NORTHWESTERNPARENT quarterly
THE
Issue 2 | Fall 2011
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Registration closes on October 11, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. CST
FALL 2011
CONTENTS NU PARENT QUARTERLY
12
HELLO, CLASS OF 2015 A new group of students have arrived
8 17
FIRST-YEAR ISSUES Addressing first-year issues
IT GETS BETTER
NU ATHLETICS FILMS VIDEO
IN THIS ISSUE 4 LETTER FROM VICE PRESIDENT OF
12 STUDENT PROFILE:
5 NEWS ACROSS CAMPUS
13 NU OFFICE PROFILE:
STUDENT AFFAIRS
6 CUTTING THE CORD 8 ALCOHOL & NU:
Revisiting the Dartmouth Initiative
LEILA PREE
NORTHWESTERN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
16 FAMILY WEEKEND 2011
Letter
from the Vice President of Student Affairs
Dear Wildcat Parents: It is a pleasure to welcome you to Northwestern University. We are honored that you have entrusted us to educate your son/daughter, our nation‟s future leaders. I can assure you that we are ready to provide our students an integrated experience where learning takes place inside and outside of the classroom. There are many diverse opportunities to develop leadership skills and to provide service to other communities, both in the United States and abroad. There are many student organizations ready to welcome more members who are willing to play an important role toward contributing to their mission. Study abroad, undergraduate research and internships are also enriching experiences in which your son/daughter will be encouraged to participate. We are enhancing our residence halls with activities involving faculty and staff to create a sense of community among the residents. At NU, there is virtually something for everyone. While we know that studying and going to class are essential, we want you to know that being engaged on campus through student activities and co-curricular activities will also contribute to their development as future leaders of their respective communities. We believe that interpersonal skills, the ability to be part of a diverse team, and negotiating and solving problems complement building expertise in a subject matter. Most students that take advantage of these opportunities report a higher satisfaction with their college experience and connection to their future alma mater. We also care for the health and wellness of our students. We realize that they are in a developmental stage in their lives in which self-discovery, questioning, and exploration exist. There are many services available to them, in particular, Health Services, Counseling and Psychological Services and the University Career Services that can provide them with support and assistance in finding answers or addressing a health concern. Please encourage your son/daughter to avail him/herself of these services. We recognize the important role you will continue to play in your son‟s/daughter‟s life though you may be separated by distance. If you have any concerns about your son/daughter, please feel free to call the Dean of Students Office or my office. We are here to be partners with our students in order to ensure their success. Go ’Cats, Patricia Telles-Irvin Vice President of Student Affairs Northwestern University
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NEWS ACROSS CAMPUS Building Small, Living Green
Seth Meyers to Lead Homecoming Parade
Northwestern Names New Law Dean
Tiny house is a model of how every inch—and lack of inches—matters in sustainable living Read more
The Saturday Night Live star and NU alum is set to lead the Homecoming Parade on October 21 Read more
Legal scholar Daniel Rodriguez will become dean of law school in January Read more
Recital by world famous artist to take place at NU Yefim Bronfman to perform at Pick-Staiger on the Evanston campus on October 4 Read more
Nearly 1,000 students register to vote
Students Span the Globe on Summer Break
Medill alumnus finalist in Chicago museum contest
For the first time, voter registration is part of Wildcat Welcome Read more
Students add a global perspective to their NU education Read more
Kevin Byrne is a finalist to live in Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry Read more
Engineers for a Sustainable World students conduct water research in Chile Read more
SESP Professor to become director of Institute for Policy Research
Award-Winning Writer to Speak as 2011 Abelson Artist-in-Residence
NU Student a Candidate for NFF National Student-Athlete Award
NU Students Train for Chicago Marathon
David Figlio will become the sixth director of the Institute in September 2012 Read more
Tony Award-winning playwright will speak at Northwestern on October 14 Read more
Dan Persa is nominated for the National Football Foundation National ScholarAthlete Award Read more
McCormick Students in Chile
Students train for the October 9 marathon as reported by The Daily Northwestern Read more
View PlanIt Purple for upcoming events at NU NORTHWESTERN PARENT 5
CUTTING THE CORD
recognizing this, too, and that‟s why you‟re seeing so many parent programs appear.”
Northwestern Magazine reports the college transition for parents
As part of Wildcat Welcome, Northwestern offers a parent-focused orientation, including an event with President Morton Schapiro, followed by a reception on North Beach, and a “carnival of resources” and other information sessions, “events geared toward making our parents true partners with their student,” says Josh McKenzie, assistant director of Northwestern‟s orientation and parent programs. (The University created McKenzie‟s position last year in response to the need for parent programming.)
Originally printed for Northwestern Magazine, Fall 2011
New student orientation can be an incredibly exhausting and emotional time. Parents lug loads of supplies, help deck out the dorm room, fill the fridge and then watch their student enter a new world of autonomy. When orientation is over, it can be hard to say goodbye. Northwestern‟s Wildcat Welcome includes a simple Kiss‟n‟Bye, a brief pause in the orientation action for farewells and final hugs. “It‟s an opportunity for the parents to formally recognize, „I‟m leaving now. You‟re on your own,‟” says Elizabeth Block Daly (GSESP09), director of Northwestern‟s orientation and parent programs. It‟s likely, though, that shortly after these emotional goodbyes, parents will dial their son or daughter or send a quick text. With today‟s technology, this generation of students is incredibly connected — and deeply involved — with their parents. “In almost any college-bound community parents are urged from the get-go to be involved with their kids: go to their nursery school orientation, volunteer in the classroom, go on the class trips, help them with their homework, nurture their social life and help them build confidence and a record that will make them attractive to colleges,” says Abigail Sullivan Moore (GJ78), co-author of The iConnected Parent: Staying Close to Your Kids in College (and Beyond) While Letting Them Grow Up (Free Press, 2010). “That‟s the suburban legend that has driven a lot of parental involvement, this estimable goal of college.” Parents enjoy being so close to their children while helping them succeed during these precollege years, and that increases their involvement, Moore adds. When it comes to college, parents have an increased incentive for involvement because higher education is such a big investment, says Moore. “Colleges are
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“I like to think of the partnership between the student and the parent in terms of a tandem bicycle,” McKenzie says, dismissing the overused “helicopter parent” label. “The student is actually driving, steering the bicycle, but the parent is behind them helping along throughout the process. “We do want the parents to be a part of the process, but we don‟t want them driving it. We don‟t want them registering their student for classes or doing other things that hinder the educational experience.” Before students head off to orientation, Moore says parents should establish a communication plan, setting realistic limits and expectations for communication with their students. It‟s also important, she says, to let the students take the lead on how they want to communicate. According to research and reporting for The iConnected Parent, the students who have greater say in how and how often they
“I like to think of the partnership between the student and the parent in terms of a tandem bicycle, but the parent is behind them helping along throughout the process.” -Josh McKenzie
communicate with parents tend to have a better relationship with their parents and to perform better academically.
ALCOHOL & NU By Lisa Currie, Director of Health Promotions and Wellness
Moore, who has a son in college and writes about education issues as a New York Times contributor, says parents need to encourage autonomy, allowing their students to find their own solutions to everyday problems. “If you get a couple of quick calls during the week or a funny text or a photo, those are day-brighteners. Those are great,” she says. “But you don‟t want to get into having your student call you in situations where he or she should be making age-appropriate decisions.” Dean of Students Burgie Howard often advises parents that during the first few months of school, students might only call when dealing with a problem. Back at home, a parent might intervene to provide a solution. Step back, Howard tells parents, and wait 48 hours. Let them figure it out or move on. If they still need assistance, then have them call someone at the University. “Every parent who comes to us is doing so with the best of intentions, and we recognize that,” Daly says. “We also try to communicate with the students first, to help the parents also understand that the students are adults, this is their experience. The students are responsible for being successful here. You can‟t take classes for them. You can‟t make sure they‟re getting up every morning. There‟s a certain level of responsibility that has to happen here.”
TO THE PARENTS OF THE CLASS OF 2012
Northwestern University has joined 31 colleges and universities from across the country to address high-risk drinking. This unprecedented group initiative — the Learning Collaborative on High-Risk Drinking —will use comprehensive evaluation and measurement techniques to identify and implement the most effective ways to confront this persistent problem and lessen the harm it causes. Led by Dartmouth College and the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice (TDI), the primary aim is to bring population health improvement methods to a persistent problem, high risk alcohol consumption by college students. The 18 month project will address issues at the individual, environment and systems levels. Initial efforts at Northwestern are focusing on improving the timeliness of student connection to required interventions and improving the parental notification process, both as a result of alcohol-related conduct violations. Other areas being explored include, but are not limited to, brief physician intervention in the Health Service, enhanced messaging to students prior to large-scale events such as Homecoming and Dillo Day, and increased availability of alcohol-free late night social options on campus. The Northwestern team consists of staff from the NU Health Service, Health Promotion and Wellness, Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), University Residential Life, the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, Student Affairs Assessment and the Dean of Students Office, as well as students and faculty. It is anticipated that numerous other offices will collaborate with the team as the project progresses. The project runs through December 2012.
With the start of the fall academic quarter also begins recruiting season for full-time employment. During fall quarter, employers are most active on campus through participation in career fairs, hosting information sessions, and on-campus interviews. In the midst of beginning a busy final year at Northwestern, students also have to include time for a successful job search. Backpack to Briefcase is an annual program hosted by University Career Services (UCS) to prepare graduating students for the full-time job search and transition into the professional world. UCS staff will present workshops on effective job search strategies, including networking, navigating online resources, and industry-specific guidance. A full schedule and description of Backpack to Briefcase events can be found on the UCS website: www.northwestern.edu/careers . Please encourage your Northwestern student to attend these workshops and connect with UCS services when they return to campus! NORTHWESTERN PARENT 7
an article of interest
HELPING FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS By Christine B. Whelan for The Chronicle of Higher Education
First-year college students have always arrived on campus full of anxieties: Will I be able to keep up academically? Will I get along with my roommates? Will it be fun? Recently, however, an increasing number feel unable to cope with the emotional demands of college life, and transitional worries have morphed into longer-term fears: Why isn't life falling into place for me? According to a yearly national survey of more than 200,000 first-year students conducted by researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles, college freshmen are increasingly "overwhelmed," rating their emotional health at the lowest levels in the 25 years the question has been asked. Such is the latest problem dropped at the offices of higher-education administrators and professors nationwide: Young adults raised with a single-minded focus on gaining admission to college now need help translating that focus into ways to thrive on campus and beyond. As a college professor specializing in the social psychology of behavioral change, I began noticing the trend several years ago, when many of my students—first at the University of Iowa, then at the University of Pittsburgh-—came to me complaining that they felt baited-and-switched. Trained to excel at specific tests and often bolstered by oversupportive parents, they didn't understand why the job offers weren't forthcoming, why their relationships weren't working, why everything seemed so much harder than they'd expected. I call this cohort "Generation WTF" because
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of that crass, often-heard exclamation of frustration. Much has been written about why so many students are in such a predicament. Perhaps it was a generation of helicopter parents. Maybe it was a cultural shift toward, and acceptance of, the idea of "emerging adulthood," which extends youth well beyond the teenage years. Other research points to growing narcissism and declining empathy among college students-—in essence condemning a generation's poor moral character. Certainly the bad economy is exacerbating stress levels for both young adults and their parents. But to pin all students' stress on loans and a challenging job market misses the larger point: Many young adults weren't taught the basic life skills and coping mechanisms for challenging times. While a rising economic tide may have allowed such students to succeed without strong personal-management strategies, college administrators and professors now must do more than describe the water in which many of our students are drowning. Life rafts of behavioral change, awareness of self-presentation, and social graces are necessary to get students from that stressed-out "what the #%$&?" feeling to one of control—over both their day-to-day behavior and their future choices. The consequences for students who lack those skills have become increasingly clear both on campus and after graduation. At Pitt, where I teach, and at other institutions, student-life administrators have noticed a marked decrease in resiliency, particularly among first-year students. That leads to an increase in everything from roommate disagreements to emotional imbalance and crisis. After graduation, employers complain that a lack of coping mechanisms makes for less proficient workers: According to a 2006 report by the Conference Board, a business-research group, threequarters of surveyed employers said incoming new graduates were deficient in "soft" skills like communication and decision making. Parents and high-school educators certainly have a role to play, but college administrators and professors cannot abdicate their role as an influential socialization force to guide young adults toward better self-management.
HELP THEMSELVES After working closely with Generation WTF, I know that it comprises well-meaning young people who genuinely want to improve. Such students are eager to make personal improvements when given the tools to do so and the leeway to customize advice to suit their individual needs. Gallup polling shows that previous generations didn't turn to self-improvement until their 40s. But Generation WTF is the product of a therapeutic culture adept at talking about emotional health at a younger age, ready to embrace ideas of self -help with ease. I have harnessed this comfort with inward assessment in an introductory sociology course I teach, yielding major improvement in students' well-being. For many students it is the first time that anyone has asked them to explain why they want to achieve a particular goal, and what specific steps they are taking to get there. Dennis, a first-year student in one of my sociology classes, wrote in a paper: "Motivation for me used to be found in others, never in myself. I always needed to be yelled at or pushed to do something." After completing a simple worksheet on goal-setting—and embracing the opportunity to set and execute any goal he wanted—he decided to make his part-time job a more meaningful experience: "When I set a goal to create a team at work, to get everyone involved and share their opinions, I sort of became a leader. And that sparked more motivation to try to do a good job." The way to combat the decline in emotional health among first-year students is to offer them opportunities to build such self-efficacy from the start. For example, giving them worksheets to track how they spend their time and money is an empowering exercise. Much academic stress can be eliminated when students see exactly how much time they waste online and watching TV, or how much money they could save by buying fewer snacks on the run.
Teaching interpersonal skills of self-presentation is also essential, as it makes students' interactions with roommates, professors, and professional colleagues flow more smoothly. By following suggestions popularized by Dale Carnegie during the Great Depression—to think in terms of the interests of others, smile, and express honest and sincere appreciation— my Generation WTF students report being happily stunned by more-successful interviews, better relationships with family members, and more-meaningful interactions with friends. Yes, times are tough, and that's part of the stress felt by first-year students. But that must not encourage parents to swoop in and fix their offspring's problems, or educators to lament the decline in moral character of today's young people. I tell students that the goal of my course is to help them rebrand that WTF of frustration into one of empowerment for a wise, tenacious, and fearless future. While much of my advice seems revolutionary to them, adults from previous generations know that I'm simply teaching a return to core values of selfcontrol, honesty, thrift, and perseverance-—the basic skills that will allow those in "emerging adulthood" to get on with life. Christine B. Whelan is a visiting assistant professor of sociology at the University of Pittsburgh and author of Generation WTF: From "What the #%$&?"to a Wise, Tenacious, and Fearless You (Templeton Press, 2011) This article was originally written for and published in The Chronicle of Higher Education on April 17, 2011. The article can be found here: http://chronicle.com/article/Helping-First-YearStudents/127168/
NORTHWESTERN PARENT 9
STUDENT PROFILE
background. After visiting, I realized that it was everything a girl could ask for in school-students who are the pillars of their community and the fundamentals to excel in any future endeavors, regardless if I change my major three times before I graduate. NPQ: What was the biggest thing you learned from each year at NU? LP: Each year at Northwestern is indicative of a level of growth as a person. The first year at NU, I learned that education at the collegiate level is not comparable to high school. You may see grades that didn‟t exist; B‟s can become a reality freshman year. As I entered my sophomore year, I learned that there are other things besides pre-med in the world of academia. Junior year, I realized that NU offers so many resources intended to ensure tools for success. It is in our best interest as students to utilize all of these resources and use them towards our advantage-NU wants you to make that indelible mark on society.
LEILA PREE CLASS OF 2012 A Pasadena, CA native with a love for purple and a visit from Dad. After viewing Leila‟s scroll of involvement activities and noting her love for all things Northwestern in her following interview, you will not question why she was chosen for as the Fall‟s Student Spotlight. What Leila does not mention, however, is her involvement with 2011 Homecoming. Along with nine other students (five males and four other females), Leila is on the 2011 Homecoming Court as a candidate for Queen. Find out more information about homecoming on the next page. NPQ: Why did you choose Northwestern? LP: Aside from having the university color that is associated with royalty, acres of beautiful scenery including a private beach and an assortment of classes that ranks Northwestern as one of the top universities in the nation, you would think I would have made my decision before turning in the application! Northwestern offered more than an exceptional education, but students of diversity that extended beyond mere ethnic or racial 10 NORTHWESTERN PARENT
NPQ: Does your Dad visit NU often? LP: My dad really loves to visit NU. The first time we landed in Chicago, immediately following our arrival at our hotel, my dad was itching to explore Evanston. After a thorough investigation of the area his reaction was that “Evanston is such a nice, quaint, college town”. I laugh at him now because he represented more of a first time college student than the person enrolled. Our favorite place to visit is Pete Millers-the best live jazz music on Mondays! NPQ: Have any tips for parents of new students LP: Your kids may be enjoying their college career without too much intervention. Keep in mind when you receive emails and phone calls it just translates to “I love you, but I also need money for books.” It‟s a way to say that we are still thinking of you and appreciate all of your hard work as parents.
QUICK NOTES ON LEILA PREE:
SCHOOL: Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences MAJOR: Philosophy, Asian American Studies Minor HOMETOWN: Family currently in Washington D.C. FAVORITE SPOT ON CAMPUS: “The secret garden in front of Deering Library. It is a very peaceful spot.” INVOLVEMENT: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Rho Lambda National Sorority Leadership Recognition Society, African American Theatre Ensemble
NU OFFICE PROFILE
NORTHWESTERN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
Pictures: 5 students on the 2011 Homecoming Court (left), John Evans Alumni Center (right)
Working with current students and alumni to create a cohesive community The mission of the Northwestern Alumni Association (NAA) is to establish and enhance a mutually beneficial relationship between Northwestern University and all its alumni. The Association serves the University by encouraging support for the University, promoting alumni interest and involvement in University affairs, nurturing relationships among alumni and providing programs and services.
University‟s mission of academic excellence. The NAA does a great deal with past Northwestern students, but what may not be obvious is the great amount of work they do with current students. NAA believes a student‟s alumni status starts at day one which is why they offer various programs and events throughout the year working to support the student experience at NU.
The Association serves alumni by facilitating communications among alumni, and between alumni and the University, sponsoring alumni programs and benefits, and offering opportunities for continuing education and public service.
Homecoming is one of the largest events sponsored by the NAA. The fun-filled week of philanthropic and social events comes from NAA but is also organized by the Homecoming Executive Board, which consists of 15 students for 2011. The week‟s events will be held October 15-22, with the football game against Penn State on October 22 at 6 p.m. CST.
In all its activities, the Alumni Association is committed to learning as a lifelong process and fosters the
Visit the NAA website for the plethora of information housed for current and past students.
CONTACT INFORMATION
OTHER NAA STUDENT-FOCUSED AREAS
Website: alumni.northwestern.edu
Dinner with Twelve Strangers: Students, alumni, and faculty meet and mix in a relaxed setting. The Etiquette Banquet: A yearly dinner at which students learn the "dos and don'ts" of dining in both formal and casual environments. The four-to-seven course meal is hosted by the NAA and the NCA. Northwestern Externship Program (NEXT): NEXT helps to prepare undergraduate students for their careers by providing invaluable job-shadowing opportunities with alumni in many fields.
Phone: (847) 491-7200 Email: naainfo@alumni.northwestern.edu Location: John Evans Alumni Center 1800 Sheridan Road Evanston, IL 60208
NORTHWESTERN PARENT 11
HELLO
TO THE CLASS OF 2015
Approximately 2,190 new students begin their tenure at Northwestern with a rousing week of move-in, community service, and, did we see a flash mob?
BEST WEEK EVER.
By Kaitlyn Jakola, printed for The Daily Northwestern With move-in a day earlier than usual and a new service activity added to the schedule, 2011 Wildcat Welcome kept the incoming class of 2015 [and transfer students] busy. “They‟re exhausted, but in a good way.” said Medill sophomore Sam Zabell, a peer adviser. “They really feel so welcomed here. (Wildcat Welcome) is a really awesome week that not a lot of schools get to provide their students, but I think it makes Northwestern really special.” Responding to feedback from previous years, Wildcat Welcome organizers tweaked several of the program‟s signature events. Changes to the Essential NU session on sexual assault were especially 14 NORTHWESTERN PARENT
influential, said Sophie Friedman, another peer adviser. The student led program was intended to inspire discussion among students about some of the more serious issues on campus. “We had a pretty in-depth but frank conversation after the event,” she said. “All you have to do is have one really good conversation to start a bunch of other really good conversations.” The week also helped the new students bond, sending them into their first week of classes with the hope of seeing a familiar face or two around campus. “By the third day, they were making the dinner plans and inviting me, instead of me making plans and trying to invite all of them,” Friedman said.
WILDCAT WELCOME HIGHLIGHTS MOVE-IN DAY With Move-in Day held on Monday rather than the traditional Tuesday, new students and their parents had the entire day to move into the residence hall and get settled into the new surroundings. PARENT & FAMILY ORIENTATION (PFO) PFO was held on Monday and Tuesday (September 1213). Parents attended a welcome from President Morton Schapiro on Monday evening, followed by a reception on North Beach. Tuesday included the March, schoolspecific welcomes, various interest sessions and Kiss‟n‟Bye, for parent and student farewells. MARCH THROUGH THE ARCH This tradition, dating all the way back to 2009, has the entire class of new students “march” through the infamous Arch and onto Deering Field. NU staff, faculty, parents, upper-class students and community members lined the path to welcome new students with great energy and vigor. Parents and new students at the presentation on Deering Field following the March were met with a surprise as 220 Wildcat Welcome student staff interrupted the Associated Student Government President‟s speech with a flash mob. The choreographed dance included a song played before the fourth quarter at every home NU game, a current pop song and the NU fight song. Video is included in the side bar. SCAPE: NEW STUDENT SERVICE DAY Wildcat Welcome‟s newest and largest event was SCAPE (Serving Communities and Promoting Engagement). The new student service day was held on Sunday, September 18. Though there was a bit of rain, 2,200 new students and 204 Peer Advisers participated in community service activities around Chicago, Evanston, Wilmette and Skokie. Following a speech by Evanston Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl, students dispersed to sites they self-selected during the summer months.
WILDCAT WELCOME PHOTOS & MEDIA Move-in Day at Northwestern March Through the Arch President’s Convocation Photos from The Daily Wildcat Welcome Flash Mob NORTHWESTERN PARENT 15
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2011 FAMILY WEEKEND
Family Weekend [2009] was the first of many lasts as our daughter embarks on her senior year at Northwestern. As we pulled out of the driveway to take that familiar seven-hour trip to the big city, we were filled with excitement and a little sadness—to be spending our last Family Weekend with our daughter, her friends, and the lifelong friends we have made at Northwestern. The word “friends” includes not just the people but the familiar experiences and events we have made into tradition in the past four years. Oh, yes—this includes familiar faces, such as the hotel clerk who knows us by name now, and the waiter at Clarke’s, where we eat the best breakfast in town. It includes dinner with the parents of our daughter’s best friend and her family as well. I can’t forget the “sons and daughters” we’ve adopted along the way through our daughter’s friendships, who have become like family not just to her, but to us, too. The experiences have become tradition and make us feel at home: Hopping on the El and enjoying conversation on the way to our favorite shopping spots on Michigan Avenue, and ending the day with the sunset view from the top of the John Hancock Center; cheering on the Wildcats from our end-zone seats, sipping hot chocolate, and humming the tune to the Fight Song (because I still don’t know the words); taking a walk along the lake and viewing the beauty of the campus in the full color of fall, then walking past the Rock on the way back to see how crazy it has been painted; crossing through the Arch just to say you did; buying a new sweatshirt at the campus bookstore— or maybe two or three this time because it’s our last year here; and seeing your child have the time of her life and living it through her eyes. These are just a few of the things we will miss when our daughter takes her final walk in her cap and gown next spring. As we dropped her off before the long trip home, we said out loud—and know it for sure—what we had hoped four years ago, when we left her with tears in our eyes for the first time: “Northwestern is a great place! Thanks for the memories!” Rene A., mother of Jessica A. (Medill ’10) (letter first appeared on dailynorthwestern.com)
Deadline to register is October 11, 2011. Visit the Family Weekend website to see what Weekend 2011 has in store for you!
November 11-13, 2011
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CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WEEKEND SCHEDULE AND REGISTER
NORTHWESTERN ATHLETICS JOINS IT GETS BETTER PROJECT
NU releases video, radio PSAs supporting LGBT youth and The Trevor Project Released September 23, 2011 by Northwestern Athletics
Northwestern today released a video in support of the "It Gets Better" project, which is committed to showing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people that a positive future for themselves does exist. The video was filmed over the summer and features Northwestern Director of Athletics and Recreation Jim Phillips, head coaches Pat Fitzgerald (football), Kate Drohan (softball) and Claire Pollard (women's tennis) along with current or former student-athletes Michael Thompson (men's basketball), John Shurna (men's basketball), Amy Jaeschke (women's basketball) and Michelle Batts (softball). "We are excited to join with the It Gets Better Project to take a stand against bullying," Phillips said. "As a University and an Athletic Department, Northwestern takes great pride in celebrating each and every one of the unique individuals at our institution, whether they be students or staff. Bullying of anyone for any reason is not acceptable, and we hope others will use their voices to stand with us." To supplement Northwestern's It Gets Better project video on the organization's website, NU Athletics' YouTube channel and NUsports.com, both 30- and 60-second public service announcements also will begin to air on WGN-AM Radio 720 and are available for any station wishing to use them. Northwestern is proud to be a leader among collegiate athletic programs in taking a public stand against bullying. The Wildcats join a growing number of professional sports franchises, corporations and civic and government leaders in participating in the It Gets Better project. Syndicated columnist and author Dan Savage and his partner Terry Miller launched the It Gets Better project in September of 2010 in response to an epidemic of teen suicides by those who identify as or are perceived to be LGBT. The Trevor Project, a benefactor of the It Gets Better Project, is determined to end suicide among LGBT youth by providing life-saving and lifeaffirming resources including a nationwide, 24/7 crisis intervention lifeline, digital community and advocacy/educational programs that create a safe, supportive and positive environment for everyone. Please visit their site at TheTrevorProject.org.
Head football coach Pat Fitzgerald is one of eight NU administrators, coaches and student-athletes who lend their voices to the video
Watch the video by clicking here
OTHER RESOURCES FOR THE NU LGBT COMMUNITY The Northwestern LGBT Resource Center The LBGT Resource Center is a branch of the Norris Center for Student Involvement that works to provide a safe space and act as hub for organizations, resources, services, and programs of interest to the LGBT and Allied community at Northwestern. Our aim is to increase visibility and awareness of issues surrounding gender and sexuality by uniting existing community entities and developing our own educational and outreach-oriented programming. OFFICE OF FRATERNITY & SORORITY LIFE ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO IT GETS BETTER PROJECT NORTHWESTERN PARENT 17
from the office of
ORIENTATION & PARENT PROGRAMS
9/30/2011 J.M.