Greetings to Our Wildcat Parents & Family Members! This past Sunday evening, roaring Wildcats could be heard across campus as many students took part in the Primal Scream, a Northwestern ritual which allows students the chance to release a little steam in anticipation of their impending finals- even in the library! Fall Quarter is quickly coming to an end as students are diligently completing their finals and heading out of town for Winter Break. It has certainly been a busy quarter filled with lots of every day moments like attending class, working on group projects, watching movies with friends, and some more momentous events such as Wildcat Welcome 2014, snow on Halloween, President Obama’s visit to campus and the Wildcats win against Notre Dame. If you will be spending the break with your student, I encourage you to help them reflect on the past quarter—what they learned about themselves and their community and what they’d like to do differently during the Winter quarter. Students should be thinking about what they want their summer to look like so they can start solidifying plans when they return. You may also want to talk with your students about dressing properly for frigid temperatures (because it’s coming…) and how they plan to tackle winter quarter—which typically comes with fewer sunny days and more academic challenges. Most importantly, if you are able to, you should spend the next few weeks enjoying the time with your student. Not a day goes by that I am not impressed with the intelligent, talented, hard working students, who make me laugh every day. I often ask the students I work with what their families did to make them this way—because I hope my young son and daughter will eventually possess many of their same qualities. As we get ready to embark upon a new year, please know that you have done a remarkable job with your student and that others in the world are fascinated by them. It does not just “happen” and that should be noted. On behalf of the Office of New Student and Family Programs, I wish you and your family a very magical holiday season filled with safe travels and memorable festivities.
Best Regards & As Always, Go ‘Cats! Patricia F. Hilkert Director of New Student and Family Programs Northwestern University
RESIDENTIAL SERVICES RESIDENCE HALL WINTER BREAK CLOSING NOTICE All residence halls close for Winter Break at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 13, 2014. All residents must complete the tasks on the checklists posted on their room doors prior to leaving for the break period. Residence hall staff will complete safety inspections in all rooms during the closing period. Break housing is available for current residents who wish to remain on campus.
MAIL & PACKAGES OVER WINTER BREAK Students must pick up their packages prior to leaving for winter break. Packages left in the mailroom over two weeks will be returned to sender. If you are ordering items over winter break, make sure to enter the correct shipping address. The last day of mail delivery for 2014 will be Friday, December 12th. Mail delivery will resume Monday, January 5th.
WINTER BREAK HOUSING This year, Winter Break housing will be available to all current residential students. Winter Break Housing is available from noon on Friday, December 12, 2014 through noon on Saturday, January 3, 2015. Students may stay for one night or as many nights of Winter Break as they would like. Students who choose Winter Break Housing will be assigned to a temporary space in the Mid-Quads for the duration of their stay. A single room costs $36.70/night and a double room costs $31.06/night. For more details, visit www.bit.ly/NU-wbh2014.
RESIDENTIAL SERVICES EARLY CONTRACTING Returning residential students are now able to submit a 2015-16 NU Housing contract to reserve a space in housing for the 2015-16 academic year. In order to reserve a space, students must read and sign the Contract Terms and Conditions, available on the Residential Services site (www.northwestern.edu/living). This contract must be signed prior to General Room Selection, which will occur during Winter Quarter. If a student chooses to cancel their housing contract; they may do so before Friday, March 20, 2015 without paying a cancellation fee. We encourage you to talk with your student about living on campus. There are many benefits to the on-campus experience. Here are just a few of them:
ACCOMMODATIONS: There is no need for your student to worry about cooking or grocery shopping since fresh food is offered at every meal in our dining halls. Free laundry, XFINITY Comcast, and a full maintenance staff also make everyday living easier. Utilities fees or lazy landlords? Not on campus!
OPPORTUNITIES: From hall government, to executive boards, to hundreds of student groups, the possibilities to get involved are nearly endless – and students who live on campus are right in the middle of everything!
BETTER GRADES: Studies show that students who live on campus tend to have higher GPAs. Maybe it is because we host tutoring and study sessions led by faculty and peer mentors in residence halls, or because students are closer to academic resources.
SECURITY: Trained staffs are on duty 24 hours a day to respond to any concerns. CONVENIENCE: Students live close to class, multiple dining options, gyms, the library, and their friends when they live on campus!
SOCIAL LIFE: There is always someone around to talk, eat, study, or just hang out with.
FAMILY WEEKEND NOVEMBER 7TH - 9TH, 2014
ENGAGE CHICAGO Engage Chicago is an eight-week residential summer program for outstanding undergraduate students completing their freshman, sophomore, or junior year. The innovative program model deliberately combines academic coursework, internship placements at top community organizations, and powerful community experiences — all under the guidance of expert Northwestern faculty, staff, and community mentors. Past internship sites include the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Chicago Public Schools, Health Leads, Mercy Home, and more. Special concentrations are also available for students interested in health or law. Both concentrations are designed to give students hands-on experience in their respective fields — something that can be hard to come by as an undergraduate. In addition to the internship, students learn about different organizations in the city through weekly field visits, meeting community and civic leaders working on a variety of issues. A weekly course taught by Northwestern professor and Asset-Based Community Development Institute co-founder Jody Kretzmann provides academic context, while a Sunday night seminar ties the components together. Engage Chicago also allows students to immerse themselves in city life. Participants are encouraged to catch outdoor concerts at Millennium Park, visit the latest exhibits at the Art Institute of Chicago, attend festivals and community events, and learn firsthand what this dynamic city has to offer. Students finish the summer with Northwestern course credits, work experience, contacts, recommendations, and mentors — giving them the confidence and skills necessary to succeed at Northwestern and beyond. “I can honestly say that my experience in Engage Chicago has made a lasting impact on my life. Without this enriching experience, I do not believe I would have the knowledge or the confidence in myself and my future. I have a new respect for the nonprofit field and hope to instill change in my community.” - Genevieve Enowmbitang (SESP '16) Genevieve speaks with her supervisor at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, her Engage Chicago 2014 internship placement.
CAREER ADVANCEMENT UCS NOW NORTHWESTERN CAREER ADVANCEMENT UCS is pleased to announce that it is now Northwestern Career Advancement (NCA). The new name underscores NCA’s focus on the forward progression of Northwestern students through their career development process. In addition to its new name, NCA launched its redesigned website featuring fresh industry- and school-specific content. Learn more in a letter from NCA Executive Director Dr. Mark Presnell and in a Northwestern News interview with Dr. Presnell and Director of Employer Recruiting and Engagement Alice Harra.
FALL ON-CAMPUS RECRUITING WRAP-UP NCA gives a sincere thank you the companies, organizations and alumni that visited campus to recruit Northwestern students this fall: More than 135 companies visited the NCA Interview Center to conduct on-campus interviews More than 140 companies joined the Fall Internship and Job Fair More than 100 companies hosted information sessions, presentations, workshops or Lunch & Learns More than 430 of the company representatives that visited campus to recruit and meet Northwestern students were Northwestern alumni
WINTER INTERNSHIP & JOB FAIR ON CAMPUS THIS JANUARY NCA encourages your student to attend the 2015 Winter Fair to meet employers hiring for internships and full-time opportunities on Tuesday, January 13 and Wednesday, January 14 from 12-4 p.m. in Norris, 2nd Floor, with different employers attending on each day. More information will be available soon at http://northwestern.edu/careers.
REGISTRATION COMING SOON FOR NU ALUMNI JOB SHADOWING The Northwestern Externship Program (NEXT) is a one-day job-shadowing program that connects students to Northwestern alumni eager to offer an insider's view of daily activities in their profession that will take place between March 23 and April 24, 2015. Are you a Northwestern alum interested in hosting a student for a day? Registration for alumni opens Dec. 8 and Jan. 26 for students.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT WINTER PANHELLENIC RECRUITMENT This fall, the Panhellenic Association offered various opportunities for Potential New Members and their families to get a glimpse into Fraternity and Sorority life at Northwestern. The real fun begins with Formal Recruitment this winter, January 8-13. Formal Recruitment consists of daily events that give new students the chance to meet and talk with sorority women. Potential New Members (PNMs) are led through formal recruitment by Recruitment Counselors, active sorority women who have chosen to disaffiliate from their individual chapters in order to be an objective resource to PNMs. Recruitment Counselors, as well as the Panhellenic Executive Board and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life staff, are trained to answer any questions PNMs might have about the process. PNMs will also undergo training on how to view recruitment as a matching process between their individual values and the values of the 12 Panhellenic chapters they will be visiting. Registration will remain open until early January at https:// northwestern.mycampusdirector.com/ and more information can be found at http:// northwesternpha.com/ Pictured above, NU Panhellenic Association’s Vice President of Membership Sarah Parker leads PNMs at Northwestern Panhellenic Association’s Recruitment Preview on October 26th.
A FESTIVAL OF LESSONS AND CAROLS 10:40 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, Alice Millar Chapel. This popular annual Northwestern event portrays the Christmas story via readings, music and medieval and modern carols for brass, strings, organ and choir. Stephen Alltop will conduct the Alice Millar Chapel Choir, Philharmonia and Millar Brass Ensemble. Admission is free; an offering will be accepted. For more information about the event and other December music performances, visit http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2014/11/northwestern-music-indecember.html.
NORRIS UNIVERSITY CENTER
EXAM RELIEF WEEK Is your student looking for a study break? The Norris University Center is proud to provide stress busters for your student, including massages, therapy dogs, and late night pancake breakfasts. From Dec. 7-11, Norris University Center is home to Exam Relief Week, five days of free, fun activities aiming to alleviate finals week stress. Students can breathe easier after an hour-long yoga session in the beautiful Lake Room, and play video games, board games, pool and more for while snacking on popcorn in the Game Room. Norris also features extended hours for Willie’s Food Court stations, and remains open for 24 hours during Exam Relief Week so students always have a place to meet up and study. View the complete Fall Exam Relief schedule here: www.northwestern.edu/ norris/events/special-events/exam-relief/index.html
NU HILLEL WELCOMING FAMILY AND FRIENDS As Northwestern celebrated Homecoming and Family Weekend, NU Hillel was thrilled to participate in the festivities. Students and staff passed out delicious purple challah baked by Challah for Hunger before the Homecoming Parade, we hosted an exciting pre-Shabbat family reception with a performance by ShireiNU, and enjoying a scrumptious Family Bagel Brunch! As the quarter draws to a close, students are gearing up for our Winter Taglit-Birthright Israel trip and Alternative Student Break trip to Jamaica. Students are also preparing for our annual Latkepalooza event, the biggest Chanukah party on campus, and are registering for our Alternative Student Break trips over Spring Break to Poland, Morocco and New Orleans!
NU HILLEL’S 80TH ANNIVERSARY - A YEAR IN REFLECTION NU Hillel is eagerly awaiting the final program of our 80th Anniversary at Northwestern celebration, an event with journalist and author (and Medill alum) Yossi Klein Halevi on December 1st. This program is proudly presented in partnership with Northwestern’s Office of the President, Office of Religious Life, Medill, The Crown Family Center for Jewish and Israel Studies, and JUF’s Israel Education Center. This past year has been one of many great achievements. We celebrated the Abel and Judy Friedman NU Mega-Shabbat last January with more than 400 students, faculty, and staff from Northwestern’s community; ShireiNU, NU’s premier Jewish a capella group, won 3rd place in Kol HaOlam, the National Jewish A Cappella competition in Washington, D.C.; and so much more. NU Hillel is proud to be a member of the Northwestern community and committed to continuing to enrich Jewish life at Northwestern.
SUSTAINABILITY
When students return home for Thanksgiving and Winter Break, you may notice they turn off the lights and electronics when they leave a room, take shorter showers, are more avid recyclers, and carry a reusable water bottle wherever they go. These habits were probably picked up during NU’s annual Green Cup competition, which helps to educate and engage students in living more sustainably. From October 20 – November 16, students participated in the annual Green Cup competition aimed at reducing electricity and water usage in residence halls and Greek houses. Organized by Students for Ecological and Environmental Development (SEED), with support from the NU Office of Sustainability and Eco-Reps, Green Cup engages students in Last year students saved 53,000 gallons of water (think of this in relation to a gallon of milk) and nearly 56,000-kilowatt hours per person of electricity (enough to power 59 American homes for a month). This happened through simple actions like sharing fridges, taking shorter showers, and utilizing power strips and clothes drying racks. Be sure to ask your student how they conserved energy and water during Green Cup!
ATHLETICS
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Head Coach Joe McKeown recorded his 600th career win on Friday, November 21st in the ‘Cats win over Kent State, which is also McKeown’s alma mater. Attached image is of him and the team after his historic win. The Northwestern Women’s Basketball team opens their Big Ten season on January 1st against the Wisconsin Badgers. The ‘Cats’ first Big Ten home game when school is back in session is on January 11th against Michigan State.
MEN’S BASKETBALL The Men’s Basketball team tips off the Big Ten season on Sunday, January 4th against 2014 Final Four participant Wisconsin. Big Ten single-game tickets are now on sale. Visit NUsports.com or call 888-GO-PURPLE for tickets. Students are admitted free with their WildCARD.
ATHLETICS WRESTLING Northwestern Wrestling hosts the 52nd Ken Kraft Midlands Championships on December 29th and 30th at Welsh-Ryan Arena. For more information, visit http://www.nusports.com/sports/m-wrestl/spec-rel/102214aaa.html
FOOTBALL
The ‘Cats took down No. 15 Notre Dame in South Bend on November 15th. The Wildcats trailed the 15th-ranked Irish by 11 late in the fourth quarter before a furious comeback forced overtime, where Jack Mitchell nailed a 41-yard field goal -his fourth of the game -- to give NU a 43-40 win.
UPCOMING EVENTS View PlanIt Purple for upcoming events and details at NU!
DECEMBER 8TH - 12TH FINAL EXAMS DECEMBER13TH - JANUARY 4TH WINTER BREAK SATURDAY, JANUARY 3RD AT NOON RESIDENCE HALLS REOPEN MONDAY, JANUARY 4TH FIRST DAY OF WINTER QUARTER CLASSES THURSDAY, JANUARY 8TH SUMMERFEST Is your student thinking about what he or she will do this summer? From internships and research opportunities to study abroad and summer classes, Residential Academic Initiatives’ Summerfest is the place to learn about options, prepare to apply, and get ready for a meaningful summer. The event will be held in the Norris University Center from 12-3 pm. Students can learn more here: https://www.facebook.com/ events/1499881660291253/?unit_ref=related_events
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10TH NU DAY AT THE RACE EXHIBIT Students will have the opportunity to see the RACE Exhibit and permanent exhibits at the Illinois Holocaust Museum. Transportation and entrance to the museum are free; students can register here.
CHEAP SKATES Is your student looking for a study break? Norris Outdoors has ice skates for rent this week for $3 for students. The City of Chicago has many free public ice skating rinks and the Norris Ice Skating Rink on campus will open for students in January.
PROMOTIONS NU HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Looking for a holiday gift for a Wildcat? Check out NU’s Holiday Gift Guide for great ideas for fans! http://www.nusports.com/sports/m-footbl/nw-m-footbl-body.html
EGEA - THE NORTH SHORE’S WELLNESS SPA Reward your Wildcat with the gift of wellness during Finals! What would be better than a relaxing massage or cleansing facial to restore your student's energy, relieve stress, and provides an escape during finals? EGEA - The North Shore’s Wellness Spa is located in downtown Evanston and is owned and operated by a Northwestern Alumnus. EGEA is the "Go To Place" on the North Shore for over 10 years. Voted "Best Day Spa and Facial" by Make It Better magazine in 2013 and 2014. To learn more about healthy, stress relief services at EGEA Spa visit www.egeaspa.com. Gift cards with your personal message can be ordered online at: www.egespa.com and will be delivered to your student directly via email or call EGEA Spa directly at (847.332.2772).
CONTACT US New Student and Family Programs 600 Haven St. , J100 Evanston, IL 60208 family@northwestern.edu (847) 467-3988 www.northwestern.edu/orientation