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Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016
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Student donates to scholarship fund Julia Martinez Staff writer
DeKALB | As the Forensics Team prepares for its competition this weekend, graduate student Julia Boyle reflects on her determination to win the Pi Kappa Delta National Collegiate Forensics tournament so she could contribute to her speech’s cause on gun control violence.
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I wanted to find an organization that would benefit [a gun-control related] cause. Although it’s difficult to study fire-arms, I wanted to help someone going to NIU to further their education. ” Julia Boyle Graduate student
Boyle competed in the tournament on March 16 to 20 at the University of Kentucky and placed third overall. Pi Kappa Delta, which is the oldest national collegiate forensic organization, awards the top three competitors with donation money for an organization of their choice. The award money was donated earlier this month. Boyle placed in the persuasion speech round. Competitors had to prepare a 10-minute speech about a topic they are passionate about. “As a forensics team, we are
Photo illustration by Julia Martinez | Northern Star
Graduate student Julia Boyle reads a book about rhetorical criticism Wednesday in Watson Hall, Room 235. Boyle placed third at the Pi Kappa Delta National Collegiate Forensics tournament and chose to donate her winnings to scholarship ‘Forward, Together Forward.’
dedicated to helping people find their voices,” Boyles said. “Forensics helps improve research skills and proves what topics you care about.” Boyle said her persuasion speech was about a research ban that the National Rifle Association instituted in 1996 after a study was published
about guns that said there is a correlation between people who have guns and homicides in that family. The National Rifle Association banned research about guns because it thought it would promote a gun control agenda. Fewer academic studies about guns are conducted because
they won’t receive funding, Boyle said. “I think part of the reason why we have so many issues on gun violence today is because we aren’t really allowed to touch the topic,” Boyle said. Boyle chose to endorse NIU’s Forward, Together Forward scholarship because it hit home. Her coaches were
affected by the Feb. 14, 2008, NIU shooting, during which former NIU student Steven Kazmiercak took the lives of five students and himself after bringing a gun into Cole Hall during a class lecture. “I wanted to find an organization that would benefit [a gun-control related] cause,” Boyle said. “Although it’s difficult to study fire-arms, I wanted to help someone going to NIU further their education.” Boyle also works as a communications teaching assistant at NIU and coaches the NIU Forensics Team. “Teaching is something I am very interested in,” Boyle said. “Forensics has helped prepare me when helping other people build public speaking skills.” Freshman engineering major Claudia Cruz has Boyles as a teaching assistant. Cruz said she enjoys her as a teaching assistant because Boyle teaches at a good pace. “Boyle is open-minded, understanding and lenient when it comes to grading,” Cruz said. “I trust her as my professor to guide me because I know she knows what she is doing.”
Scholarship information Go to bit.ly/2cM2YbL to learn more about the Forward, Together Forward scholarship, which has been awarded to 40 students since 2009.
Early voting begins Sept. 29 Early voting will begin Thursday in DeKalb County, but polls will not open on campus until Oct. 24. Voters can register online at bit.ly/1YodC57 and at polling stations.
DeKalb Township, 2323 S. Fourth St. Early and grace period voting
Oct. 24 to 28 8:30 to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 29 9 to noon Oct. 30 10 to 4 p.m. Oct. 31 to Nov. 4 8:30 to 7 p.m. Nov. 5 9 to 5 p.m. Nov. 6 10 to 4 p.m. Nov. 7 8:30 to 4:30 p.m. Holmes Student Center, Blackhawk Annex Early and grace period voting
Oct. 24 to 28 Oct. 29 Oct. 30 Oct. 31 to Nov. 1 Nov. 2 to 4 Nov. 5 Nov. 6 Nov. 7
Noon to 7 p.m. 9 to noon 10 to 4 p.m. Noon to 7 p.m. 10 to 5 p.m. 9 to 5 p.m. 10 to 4 p.m. 8:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Courtesy academicworks.com
Scholarships to be streamlined Nancy Galan Staff writer
DeKALB | AcademicWorks, an online scholarship search program, will be available by January to assist students with finding fall 2017 scholarships. This system will prevent redundant processes like applying to scholarships one doesn’t qualify for. It will also allow students to obtain scholarship results faster, said Scholarship Office Director Anne Hardy. Other services it will provide include webinars, which informs students about how to look for scholarships based on their needs. The program allows students to narrow their scholarship search based on these needs and guides them to the institutions the student is qualified for. “The new system will be a great help, and if students have questions, they can come to the
Scholarship Fair,” Hardy said. Funding for scholarships come from donors like community members, NIU retired faculty and staff and alumni.
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The new system will be a great help, and if students have questions, they can come to the Scholarship Fair [Nov. 2].” Anne Hardy Scholarship Office Director
Students should be aware of scholarship deadlines and begin applying a year in advance, Hardy said. Most scholarships require an essay and will be awarded based on academic performance rather than work performance. Available scholarships include merit scholarships, which assist recipients by funding their tuition,
fees and room and board. Scholarships for students who are planning to study abroad are also available. Senior accounting major Selena Saucedo was a recipient of the Northern Academic Scholarship in fall 2013. She has applied for other scholarships using the NIU scholarship search tool, which she said is a great resource. “[Apply for scholarships] over winter break and always check with your major department for additional scholarships,” Saucedo said. A search tool is available on the Scholarship Office’s website to find awards and check other departments for additional opportunities. Students can also visit the Scholarship Office, Swen Parson Hall, Room 245K, to inquire about scholarships. A scholarship fair will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Nov. 2 at the Holmes Students Center, Duke Ellington Ballroom.