Spring 2012 Commencement Issue

7/31/2019 Spring 2012 Commencement Issue

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1COMMENCEMENT 2012

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Dear Spring 2012 Graduates,

Tis year has been one o progress,change and inevitability. As the country saw the historical protests o Occupi-

ers who stood on the ront lines and de-manded retribution or the 99%, stu-dents at NEIU learned what the results o an e ective protest can be. It is a de ningmoment in history that we nd ourselvesin, and you graduates are embarking ona quest which will de ne the rest o yourlives.

One o the most important thingsthat I learned this year is that the ounda-tion we lay today will serve as the road-map to where were going tomorrow. We just have to recognize it as he opportunity that it is. Youve made it through near-

strikes, rallies, the pang o loss, and theght or economic justice adversely,youve been exposed to a ull range o possibilities. Because o your unique ex-periences on the campus o NEIU, you

have been aptly prepared or the nextchapter o your lives.

Diversity is not just some coinedterm, used to describe what an institu-tion is its the heart o it all. Because youhave been exposed to the vast nature o humanity at NEIU, you are able to un-derstand how to operate in a global com-munity. Its all a matter o utilizing thepower o connectedness. Teres alwayssomeone that knows somebody that hasthe in ormation you need right at theirngertips. Its about telling people, no,telling the universe what you need.

As you go o into your prospective jobs, job searches, graduate programs, oreven the Peace Corps remember thatyou are connected to the world aroundyou. Make your mark in a positive way,

be the change you want to see, and liveeveryday as i it is your last.

Good luck to you in all o your utureendeavors. Dont ever orget the path thatyou took to get to where you are today.Hope ully, the people whove made adi erence in your li e and whom youvemade a connection with will remain apart o you. May our paths cross again.

Ciao!Janean L. Watkins, Editor in Chie

Interested in past issues o Independent? Make sure tocheck us out online! Just use the QR Code to visit usrom your smartphone, or type in:

www.neiuindependent.com

Werd Nerd Graduates pose for the cameras at the graduation. Photo courtesy of Tina Garcia

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Dear 2012 Graduates,

First and oremost, congratulations!Your hard work and dedicated e ortsearned you that glorious strut across thestage at commencement with all the pompand circumstance NEIU could incorporateinto that blustery day. Te mist may havebeen dampening everyones graduationrobes, but spirits were soaring and smileswere radiating warmth everywhere youlooked.

A special congratulation goes out to allo you who overcame great challenges orendured tests o your aith while striving toget your degree. Te strength o your con- victions has proven stronger than the trialsyou had to ace, and you made it to the nextstep.

So what now? Is it onward and upwardinto ul lling careers or the continuationo your education? Education is an invest-ment in yoursel , usually toward the goal o attaining a career in a eld you both enjoy and can continue to excel in, while enter-ing the work orce earlier can establish your

earning power sooner and decrease your

debt aster. Both paths are laudable choices,and one may suit your personal li e plansand expectations better than the other.

As someone who has tried both ap-proaches, I urge you to consider a third op-tion that can encompass both work and ur-thering your education - traveling abroad.As the ather o progressive education, JohnDewey, said Education is not preparationor li e; education is li e itsel .

Go orth and educate yoursel about theworld. Get in touch with your heritage andseek out your amilial roots. Expose your-sel to di erent ways o li e, try new lan-guages, make unusual riends, taste uniqueoods, and see the sights while you are am-bitious and reshly armed with a degree andan open mind. It is easier than ever to ndexible work abroad, whether as an over-seas a liate o a US-based company youdlike to work or in the U.S. or as a volun-teer through a program such as the PeaceCorp. Tere are also a plethora o studentexchange programs that o er graduate levelcourses, and opportunities to work and live

abroad in an academic capacity.

raveling abroad and immersing your-sel in a di erent culture can teach you vol-umes about the human experience and en-rich your understanding o both the worldabroad and the local one waiting or you athome. Even more importantly, adjusting toa di erent culture can teach you about yourown inner strength, adaptability and cop-ing skills. Now is the time to make tracksaround the world, be ore you are too tieddown and too deeply invested in your ca-reer.

So heres a call to the brave ones whotoughed it out and are looking or the nextgreat eat to accomplish. I can only hopeyou continue to move orward and expe-rience new things, test yoursel with newchallenges and never back down romachieving your goals.

o everyone o the 2012 graduatingclass, I wish the best.

Sincerely,Emily N. Haddad - Managing Editor

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

P h o t o b y J a n e a n L . W a t k i n s

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As recentgraduates, webegin a newchapter in ourlives. For many o us this will in-clude countlessrevisions o ourresumes, hoursspent applyingor jobs, and

dozens o interviews, o which only one isneeded to materialize into that long awaitedcareer in our respective elds. Yet, there isanother path that some o us may choose totake, but that many o us will overlook - en-trepreneurship. Tis is the exact path thatone ormer NEIU graduate took afer receiv-

ing his degree in marketing in 2007.Gregg Gibas attended NEIU or ouryears and, like many students at Northeast-ern, worked ull time while taking classes topay his way through school. He always hada good idea o what he wanted to do aferhe graduated, but he was really inspired by his high school AP Economics course to oneday be his own boss.

While at NEIU, Gibas had some experi-ence with web design, but couldnt necessar-ily compete with some o the bigger compa-nies who had sta s o web designers to ul lla companys needs. He had the idea to work as the middle man between businesses thatwere looking or website designers and theweb designers themselves. By doing this, Gi-bas was able to start a pro table venture with very little start up cash and little to no risk.

Afer graduation, Gibas went on to dosimilar work or a company, but he quickly grew tired o making money or someoneelse. He wanted to prove to himsel that hecould start his own business and be success-ul. He wanted the perks that come with be-ing an entrepreneur, like the reedom andexibility to travel and the ability to controlhis own schedule. Gibas did just that by starting up his own virtual sta ng and tele-marketing company, O ce Goblins, locatedin Chicago.

Some o you recent graduates may notsee starting a business as a viable optionright out o college. Tere appear to be many challenges and risks associated with startingyour own business, and in many cases thereare; but according to Gibas, there are lowcost, low risk ways to break into the entre-preneurial world.

He suggests going with a business thatdoesnt require a lot o start up cash, and i your dream requires cash, nd someone topartner with that is interested in getting intothat same industry. Gibas suggests lookingat businesses that are outside o the norm.Look in trade magazines associated withthe type o business youre interested in andread about what people are looking or andwhat the demands are within these speci cindustries. I you dont have a ton o money in the beginning, dont worry. Tere are waysaround that.

Call businesses that sell products andservices similar to yours and o er to bringthem customers or a small ee under yourbusiness name. You are bound to nd com-panies that will not turn down ree pro t

at the same time youre getting your nameout there and making money while doing it,said Gibas.

Following this model you will be build-ing relationships with people in the sameindustry o interest and even i the businessails to take o , you will have gained valu-able insight into how companies within theindustry operate. When asked to give adviceto recent graduates, Gibas added, Anythingis negotiable; you dont have to go throughobvious channels. ake initiative to call com-panies and see who will take you on.

Gibas says that i he could go back, hewouldnt change his decision to start his ownbusiness. While many are hesitant to pursueentrepreneurship because o the risk, Gibassaw opportunity or personal growth and thechance to be ree to make his own businessdecisions. He says that even i his business

were to ail, the networking opportunitiesthat have come rom the experience wouldalmost certainly lead to a job elsewhere.

At the end o the day, being an entre-preneur is not or all o us. As an employer,Gibas has gained a better idea o what busi-nesses are looking or and had a ew sugges-tions when it comes to resume and cover let-ter writing. He encourages thinking outsideo the box when applying or jobs by doingthings such as telling an employer that youwould be willing to work or ree or a coupleo weeks so they can determine i they likewhat you have to o er.

He also recommends avoiding certainemployment buzzwords on your resume,such as hard worker and reliable, or us-ing on time or multitasking phrases. You

should ocus on skills you possess that canbe incorporated into a resume tailored tothe speci c job you are applying or. Dont just type up a resume and mail it to fy em-ployers. ake the time to design your resumeand cover letter and consider what each em-ployer is looking or. Make it clear, concise,and dont be a raid to deviate rom standardresume ormat to distinguish yoursel . Mostimportantly, just be yoursel .

Gibas is a distinguished NEIU alumniand owner o O ce Goblins Inc., located inChicago, IL. He has spoken at various semi-nars and been a part o several guest panelsduring Smart Money Week at NortheasternIllinois University over the past two years.

Gregg Gibas, Distinguished Alumni By Andrew Ward Business Manager

Congrats NEIU Graduates!The Library would like to congratulate all of our Class of 2012 graduates! Your hard work haspaid off, and we wish you the best in all your future plans.

Did you know that the Library offers servicesfor alumni?

NEIU alumni may check out NEIU Librarymaterials, including books and DVDs , if they areNEIU Alumni Association members at the Blue &Gold level or higher.

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On the morning o Saturday May 5, 2012, the subtle o andon drizzle o a chilly morningwelcomed a myriad o peoplerom around the city and theworld. Some visited the campusor the rst time to support theirloved ones on this special day,while others were very amiliarwith NEIUs main campus, hav-ing made graduating rom NEIUa amily tradition. Te Northeast-ern Illinois University Com-mencement celebration o ered adazzling display o pride, joy, andunswerving support that bright-ened the overcast day.

As guests watched theirbeloved graduates step out to the tradi-tional tune o Pomp and Circumstance,many parents and siblings were seendrying their eyes. Once all the graduatingstudents had situated themselves, Mark McKernin called the crowd to order.Everyone stood or the National Anthemand were dazzled by the vocal prowesso Alex Makkawy as he sang a splendidrendition o the Star Spangled Banner.

President Hahs then introduced themembers o the robed plat orm party presiding over the graduation. JonathanStein, representing the NEIU Board o rustees, greeted the crowd and con-gratulated the graduating students withhis kind and thought ul words be oreyielding the stage to Eduardo Bocanegra.Bocanegra, selected as the salutatorianby both the merits o his academics andli e experience, spoke eloquently to thegraduates about the signi cance o nevergiving up and how excellent li e les-sons can come rom di cult times. Hereminded the graduates o the importanceo perseverance, describing a hard li e onChicagos streets and in jail. Bocanegracited perseverance and his belie in thepossibility o redemption or ultimately arriving with all the rest o the students intheir caps and gowns, a proud graduate o NEIU.

Once Bocanegra nished his speech,President Hahs graced the graduates with

a ew words o advice and wisdom; toalways be ethical and honest in all utureendeavors, to give back to the commu-nity, and to always go above and beyondthe call o duty. President Hahs thenpresented Dean Duster with the Legacy Award and appointed her Assistant Pro-essor Emerita. Dean Duster accepted theaward graciously and proceeded to regalethe crowd with an incredibly uplifingcongratulatory speech. She rein orced theprincipals and merits o hard work andcommunity-minded ethics.

Acting Provost Victoria Roman-Lagu-nas then presented the Bernard Brom-mel Distinguished Research Pro essoraward to Zachary Schi man, Pro essor o History. President Hahs then presentedthe emeriti scrolls to pro essors AnnaAntaramian, Debra Bruce, Murrell J. H.Duster, Diane Ehrlich, Suzanne Gaskins,Nan Giblin, Sarah Lucia Hoagland, San-dra Hunt, Phyllis Hurt, Elizabeth Lan-derholm, Richard E. Neapolitan, Beverly

Otto, Anil Pandya, Jane Peller, RakeshRustagi, Allen N. Shub, Susan Stall, Rob-ert . Starks, and Edward Stuart. MelbaRodriguez then mounted the stage andproceeded to explain the tradition o aclass gif rom the graduates to NEIU, andpresented the gif to President Hahs.

Te moment then came or tassels tobe switched rom the right to the lef, asit was time or the graduates to o cially

graduate. Te number o guest attendeesoverwhelmed the stands and owed outonto the grass o the quad. Everyone wassharply dressed, and the excitement waspalpable. Families eagerly waited to heara amiliar name and witness those they came to see cross the stage to accept theirrespective degrees and be honored by their academic community. With Presi-dent Hahs presiding majestically overthe con erral o degrees, the crowd wasrequested to hold their applause and vocalcongratulations or the graduates untileveryones names had been called, but theexcitement proved too great or some.Tere were exuberant shouts o triumph,cheers o joy and many tears shed by students and spectators alike as graduatestook their stroll across the stage and werecongratulated by President Hahs hersel .

Afer every robed student had o -cially become a graduate, PresidentHahs recognized the aculty or their hardwork and dedication. Mark McKernin

then closed the ceremony, o ering a nalheart elt congratulation to the class o 2012.

Te enthralling ceremony no doubtmotivated other undergraduates presentto nish their degrees and thus join thethousands o alumni that have crossed thestage to become proud graduates o NEIU.

NEIU Spring Commencement 2012 By Gary Soriano - Assistant Arts & Life Editor and

Christos Liardakis - Assistant Opinions Editor


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One o the concepts used to de-scribe Northeastern is diversity.Yet there remains signi cant segregationhere: in the classroom, in the ca eteria, atevents. And too ofen, marginalized stu-dents are put on the spot in various ways.

So there is a danger o diversity being abuzz word, a new abstract universal thatinvolves welcoming students, aculty, andsta rom diverse backgrounds in order tohomogenize us through academic disci-plining. I want to suggest that we embracediversity as a practice, as a way o being inthe world.

Modern Western philosophy tends toportray us as isolated individuals, capableo being anywhere and hence being no-where in particular. Instead, I use an Ay-mara concept o utcatha to suggest thatwhere we come rom ertilizes us, givesus the ground o our being. And with thatgrounding, together with having the privi-lege o being at Northeastern, we are alsocrossing borders, living in more than onecultural context- living on the hyphen.

Argentinean philosopher Walter Mi-gnolo o ers the concept o bi-languagingas living in more than one language, morethan one orm o li e in our trans-nationalworld. It is living between languages, it is a

practice o diversity, a practice o resistinghomogenization, resisting the systematiceducation o colonial and imperial admin-istration or o national-state builders or o corporate raming o our meanings: theseare systems in which violence is instilled by

the agencies o economic, linguistic, andreligious or cultural domination. Love isthe necessary corrective to the violence o systems o control and oppression. (LocalHistories/Global Designs)

So here are a ew suggestions or prac-ticing diversity:

Continue traveling to di erent worlds.Learn to negotiate them and engage theirinhabitants. Everyone at Northeasternknows how to travel and negotiate di er-ent worlds. For example, between campus,home, and work. Everyone has this ability,this virtue (in Aristotles sense). I am sug-gesting we consciously use this ability totravel to others worlds.

Always nurture a critical conscious-ness, particularly in relation to dominantsocial and political orderings.

Recognize that there is more than onemeaning ul ramework in the world. Useyour intellect and passion to develop yourability to understand those that are mar-ginalized by mainstream discourse. Let go,

not o your belie s, but your disbelie .Dont be entranced by the big things.

Work at street level, everyday level, in con-sideration o those who accompany you toa ect your environment. And let them a -ect youa ower here, a critique there, a

word o praise. . . Also keep in mind thatsomeone challenging the norm, while pos-sibly making you uncom ortable, is o er-ing a gif, is being generous.

And always know, even though noneo us can individually stop injustice, espe-cially racism, classism, sexism, homopho-bia, among other oppressions, that whereyou choose to walk and speak out makesa di erence. It a ects those around you.It changes the energy o the surroundingenvironment. In this way, things dont con-tinue exactly the same, as i youve neverexisted.

Finally, it is critical to embrace creativetheorizing and to nd the sel -respect in-side that emerges rom the res lit by love.I dont mean or you to go into a rage andburn up, I mean or you to nd the theoriz-ing and activism that love and rage makepossiblethe res o the heath, the res o the hearth, the res o the heart.

Tank you to my students over theyears or your work and or your re.

By Sarah Lucia Hoagland Professor EmeritaFor the 2012 Graduates of NEIU

P h o t o s b y J a n e a n L . W a t k i n s

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7Dean Murrell J. Higgins-Duster:Trailblazer Leaves Her Legacy

By Janean L. Watkins Editor In Chief

As the descendant o the great IdaB. Well-Barnett, one wouldntexpect or Dean Duster to be such a sof-spoken person. But the proo o the legacy lef to her shines brightly in her actions.Afer 35 years o service to NortheasternIllinois University, and its student popula-tion, Dean Duster will retire at the end o May 2012. Graduates were graced with aspeech that as Melissa McGlynn, PoliticalScience graduate said was, motivationaland inspiring. ruly words so many o usneeded to hear. Such a shame to think thatsuch an amazing woman was a resourceor so many semesters and I never took upthe opportunity to learn more rom her.

Dean Duster is most highly recognizedas the Vice President o the AngelinaPedroso Center or Intercultural A airs atNortheastern Illinois University, thoughher presence in the university can be seenin many o its institutions. She admits tobeing awestruck at receiving recognitionrom President Hahs in the spring 2012commencement ceremony. She was ap-pointed Assistant Pro essor Emerita andawarded the Legacy Award or her out-standing commitment and distinguishedservice.

Dean Duster is the daughter o aNorthwestern educated mother, and aather who went only as ar as the eighthgrade. My mother worked with the com-munity all o her li e, and she always dealtwith diverse issues. My ather though heonly held an eighth grade education, knewthe world, said Duster. Te balance in her

li e comes rom themas role models. Hermothers community work instilled in hera sense o pride andempathy or thosewho are less ortu-nate, or or thosewho might just needa helping hand. Insome ways, the ghtto preserve the rightso people perme-ates my amily, saidDuster.

Dean Duster hails rom Chicagossouth side. She attended public andparochial schools be ore moving on toRoosevelt University, Loyola University,and the Ericsson Institute. She began herservice to the university as a Pro essor inthe College o Education. Afer a ew years,she was told by her superior, Pro essorDuster, you cant just teach youve got tobe involved, so she did.

Dean Duster developed a reshmenseminar modeled afer the John Gardnerprogram. It was an e ort that was executed

with minimal nancial support. Withinthis program, the university was able too er a summer transition program, whichprovided car are, opportunities or resh-men to build community, and becauseDean Duster knew that it was integral toacademic support, they o ered six credithours to incoming reshmen. Te newermodel o the Freshmen Year Experienceprogram has changed quite a bit since hertime.

When asked where she would liketo see the university in ve years, DeanDuster said that she hoped the university as a whole will begin to realize its possibil-ities. I hope that they continue to preparestudents to live and work in society, and tolook at the importance o addressing theirneeds individually, said Duster. In all theyears that Dean Duster has been actively engaged in the campus community, one o her biggest points o pride is the estab-lishment and accomplishments o theAngelina Pedroso Center or Intercultural

A airs. Were not doing enough or somegroups o individuals, said Duster, char-acter development is essential or every-one, and that is something that were ableto address here. Te programs we provideare to enrich the lives o our students.

Just because Dean Duster wont be atthe school doesnt mean her work wontcontinue. She is a member o many boardso directors, where her ideals and senseo community will continue to make animpact on the world. She is hoping todedicate more time to her appointmentson the boards o the DuSable Museum, theMuseum o Science and Industry, the FieldMuseum, the Rush Medical center, TeLinks Inc., the University o Chicago, theArt Institute o Chicago, and the IllinoisCommittee o Black Concerns in HigherEducation.

Dean Duster has high hopes or theuture o all NEIU graduates, you musthave a creative sense o wanting to give.Students represent the uture o this world.I we dont engender you with the im-portance o humanity, human rights andsocial justice as a means o empoweringdiversity well lose this world, Duster

said.

P h o t o s b y J a n e a n L . W a t k i n s

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Ive learned so muchrom everyone andI'm looking orward tograduate school and Iknow that the stu thatI learned here is really gonna help me out inthe uture.Sylvia M. Orellana ,B.A. Anthropology(Summa Cum Laude)

Te teachers were very supportive. Icame here because Ilike the environmenTe school celebratesdiversity and Imhappy with my whoexperience here.Marco Gasca , B.A.InterdisciplinaryStudies, Social Work(Summa Cum Laud

I want to thank the English depart-ment or supporting me through my journey in getting my degree.

Sherylin M. Maddex , B.A. English

Im so happy right now. I really love thisschool because its really diverse and I lovemy pro essors - they really helped me.Ha Vu ruc Le , B.A. Marketing (Cum Laude)

Tank you so much or your supportand giving me all the opportunitiesthat you could give me. I know Ill besuccess ul because o you all. Tank you.Joanna Parys , B.A. Psychology (CumLaude)

Te Social Work department helped me a lot. It wasgreat. My internship helped me a lot and now Im go-ing to graduate school....Yesenia Garcia , B.A. Social Work (Cum Laude)

Photo by Emily N. Haddad

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Im just happy tonally graduate andmove on the next step.Jessica D. Robinson ,B.A. InterdisciplinaryStudies

Te political science de-partment really helpedme to build mysel as anacademic. It's really helpedto orti y my intellectualoundation and the wholeschool, the whole institutionhas just been a great place.Jason Mattox , B.A Political Science

I absolutely loved thePsychology department.Tey were awesome and very help ul. Te school has excel-lent pro essors in generaland I plan to continue herewith my graduate programin counseling so Im going tobe back. So thats how muchI loved it.Gina Andrea Alvarez , B.A.Psychology

I would really like to say thank you to our Social Work depart-ment and the students themselvesthat graduated with me. We really bonded and they elt like a second

amily to me and I am really goingto miss each and every single per-son that I came into contact with.Gabriela Rangel , B.A. Social Work(Sci Alpha Honors Society for Social Work)

Tere are some teacherto whom I will oreverremain thank ul becauo their participation anbuilding my understaning towards computerscience. Tey are justexcellent teachers.Asad Ali Zaidi , B.A.Computer Science (CuLaude)

My classmates, I learned a lotrom them. Its a very diverse class-room and that there is an educa-tion in itsel to always have peoplerom di erent parts o the globegive their opinion and you get anew, a di erent angle, a di erentpoint o view rather than just theAmerican view. I learned rom my ellow students.William Zentner , M.A. Political Science

Photo by Emily N. Haddad

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Graphic by Nicholas Joly

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As a pro essor who has dedicated themajority o his career to researching theNicaraguan Revolution and its e ects Pro essor Grossman knows quite a bit aboutthe human condition and doing what it takesto de end the rights o others. Grossmandescribes himsel as a union activist who isoverworked and underpaid. He admits toenjoying the stereotypical research writing,as most pro essors do, but also watching

junky television, and spending time with hiswi e Denise.

Pro essor Grossman shares his knowl-edge with students all over the city, atschools such as Columbia College, DePaul,and Roosevelt; but he states emphatically that NEIU students are his avorite. I really like teaching at NEIU. Te students here arethe most interesting and diverse that Iveencountered. I nd that to be stimulating in-tellectually and also emotionally. I generally eel very attached to most o my students.Im the rst generation to go to college soI relate to many o my students atNEIU, said Grossman.

As a member o the aculty senate, Pro essor Grossman alsohelps to advocate or the rightso NEIUs aculty. He showcasesin his daily actions how one cannd ways to help their ellowman, regardless o how busy youare. Pro essor Richard Gross-mans advice to NEIU graduatesis simple, Everyone knows itsreally tough out there right now.I suggest i you made it throughNEIU working, going to school,

[taking care o ] amily, you will succeed inli e i you can succeed in NEIU and actu-ally graduate, you can succeed anywhere. Itmay be di cult, but youve been throughdi cult times. You will succeed.

Professor Richard Grossman, History Department By Janean L. Watkins Editor in Chief


Eduardo Bocanegra was chosen to bethe commencement speaker at the NEIUMay 5, 2012, because o his academicachievements as well as his li e achieve-ments. He was chosen to speak because

he symbolizes the struggle many studentsace - to improve li e through hard work and education. Eddie, as most people knowhim, previously lived a li e that landedhim in prison but was able to turn his li earound and learn rom his experiences. Hestarted going to school and working orthe community. Now armed with a degree,

he is a role model or all NEIUstudents.

Eddie works with the Commu-nity Renewal Society, an organiza-tion that has been around or 130

years. He specializes in assistingparishes organize and developby helping them grow their ownleaders, and providing them withthe resources they need to do so.Eddie is also working to get theHouse Bill HB5723 passed. Tiswould give non-violent ex-o end-ers a better chance or employ-

ment. HB5723 will not erase the records,but will seal them so that records are notused against nonviolent ex-o enders whenlooking or employment. Eddie also workswith the Irving Youth rauma Centerwhere he evaluates and develops programsor troubled youth.

Eddie believes the most important work he can do is helping people help them-selves. Everything I do deals with how tohelp people recovering rom trauma, helpthem restart their lives, Eddie said. I havea cap and gown now but I have also been

to prison, said Eddie, speaking o his own journey o recovery. We all have di erentparadigms, and the idea is or us to growrom our experiences and not judge othersby their past. As students and graduates, we

mean more than a cap and gown, beyondthat, we all have a story.

Eddie stands with his mentor, Francisco Gaytanafter the graduation.

Eduardo Bocanegra Speaks of Challenges Past and Future Hopes By Lluvia Carrisoza - Visual Media Editor

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C H

U C K K A N E

M E M

O R I A L G O L F O U

T I N

G

1972 2012

Since 1972, Chuck Kane Memorial Scholarships have provided over 100 NEIU students with greatly needed scholarships. Join us to have un and to keep supporting NEIU students in fnancial need.

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F O U N D A T I O N5500 NORTH ST.LOUIS AVENUE CHICAGO,ILLINOIS 60625-4699

Monday, August 20, 2012Highland Park Country Club 1201 Park Avenue West Highland Park, IL

Supporting a good cause, in memory of a good man.Register online at: www.neiu.edu/kane

The Northeastern Illinois University Foundation invites you to...

The Kane Memorial Golf Outing is generously sponsored in part by:

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FREAKY FAST DELIVERY!2011 JIMMY JOHNS FRANCHISE, LLC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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STOLES Werd Nerds

Phi Theta KappaFeminist Activist

Black CaucusGreek Orgs

HONORSSumma Laude - Gold - 3.9-4.0

Magna Laude - Silver - 3.75-3.89Cum Laude - Bronze - 3.5-3.74

*~*~*~*~*Military Veterans - Red/White/Blue Cord

Sigma Alpha Pi - White Cord

ADVER ISEMEN

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15Te sta and tutors o the Learning Support Center would like to congratulate the ollowing graduating tutors on their achieve-

ments and wish them all the best in their uture endeavors:

*Ariana Bancu Palazzolo M.A., Linguistics* Bryan Brady M.A., History (Corps Member, each or America, Las Vegas)

* Elizabeth Gammel B.S., Earth Science (accepted in a ully- unded PhD program at Loyola University)* Kirsten Kilponen B.A., Art & Philosophy

* Kelsey Nordine B.A., Anthropology (accepted in a ully- unded PhD program at Washington University, St. Louis)* Maria Palazzolo M.A., English Composition

* Hemal K. Punjabi B.S., Biology/Premed* Ian Randall M.A., ESOL

* Matthew Reardon B.A., Economics & Philosophy * Anna Roguska M.A., Political Science

* Niraj Shrestha M.S., Biology

Our tutors hard work and commitment to student success have lef a permanent mark in our students lives. We admire yourcontinuous dedication and are positive that you will achieve great things! Congratulations!

On behal o the aculty and sta o the Department o Music, we congratulate you on your recent graduation.Please stay in touch and let us know about your utureaccomplishments. It has been a pleasure to have you inour department!Sincerely,R. Shayne Cofer, ChairDepartment of Music

Hey, English Majors and Secondary Education Majors, Te EnglishDepartment aculty wants to congratulate you on your graduation andto wish you the very best in your uture endeavors. We hope we havegiven you valuable skills and broader perspectives with which to ap-proach, understand, and trans orm the world. We take heart in know-ing that the planet is a better and more humane place or having youout there working as a humanizing orce and bringing to bear the ullhef o your intellects and imaginations in solving problems, improvinglives, and creating joy. Your study and practice in the elds o litera-ture, culture, and writing prepares you to make this kind o impact.Above all, we are grate ul or having known you and taken part in youreducation and or all you have done or us and other students in mak-ing the department a great place to live and learn. Tanks or makingthe English Department the most vibrant and intellectually excitingcommunity on campus! Please keep in touch, let us know where yourli e takes you, and let us know what we can do or you! All the best, theEnglish Department

Faculty and sta in the Department o Geography & EnvironmentalStudies congratulate the May 2012 graduates receiving a B.A. in Envi-ronmental Studies, a B.A. in Geography, or an M.A. in Geography &Environmental Studies. Very best wishes or your next endeavor, andmay it be as success ul as this one. Please stay in touch with your ac-ulty and with the Department, and remember we may be able to helpyou. Sign up or the Alumni mailing list on the web page (though youmay have to unsubscribe rst), nd us on Facebook, look or news onthe web page, and let us know when exciting things happen. Do well!

Do well! And best o luck!

Congratulations to Earth Science graduatesElizabeth Gammel and Justin Mackey! All thebest! - Earth Science Department

Student Disabilities Services Extends Congratulationso Our Spring 2012 Graduates!

Te Department of Educational Inquiry & Curriculum Studiescongratulates the Class o 2012. As you embark on your uture rolesin education, we share a sense o hope ulness that you will continue toseek out ways to be re ective, collaborative, and trans ormative.

Congratulations graduates. Te sta o theStudent Health Services wish you success andhappiness in the uture!

Te O ce o Student Leadership Development wouldlike to congratulate our student leaders on the achieve-ment o graduation. Whether you were in StudentGovernment, NPB, WZRD, Que Ondee Sola, the Inde-

pendent, SEEDS, or participated in LEAD programs,student organizations or Greek Li e you have added variety to the li e o NEIU. We hope your time with ushas prepared you or whatever the world holds or you.We wish you luck in your uture endeavors!

All the best,Sharron, Veronica, asha, Ian, Cecily, Lakena, & Damita

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Photos by Janean L. Watkins, Lluvia Carrisoza, & Emily N. Haddad

Documents

Spring 2012 Commencement Issue