News
Thursday, April 14, 2016
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Students raise money for homeless veterans
Nick Bosshart and Leah Nicolini | Northern Star
The construction of Peace Road will include a bike path that extends from Lincoln Highway to Macom Drive.
DeKalb to add bike path Leah Nicolini
Assistant News Editor
Xavier Ortega | Northern Star
Dan Gallagher, DeKalb American Legion Post 66 commander, donates to the NIU Veterans Association for the second annual fundraiser and camp-out for homeless veterans Thursday in the Martin Luther King Jr. Commons. All proceeds will go to the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans. Gallagher said students hosting events like this is important to the veteran community and can make a big impact on NIU and DeKalb.
Xavier Ortega | Northern Star
Katie Bice, freshman political science and psychology major, holds up a sign that says “Eleven percent of adult homeless population are veterans. $1 can make a difference!” Wednesday in the Martin Luther King Jr. Commons. Bice, secretary of the NIU Veterans Association, said veteran homelessness is a growing issue in America.
DeKalb | DeKalb is looking to collaborate with NIU to encourage bicycle transportation by paving a path for cyclists from Lincoln Highway south to Macom Drive. The Peace Road lane widening project will incorporate the construction of a bicycle path in pursuit of a more bicycle-friendly community in order to achieve the Bicycle Friendly Community bronze-level award. The construction of Peace Road will widen the road to four lanes to accommodate an increase in traffic. “I think this is the kind of project we would like to encourage,” said 5th ward Alderwoman Kate Noreiko at a March 28 City Council meeting. The League of American Bicyclists assigns the title of Bicycle Friendly Community in order to
Julia Martinez Staff writer
Xavier Ortega | Northern Star
More information • The NIU Veterans Association meets 5 p.m. on the first Monday and third Thursday each month at Faraday Hall, Room 144. • The group will hold a bake sale 11 a.m. Wednesday in DuSable Hall. • Liberty Call, a monthly
networking and fundraising event, will be held 6:309:30 p.m. April 21 at Rocky’s Sports Bar, 234 W. 31st St. in Chicago — 25 percent of drink sales will be donated to Chicago veterans. • For more information, go to bit.ly/1Vr7HxY.
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I think this is the kind of project we would like to encourage.” Kate Noreiko 5th ward Alderwoman
During the Peace Road construction, the bicycle path extending from Lincoln Highway south to Macom Drive will be offset and have a ditch between the road and the bicycle trail for safety. If additional funding is available, the path will extend to Fairview Drive, said City Engineer John Laskowki.
The construction is on hold until the budget to pay for the adjustments is approved. If approved, the construction will last at least until 2025. DeKalb city staff is seeking grant money to pay for expenses affiliated with the project through local businesses. DeKalb has a subcommittee working on the project to meet the Aug. 9 deadline for the Bicycle Friendly Community application. Kara Gallagher, healthy living director of Kishwaukee Family YMCA, said she is seeking a faculty member from NIU that can provide data for the Bicycle Friendly Community applications. “We’ve got support in a way from people who work at NIU,” Gallagher said. “We’re still looking to connect with someone specifically that’s either the head of transportation at NIU or someone that’s a part of the group... .”
Student receives scholarship Staff members’ child wins $1,000 award
Richard Ward (left), senior public health major, barbecues hot dogs for the NIU Veterans Association on Wednesday in the Martin Luther King Jr. Commons. Ward, NIU Veterans Association public affairs officer, plans to camp out for 24 hours. The association raised more than $2,000 last year and hopes to raise at least $2,000 this year.
create healthy and active community members throughout DeKalb County. To get a bronze-level award, the city must incorporate a few bicycle lanes that function with car traffic, according to a March 28 City Council agenda.
DeKalb | Freshmen biology major Daphne Voorhis has been selected as the Supportive Professional Staff Council scholarship recipient for the 2016-17 academic year. The scholarship awards $1,000 to a full-time, degree-seeking NIU student who is a child or grandchild of a current or deceased NIU supportive professional staff member, according to the Supportive Professional Staff Council website.
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One goal of mine is to graduate from NIU and to be accepted into a Ph.D program.” Daphne Voorhis Scholarship recipient
Daphne Voorhis’ parents both work at NIU. Her father, Phil Voorhis, is the head athletic trainer and has worked at NIU for 27 years. Her mother, Jana Voorhis, works in intercollegiate athletics as a massage
therapist for student athletes. “When I was younger, and whenever I was on campus, I was in the athletic room a lot and would play around with my little sister and all of my dad’s graduated students would hang out with us,” Daphne Voorhis said. She said she believes she was a good pick for the scholarship because she embodies what NIU stands for as a community. Also, she is proud to attend NIU because it opened up different opportunities for her. “I was very surprised to have received the scholarship because I didn’t think it was actually going to happen so I will use the money towards housing for the next school year,” Daphne Voorhis said. The Supportive Professional Staff Council recognized the freshman for her achievements, which include being apart of the University Honors Program, Honors House, Research Rookies and minoring in math and chemistry. Daphne Voorhis said she chose biology as her major because she wants to go into cancer research. “I saw a family struggle with cancer and losing loved ones to it and I
Recipients
The council’s goal is to establish a $25,000 endowment. Three $1,000 scholarships have been awarded since 2013 to Mason Bross, Lydia Moore and Daphne Voorhis. thought if I could help anyone not feel the way I had or they had, then it would mean something,” she said. Daphne Voorhis also works in a campus lab with Linda Yasui, associate professor of biological sciences, to focus on measuring autophagy flux in glioblastoma by using autophagy as a potential cell death mechanism. She said she has been using confocal laser scanning microscopy and imaging two different cell lines to see if they react and die or not. “One goal of mine is to graduate from NIU and to be accepted into a Ph.D program,” Daphne Voorhis said. The Supportive Professional Staff Council is launching a call for donations so they are able to award the scholarship each year. To donate, go to bit.ly/1WsBXYl.