WILDCAT
family FOCUS MAY/JUNE 2015
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CONTENTS DILLO DAY
NORRIS UNIVERSITY CENTER
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PAGE 10
COMMENCEMENT 2015
SUMMER INTERNSHIP GRANT PROGRAM (SIGP)
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RESIDENTIAL SERVICES
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SUSTAINABLE MOVE-OUT NORTHWESTERN CAREER PAGE 7 ADVANCEMENT PAGE 11
SENIOR YEAR EXPERIENCE
FRESHMAN URBAN PROGRAM
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SENIOR WEEK
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MARCHING BAND CENTER FOR LEADERSHIP NU PAGE 12 PAGE 9
SUMMER SESSION
NU HILLEL
LAVERNE COX
NU ATHLETICS
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PAGE 14-15
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NSFP NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
NEW STUDENT AND FAMILY PROGRAMS 2
DEPARTMENT FOCUS Hello Wildcat Parents & Family Members! As I’m sure you are aware, summer is quickly approaching! While many Universities have wrapped up their school year, Northwestern is still bustling with activity as students tackle “Reading Week” and then finals. After exams, students will jump into their many summer adventures, or for the Class of 2015, a whole new phase of life! This issue of the Wildcat Family Focus highlights many of the yearend celebrations in which our students are participating. An annual highlight is Senior Week for the Class of 2015, which includes a variety of events planned and coordinated for the graduating class by the Senior Year Experience committee. Baccalaureate will take place on June 18 which offers graduates a chance to celebrate their successes but to also take time to reflect and make meaning of the special time they spent at Northwestern. And of course, it all culminates with Commencement for the Class of 2015, which will take place on Friday, June 19. While our seniors are looking forward to graduation, the rest of our students are preparing to embark on a variety of summer plans, including summer jobs, internships and research. The Summer Internship Grant Program helps support students in unpaid internships, and a record number of these grants were awarded this year which you can learn more about in this issue. Finally, our office, New Student and Family Programs, is gearing up for our busiest time of year as we prepare to welcome the Class of 2019 and our transfer students in just a few short months. We have already been in touch with our new Wildcats and cannot wait to welcome them to campus for Northwestern’s orientation program, Wildcat Welcome, which this year spans 10 days from September 11-20. Best Regards & As Always, Go ‘Cats! Patricia F. Hilkert Director of New Student and Family Programs Northwestern University
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y a D o l l i D
ONE OF NORTHWESTERN’S MOST BELOVED TRADITIONS
to accommodate a women’s sing, men’s sing,
Dillo Day is one of the largest student-run music festival in the nation and one of the most beloved traditions at Northwestern University. This year, Dillo Day was scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 30 on the shores of Lake Michigan. Unfortunately, Dillo Day was forced to close due to severe winds which made it unsafe for artists and crew on both stages. The decision to close the festival was made by the Evanston Police Department, the Evanston Fire Department, the Northwestern Police Department and stage production vendors. Sustained winds of more than 30 miles per hour exceeded the wind tolerance of both stages, forcing them to be shut down. Rain and cold temperatures were not a factor in this decision, and at no time did the Lakefill need to be evacuated. Dillo Day is rain or shine, but extreme weather made it impossible for artists to perform.
and an honors ceremony. Ultimately, this event evolved into a month long celebration known as Mayfest. Armadillo Day, now commonly known as “Dillo Day,” began in 1972 when Northwestern students from Texas held a small music celebration in honor of the armadillo - a mammal common in their native Texas. More than 43 years later, the concert has expanded into a daylong festival with five headliners on the main stage and the creation of the “Dillo Village” with food trucks, merchandise vendors, art activities, and a second stage with additional musical performers. Mayfest Productions is the student organization responsible for coordinating Dillo Day. Starting in the fall, Mayfest members begin working directly with artist agencies, university officials and corporate sponsors
The Dillo Day tradition has its roots in May Day or May Fete, a spring event dating back to the late 1800s as a celebration of the women of Northwestern. The May Day tradition included a Maypole dance, a cotillion and the central event, crowning the May Queen. In 1946 May Day at Northwestern expanded to May Week
to lay the foundation for a music festival. Mayfest’s student team of talent buyers, show producers, graphics designers and software developers create everything from merchandise to iOS applications, and of course, the festival itself. 4
COMMENCEMENT 2015 Northwestern University’s Commencement will be held at 9:30 a.m. Friday, June 19, 2015, at Ryan Field. The ceremony will be outdoors and is expected to last two hours. Distribution of diplomas will take place at individual school convocations on Friday and Saturday, June 19 and 20. In the event of light rain, Friday’s ceremony will remain outdoors, and guests and participants are advised to be prepared for the weather. Should there be severe weather, the ceremony may be moved indoors. Severe Weather Plan announcements will be made
Friday morning, and the information will be available on the Northwestern home page, www.northwestern.edu in addition to the Northwestern University Commencement Guidebook app.
GREETINGS FROM THE UNIVERSITY COMMENCEMENT PLANNING COMMITTEE We are pleased to invite you to attend Northwestern’s 2015 Commencement ceremony. To guide our guests and participants, we have provided the link to our mobile app. This will give you direct links to download on your device, or visit the browser-based web view: Included is an outline of the general plans for Commencement weekend, a complete schedule of events, and other important details. Updated information is available on the Commencement website. Inquiries are also welcome at the Commencement Office, 847-491-3600 or commencement@northwestern.edu.
This information is provided to undergraduate students who have been identified by the Office of the Registrar as candidates for degrees in June or August 2015 and to their families. Candidates for advanced degrees will receive this information from their respective schools. It is important to know that attainment of the degree is dependent upon the student’s completing all requirements, some of which may be pending at this time. Commencement arrangements are designed to provide a pleasant and meaningful experience for the graduates, their families, and guests on this special occasion. We welcome your presence for a memorable day at Northwestern’s 2015 Commencement ceremony.
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BACCALAUREATE SERVICE As the excitement builds towards commencement, our graduating students are encouraged to celebrate their successes here at Northwestern but to also take time to reflect and make meaning of the special time which they have spent here. As part of our annual commencement exercises, the Baccalaureate Service is held each year for this purpose. University Chaplain Timothy Stevens and President Morton
Schapiro invite graduates, their families, and guests to attend Baccalaureate, an interfaith service incorporating the principal faith traditions of the University. This studentdesigned program gives our graduates the opportunity to give thanks for their time in this community through diverse readings of sacred scripture, inspiring student reflections, and musical interludes provided by
BACCALAUREATE SERVICE Thursday, June 18, 2015 at 4:00 P.M. in Pick-Staiger Concert Hall Admission by ticket only (847-491-7256) a student choir and orchestra. A musical prelude begins a half hour before service. Seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Candidates do not wear caps and gowns at this service. Pick-Staiger Concert Hall is fully accessible.
RESIDENTIAL SERVICES MOVE OUT INFORMATION All residence halls, residential colleges, and residential communities close at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 13, 2015, for all students (except those approved for late stay extensions). Students granted late stay extensions by Residential Services will move out of current assignments by 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 20, 2015. All residents will receive a checklist of items to complete prior to checking out that will be posted on each room door. After completing the checklist, students turn in all keys to the neighborhood desk. Residents
Academic support expands may be billed for room damages that occurred over the course of the year. Residents are encouraged to carefully read emails and bulletin boards related to closing procedures, attend floor or building meetings about closing, visit the Residential Services website, or ask their Resident Assistant or Residence Director if they have any questions. 6
SUMMER STORAGE The University does not provide storage of any personal belongings over the summer months in any space within the residence halls. Items left in the trunk rooms at the end of the year or bikes left in bike storage at the conclusion of that program will be deemed abandoned and will be discarded.
We have one University Preferred Vendor, NU BoxCo., that can help ship and/or store your student’s belongings at the end of the academic year. See their website for more details.
EXPANDING RESIDENTIAL ACADEMIC SUPPORT Access to academic support is essential for student success.
To make such support more courses (Macroeconomics and readily available, the Office of Microeconomics). Professors Residential Academic Initiatives Mark Witte, Scott Ogawa, Lynne partners with academic Kiesling, and their teaching departments to bring resources assistants have stayed late at into residential facilities. For over night and come in on Sundays a year, the Math Department has to host review sessions before regularly held review study tables midterms. Witte is excited about for its most heavily enrolled “adding some personality to our calculus courses. This spring, the big classes” because the informal Economics Department has come events involve collaborative work aboard to provide residential and facilitated discussions, which academic support for its largest Witte considers “a learning plus.”
SUSTAINABLE MOVE OUT STUDENTS ENCOURAGED TO REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE WHEN MOVING OUT Doesn’t it feel like just yesterday that you were moving your student into their residence hall? It’s already that time of year for students to clean up, clear out, and start their summer internship, classes, or vacation. Students will be able to donate clothing, small household items, and food via the Take It or Leave It program. Collection boxes will be placed in every residence hall
and in the Henry Crown Sports Pavilion lobby during finals week. Take It or Leave It collected more than 11,000 pounds for donation to local charities last year. Off-campus students can bring their donations to the Take It or Leave It locations or work with Move in Move out (MIMO), a student initiative, which will coordinate pick-up of unwanted,
usable items and resell them back to NU students in the fall. This is a new project that is working to end the cycle of students buying new household items every year. If your student has a bike at school, please encourage them to bring it home or store it for the summer to avoid potential damage or theft.
SENIOR YEAR EXPERIENCE Each year, members of the senior class organize activities aimed at engaging their classmates and creating additional experiences they can share together before graduation. This group is known as the Senior Year Experience
(SYE) committee and the Class of 2015 SYE committee has focused on events such as networking, etiquette training, and a variety of more casual opportunities such as attending sporting events in Chicago or capture 7
the flag in Tech, the engineering building. The SYE initiative culminates in June with a week of activities called Senior Week, which follows the last final exam and leads to commencement.
SENIOR WEEK IS COMING!
A favorite among seniors each year is the Last Lecture, which is given by a faculty member chosen by the graduating class. This professor is asked to share the life advice that didn’t fit into the syllabus. Roughly 1,000 seniors show up to the Cubby Bear in Wrigleyville for this signature event. The Class of 2015 nominated over 70 professors and seniors are currently voting for their selection. Previous classes have selected professors including Nitasha Sharma, Renee Engeln-Maddox, Gary Morson, among many notable others.
four years later, the Senior March (Back) Through the Arch and Senior Class Photo on Deering Meadow double as the kick-off of Senior Week and as a bookend tradition of the Northwestern Experience. The student leaders have been working on building this week of activities since the fall and we’re very excited about what will be available for the Class of 2015. Senior Week activities are typically a mixture of paid and free opportunities for graduating seniors. There will be some activities that the entire class can attend, such as events at museums, and others that will serve smaller group sizes. Most activities will require tickets facilitated through the Norris Box Office. More information about Senior Week is available at the Senior Year Experience’s Facebook page.
Another highlight of Senior Week is an adaptation of the March Through the Arch tradition. You may remember when the Class of 2015 walked through the Arch, assembled as one group, and took a class photo to officially begin their time at Northwestern. Nearly 8
CENTER FOR LEADERSHIP
SUMMER SESSION
The Center for Leadership is excited to welcome the Class of 2019!
Many students take advantage of Northwestern’s Summer Session to make progress toward degree completion, fulfill distribution requirements or focus on a particular course by choosing from more than 300 undergraduate courses. Courses are flexibly scheduled, ranging from three to eight weeks and taught during the day, evening and on weekends.
Every fall, the Center offers an introductory course called Paradigms & Strategies of Leadership (LDRSHP 204) that includes weekly lectures and workshops, along with the opportunity to hear directly from leaders in different fields. Past speakers have included Matt Levatich, President and COO of Harley-Davidson Motor Company, and Adam Bryant, NY Times Senior Editor and author of “The Corner Office,” and Mellody Hobson, Chairman of Ariel Investments and Dreamworks Animation. The course provides a solid grounding in central leadership themes which students can then build on throughout their Northwestern career and beyond. The class can be taken alone, but it also serves as the first step on the path toward an academic Leadership Certificate.
Summer students can earn a year’s worth of language or science credit in just nine weeks by completing three-course sequences in a variety of languages, biological sciences, chemistry or physics. Many students use the summer to gain new perspectives and expand their worldview in off-campus field studies, internships and study abroad programs. There’s no shortage of fun things to do on campus in the summer. Students can enjoy the many sports, recreational activities, musical and dramatic performances, lectures and cultural events in both Evanston and Chicago. For more information, please check out northwestern.edu/summer.
For more details about the class and certificate, or information about other services such as leadership coaching, contact The Center for Leadership at: Lead@Northwestern.edu.
ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK ACTRESS SPEAKS ON CAMPUS
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Orange is the New Black transgender actress Laverne Cox gave a talk to over 900 students on April 28 at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall as part of a collaboration between One Book One Northwestern, A&O Productions, and Rainbow Alliance. Cox was brought in to talk about stereotypes, identity, and racial and gender inequality, connecting to this year’s book, “Whistling Vivaldi.”
Exam Relief event at Norris
NORRIS UNIVERSITY CENTER Summer is almost upon us and Norris is here to help your student get to the end of the quarter! From June 7-10, Norris University Center will be open for 24 hours with plenty of free, fun activities to alleviate finals week stress. There will be lots of food and hot drinks to fuel your student through exam studying. Students will be able to stretch and release some stress during an hour-long yoga session
in the Lake Room, and enjoy a late night pancake breakfast or warm cookies and coffee for free. Norris will have extra study spaces and free printing all week long to ensure students always have a place to meet up and study. View the complete Spring Exam Relief schedule here on the Norris University Center website.
SUMMER INTERNSHIP GRANT PROGRAM RECORD NUMBER OF 277 STUDENTS AWARDED GRANTS FOR 2015 This year, 277 students were awarded grants of at least $3,000 to support their unpaid summer internships as part of the Summer Internship Grant Program (SIGP) – the largest number of grants awarded at the highest level of funding since the program’s inception in 2007. Last year, 70 students were awarded grants of $2,500. The program received a record number of more than 400 applications in April, and
recipients were notified in early May. We thank our alumni donors and university partners who have made it possible for these students to pursue unpaid internships and gain professional experience in their fields of interest. To learn more about SIGP, please visit the SIGP website. 10
NORTHWESTERN CAREER ADVANCEMENT NCA can help students set themselves up for success at any time throughout the year, no matter where they are in their career development. Did you know . . .
• N CA advisers are ready to help your student revise a resume or cover letter Monday through Friday at the Main Library (2nd Floor, Core) in the Express Advising Center from 2-4 p.m. through Friday, June 5. For a more in-depth discussion, students can also schedule a longer appointment with their career adviser through CareerCat.
• N orthwestern’s CareerCat is among the most heavily used by employers in the country: An average of 50 new jobs and internships are posted every day! More than 1,000 professional opportunities are available right now.
• I f students are not sure what career path to take, NCA has professional career counselors who can help them make career decisions.
• S tudents can personalize their settings in CareerCat by selecting from 19 industries to customize communication from NCA to their career interests.
FRESHMAN URBAN PROGRAM Interested in social justice? Fascinated by the spires of Chicago? Eager to know more about Chicago’s rap history? The Freshman Urban Program (FUP) is the program for you! Coming to college is not just about the campus, it is also about the community that surrounds that campus. The Freshman Urban Program is a week-long pre-Wildcat Welcome program that takes about 90 freshmen into the neighborhoods of Chicago. The goal of FUP is to begin to understand the city’s cultural and social identity, so that Chicago no longer becomes a place to visit once a quarter, but a vibrant community ripe for exploration and engagement. Through community service and engagement, freshmen will come out of this program with profound awareness of Chicago’s unique history and culture, as well as a greater
understanding of Northwestern’s relationship to the windiest of cities. Freshmen will stay at a hostel downtown and travel each day to a different part of the city to meet with artists, environmentalists, aldermen, and other active community members. The trip also includes lectures from NU professors, as well as visits to Chicago museums and to the Northwestern Campus. Freshmen will also learn how to use the Chicago Public Transit system so that they can have the freedom to visit the city during their time at Northwestern. FUP happens during the first week of September. NORTHWESTERN FRESHMAN URBAN PROGRAM Contact: fup.northwestern@gmail.com Freshman Urban Group Website
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NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY MARCHING BAND
JOIN THE NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY MARCHING BAND! A unique experience that encompasses all corners of campus is the Northwestern University Wildcat Marching Band (NUMB). Made up of predominately non-music majors, this organization provides an incredible opportunity for students to get away from the daily grind and work with students from all parts of campus.
enjoyed through membership. NUMB is also active in the Chicagoland area having recently performed at Solder Field (Chicago Bears), United Center (Chicago Blackhawks), Wrigley Field (Chicago Cubs) and NFL Draft Town in Grant Park. For more information on how to participate, visit NUMB’s web site at numb.northwesternbands.org or contact Director of Athletic Bands Dan Farris at d-farris@northwestern.edu or 847-491-4751.
Big Ten football, a great musical experience, lifelong friends, an opportunity to contribute to and become an important part of Northwestern are just a few of the things
NU HILLEL THE NU JEWISH COMMUNITY IS IN FULL BLOOM! Northwestern community remembered Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, with a day of programs honoring those who perished in the Holocaust. NU Hillel students organized a reading of names ceremony at The Rock,
Spring has (finally!) arrived in Evanston and the students of NU Hillel are taking full advantage of this time. During Passover, over 400 students celebrated the holiday both inside the building and around campus. Later in April, the 12
followed by “We Walk to Remember” hosted by Alpha Epsilon Pi. The evening concluded with SESP Professor Danny M. Cohen presenting excerpts from his new book, “Train.”
and Celebration. Students, faculty, and community members came together for a weeklong celebration, commemoration, and conversation on Israel. Through film, speakers, discussion, and, of course, food, we engaged with the ongoing story of the Jewish state and explore the many ways we relate to it. To learn more about all of the different opportunities NU Hillel provides, please contact hillel@ northwestern.edu.
The last week of April, Hillel’s student Exec Board, in conjunction with Wildcats for Israel, J Street U Northwestern, and the Israel on Campus Coalition, created Israel’s 67th at Northwestern: A Week of Reflection
GEARING UP FOR GRADUATION! While we are sad to see our seniors leave,
We are also excited to invite the graduating
we were thrilled to honor them before
class and their families to a special reception
they start their next adventure! NU Hillel’s
in honor of the Class of 2015. Please join us
Annual Night of Appreciation allowed us the opportunity to reflect upon the year and
on Friday, June 19 following Commencement from 1:30 - 3:30 pm at Hillel (629 Foster Street) as we celebrate the graduates of 2015. Please
thank students and faculty members for their
RSVP to Shayna Horwitz via email at shayna.
service and dedication to the Northwestern
horwitz@u.northwestern.edu or phone at
community.
(847) 491-5717.
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NORTHWESTERN RUN FOR WALK
Registration is open for the fourth annual Run For Walk, a 4.1 mile run and 5K family walk, which will be held Sunday, August 9 to honor late Head Football Coach Randy Walker. The race will once again finish on Ryan Field and has been named by the Chicago Area Runner’s Association as a CARA Runners’ Choice Circuit event for 2015. The event’s official charitable partner is Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago.
For the past seven years – the last three as the Run for Walk – Northwestern fans, supporters, and friends of Randy have assembled to 14
honor him by taking part in one of his favorite hobbies – walking around Evanston and the NU campus with his wife, Tammy, and their dog, Magic.
CONTACT US
This year, the 5k family walk will continue and join the 4.1 mile run through Evanston’s treelined streets before participants finish on Ryan Field while watching their achievement on the video board. The unique run distance pays homage to Randy’s uniform number 41 during his collegiate playing days at Miami University. The registration fee for the run or walk is $37.50 and includes a short-sleeved technical shirt, a ticket to a nonconference home football game, and entry to the race day expo. Northwestern students may register for $25.
NORTHWESTERN FOOTBALL The #B1GCats host Iowa on October 17 for Homecoming, and kickoff is set for 11 a.m. For more information, visit www.nusports.com.
NEW STUDENT AND FAMILY PROGRAMS 600 Haven St., J100 Evanston, IL 60208 family@northwestern.edu (847) 467-3988 15
Visit our website
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