A Chicago Police Officer answers questions while standing in front of a police horse.

Friday, July 19, 2019

天天吃瓜 is host to a new federally funded Arabic program for children and adults. Find out more about the language program, the upcoming Kane Scholarship Golf Event and more in Noteworthy at Northeastern.

Around the Commons

Arabic learning

Northeastern鈥檚 Multilingual Learning Center is hosting a five-week intensive course for students in kindergarten through fifth grade this summer to learn Arabic and explore its culture. (Pictured above, the students meet a horse from the Chicago Police Department鈥檚 Mounted Unit.) The program also has adult students who hope to become teachers of the language. This is the first year Northeastern was awarded a STARTALK combined grant of $100,000 to host both a Success and Access through Multilingualism Initiative (SAMI) program and Summer Arabic Language Teacher Training (SALTT). MLC Coordinators Denise Cloonan Cortez de Andersen and Jeanine Ntihirageza hope it won鈥檛 be the last. 鈥淎rabic is a critical language,鈥 Cloonan Cortez de Andersen said. 鈥淭hrough these programs we are able to support the preservation of Arabic culture and language.鈥

The red brick Carruthers Center building is shown under a blue sky.

Bronzeville boost

As the 2019-20 academic year approaches, the Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies (CCICS) has expanded its offerings beyond the traditional and historic Inner City Studies undergraduate and graduate programs. CCICS now offers courses in the Community Health bachelor鈥檚 degree program; the bachelor鈥檚 degree program for Social Work; the Gerontology master鈥檚 program; the Interdisciplinary Studies bachelor鈥檚 program; and the Couple and Family Counseling certificate program. On top of that, CCICS will host its first cohort of freshmen and plans to offer the master鈥檚 degree in Social Work beginning in Fall 2020.

A Chicago Police Department patch is shown on a uniform.

Opportunities for officers

Times have changed since John Escalante, now chief Northeastern鈥檚 Police Department, entered the Chicago Police Department (CPD). These days, officers need at least 60 college credit hours, which is equivalent to an associate degree, to join the force. However, the journey doesn鈥檛 have to end there. Whether for personal reasons or to create opportunities for professional advancement, police officers can decide to pursue bachelor鈥檚 or master鈥檚 degrees. The nature of the job can present obstacles, but Northeastern is easing that burden through academic program opportunities that reduce the time it takes to earn a degree and through a tuition deferral that is tied to CPD鈥檚 tuition reimbursement program.

And there鈥檚 more!

  • Northeastern will host Eagle Fest to celebrate students who have registered for their Fall 2019 classes from 3-5 p.m. July 24 on the University Commons.

In the media

  • reported that Vice President Emeritus of Student Affairs Melvin C. Terrell was the recipient of the 2019 Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award for Region III of NASPA.
  • hosted Professor Emeritus of Economics Edward Stuart to discuss recent economic developments.

To do

President Gloria J. Gibson holds a golf ball up to the camera.

Chuck Kane Scholarship Golf Event

The NEIU Foundation will host the 47th annual Chuck Kane Scholarship Golf Event at Chevy Chase Country Club in Wheeling on Aug. 5. Participants and donors are free to designate their Kane gifts to any NEIU Foundation scholarship fund. The day includes 18 holes of golf, contests, a silent auction and more. Anyone who can鈥檛 golf can also sign up for just the dinner. Find more information on the day鈥檚 activities and fundraisers at neiu.edu/kane.

Coming next week!

#FollowFriday

A building is reflected in a pair of sunglasses that sit on a table.

Summer snaps

Northeastern is always busy on 鈥攅ven during the summer! Check out pics from around campus, and stay tuned for more. We鈥檙e just getting warmed up!

Do you have a story tip? Let the Office of Public Relations know!
Mike Hines, Director of Strategic Communications, m-hines@neiu.edu, (773) 442-4240