Wildcat Family Focus - Spring 2016 by Northwestern University/Student Affairs

WILDCAT

FAMILY FOCUS MAY 2016 1

CONTENTS PRE-ORIENTATION PROGRAMS (POP) PAGE 4

SESP PAGE 20

OVERVIEW OF PROGRAMS PAGE 5

DESIGN THINKING AND COMMUNICATIONS PAGE 21

MEET THE AMBASSADORS PAGE 6

SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION PAGE 22

NU STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE OFFICE PAGE 7

MEDILL SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM PAGE 23

ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH PAGE 9 DANCE MARATHON PAGE 10 ALTERNATIVE STUDENT BREAKS PAGE 12 NORTHWESTERN CAREER ADVANCEMENT PAGE 14 THE OFF-CAMPUS LIFE OFFICE PAGE 17 NORTHWESTERN DINING PAGE 18

CAMPUS SAFETY PAGE 24 INTERFRATERNITY COUNCIL RECRUITMENT PAGE 25 PANHELLENIC ASSOCIATION (PHA) PAGE 26 SHEIL CATHOLIC CENTER PAGE 28 UNDERGRADUATE WINS A GUEST COACHING EXPERIENCE PAGE 29 CLASS OF 2016 PAGE 30

NEW STUDENT AND FAMILY PROGRAMS 2

DEPARTMENT FOCUS Hello, Wildcat families! With spring quarter underway, Northwestern students are busy not only engaging in their academic studies, but also diving in to involvement outside of the classroom, as they participate in student groups, community engagement, and campus activities. In many cases, these students interact with Northwestern’s Campus Life office. Students who visit the third floor of Norris University Center may notice a few changes in the Student Involvement Suite. As our staff thought strategically about the future of campus life at Northwestern, we worked to develop three key areas of involvement within our structure; we reimagined ourselves and our acronyms in a new staffing model. After extensive conversations and benchmarking, we implemented the following changes to our student involvement suite names for functional areas within a unit: CAMPUS LIFE Student Organizations & Activities Leadership & Community Engagement Fraternity & Sorority Life We do not see these areas as distinct, isolated departments, but rather as a collaborative unit that supports the multidimensional work of our students and their organizations. We focus on the and, which describes the holistic experience of student life at Northwestern. As we have implemented these changes, we continue to examine how we define leadership, advising, funding, and membership in student organizations. We want students we interact with to be able to walk into our community space and expand their breadth of professional experiences by having a theatre contract signed, planning an upcoming leadership retreat, or discussing recruitment for their sorority. “I am an engineer and a sorority woman.” “I am involved with A&O productions and Northwestern Community Development Corps.” “I participated in Dance Marathon and attended the NU Nights event.” In this issue of Wildcat Family Focus, you will read about numerous student groups affiliated with Campus Life, including Dance Marathon, Alternative Student Breaks, Panhellenic Association, and Interfraternity Council. You will also have the opportunity to learn about happenings in some of our undergraduate schools, catch up on the latest news from Northwestern Career Advancement, and meet a few of the 2016 Family Ambassadors. As you will see, spring is in full swing at Northwestern! We are happy to share in this community with you – our Wildcat families. Best Regards, Brent Turner Executive Director, Campus Life

PRE-ORIENTATION PROGRAMS (POP) POP Dates June 1: Deadline to submit rankings for POPtrip or register for POPfaith June 10: POPtrip applicants receive trip placement and fee waiver update (if applicable) June 24: Deadline for POPtrip participants to pay program fee

Each year, approximately 500 incoming students participate in an optional Pre-Orientation Program (POP) to bond with new friends and to learn through service or adventure, reflection, and fun. Wildcat Welcome provides your students with the perfect opportunity to connect and bond with the entire new Wildcat cohort; POP simply provides an additional opportunity for them to connect with others. Students who are interested can choose to register for a POPfaith or apply to POPtrip by June 1. Students are encouraged to visit the POP website and apply early. Financial assistance is available in the form of a fee waiver for students receiving need-based aid from Northwestern; simply mark this in the POP application.

Contact Information New Student and Family Programs 847-467-3988 orientation@northwestern.edu northwestern.edu/orientation/incoming-students/pop

NOTE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS International students who wish to participate in a POPtrip must first consult with the International Office, as participation in a POPtrip would preclude their ISO attendance. You can contact the International Office at intoff@northwestern.edu.

Registration opens in May, and more information about each POP is available on the New Student and Family Programs website.

OVERVIEW OF PROGRAMS PROGRAM

DESCRIPTION

DATES

COST

POPtrip: Apply to POPtrip by ranking the trips in which you are interested; early applications are encouraged. Deadline to apply is June 1; placement is announced on June 10. Alternative Student Breaks (ASB)

CATalyst

Freshman Urban Program (FUP)

Project Wildcat (PWild)

ASB’s service-learning experiences at sites across the country give you an education in civic engagement and heighten social awareness.

9/4-9/12

$215 + spending money for some meals

Set in Michigan’s great outdoors, CATalyst’s “challenge by choice” activities build confidence and leadership skills.

9/8-9/12

$290 + spending money for incidentals

Neighborhood visits, cultural discovery, and group discussions punctuate a week of exploring Chicago and its people.

9/6-9/12

$250 + spending money for incidentals

9/4-9/12

$350 + optional equipment rentals (up to $85) + money for some meals

Reflect by a river, cook your own food, and sleep under the Northern Minnesota stars on this backpacking trip for all skill levels.

POPfaith: Register and pay (if applicable) for a POPfaith by June 1. Space is limited; registration is first-come, first-served so apply early. First Night at Sheil Catholic Center

Hillel’s Freshman Fest

A cookout, bonfire, and games are among the highlights of a night when facets of Catholic student life at Northwestern come into focus.

9/11-9/12

Make yourself a home in the hub of Northwestern’s vibrant Jewish community and enjoy feasting and connecting with new friends.

9/11-9/12

$36

MEET THE FAMILY AMBASSADORS! The New Student and Family Programs Family Ambassadors are a team of 30 undergraduate students who volunteer their time to serve you – parents and families – and help you connect to the Northwestern community through Parent and Family Orientation, Family Weekend, and other events throughout the academic year.

time answering questions and sharing their own Northwestern experiences with families who visit campus. New parents and families should keep their eyes open for the Family Ambassadors at Parent and Family Orientation this fall, September 1213, 2016! All Northwestern families who attend Family Weekend – November 4-6, 2016 – will have the opportunity to interact with Family Ambassadors. As the 2016 Family Ambassadors participate in spring training sessions, they are already excited to welcome families to campus, answer their questions, and share their love for the Northwestern community.

Family Ambassadors are selected each spring through a competitive multi-step application process; they complete a series of trainings throughout spring quarter, and again each fall before Wildcat Welcome. When parents and families are on campus, these amazing volunteers lead campus tours, host receptions and information sessions, share meals with families, and serve as one-stop resources for parents and families. Most importantly, they spend

Here’s what a few Family Ambassadors have to say about the experience:

d “One of my most memorable experiences as a Family Ambassador was simply walking a family member back to her student’s dorm and listening to her excitement and concerns. I felt her trust through her questions and comments, and her eagerness about her student’s start at Northwestern made me even more proud to support the NU community.” –Nisha Bhuva ’18

“My mom worries more than anybody else I know. When we were leaving to come to NU, she kept mentioning how stressed she was with me living a plane ride away. But on the last day before my parents left during Wildcat Welcome, she told me that she was happy I was in good hands at Northwestern and that she felt completely at ease leaving me here (which both of us never thought she would say). I’m sure that she changed her mind because of Parent and Family Orientation. I was and will be an FA so that I can make other parents and families of incoming students feel the same way!” –Drew Kittleson ’18

“Finishing up my freshman year, I decided to take a step out of my comfort zone and join the Family Ambassador program. I was extremely nervous about being a Family Ambassador, but regardless of these hesitations, I remained with the program and had one of my many life-changing experiences at Northwestern. Not only did I meet some of my closest friends through the program, but I also found a sense of fulfillment in assisting the families of new students. I quickly learned that the families were a group of diverse, excited people who raised the amazing students attending Northwestern. I actually became friends with a family that I met during my first year as a Family Ambassador, and two years later, I still found myself talking to this family during Family Weekend. The Family Ambassador program has not just helped the thousands of family members become a part of Northwestern’s community, but it has also helped me become a better Northwestern Wildcat!” - Connor Lantz ’17

AN IMPORTANT UPDATE FROM THE

NU STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE OFFICE

Health insurance can be a challenging topic for students and parents alike. Over the past year, the NU Student Health Insurance office has been improving a number of our systems and processes to enable us to provide better service and support to students across Northwestern. We would like to take this opportunity to update you on Northwestern’s insurance requirements, and how these improvements may impact your student this summer and fall.

the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and the resulting market responses to those regulations. As a result, many existing insurance policies have experienced changes to their plan designs, benefits, or networks, in some cases without their enrollees being fully aware of how these changes may impact their coverage or their subsequent care. Challenges in a post-ACA landscape Unanticipated financial expenses can be a major barrier to completing one’s academic degree and goals successfully; further, unexpected medical or mental health expenses are among the most common unanticipated financial expenses that students encounter.

Northwestern requires all degree-seeking students to have good insurance coverage. Traditionally, we have only inquired about students’ insurance selection – whether they wish to enroll in the NU Student Health Insurance Plan (NU-SHIP) or waive the NU-SHIP because they have alternate insurance that meets NU’s comparable coverage requirements – during their first year at Northwestern. However, many insurance plans – available either through one’s employer or the private marketplace – have been affected over the last several years by requirements established by

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Many students are unaware of whether their insurance coverage meets Northwestern’s requirements, and many are unaware of whether their plan benefits have changed since they first informed Northwestern of their insurance selection.

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Comparable Coverage Requirements for Alternate Insurance Plans

A notable subset of the Northwestern student community is without any insurance, despite the federal requirement to have insurance coverage; Northwestern only learns about these gaps during crisis situations.

We can do better. To improve our ability to care for our students, and ensure they are covered appropriately, in the 2016-2017 academic year, Northwestern will move to an annual insurance reporting requirement, aligning our practices with our peer institutions.

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Almost all of Northwestern’s comparable coverage requirements are tied to the benefit requirements established by the Affordable Care Act (ACA); this aligns our requirements with a national standard and ensures that ACAcompliant insurance plans automatically meet almost all Northwestern requirements immediately.

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Students with out-of-state insurance coverage (non-Illinois plans) should ensure that they are covered for routine, non-emergency care – in addition to emergency care – in the Evanston area.

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For additional information about the benefits that alternate plans must provide to qualify to waive NU-SHIP, please download a copy of the Comparable Coverage Checklist from our website.

Annual NU Student Health Insurance Requirements Northwestern will enroll all degree-seeking, registered students into the NU-SHIP annually, to ensure all students have active insurance coverage. •

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Students who wish to use the NU-SHIP for their insurance coverage should confirm their NU-SHIP enrollment via the online Coverage Selection Form in CAESAR during the open enrollment period.

We’re Here to Help If you or your student has questions about Northwestern insurance policies, or need assistance, we’re happy to review annual requirements and help students navigate the online Coverage Selection Form to confirm or waive NU-SHIP enrollment, in addition to answering enrollment questions and explaining plan benefits.

Students covered under an alternate insurance policy should waive their NU-SHIP enrollment, via the online Coverage Selection Form in CAESAR during the open enrollment period. Alternate plans must meet Northwestern’s comparable coverage requirements.

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The online Coverage Selection Form will be available from July 1 through Oct. 1 (the open enrollment period).

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If students do not waive the NU-SHIP by the enrollment / waiver deadline on Oct. 1, they will remain enrolled in the NU-SHIP for the entire academic year, and they will be billed the annual premium of $3,799.

You can reach us by e-mail at student.insurance@ northwestern.edu or by phone at 847-491-2113. For more information about student health insurance at the Northwestern, we encourage you to explore our website. We look forward to a healthy and successful academic year!

NORTHWESTERN CELEBRATES

ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH May is the annual Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPIHM), which celebrates the vibrant cultures and legacies of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. Signature events include JubilAsian, a night of performances, food, and celebration which took place on Friday, May 6, a panel event with Asian American Studies faculty members who successfully passed a new major in Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, and a trip to Chinatown visiting the Chinese American Museum of Chicago and eating dim sum. A calendar of events is posted on the Multicultural Student Affairs website.

DANCE MARATHON

Now in its 43rd year, Northwestern University Dance Marathon (NUDM) continues to be one of the largest entirely student-run philanthropies in the nation. Over 1,000 dancers and committee members participate in making the event happen every year, in which students gather in a giant tent outside the Norris University Center to dance for 30 hours straight. NUDM selects a different primary beneficiary annually to partner with for the course of one school year in this charitable mission. NUDM’s long-standing secondary beneficiary is the Evanston Community Foundation (ECF). Since its founding in 1975, NUDM has raised over $16 million dollars for more than 30 different charitable organizations. ever written in its 42-year history) to Blessings in a Backpack and $102,228 to ECF. Beyond its financial impact this year, NUDM participants engaged in 830 service hours to pack a total of 12,548 bags of food for Evanston schoolchildren during the 2015-2016 school year.

This year, NUDM raised $1,201,216 on behalf of Blessings in a Backpack and the Evanston Community Foundation. NUDM broke the $1 million mark in funds raised for its sixth consecutive year, far surpassing last year’s $1.13 million total, and setting an organizational record for the most money raised per dancer. With the help of over 8,000 unique donors, NUDM was able to give $920,057 (the second largest check it has

While this was the 19th year NUDM partnered with the Evanston Community Foundation as its secondary beneficiary, NUDM selected Blessings in a Backpack as its primary beneficiary in the spring of 2015, choosing to combat childhood hunger for the first time in its 42-year history. Blessings in a Backpack is a leading childhood hunger organization feeding food-insecure students on the weekends, who might otherwise go hungry. Currently, more than 20 percent of children in the Chicagoland area suffer from food insecurity, making Cook County the fourth highest-need county in the United States in terms of food insecurity. Through its work with Blessings in a Backpack, NUDM will be able to directly combat hunger in the Chicagoland area. In addition to fundraising and service, NUDM was proud to bring greater awareness to the “silent epidemic” of hunger by disseminating knowledge about the cause to the Northwestern community.

ALTERNATIVE STUDENT BREAKS Alternative Student Breaks (ASB) strives to build community at Northwestern through service learning by sending small groups of students on pre-orientation, winter break, and spring break trips to volunteer at a variety of nonprofits across the country.

projects for the nonprofit that require the help of a large group, and having insightful conversations with community members. During this past spring break alone, participating students totaled an astounding 3,200 hours of community service!

From the mountains of Colorado to the beaches of South Carolina, this spring break, one hundred Northwestern students spent time engaging with communities and learning about social issues directly from those who are affected. Each trip partnered with one of eight unique nonprofit organizations ranging from Mission: Wolf, a wolf sanctuary, to Greenhouse 17, an advocacy agency located on a 40-acre farm which provides support and shelter for people affected by domestic partner abuse. Each day, students worked with these nonprofits in new and meaningful ways: aiding the organization in daily services, completing needed

In addition to providing a platform for learning more about social issues, ASB enables and encourages students to reflect on their own experiences and think of ways to stay engaged after returning from the trip. ASB gives students an opportunity to step back from the hectic environment of classes to think about their personal history, their aspirations, and their place in their family, school, and society. Each trip also leaves time for participants to explore the surrounding community and bond with their peers. Students visited cultural centers and museums, hiked, and much more!

The Startup Career Fair was one of several industry-specific career fairs co-hosted by NCA in late winter/early spring.

SPRING UPDATES FROM

NORTHWESTERN CAREER ADVANCEMENT

Northwestern Career Advancement transitioned into spring with a host of career preparation and exploration opportunities for students. Highlights included: •

Co-hosting three industry-specific career fairs, including the Energy and Sustainability Fair, Global Health Resource Fair, and Startup Fair.

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Wrapping up application periods for the Summer Internship Grant Program (provides a stipend of at least $3,000 to undergraduate students participating in unpaid summer internships and offers career development support) and Career Treks (treks to various U.S. cities in late summer that allow students to explore different industries). A record number of nearly 700 students applied to the Summer Internship Grant Program this year – a 65

percent increase from last year’s applicants – and recipients will be selected and notified in May. •

Matching more than 400 students with alumni for a day of job shadowing as part of the Northwestern Externship Program, co-hosted by the Northwestern Alumni Association.

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Coordinating a week of programming focused on careers in government and policy, including a job/internship search workshop, careers in policy panel, early access to mock interviews, and more.

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Introducing first-year students to a variety of strategies and activities designed to clarify their career paths through First In Line, a threepart career development workshop series.

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Technology Advances at NCA

Hosting Consulting Boot Camp, a four-week educational series about the consulting field that served to develop students’ understanding of the sector and prepare them for the internship and full-time recruiting processes. Collaborating with the Office of Residential Academic Initiatives on a series of five LinkedIn workshops in five different residence halls, where students learned how to build a strong LinkedIn profile and use their profiles to network effectively and find jobs and internships. Students were also able to get a professional photo in business attire, which creates a strong first impression on LinkedIn and is an important part of a professional online presence. Career adviser Matt Formica talks about how LinkedIn can help students in their internship/job search in a recent NCA blog post.

NCA is pleased to announce two new advances in technology that will help Northwestern students achieve their career objectives. •

The CareerCat mobile app allows students to browse internships/jobs, view upcoming appointments and company presentations, and receive alerts for new internships/jobs on their phones (based on searches set up on the desktop version of CareerCat). New jobs and internships are added almost daily to CareerCat – Northwestern’s central platform for career activity. Download the app on iTunes or on the Google Play store.

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VMock online resume preparation platform allows students to upload a resume and receive a critique of both the format and the content. This is an ideal resource to use prior to any NCA appointment, event or program and can be accessed 24-7.

Beyond Northwestern: The Undergraduate Class of 2015

As always, we encourage your student to meet with their career counselor or adviser to explore career paths, discuss their job or internship strategy, and more.

Learn about the career paths of the Northwestern undergraduate class of 2015 six months after graduation in the newly released first destination report from NCA. This report represents data from 79 percent of the undergraduate members of the class of 2015.

Students in New York City on the 2015 Media Career Trek. Applications for the 2016 Career Treks were accepted through mid-April and include the Media Trek along with six other industry-specific treks.

THE OFF-CAMPUS LIFE OFFICE As the first point of contact for students moving and living off campus, the Northwestern OffCampus Life office offers resources to help students transition smoothly into a new living environment. If your student is looking to move out of the residence halls for the next academic year, we encourage them to consult our “How To” guides. These step-by-step, downloadable guides provide tips for moving off campus successfully, and also address common situations students may face as members of the local community. Although many students find their off-campus accommodations through word-of-mouth and by walking around Evanston, Off-Campus Life has partnered with Places4Students.com to provide a convenient, online housing search tool. Through Places4Students, prospective tenants can browse available rental listings, view property photos and amenities, and easily determine the distance between the property and campus. The site also allows students to post a sublet ad or a “roommates needed” profile.

As leases can vary from property to property, it is crucial for students to understand the terms of the agreement before signing a legally binding document. The City of Evanston’s Model Lease Agreement offers an overview of what you can expect to find in a typical lease. It is not unusual for landlords to request the first month’s and last month’s rent at the time of lease-signing. Some landlords use riders which include additional lease stipulations that tenants need to review when deciding whether or not to sign a lease. In these cases, it is important to have a contingency plan so that your student can pursue other housing options if necessary. Off-Campus Life is happy to answer any questions you or your student may have about the housing search process or other living issues. Please feel free to contact our office at offcampuslife@northwestern.edu or 847-491-8430 for more information.

NORTHWESTERN DINING: ONE OF 50 BEST COLLEGE DINING EXPERIENCES IN 2016

Your students can savor their dining hall meal a bit extra this week in celebration of College Rank awarding Northwestern Dining 29th nationally for College Dining Experiences. 2016 marks Northwestern Dining’s first appearance on the list, which considers a variety of categories: versatility, nutrition and wellness, sustainability, and accessibility. We are proud to have been named 29th and look forward to a glorious new school year in fall 2016.

Our kitchen prepares many other foods with gluten and all of the listed allergens. Simple Servings staff members are carefully trained to avoid cross-contamination of their menu items. Separate equipment, storage areas, utensils, and preparation areas minimize, but do not totally eliminate, the chances of gluten and allergens in our Simple Servings foods. While the Simple Servings program is designed to allow customers to have an easy way to avoid gluten and allergens, our chef and dietitian still want to meet all of our students with special food needs. Knowing about student preferences and limitations allows us to plan our menu to best meet everyone’s needs.

Rest assured, your hungry college student has satiating food options with Northwestern Dining and within one of our 17 retail outlets like Frontera, Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Subway. Students can stock up on Cat Cash for those amazing extras like freshly baked cookies, cinnamon rolls, and other fine pastry assortments, as well as convenience items. Remember, with Cat Cash, students do not pay tax! For more information on Cat Cash, please visit the Northwestern Dining website.

Simple Servings: providing convenient, delicious, and secure options for your student so they can focus on their future, instead of their food allergy. How can I learn more? To learn more about Northwestern Dining’s health, wellness, and food allergy initiatives please visit our website or contact District Dietitian Karen Sechowski, directly at 847-491-DIET(3438) or via e-mail at diet-food@northwestern.edu for more information.

Northwestern Dining proudly presents Simple Servings in Allison Hall With the growing number of students facing food allergies and gluten intolerance, Northwestern Dining has introduced Simple Servings in Allison Hall. This program, along with District Dietitian Karen Sechowski, and Northwestern student Joshua Krivan, was featured on Fox News Chicago and is available for viewing here.

Northwestern Dining launches new interactive map. Lost on campus? Just don’t know where to eat? Here’s a solution for your student!

What is Simple Servings?

Students can visit our website at northwestern. sodexomyway.com/dining-choices/evanston-map. html to use our new interactive dining map. The interactive map tells your student what is open or closed and how to get there. They simply need to drop their pin where they are and choose one of the listed locations they’d like to visit. They can choose if they will be driving, walking, bicycling, or taking public transit to the location.

Simple Servings provides safe and appetizing food choices “ready to go” for students with food allergies and gluten intolerance, or those who prefer plain and simple foods. The Simple Servings station offers foods made without the FDA’s most-common allergens of peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, wheat, soy, milk products, and eggs. All foods offered are made without gluten-containing ingredients. Fish dishes are included in the varied menu options as a healthy protein choice, along with beef, pork, chicken, turkey, and vegetarian options. The menu changes daily for lunch and dinner.

Be sure to have your student visit www.dining. northwestern.edu and get acclimated with our dining team, the menus, and the map over the summer to confidently navigate campus. Sign up for our newsletter to find out what’s happening in dining and to eat and greet with new friends.

SESP ADDS NEW LEARNING SCIENCES MAJOR In recognition of the increasing importance of continuous learning across a lifetime, the School of Education and Social Policy is adding a new undergraduate major in learning sciences. The new undergraduate program draws on the strength of the School’s existing graduate program in the learning sciences, which has a 26-year history and was the first undergraduate learning sciences program in the nation. Focusing on three primary themes of cognition and action, cultural contexts, and designing for learning, the new major will prepare students to be leaders in the scientific understanding and practice of developing effective environments for learning. The program will be of special interest to students who want to pursue careers in education technology, instructional design, education in museums and informal learning environments, education research, curriculum design, workplace learning, and related fields. “Out-of-school learning will become increasingly important in the coming decades as workers

can now expect to pursue more than one career and change jobs many times over their lifetimes,” says Dean Penelope Peterson. “Accordingly, we need to prepare college graduates who can serve as leaders in helping to design innovative environments that effectively nurture and support learning both in school and in many different informal contexts, including after-school programs, museums, community centers, online environments, and workplaces.” Students in the new major, which will begin in fall 2016 and was developed by a faculty committee chaired by professor Reed Stevens, may specialize in learning in schools, out-of-school learning, or design of learning environments. Depending on the specialization, the curriculum will include courses on topics such as designing interactive media and technology, learning with new media, and learning and teaching with technology. Anyone interested in more information about the major may contact SESP Assistant Dean Susan Olson at susan-olson@northwestern.edu.

ENGINEERING STUDENTS ENGAGE IN DESIGN THINKING AND COMMUNICATIONS COURSE As freshmen, Northwestern Engineers have the unique opportunity to learn how trying to solve problems with no correct answers can lead to creative solutions. In the Segal Design Institute’s Design Thinking and Communication (DTC) course, students team up to take on design challenges submitted by real clients representing nonprofit organizations, entrepreneurs, or members of industry. The Feb. 24 edition of The Wall Street Journal highlighted how those projects lay the foundation for future success in engineering.

By working with clients directly, teams experience firsthand the challenge of empathizing with their client’s unique needs, managing team dynamics, and in some cases, realizing the need to start over. Throughout the process, students learn valuable lessons in teamwork, resiliency, and creativity. “It’s obviously not a good feeling when people say ‘no, I really don’t like this idea,’” said Robert Bell, a DTC student. “At the same time, I feel like our entire group is pretty good at overcoming those kinds of setbacks. ... We just moved forward with a different part of our plan.”

The Wall Street Journal showcased some of the most recent projects to emerge from DTC, which students tackled on behalf of patients at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. One team sought to improve a patient’s mobility by developing a more stable, shock-absorbent base to attach to the rear legs of a walker. Another team made it easier for a stroke survivor with limited use of her hands to crochet again by building an elevated wheelchair armrest to position the arms more effectively for crocheting.

Design Thinking and Communication is a twoquarter course required for all Northwestern Engineering freshmen. The course was designed and is co-taught by faculty from the Bobbie and Stanton Cook Family Writing Program in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. The class also teaches students writing and presentation skills, which teams can showcase when they present their final solutions to clients and faculty at the conclusion of the academic quarter.

SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION’S NEW MODULAR CURRICULUM Sally Lindel (Comm ’15) was a committed theatre major, focused on acting in middle and high school. She arrived at Northwestern believing that performance would be her entrée into professional theatre, but as her studies progressed, she discovered that acting was not her main interest after all. Encouraged by her professors, she enrolled in a stage management course, where she found a very different way to express her passion for the theatre.

a capstone project that can be used to help secure a post-graduation job. Members of the modules’ Industry Advisory Board, mostly comprised of successful alumni working in related fields, consult with the students about their capstones, offering feedback and advice. “It’s this practicality that you really can’t get from a theory or (traditional) professor,” says Wendy Steinhoff (C92), vice president for comedy development at Warner Bros. “My involvement can make students, at the very least, more confident in interview situations and meeting people.”

Had Lindel arrived at Northwestern prior to 2011, she would have found no easy way to pursue her new dream to work in theatre management; but the creation of the School of Communication’s new modular curriculum – and specifically the Theatre and Stage Management module – provided her with a clear and well-lit pathway to her goals.

It’s within this community of diverse learners and experts that students discover how to bridge theory and practice, and, ultimately, head off to a bright career in their chosen field. Junior Kayla Griffith chose the Acting for the Screen module as a pathway to becoming an actor.

“It just made a lot of sense to me,” says Lindel, who secured her development job at the Roundabout Theatre Company in New York prior to graduating last spring. “It allowed me to take courses with a focus.”

“I know that a lot of people think that’s a silly or misguided goal to have,” she says of her aspirations, “but I understand how to make this a feasible goal and how to get there.”

Students of every discipline in the School of Communication have the opportunity to participate in a module. There are over a dozen currently offered with more in development, including Acting for the Screen, Digital Media, Music Theatre Choreography, and Playwriting. Modules combine four to six courses with related co-curriculars and internships, which culminate in

Be it acting or directing, communication or management, an ever-increasing number of School of Communication students unearth, pursue, and succeed in their chosen fields every year.

UPDATES MEDILL SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM Turn on the nightly news, and you’ll likely see a Medill grad sitting behind the anchor desk. Scroll through Twitter or the website of your favorite news outlet, and the bylines read like a who’s who of Medill alumni.

Certificate provides a wholesome look at the field, and a vast range of electives allow students to improve in areas that range from coding to environmental reporting. But the learning doesn’t stop in the classroom.

For decades, the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications has prepared some of the best young journalists and marketers in the country.

Students have the opportunity to join any number of campus media outlets, which include the Daily Northwestern, North by Northwestern, Stitch, Spoon, or WNUR. Many choose to spend time coding at the Knight Lab or researching a cold case with the Medill Justice Project, or to spend a quarter at a Medill program in South Africa, Qatar, Washington, D.C., or San Francisco.

And the even better news? Our program is only getting stronger. Medill’s highly-qualified teaching staff guide students on a newly-renovated curriculum that looks toward the future of media. The Integrated Marketing Communications

CAMPUS SAFETY: BEHAVIORAL CONSULTATION TEAM (BCT) Northwestern University is committed to providing a safe environment for its students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Northwestern University developed and implemented a multi-disciplinary Behavioral Consultation Team (BCT) whose mission is dedicated to the prevention, reduction, and management of violence. In order to enhance our efforts to keep our campus safe, university faculty, staff, and students are strongly encouraged to report violent and threatening behavior to the Behavioral Consultation Team. If family members become aware of warning signs such as unusual behavior or messages that suggest the possibility of violence on our campus, we ask that parents report this information as well. In an effort to protect the campus community, the BCT will investigate the report, gather additional fact-based information, make comprehensive recommendations, provide relevant resources, and monitor the case.

5. Indications the person has undertaken planning or rehearsals to carry out an act of harm or violence. 6. Acts of rage, harm, violence, or destruction of property. 7. Recent weapon-seeking behavior linked to ideas or interests in harm or violence. 8. Communications indicating the person has a worrisome interest in violence or is considering violence. 9. Surveillance of sites or persons linked to ideas or interests in harm or violence. How to Report a Concern: Contact the Director of Threat Assessment, Michelle Hoy-Watkins, Psy.D, at mhoy@northwestern.edu or 847-467-5375, if you would like to make a report or if you would like to consult about a concern you may have. You may also contact any member of the Northwestern University Behavioral Consultation Team if you become aware of any concerning behaviors that have a potential for violence. If there is an emergency, please call 911 or Northwestern University Police at 847-491-3456 (or dial 456 from any campus phone), 847-467-7883 (TDD).

What to Report: The following examples may be warning behaviors, and may indicate that a person may be distressed and concerning to the campus community. Potential Imminent Warning Signs and Violence-Related Behaviors: 1. Threat is present.

To learn more about our BCT, please visit northwestern.edu/up/crime/ threat-assessment.html.

2. Seriously disruptive or intimidating behavior. 3. Suicide threats, gestures or statements. 4. Detailed plausible threats of violence (time, place, target, method).

INTERFRATERNITY COUNCIL RECRUITMENT This year, Interfraternity Council (IFC) introduced new recruitment strategies and systems aimed at making sure that every potential new member could find a chapter where they felt comfortable and at home. We are happy to say that, thanks to these efforts, we welcomed 377 new members to our community. Recruitment this year included informal “Sunday Night Dinners” throughout fall quarter, in which potential new members could meet brothers and enjoy a meal at the chapter of their choosing. We experimented this year with having chapters alternate dinners, so that every other week a different half of the chapters were hosting. Not only did this decrease the financial and time burdens placed on chapters, but it also encouraged potential new members to explore chapters that they may not have gone to otherwise. Another change from last year was the moving of our Recruitment Kickoff from outside of Lisa’s Café at the north end of campus to Norris University Center. Traditionally, members of the IFC community have been predominately those who lived on the north end of campus freshman year. By moving our kickoff to a more central location, we allowed students who wouldn’t normally make the trek to north campus to gain exposure to the IFC community.

Moving forward, we have two major goals with regard to recruitment. The first of these is to increase the financial accessibility of our chapters. We are happy to say that we recently created an IFC-wide scholarship fund as a first action in this goal. Our second goal is to gather data on the demographics of who attends recruitment events, so that we can focus on how to best make the IFC community more diverse and inclusive. This information will help us reach our ongoing goal of recruiting the best people that we can.

PANHELLENIC ASSOCIATION (PHA) UPDATE The Panhellenic community kicked off 2016 with another successful Formal Recruitment in which 459 women (406 freshmen and 53 upperclassmen) joined our community. We had 47 recruitment counselors serve as peer mentors for Potential New Members (PNMs) throughout the process. PHA also rolled out something new for the yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recruitment: PVA (Panhellenic Values Assessment), which was used to help PNMs reflect about their own personal values and identities before going through the process. The PNMs were then able to use this information to prepare for more meaningful conversations and to help guide their decisions.

(IFC). The conference included speakers from across Northwesternâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s campus who discussed the importance of using campus resources in order to get the support they need and enhance their experience in the Greek community and at Northwestern. The speakers were followed by breakout sessions led by older members of the Greek community. These discussions focused on the negative stereotypes often associated with Greek life, pressures students might face on campus (both within their Greek organizations as well as across Northwestern in general), and potential responses to these pressures. We welcomed everyone back to campus for spring quarter with a PHA/IFC sushi-eating competition with contestants from each chapter! Other great spring events include Greek Weekend with the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Multicultural Greek

A few weeks after Formal Recruitment, we had our annual Winter Education Conference with new members from both the Panhellenic Association and the Interfraternity Council

Council, and Interfraternity Council. The weekend will include several community-building programs like Maysing (a dance competition), a Day of Service, a Greek barbecue, and a volleyball tournament! PHA is also starting something new this quarter: PHA Town Hall Meetings, where women from the Panhellenic community can come to address the executive board with questions, articulate concerns, recognize improvements needed, and offer suggestions. It is an opportunity for open, direct communication, as well as a chance for women to get better acquainted with the Executive Board and its vision for the community. Looking all the way to fall quarter, we have several opportunities for women interested in joining Panhellenic to learn about our chapters and the recruitment process. Whether students are interested in joining a sorority or just want to learn more about the sorority experience, Recruitment Kickoff is the perfect opportunity for them to learn more about becoming involved. Kickoff is an informal event hosted by the Panhellenic Association, where Potential New Members can ask questions about sorority life at Northwestern and

learn about our community. During the 2016-2017 academic year, Kickoff will take place on October 2, the first day that women can register to participate in Formal Recruitment at Northwestern. Registering for recruitment in the fall allows PNMs to participate in not only Formal Recruitment in January, but also Recruitment Preview on October 23, which gives PNMs a sneak peek of the Northwestern Panhellenic sorority experience and Formal Recruitment. If you have any questions about recruitment or about joining the Panhellenic community at Northwestern, please e-mail us at nu.pha.recruitment@gmail.com. Other inquiries about what PHA is up to should be directed to nuphavppr@gmail.com.

SHEIL CATHOLIC CENTER AT NORTHWESTERN Hello, WILDCATholic parents!

and Revelation. Finally, we have begun adult confirmation classes for those who were unable to be confirmed when they were teens. Confirmation will be celebrated at Holy Name Cathedral at the end of May.

Spring has finally arrived in Chicago and we are all enjoying the warmer weather! The Catholic Center and the Catholic Students Association continue to be busy this quarter pursuing the following initiatives:

Service Staff member Tim Higgins and a group of students joined Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans to build houses over break. Sheil has sent a group of students to New Orleans every spring break since 2006 to continue building up the communities impacted by Hurricane Katrina. We are also continuing Sunday dinner at Hilda’s Place and students will take part in the second Sheil Annual Day of Service, where they help some of our older associates with everything from gardening to tutoring in computers.

Prayer Sheil had its glorious Triduum and Easter celebration (Sheil stays open – even during break!). This year we baptized two adults and welcomed them into the Church. We continue to offer weekly Sunday mass (morning and evening), Monday through Friday daily mass, opportunities for rosary, adoration, reconciliation, and Taize prayer. Busy Student Retreat and Spring Overnight Retreat ensure opportunities for cultivating a deeper spiritual life.

Community Formation/Education

Our Lenten Fish Frydays drew over 100 students and others every Friday, and we had a wonderful time. Our major fundraiser, Mardi Gras, featured such items as a trip to New York to see The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, a limited-edition book (10 copies) with photos and reflections by Sheil staff member Mary Deeley and husband Dan Lum, and much laughter and food. The Catholic Students Association (CaSA) elected its new governing council and the new group is filled with great ideas from a website (already in progress) to different social events, including movie nights and broomball. Bible studies/Small Faith Groups continue and plans are already being made for First Night, Sheil’s Pre-Orientation Program (POP) for new students. All new students are invited to check out this free opportunity to meet other WILDCATholics the night before the residence halls open. For more information, visit northwestern.edu/orientation/incoming-students/pop.

As students returned to campus for spring quarter, we welcomed Pat McCaskey, the Chicago Bears Senior Director of Special Projects, who spoke on Sports and Faith. On April 5, Sheil and one of its student group affiliates, The Insight Group, co-sponsored TV executive Dick Ebersol; Senior Advisor of Chicago Corporation Mark McCarville; and Northwestern Professor William White, former chair of Bell and Howell, in a panel discussion titled Business: What it Takes to Rise Up. This was the kickoff event for a series of Career Explorations conversations called Destinations. The series will feature speakers in various careers talking from a Catholic or values-based perspective. On May 13, we will welcome Vatican Expert John Allen of the Boston Globe and Crux to talk about Pope Francis and the Media. We are also offering three seminars this quarter on the Church in the 21st Century, A Catholic Theology of Mission, and two sections of our CORE seminar: Faithful Witness about Scripture

UNDERGRADUATE WINS A GUEST COACHING EXPERIENCE Last fall, Vinayak Manickavasakam experienced something unlike any undergraduate student at Northwestern has ever experienced before. He, along with Kelly Schaefer, the Assistant Vice President for Student Engagement, served as a guest coach for the football team at Northwestern’s home game against Purdue.

meeting, noting that, since it was the senior game, “Coach Fitz gave an inspiring speech that induced tears from the players. . . it was just an awesome experience.” Manickavasakam feels extremely grateful for all his friends who shared and liked his picture, helping him secure what he reflects upon as “one of the best experiences I have had at Northwestern.” Northwestern Wildside and other programs will continue to foster similar experiences for undergraduates, which help students recognize the high caliber people working for our athletics programs, and further the already present school spirit.

Manickavasakam secured this role through a contest staged by Northwestern Wildside. This contest invited the student with the most “likes” and “shares” on a Facebook post that embodied Wildside spirit to be a guest coach. Manickavasakam won the competition with over 280 “likes” and 23 “shares” on his profile picture. Now, even after the contest has closed, his picture has over 300 “likes,” 24 “shares,” and six comments. Taken at a previous home game by popular Northwestern photographer, the picture captures Manickavasakam with a purple and white painted face, mid-yell, cheering on the football team in the student section. Northwestern Wildside could not have found a piece of content that more embodied school spirit and enthusiasm for our football team. Manickavasakam was lucky, as Northwestern beat Purdue 21 to 14 that Saturday. However, he was excited about more than just the score. “I think for me, the coolest part was meeting Coach Fitz,” Manickavasakam explains. “I was nervous, to be honest. . . but when I met him he was very open to talking and just overall a very nice guy.” Manickavasakam reminisces about how he was surprised that, given the stakes of the game, Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald “would spend time with a fan…and be genuinely interested in who I was.” Additionally, Manickavasakam sat in on the team

A NOTE TO THE FAMILIES OF NORTHWESTERN CLASS OF 2016 Parents and families of the class of 2016: can you believe that your students have nearly reached the end of their undergraduate careers? Wasn’t it only yesterday you had to walk them into school or hold their hand as you crossed the street? Since then, your students have come so far and achieved so much, and on June 16-18 family and friends of graduates are welcome to join us at Northwestern to celebrate this new generation of undergraduates as they cross the platform and begin their next chapter. Commencement weekend will consist of various recognition ceremonies and school-specific convocations in addition to the Class of 2016 Commencement Ceremony at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, June 17, at Ryan FIeld. Each family is allotted 10 tickets to the event that are available now for graduates to order at www.northwestern.edu/ commencement/students/tickets/ index.html. In the case of severe weather, the ceremony will be moved indoors to Welsh-Ryan Arena/McGaw Memorial Hall, and unfortunately the number of permitted guests for the event will be limited to two tickets per family to assure that everyone can comfortably fit in the space. This year we are excited to welcome Seth Meyers, class of ’96, as our 2016 Commencement Speaker to congratulate your students on their major success and offer some insight into the saga that lays ahead.

They say life is a novel and every stage is a brand new chapter waiting to be written, but we at Northwestern think it’s more nuanced than that. To limit a lifetime to a single volume is to restrict the vast range of possibilities knocking on one’s door. Here at Northwestern, we encourage our students to think big, pursue their ambitions, and never doubt their potential, and we are proud of the directions we see your students taking. Your students have inspired us every day to grow as an institution and we could not be more honored to have them as our graduating class of 2016. Thank you for including Northwestern in your student’s lifetime encyclopedia. For information about Commencement weekend, school convocations, and more, visit www.northwestern. edu/commencement. Or contact the Commencement team online by emailing commencement@ northwestern.edu or calling 847-491-3600. Tips for a great Commencement experience:

• Take the shuttle from campus to Ryan Field

600 Haven St., J100 Evanston, IL 60208

• Leave early. Shuttles begin at 7:45 AM, Gates open at 8:00 AM

family@northwestern.edu (847) 467-3988

• Graduates should arrive by 8:30 AM

Visit our website

• Ceremony begins at 9:30 AM