Hello Wildcat Parents & Family Members! It has taken me all week to sit down and write this letter as our office busily puts the final touches on Wildcat Welcome, NU’s eight-day new student orientation program which will take place Monday, September 15—Monday, September 22. Many of your students are already back in the swing of things, serving as leaders and mentors for a variety of pre-Wildcat Welcome Programs and many of your new students are participating in these endeavors. We currently have 10 Wildcat Welcome Board of Directors on campus leading “PA Camp” for our 210 Peer Advisers who will be mentoring our new freshmen and transfer students. This year, we also have 39 Family Ambassadors training to help orient our new parents and families to the University. Move-In day for new students kicks off at 8:00 am on Monday and classes finally start for everyone on Tuesday, September 23! This issue of the Wildcat Family Focus highlights many new and existing NU programs, initiatives and services which are available for all students. Often, our Wildcats are not aware of all of the academic and personal support that is available to them on campus, free of charge. Hopefully, you can learn about some of these opportunities here and will casually share them with your student when the time is right. If you will be making the journey with your student to Evanston during the next two weeks, please travel safely (and pack a warm jacket!) and if you are unable to make the trip, perhaps we will see you at Family Weekend, November 7, 8 & 9! Best of luck and I look forward to meeting many of you very soon! Best Regards & As Always, Go ‘Cats!
Patricia F. Hilkert Director of New Student and Family Programs Northwestern University
ACADEMIC SUPPORT PEER-LED UNDERGRADUATE STUDY (PLUS) A New Model of Residential Academic Support As part of its mission to deliver direct academic support in residential spaces, the Office of Residential Academic Initiatives is partnering with the Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching to launch PeerLed Undergraduate Study (PLUS) sessions this fall. PLUS offers a forum for students who are working on a problem set, reviewing last week’s class material, and/or preparing for an upcoming exam. Starting October 12, sessions will be held on Sundays from 3:00 to 5:00 pm in the 1835 Hinman dining hall. Snacks will be provided to entice students who are motivated more by grumbling stomachs than confounding equations. PLUS leverages the brain power of Northwestern students who have successfully completed one or more of the most common introductory courses in the curriculum. During PLUS sessions, peer leaders are “wandering”—that is, they are available to offer timely support to students who may be stuck, but they are not attached to a particular individual or small group for the entire session. PLUS is a resource for students at all levels: from those who are generally confident but would like occasional support, to those who know from day one or realize later in the quarter that they could use consistent support. PLUS currently covers the following courses, which routinely see heavy enrollment by first-year students: Chem 101, 102, 103, 210 Econ 201, 202 Math 212, 220, 224, 230 Psych 110 Stat 210 In addition to these courses, the Writing Place will host a collaborative writing space during PLUS sessions. Peer consultants will be on hand to work with students at any stage of the writing process for assignments big or small. This residential writing support is in addition to the standard offering of one-on-one consultations at the Writing Place’s headquarters in the library.
ACADEMIC MENTORING PROGRAM (AMP) Students looking for sustained academic support should consider the Academic Mentoring Program (AMP). In AMP, students meet in small groups weekly throughout the quarter, with a trained peer mentor, to review course material and reinforce conceptual understanding. AMP is currently offered in Chem 101-2-3, Econ 201, Econ 202, Physics 135, and Stat 210. AMP is particularly useful for students who may not have a strong background in the particular subject matter. All students registered for AMP-linked courses will receive information on how to register. For more information, visit the AMP website.
FACULTY-IN-RESIDENCE Jacob and Freda Smith, faculty members in the School of Communication, just finished their first year of living among students in Elder Hall as Faculty-in-Residence. Read more about their year in Elder on the University Relations blog, Life in Purple: http://blog.northwestern.edu/living-and-learning-with-faculty-inresidence/.
PRE-MED/PRE-HEALTH ADVISING UAAC AT WILDCAT WELCOME The University Academic Advising Center (UAAC), which advises pre-medical and pre-health students, will be at Wildcat Welcome hosting two information sessions on: Thursday, Sept. 18th from 1:30 to 2:30 pm Thursday, Sept. 18th from 3:00 to 4:00 pm These sessions for students will cover admissions factors (e.g., coursework, entrance exams, clinical experience, research, volunteer work) to professional health programs (e.g., medical, dental, veterinary, pharmacy, public health, optometry, physical and occupational therapy), our advising structure and services, the UAAC Fall calendar of events, and the opportunity to join our listserv for weekly emails of our events, programs, and professional school visits to Northwestern. We welcome students considering a career in any health profession to attend one of our information sessions. Sessions are identical; students need only attend one. New parents and families cam visit us during the Parent and Family Resource Fair on Tuesday, September 16th from 3:00 to 5:00 pm in the Norris Student Center, Louis Room.
PRE-MED ADVISERS TO MAKE FALL HOUSE CALLS Statistically speaking, 1 in 3 readers of this story has a student who is considering a career in medicine and planning to complete pre-med coursework in college. With so many new students self-identifying as pre-med, the Office of Residential Academic Initiatives and the Undergraduate Academic Advising Center are working to make it easier for students to connect with Northwestern’s dedicated pre-med advisers and learn more about academic options for their first year and beyond. As your student may already know, first-year students must attend a general information session about Northwestern’s pre-med process before scheduling a one-on-one appointment with an adviser; this ensures that individual advising conversations can focus on a student’s specific interests and concerns. Pre -med advisers offer lots of info sessions in the UAAC conference room to accommodate students’ diverse and full schedules. In an effort to reach more students in fall quarter, advisers will hold three of these sessions in the evening in residential settings: Tuesday, October 14, 6pm Wednesday, October 29, 5pm Monday, November 17, 5:30pm The precise residential spaces are to be determined, but they will be on different parts of campus and snacks will be provided! Please encourage your student to attend one of UAAC’s introductory pre-med sessions. The full schedule will be posted on the UAAC website in September.
NU NEWS ONE BOOK ONE NORTHWESTERN KICKS OFF If your student is new to Northwestern this fall, they should have received NU’s One Book One Northwestern Whistling Vivaldi. One Book will have great events throughout the year celebrating the book and exploring its themes. Encourage your student to attend some of the events this September to learn more! September 19th: Faces of Northwestern Photo Booth, 9 pm – Midnight Join us during Wildcat Welcome at Norris at Night. One Book will host a Photo Booth that will be open to all students. Norris Student Center September 27th: Block Museum Galleries, Artist Talk, 2:30 pm Artist Wangechi Mutu will provide an overview of her work and participate in a conversation with Huey Copeland, Associate Professor of Art History, Northwestern University. Louis Theater
NORTHWESTERN DINING AT THE TOP The Daily Meal ranked Northwestern #5 in its list for Best Colleges for Food 2014. Northwestern Dining offers a wide variety of nutritious options and student favorites, as well as works to accommodate student dietary needs. To learn more about the Daily Meal’s rankings, visit http://www.thedailymeal.com/75best-colleges-food-america-2014. Congratulations, Northwestern Dining!
OFF-CAMPUS LIFE OFFICE Though Northwestern offers a variety of choices for on-campus living, your new student might one day want to join his or her peers and become a part of Northwestern’s offcampus community! The Off-Campus Life office is the first point of contact for students moving and living off campus. We are here for all of your questions concerning everything from what to look out for when signing a lease, to one’s rights and responsibilities as a tenant. Our website provides important information and resources and can be accessed at: www.northwestern.edu/offcampus. For further questions and inquiries please contact us at offcampuslife@northwestern.edu.
NU CAREER SERVICES FALL INTERNSHIP & JOB FAIR BRINGS OVER COMPANIES TO CAMPUS
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Employers from top companies and organizations in various industries (Accenture, Deloitte, General Mills, Macy’s, Sodexo, Aldi, Museum of Contemporary Art, IBM, PepsiCo, Peace Corps and many more!) will be waiting to meet Northwestern students and alumni at the University Career Services Fall Internship and Job Fair. This year’s fair spans two days: Tuesday, September 30 and Wednesday, October 1 from 12-4 p.m. in Norris, 2nd Floor. Students must bring their Wildcard, plenty of resumes and dress in business professional attire. The event is open to Northwestern undergraduate students, graduate students and alumni. Students may log in to our internship and job search system CareerCat (under events) for the complete list of employers at http://bit.ly/ucscareercat.
INFO SESSIONS WITH RECRUITERS Northwestern students are invited to learn about opportunities with some of the world’s best companies and organizations recruiting at Northwestern at 60+ (and growing!) information sessions. This fall, we’ll be hosting LinkedIn, Disney, Nielsen, PwC, strategy&, Visa, and more! For more details and to RSVP, log on to CareerCat at http://bit.ly/ucscareercat.
@JOBSFORCATS TWEETS OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS Unique and interesting opportunities in all fields hand-picked by UCS staff from our CareerCat job and internship search system can now be found daily on our newest Twitter account @JobsforCats (http://twitter.com/jobsforcats). We welcome you to Tweet at us and share job/internship opportunities with your companies!
UCS EXPRESS HOURS START MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15! UCS invites students to get a jump start on resume/cover letter/CV reviews and find answers to career-related questions before fall quarter begins from September 15-22. Express hours (quick 15-minute meetings with advisors that do not require appointments) will be held Monday through Friday from 2-4 p.m. at our Express Advising Center in the Main Library, 2nd Floor, Core. From September 23-29, students can meet on the spot with a career counselor or advisor (no appointment required) during all-day express advising Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at our main office at 620 Lincoln St. Please note: During all-day express hours, individual advising appointments will not be scheduled so that we may accommodate as many students as possible before the Fall Internship and Job Fair. Regular express hours from 2-4 p.m. in the Main Library and scheduled appointments at 620 Lincoln St. resume on Thursday, October 2.
STUDENT LIFE
STUDENT INVOLVEMENT To find information about student groups on campus and their upcoming events this fall, encourage your student to use Wildcat Connection, NU’s portal for registered student organizations. They can also use that portal to do some preliminary research on the opportunities on campus prior to attending the Activities Fair, sponsored by the Center for Student Involvement and Associated Student Government. Undergraduate students of all class years are welcome to attend and learn more about joining the 400+ student groups on Saturday, September 27th from 2-5 pm in the Norris University Center.
RELIGIOUS LIFE AT NU The Office of Religious Life welcomes you and your student to Northwestern. We want to help your student find their place in the richly diverse religious life community at Northwestern. To help students learn more about religious life on campus, we have provided an electronic religious affiliation form. It will take only a few seconds to have your student indicate their religious affiliation and which groups they would like to know more about. Complete the form by clicking on the following link: Religious Life - Students Registering Your Religious Affiliation Form This form is, of course, voluntary. The Office of Religious Life will maintain confidential records of religious affiliation. The information will only be shared with the recognized campus religious groups that they indicate an interest in, so that they may contact your student and provide information about their programs and activities.
STUDENT LIFE
OFFICE OF FRATERNITY AND SORORITY LIFE At Northwestern University, first-year students have the opportunity to join a fraternity or sorority after fall quarter. Our deferred recruitment process enables students to become acclimated academically and socially before making a decision about whether to join Greek Life at all. During the winter quarter and beyond, students will have the opportunity to join an organization represented by the Interfraternity Council (IFC), Multicultural Greek Council (MGC), National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) or Panhellenic Association (PHA). However, just because Greeks aren’t formally recruiting first-year students in the fall doesn’t mean they aren’t living their letters around campus. New students have the chance to attend IFC chapters’ weekly Sunday Night Dinners and hear student testimonials at our MGC, PHA, and NPHC co-hosted Recruitment Kick-Off. They can also check out some of our signature events, like PHA’s Women’s Empowerment Week and MGC and NPHC’s annual Yardshow. If you’re looking for more information about your Wildcat joining a chapter, The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life will be happy to answer your questions at both the Parent and Family Resource Fair during Wildcat Welcome and our presentation during Family Weekend. Dates and times for all of these events can be found on our website (http:// www.northwestern.edu/gogreek/). Please encourage your student to ask questions about joining a fraternity or sorority. Although the majority of NU students are involved with a variety of other activities and involvements, there is a reason that 40% of NU undergraduates have found their home away from home in one of our 44 chapters, and our students would be happy to tell you why.
HEALTH SERVICE BACK-TO-SCHOOL HEALTH TIPS As students return to campus from all corners of the globe, they bring with them a variety of germs and viruses. So as students pack up their pillows and toothbrushes, we hope they will also remember these health basics:
Bring a digital thermometer, some band-aids and OTC ibuprofen or Tylenol.
Get adequate sleep, eat a balanced diet with complex carbs and protein, and stay wellhydrated.
Wash hands frequently, particularly after bathroom use and before eating, and refrain from touching your face to prevent inoculation from your hands.
Get a flu shot (available at the Health Service in mid-September) Wishing you good health in all your studies and activities!
HOURS, APPOINTMENTS, & PHARMACY
NEW STUDENTS
The Health Service in Evanston has a team of 13 physicians and numerous support staff, a full-service laboratory and a radiology facility to address your health care needs and concerns while away from home. Our pharmacy accepts most insurance plans and carries other over-thecounter essentials at low cost. Full Health Service hours, instructions on emergency care, appointment scheduling, and detailed information are available at: http:// www.nuhs.northwestern.edu/evanston/ default.aspx.
Entrance Health Requirements for incoming students (http://www.nuhs.northwestern.edu/ evanston/entrance.aspx) were due July 1. If there has been a delay, or if you have updates, please contact Heath Service as soon as possible.
CAMPUS SHUTTLES Northwestern operates several shuttles for students throughout the academic year, making stops on the Evanston and Chicago campuses as well as nearby shopping centers and downtown Chicago.
The Evanston Loop and Campus Loop Shuttles provide the NU community with a safe way to get around the Evanston campus during evenPhoto Credit: Brian Lee ing and early morning hours throughout the academic Originally appeared in The Daily Northwestern year. The Evanston Loop Shuttle connects the campus with the Davis St. CTA & Metra stations and west of campus, while the Campus Loop connects the northern and southern ends of campus to downtown Evanston. The Shop-N-Ride Shuttle provides students with access to shopping areas in the Evanston vicinity on select Sundays during the academic year. The Chicago Express Shuttle provides service between Evanston and four downtown Chicago locations on select Saturdays during the academic year. The Evanston Frostbite and Campus Frostbite Shuttles provide service around the Evanston campus during extreme weather conditions. The Ryan Field Shuttle provides service to the Evanston campus, connecting the Central Street Metra Station, Ryan Field Parking Lot, and downtown Evanston to the main campus. The Intercampus Shuttle travels between the Evanston and Chicago campuses on weekdays throughout the year.
All of these shuttles are free to ride – just show your WildCARD to board! Visit http:// www.northwestern.edu/uservices/transportation/shuttles/index.html for complete route and schedule details. Shuttle riders can track the buses at https://northwestern.doublemap.com/. DoubleMap shows the location of active shuttles on each route and provides estimated wait times for shuttle stops. DoubleMap also offers free apps for Android and iPhone as well as a mobile version of the website for use on other mobile devices. Have questions about the NU Shuttle system? Feel free to contact us at shuttle@northwestern.edu or 312-503-8129.
ILLINOIS CELL PHONE BAN As you prepare to come to campus to bring your new student or help your returning student move in, please note Illinois has a ban against cellphone use while driving. You must have a hands-free or Bluetooth option.
CAMPUS SERVICES REZESSENTIALS Worried about moving big items into your student's room on move-in day? Consider ordering your fridge through RezEssentials, a student-run company on campus that will deliver your student's fridge directly to their room at Northwestern prior to movein. To learn more, visit www.RezEssentials.com.
PROJECT COOKIE Are you wishing you knew of a way to easily send care packages to your Wildcat? Project Cookie, Northwestern's acclaimed student-run freshly-baked cookie company, is here to help! This fall, Project Cookie is launching a new program, Comfort Cookies, which allows members of the Northwestern community to send cookie care packages to students during special holidays (such as Halloween and Valentine's Day) and finals weeks. Comfort Cookies encourages friends and family to send cookies from the heart throughout the school year as tokens of their warm wishes and love. Members of the Northwestern community can choose to send students either 4 or 6 Comfort Cookies packages, and each delivery will include 4 of Project Cookie's specialty cookies: 1 'Chocolate Chipper' (chocolate chip cookie) and 3 'Inception Cookies' (chocolate chip cookies with Oreos, Reese's, and Brownies baked inside). Comfort Cookies customers will only need to pay a one time fee for the packages: $30 for 4 deliveries and $45 for 6 deliveries. To learn more about Project Cookie and to place a Comfort Cookies order, visit nuprojectcookie.com. Project Cookie is excited to have the opportunity to brighten your student's year! If you have any questions about Project Cookie's Comfort Cookies, please don't hesitate to contact Michaela Kastelman, Project Cookie's VP of Catering, at catering@nuprojectcookie.com or at (408) 529-8304.
ATHLETICS
FOOTBALL Northwestern Football returns home on September 20th to face Western Illinois University at 11 am. This game will be part of Wildcat Welcome and all new students will have the opportunity to run on the field pregame as part of our “Wildcat Dash” tradition.
FAMILY WEEKEND This year’s Family Weekend is scheduled for November 7-9. Join us at Ryan Field on Saturday, November 8th as the ‘Cats Football team takes on the University of Michigan, and Sunday, November 9th when the ‘Cats Women’s Basketball team is in action.
BASKETBALL Season Tickets are now on sale for Chicago’s Big Ten Team. Join Head Coach Chris Collins at Welsh-Ryan Arena for all 19 home games. Visit NUsports.com for ticket information.
INTERNATIONAL OFFICE
International Peer Advisers On Friday, September 12, 2014, the International Office will kick-off its 6th Annual International Undergraduate Student Orientation. The 2014 program will undoubtedly be the largest program to date, with nearly 250 students registered to attend. In response to a growing interest from international parents to have a program that specifically addresses their concerns, the International Parent Orientation was launched in 2011 and is held in conjunction with the International Student Orientation. This year the program will welcome the largest group of parents in its four year history, with over 150 expected to attend. The International Office, along with the invaluable and tireless efforts of our International Peer Advisors (IPAs) and International Student Orientation Executive Board, who are selected and trained in the winter and spring, guide international students and their families through their transition to student life at Northwestern. The 2014 program will kick off with students moving into their permanent residence halls beginning at 10am on Friday, September 12th with shuttles from the International Office to the store Bed, Bath, and Beyond, available from 3-6pm so students can outfit their rooms early. In collaboration with Northwestern Alumni Relations and Development, we will host a special welcome reception for our international parents at 6pm, on September 12th, at the Hilton Orrington Hotel, where they will be greeted by Associate Provost, Ron Breautigam, and get to know the International Office staff. The newly minted Wildcats will tour the campus with their IPAs and then join their parents for a welcome dinner for all at the Hilton Orrington that evening. The weekend will be filled with fun activities, designed by the IPAs to help students get to know campus, Evanston and Chicago, with plenty of time built in to spend with their families as well. On Monday, September 15, 2014, students and parents will be hosted at the Technological Institute where they will hear welcoming remarks from Medill Dean Brad Hamm, and then attend a series of concurrent sessions tailored specifically to address their needs as international students and parents. The International Office is excited to see such a significant increase in participation as this program continues to grow and develop and are excited to have the opportunity to further enrich the experience of all members of the Wildcat family.
UPCOMING EVENTS View PlanIt Purple for upcoming events and details at NU!
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH NEW STUDENT MOVE-IN DAY Find more details about Move-In through NU Residential Services’ Move-In Guide.
SEPTEMBER 15TH & 16TH PARENT & FAMILY ORIENTATION Join New Student and Family Programs for events especially for the parents and family members of new students! Events include a welcome and reception from University President Morty Schapiro, March Through the Arch, school-specific academic orientations, and more. For more information including a schedule of events, visit NSFP’s website.
SEPTEMBER 15TH THROUGH 22ND WILDCAT WELCOME We can’t wait to welcome this year’s new students to campus with eight days of programming designed to help in transition to campus. From social events such as Norris at Night and the New Student Game Day Tailgate to Essential Northwesterns (workshops where students learn about themselves and others), and hands-on academic advising and class registration, new Wildcats are bound to have a great time! To learn more about Wildcat Welcome, visit www.northwestern.edu/orientation.
SEPTEMBER 19TH RETURNING STUDENT MOVE-IN For information on returning student move-in and check-in locations, visit Residential Services’ website.
SEPTEMBER 23RD FIRST DAY OF CLASSES New Student and Family Programs 600 Haven St. J100 Evanston, IL 60208 family@northwestern.edu 847-467-3988