NIU alumni help support Honors Faculty Fellows Andrea Radasanu Earl and Cindi Rachowicz have been incredible supporters of NIU and of the Honors Program in particular. “Both Cindi and I have very fond memories of the Honors Program from our time as students at NIU,” said Earl Rachowicz, who graduated from NIU in 1973 with a degree in accountancy. The Rachowiczes have invested significantly in the Honors Program over many years. Their contributions have helped fund student conference travel, the Honors computer lounge, and their matching challenges have inspired so many alumni and friends to support the program. Their newest gift supports the core curriculum of the University Honors Program, the interdisciplinary Honors seminars taught by professors who design courses especially for Honors students and are chosen to do so for their innovative and engaging pedagogies. The Rachowiczes have committed $26,250 over the course of five years to support one seminar per year. Each year, the program will choose a Rachowicz Honors faculty fellow to teach an Honors seminar, which ideally highlights communication, interconnectivity and the importance of being committed to service in private and professional contexts. The Rachowiczes were drawn to this opportunity to make a difference in the lives of many students who take these specialized and unique courses, and, as always, to shine a
light on what makes the Honors Program remarkable and to inspire others to engage with the program and its students. The University Honors Program is pleased to name Melissa Fickling, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Counseling and Higher Education, the inaugural Rachowicz Honors faculty fellow. Professor Fickling will be teaching a seminar called “Work, Meaning, and Wellness” in fall 2022. This discussion-based course will look at historical and philosophical perspectives on the role of work in life, as well as critique popular narratives around passion, career choice and happiness. Students will have the opportunity to examine trends and inequities in the U.S. labor market and contextualize discussions about work into broader frameworks of individual mental health and community wellness. This is an amazing opportunity for students to engage in meaningful career exploration. And they know it. The course is already full to capacity. This is the kind of course that the Rachowiczes were hoping to inspire — one in which students will be guided through career planning that leads to lifelong learning, civic engagement and holistic wellness.
Earl and Cindi Rachowicz.
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