Hello Wildcat Parents & Family Members! Yes, it’s true- we did have temps in the high 70s last weekend- and then it snowed. As such, I am going to stop commenting on the weather from now on. You should just always assume Evanston is perfect (even if your student complains!) Regardless of the weather, campus is bustling as we end our third week of the quarter. Just before students left for spring break, Northwestern publicly announced “We Will. The Campaign for Northwestern,” a $3.75 billion University-wide fundraising effort. You can learn more about this exciting initiative in this edition of The Wildcat Family Focus. This issue also highlights Commencement for the Class of 2014 which will take place on Friday, June 20. Most seniors I have spoken with have secured their professional positions and are well into planning for the next phase of life (which is not surprising, of course). As they transition out of their leadership positions, wrap up their projects, and complete those last few classes, our seniors are looking ahead to what a Northwestern degree will afford them. But before they graduate, they can take part in one last Dillo Day, Northwestern’s annual (and highly attended) music festival which will take place on the lake at the end of May. Our May issue will include more details about this long-anticipated social event unique to NU. While our seniors prepare to graduate, the rest of our students are solidifying their summer plans which most likely will include an internship or job of some type. If your student is still trying to determine their plan, please have them attend the upcoming University Career Services Workshop: Last Minute Internship Search on Thursday, April 24. Also, students need to check out CareerCat, an online internship/job search system that provides students, alumni and employers access to apply or post full-time, internship, part-time and summer employment opportunities. As always, these and many more helpful resources are available for freshmen to grad students. Best Regards & As Always, Go ‘Cats! Patricia F. Hilkert Director of New Student and Family Programs Northwestern University
“WE WILL” CAMPAIGN KICK-OFF
On March 14, 2014, Northwestern University publicly announced “We Will. The Campaign for Northwestern,” a $3.75 billion University-wide fundraising effort to help realize the transformational vision set forth in Northwestern’s strategic plan and to solidify the University’s position among the world’s leading research universities. This multiyear initiative has two goals:
Raise $3.75 billion in philanthropic investments across all of our schools and units to fund the strategic plan initiatives. Broaden the University’s base of annual support among alumni, parents and friends -- as reflected by 140,995 donors making gifts during the Campaign. As of March 2014, the University has already raised $1.52 billion toward the campaign goal. In addition, a total of 85,832 donors have made gifts. We Will. The Campaign for Northwestern is by far the largest fundraising effort in the University’s history. The dollar goal is more than twice the $1.55 billion received during the University’s last major fundraising effort, which took place from 1996 to 2003. That campaign, which was called “Campaign Northwestern,” surpassed its original goal of $1 billion. For more information, visit We Will: The Campaign for Northwestern.
NORTHWESTERN NEWS COMMENCEMENT 2014
Our senior students are in the process of wrapping up their tenure at Northwestern, which means graduation for the Class of 2014 is quickly approaching! Commencement will take place on Friday, June 20 at 9:30 am at Northwestern’s Ryan Field; a ticket is required for admission. The two-hour ceremony begins with the procession of graduates, the faculty, and the President's party followed by the awarding of honorary degrees, the President's message to graduates, and the conferring of degrees by school. Chicago Symphony Orchestra Music Director Riccardo Muti is among five distinguished individuals to be recognized with honorary degrees at Northwestern University’s 156th commencement ceremony and will deliver the main commencement address. Besides Muti, the honorary degree recipients are: Sara Bloomfield, director of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum; Richard Easterlin, one of the most influential and imaginative economists of his generation; Emmy Award-winning actress Cloris Leachman; and legendary Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, musician and producer Stevie Wonder. For more information on dates, visiting campus, other commencement events, and speakers, visit http://www.northwestern.edu/commencement/.
LIVING OFF-CAMPUS Is your student thinking about living off-campus next year? NU’s Off-Campus Life Office website provides important information about the rights, responsibilities, and resources available to students moving or living off-campus at www.northwestern.edu/offcampus. If you have further questions, please contact us at: offcampuslife@northwestern.edu.
NU LIBRARY NEWS NEW PCS Over spring break the library replaced and upgraded 42 new PCs in the Main Library’s Information Commons, including 2 large plasma screens and the Project Room. The new all-in-one machines have larger screens, include a webcam and are enabled with Skype.
RESERVABLE STUDY ROOMS Students and student groups can now reserve study rooms in the library online. In the Main Library this includes the IC Project Room, the study rooms in Core, and the Seminar Rooms after class hours are over. Rooms in the Mudd Library (North Campus) and the study room in the Schaffner (Chicago Campus) library are also available for online reservation, and more will be added in the future. Using Library's new online calendar students simply select a type of space to see what's available, choose the room and time they want to reserve up to three weeks in advance, and submit a request. Rooms can also be reserved on site using a smart phone or other mobile device by scanning the QR code on signs posted at the entrance to each study room.
NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK Each year for National Library Week the library celebrates by planning fun and engaging activities and exhibits throughout the week that allow students to get to know and engage our Library and its staff in different ways. See below for some highlights of the week’s events. Monday April 14th the library teamed up with the NU Press to offer a chat about the book Chicago By Day and Night which highlights events and activities around the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition with co-editor and professor Bill Savage. Thursday April 17th will mark our 4th Annual Deering After Dark event. From 10pm2am, Deering Library stays open for a late night of fun, games, and pizza on the 3rd floor. The classic Art Reading Room is transformed into a miniature golf course, alongside a digital Photo Booth, video games from our Mitchell Multimedia Collection in the lobby, a room full of board games, and a screening of Ghostbusters. Pictured above: Last year’s Deering After Dark event.
NU CAREER SERVICES TAKE A TREK WITH UCS! Does your student want to learn more about career paths in Media & Marketing or Law, Government & Policy? University Career Services invites undergraduate students to join us on our September career treks to New York City & Washington D.C.! The treks will provide them with an insider’s perspective on what it’s like to work at some of the top employers in these industries while connecting with Northwestern alumni and industry professionals. Learn about information sessions (held on April 21), application materials and deadlines (due on April 30) at northwestern.edu/careers. Students must be on campus during Spring 2014 and available to travel and participate in the entire trek this September.
UPCOMING UCS WORKSHOPS Last Minute Internship Search: This workshop is designed to provide students who have not yet found an internship with knowledge of resources and programs that can help them find a position that will benefit their long-term career plans. Open to undergraduate and graduate students. Thursday, April 24 at 4 p.m. in Norris, Rock Room. Building a Better Resume: How to Market Your Transferable Skills: Students will learn how to translate experiences (coursework, service, extracurricular activities, research or something similar) into strong bullet points on their resume that highlight skills employers want. Open to undergraduate students. Choose from two times: Wednesday, April 30 from 4-5 p.m. in Norris, Wildcat Room or Thursday, May 1 from 4-5 p.m. in Norris, Northwestern Room. Your student can RSVP in CareerCat under Workshops at http://bit.ly/ucscareercat
MEET ME AT NORRIS!
NORRIS UNIVERSITY CENTER WORK-STUDY JOBS Is your student looking for a job this spring? The flexible hours, leadership opportunities and convenience of working close to home make Norris the ideal place to work. Eligible students can apply at http:// www.norris.northwestern.edu/ jobs2/work-at-norris-2/. Current Open Jobs: Student Affairs Marketing Graphic Designer Cashier's Office Attendant SOFO Attendant Facilities Assistant Administration Assistant
ENJOY THE OUTDOORS The Polar Vortex is finally over and spring is here! High-quality camping and recreation equipment is expensive to buy, so why not rent it? Norris Outdoors offers your student great gear at affordable prices. If your student is in the market for a bicycle, tell them to head over to the Used Bike Sale on Thursday, April 17th from 4:00 – 5:00 pm to check out ready-to-ride
DUNKIN’ DONUTS IS HERE! The highly anticipated latest addition to the Norris Center had a soft opening on the first day of Spring Quarter. The decision to bring Dunkin’ Donuts to Northwestern was reached after consulting with students from Associated Student Government, the Norris Advisory Board, and the Food Advisory Board. Students celebrated the April 10th grand opening which included free samples, giveaways and speeches from campus administrators.
NU HILLEL CELEBRATING 80 YEARS AT NORTHWESTERN
NU Hillel is continuing to celebrate our 80th anniversary at Northwestern with exciting initiatives and events making this past March a month to remember! James Franco, acclaimed actor, poet, author, and artist, spoke to a crowd of over 1000 students in Pick-Staiger Concert Hall as Hillel's Annual Speaker. Dozens of students participated on NU Hillel’s Alternative Student Break trips this spring break to Morocco, Budapest, and Denver. The Jewish Theatre Ensemble produced The Diary of Anne Frank and worked with NU Professor Danny Cohen to facilitate a workshop called "Telling Their Stories: Teaching and Representing the Holocaust." Pictured above: ShireiNU, NU's premier Jewish a cappella group, won 3rd place in Kol HaOlam, the National Jewish A Cappella competition in Washington, D.C., and they also performed the national anthem prior to the Chicago Bulls vs. Houston Rockets game. NU Hillel looks forward to celebrating Passover on campus this month! For more information on Seders, meals during Passover, and volunteer opportunities, visit http:// www.nuhillel.org/?q=content/passover.
RESIDENTIAL SERVICES
SUMMER HOUSING Will your student be participating in Summer Session and needs a place to live? Housing applications for those students enrolled in Northwestern’s Summer Session will be available online April 28th at www.northwestern.edu/living. Summer housing is available only for students registered in a Summer session program sponsored by Northwestern University. Unfortunately, housing accommodations cannot be made for individuals who will be unaffiliated with Northwestern University during the summer of 2014.
ROOM SELECTION TIME HAS ARRIVED! It’s already time for students to start determining their fall living situation. Students returning to their residential colleges completed their room selections this past April 14, 2014. Current residents will be able to retain their current bed space for the 2014-2015 academic year regardless of priority number. This marks the first time room retention has been an option for returning students since 2001. Returning students will again be selecting their residence hall rooms online for the 2014-2015 academic year beginning Tuesday, April 22, 2014, and concluding on Friday, May 2, 2014. Additional information, including the process and assignment order, is available online at www.northwestern.edu/living/.
MEDILL SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM SHOWING OUR TRUE COLORS Medill celebrated the launch of the Campaign for Northwestern on March 14 with students, staff and faculty. Attendees were decked out in their school color and enjoyed purple-frosted doughnuts. The focus of the event was to inform students and faculty of the University-wide fundraising campaign aimed to benefit a wide array of areas.
THE NEXT MIKE WILBON OR CHRISTINE BRENNAN? March also meant the start of Medill’s graduate sports journalism program. The program is reserved for graduate students only, but some courses will be offered to undergraduates, as well. Past classes include a sports marketing class for undergraduates and a course on sports journalism taught by ESPN contributor LZ Granderson. With a number of famous alumni in the sports journalism world, including J.A. Adande, Christine Brennan, Michael Wilbon and Mike Greenberg, Medill is looking to expand its outreach into a realm dominated by touchdown
MEDILL/SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION CAREER & INTERNSHIP FAIR Medill will host the school’s annual career fair with the School of Communication on Wed., Apr. 16. Prior to the fair, students will have the opportunity to meet with members of the Career Services office to practice their pitches and have their resume reviewed. Dozens of different employers in both the journalism and communication fields will be in attendance at the fair, and students will be able to explore available career and internship possibilities for the future. Crain Communications, Inc., Northwestern Mutual and Time Warner Cable News are just a few of the many organizations that will be represented.
ONE BOOK ONE NORTHWESTERN
One Book One Northwestern hosted by the Roberta Buffett Center for International and Comparative Studies sponsored two programs in March for students and staff. On March 3rd, Jeremy Horowitz, assistant professor of government at Dartmouth College, presented Who Are the Swing Voters in Kenya’s Multiethnic Democracy? Horowitz’s presentation explored what types of voters are likely to be “up-for-grabs” in African elections, an important question in understanding both the conduct and the effects of electoral competition in Africa's emerging democracies. On March 6th, One Book One Northwestern held a panel titled State, Governance, and Development in Africa: Insights and Perspectives from Economics and Political Science featuring guests Nobel Laureate in Economics Roger Myerson of the University of Chicago and Dr. Celestin Monga of the World Bank. The panel was moderated by Professor Richard Joseph of Northwestern’s Political Science department. Roger Myerson and Celestin Monga gave their perspectives on the fast growth in Sub-Saharan Africa and how it compares to growth in other parts of the world. Despite this growth, both increases in employment rates and poverty reduction have been missing.
OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY DANCE MARATHON GOES GREEN
This March, more than 1,400 NU students danced for 30 hours raising money to benefit Team Joseph and research on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Not only did they raise over $1.3 million, but also made a concerted effort to offset the event’s carbon footprint and reduce its waste.
For the second year in a row, in partnership with the ASG Sustainability Committee (ASG SusCom) and the Office of Sustainability, the NUDM food committee was trained to collect leftover food during meals for composting in order to divert food waste from landfills. In addition, they provided reusable water bottles to dancers, in place of disposable bottles, and organized significant recycling collections during the event. Lastly, Dance Marathon tracked their energy usage throughout the event and purchased carbon offsets to reduce their net carbon footprint. ASG SusCom and NUDM are already looking for more ways to be even more sustainable next year by incorporating more efficient lighting and possibly renting an energy-generating dance floor. NUDM is one of the largest student-run philanthropies in the nation and most certainly the largest philanthropic event on NU’s campus. Since it was founded in 1975, Northwestern students have raised more than $14 million for over thirty different beneficiaries. The Office of Sustainability is thrilled to help such an influential event on NU’s campus as they continue their efforts to go green. Pictured: A student volunteer collects compost during a Dance Marathon meal.
STAYING HEALTHY AT NU NU PHARMACY Did you know Northwestern University Health Service has a pharmacy dedicated specifically to serving students of the University? NUHS Pharmacy accepts outside insurance plans including CVS/Caremark, Medco, Federal Employee Program (FEP), Blue Cross Blue Shield, and many more! In addition to filling prescriptions prescribed at the clinic, the student’s own physician can escribe, phone, or fax in new prescriptions and, with just a little information, we can also transfer prescriptions from an outside pharmacy. We are available to answer questions regarding prescriptions and over-the-counter medications whether they are purchased at our pharmacy or not. Our hours of operation (CDT): Monday 9am-5pm Tuesday 9:30am-6pm Wednesday 9am-5pm Thursday 9am-5pm Friday 9am-5pm Saturday 9am-11:30am
Closed Sunday, University holidays, and Saturdays during intersession break. The NU Pharmacy is located in the lobby of Searle Hall at 633 Emerson Street in Evanston. Find us at http://www.nuhs.northwestern.edu/evanston/pharmacy.aspx Please contact us at 847-491-2144 for your student’s prescription and over-the-counter needs.
COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES (CAPS) CAPS Stress Management Clinic workshops and Drop-In Resource Center hours have resumed for the spring quarter. Workshop topics include mindfulness, relaxation, and successful strategies for managing concentration problems, test anxiety, and procrastination. CAPS also offers a Drop-In Stress Management Resource Center for students. Students can come by during the following times to sit in the Center’s egg chairs and participate in self-guided stress reduction exercises For more information including drop-in hours and student registration for workshops, please visit http://www.northwestern.edu/counseling/about-us/services/stressmanagement-clinic/index.html.
FINALS WEEK RECAP
Residential Academic Initiatives’ review session
Students take a study break at Breakfast After Dark.
The Norris University Center and the Office of Residential Academic Initiatives teamed up to provide students two new exam relief programs during finals week (March 17-21). On Friday and Saturday night prior to finals, two dining halls were opened for Breakfast After Dark. Over 300 students attended these late-night breakfasts, which began at 11pm. Guests made quick work of the eggs, pancakes, hashbrowns, bacon, yogurt, fresh fruit, juice, and coffee. Many students said they were rewarding themselves for an evening of diligent studying. Others— typically those with an extra cup of coffee to go—reported that they were powering up for a long night of writing papers. Either way, it was a great occasion to relax with friends and have a bite to eat. The Office of Residential Academic Initiatives is dedicated to providing academic support in residential settings. Partnering with the Math Department, they hosted a three-hour review session with a free brunch on Sunday, March 16th, the day before exams in four predominately first-year student math courses (220, 224, 230, 234). Eight instructors and teaching assistants facilitated review work for 130 students in Willard’s dining hall. Residential Academic Initiatives plans to expand this program to more courses in more departments. If your student took one of the math courses noted above, ask if he or she attended the review session. Also, please encourage your student to let us know which of his or her spring courses should be added to the program (ResAcademicInitiatives@northwestern.edu).
ATHLETICS NORTHWESTERN LACROSSE AT WRIGLEY FIELD Join the ‘Cats as they host USC at Wrigley Field on Saturday, April 26th at 7 p.m. The 7-time National Champions, led by Head Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller are set to play at the historic Wrigley Field this month. The game -- part of the event and reciprocal marketing partnership announced by Northwestern and the Chicago Cubs last year -- will be played in primetime at 7 p.m. CT and be televised by the Big Ten Network. The matchup pits Amonte Hiller against one of her most successful former players and assistant coaches, 2006 Northwestern alum, USC head coach and current captain of the U.S. Senior National Team Lindsey Munday.
FOOTBALL SEASON TICKETS It’s already time to fire up for Wildcat Football! Season tickets are now on sale for the 2014 season. To purchase season tickets, visit http://www.nusports.com/ sports/m-footbl/specrel/020414aab.html . Family Weekend is scheduled for November 8th when the ‘Cats take on Michigan. For the full schedule, visit http:// www.nusports.com/sports/m-footbl/ sched/nw-m-footbl-sched.html
UPCOMING EVENTS View PlanIt Purple for upcoming events and details at NU!
MONDAY, APRIL 14TH, SUNSET PASSOVER BEGINS SUNDAY, APRIL 20TH EASTER SUNDAY For information about services in Alice Millar Chapel and links to other opportunities to observe Easter services, visit NU Religious Life or the PlanIt Purple Northwestern University calendar.
MONDAY, APRIL 21ST WILDCAT DAYS Wildcat Days are Northwestern’s campus preview days for admitted undergraduate students. For more information or to register, visit http:// ugadm.northwestern.edu/wildcat-days/.
SAVE THE DATE - MAY 31ST DILLO DAY Dillo Day is an annual festival for students. They can look forward to an all-day music festival and special events on the campus Lakefill. May’s Wildcat Family Focus will highlight more about one of NU’s favorite spring quarter tradition
New Student and Family Programs 600 Haven St. J230 Evanston, IL 60208 family@northwestern.edu