Student Life Events | Greek Row
Tugs is an intense tug-of-war competition with a long-standing tradition in the fraternity and sorority life community at Northern Illinois. This competitive philanthropy event supports giving back to the community. Refer to the event link or social media for updates on tournament matches, tickets, and more! We hope to see you out on Greek Row!Follow IFC on Instagram: @niu.ifc

Student Life Events | Altgeld Hall, 315
Community Engagement Exemplar SymposiumThis two-day event (Apr. 15-16, 2026) convenes impactful NIU community-engaged scholars, practitioners and community partners for shared learning, dialogue and co-creation. The symposium is a space for faculty, staff, students and community partners to learn with and from one another – deepening understanding, expanding networks and strengthening NIU’s commitment to partnerships that are community-informed, mutually beneficial and transformative.Day One: Apr. 15, 20268:30 a.m. – noonSchedule8:30 – 8:45 a.m. – Arrival and welcome.8:45 – 9:30 a.m. – Plenary: NIU’s Community Engagement Ecosystem Community engagement is an integral element of NIU's mission, with faculty, staff, students, and community members working together for collective impact. As we kick off a week of celebrating NIU's excellence in this area, join a discussion with campus leaders about the university's community engagement ecosystem. Learn more about resources and support available to you to advance your engaged teaching, research, and artistry goals and how to connect with potential partners inside and outside the university.Featuring: President Lisa Freeman Executive Vice President and Provost Laurie Elish-Piper Vice President of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development Rena Cotsones Vice President of Research and Innovation Partnerships Richard Mocarski9:45 – 10:45 a.m. – Session A Rockford RISE: Co-Designing Teacher Preparation with Community Eric Junco, Ed.D., Assistant Professor of Curriculum and InstructionThis presentation shares the story of the Grow Your Own (GYO) Rockford RISE initiative and how community partnerships reshaped teacher preparation in Rockford, Illinois. Through the creation of a community advisory board—including local educators, families, and community leaders—the program positioned community members as co-designers rather than consultants in the preparation of future teachers. These partnerships informed the program’s research priorities and helped identify the challenges students and families experience in local schools. In response, the university and community partners collaboratively developed four community-engaged courses that prepare preservice teachers to practice culturally competent, restorative, trauma-informed, and community-connected teaching. The session highlights how sustained collaboration between universities, schools, and community organizations can cultivate educators who are deeply connected to the communities they serve.11 a.m. – noon – Session BCommunity Engagement in Promotion and Tenure Benjamin Creed, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Educational Administration and Faculty Senate PresidentThis session will focus on how to better incorporate community engaged scholarship and artistry (CESA) and community engaged teaching (CET) in promotion and tenure (P&T) policies and procedures at NIU. An overview of P&T at NIU will be provided along with an overview of the recent changes in university policies and examples of college and academic unit level documents related to CESA and CET within NIU. Further, examples from other institutions will be shared. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from one another, think through how CESA and CET may be incorporated in their own documents, and otherwise connect to help move the inclusion of CESA and CET in P&T policies and procedures at NIU.Register here: Engagement Exemplar Symposium: Learning from and with Community - Day 1 – Fill out form

Student Life Events | Jack Arends Hall (Art Building), Annette and Jerry Johns Student Art Gallery
Master of Arts thesis exhbition by NIU School of Art and Design student April Lynn StartzelJoin April for her event reception, Thursday, April 16, 5 -7 p.m.

Student Life Events | Pick Museum of Anthropology, Cole Hall 114
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Asian American Resource Center at NIU, this exhibit explores how the AARC was established and has transformed over the years. From its original location in Jacobs House to its current home on Wirtz Drive, the AARC continuously strives to improve student experiences through its focus on programs that support academic success, promote cultural education, foster leadership and build community. This exhibit invites you to reflect on the role of cultural centers while imagining how the AARC will evolve to meet future needs.

Student Life Events | Pick Museum of Anthropology, Cole Hall 114
When you think about working in a museum you probably imagine curating exhibits, hosting events, or providing tours. But a significant amount of museum work takes place behind-the-scenes, including the research and care of collections. This exhibit highlights how students’ engagements with museum collections, such as class assignments researching objects and internships focused on improving storage conditions, helps them build practical skills while also improving the museum’s care and understanding of these cultural heritage materials.