguez, B.A. ’97 President

• Terrie Albano, B.A. ’16 Vice President

• Ella R. Whitehead, B.A. ’11; M.A. ’13 Secretary

• James Blair, M.A.T. ’68

• Melanny Buitron, B.S. ’19

• Jonas Chavez, B.S. ’16

• Candice Cook-Bey student member

• A. Michael Drachler, B.A. ’68

• Charles Good, B.A. ’04

• Carrie Horton, B.S. ’14

• Dan Kelley, M.A. ’96

• Richard Lindberg, M.A. ’87

• Michelle Morrow, M.A. ’97

• Luis Ortiz, B.A. ’77

• Eric Rojas, B.A. ’05

• Victor A. Sciborski, B.S. ’15

• Teela Williams, B.A. ’15

• Wei Yang, M.B.A. ’00

Breaking New Ground

For more than two decades, Northeastern has been planning for the construction of a new Education Building. This construction will address the continuing growth, success and pressing needs of Northeastern students.

In addition to housing the Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education, this project will permit Northeastern to meet needs in the areas of classroom space, support services and overall space utilization on campus. Given Northeastern's track record of graduating members of underrepresented groups, the University has learned a great deal about the support services that are necessary for student success. The Education Building will provide more opportunities for systematic tools of support for first-generation and dual-language students.

Architects from SmithGroup have proposed a beautiful structure to be located between WTTW Studios and the Physical Education Building on the Main Campus. The University is anticipating to break ground on this project in late summer or early fall 2023. This construction is being funded through the Illinois Capital Development Fund to the Capital Development Board with some additional funds coming from the University.

Golden GALA & ALUMNI AWARDS CELEBRATION

Co-hosted by NEIU Foundation Board member

Marcellus Moore Jr. and NEIU Alumni Advisory

Board Member Melanny Buitron (B.S. ’19 General Business Administration), last fall’s ceremony on Oct. 15 was held at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. The event was the first in-person gala since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thanks to ticket sales and a lively paddle raise led by Vice President for Institutional Advancement Liesl Downey, the event raised more than $114,000 in gifts and pledges for student scholarships.

Other highlights include:

• The Farzaneh Family Cyrus of Persia Scholarship announced its first scholar, Mamoon Aref (current student). Endowed by brothers Jalal and Mohammad Farzaneh, the full-ride scholarship is named for the ancient Persian king, Cyrus the Great, and will pay for tuition, fees and books for four academic years. Cyrus of Persia Scholars will also be offered one year of free housing within The Nest.

• The Laura Dojutrek Scholarship fund for Physical Education students was announced. Dojutrek (B.A. ’82 Secondary Education, Physical Education) is a former student athlete who founded Dream of Hopes Ranch, Inc., a Texas-based nonprofit for adolescents and adults with special needs.

• Two student-produced and directed films were screened at the Gala. Maria Fernanda Olivares Garcia’s (current student, B.A. Communication, Media and Theatre) film was about Edwin Medina (B.S. ’22 Marketing; current student, MBA). Rin O. Zual’s (B.S. ’22 Computer Science) film was about Student Government Association Vice President Itzel Linares (current student, B.A. Spanish).

• Student Awardee Alvin Gutierrez (current student, B.A. Elementary Education) entertained attendees with a spirited beatboxing performance dedicated to the Northeastern community.

Northeastern alumni, students, staff and friends were treated to gourmet food stations, a photo booth, a pop-up art show featuring student works, student musical performances and student videos. Kenny Kozyra (B.A. ’20 Political Science) of T&R Productions, was at the turntable spinning everyone’s favorite tracks to round out the evening’s festivities.

President Gibson closed the formal part of the evening by thanking all the guests for their contributions, which support students on their academic journeys. She encouraged everyone to “shake a tail feather” on the dance floor and have fun!

2022 Golden Gala Awards

ALUMNI SERVICE AWARD

Arthur Kasak

B.A. ’75 Elementary Education, Physical Education

COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AWARD

Jamie L. Enge

M.A. ’13 Inner City Studies

OUTSTANDING GOLD ALUMNI AWARD

Dr. Kristina Garcia

B.A. ’12 English

FUTURE ALUMNI LEADER AWARD

Alvin Gutierrez

Current Student, B.A. Elementary Education