A Monthly Newsletter Publication of NKU Student Affairs
Page 1
Each year, the University community recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of graduating seniors by nominating them for one of the seven student awards. Students who graduated in December 2021, or who will graduate in May 2022, are eligible for consideration. A monetary gift and plaque will accompany each award. If you wish to nominate a senior for one of the senior awards, please pay close attention to the criteria for each. The deadline for nominations is Friday, February 25, 2022.
Regent's Award: Given to a senior student who has demonstrated professionalism and leadership within the University community and who has an emphasis on continuation of graduate level work.
NKU Foundation Student Leadership Award: Given to a student leader who has provided outstanding service to the University through student government or other significant student leadership role.
NKU Foundation Student Leadership Award: Given to a student leader who has provided outstanding service to the University through student government or other significant student leadership role(s).
Paul J. Sipes Award: Presented to an outstanding senior student who displays the personal qualities of honesty, character, and industry and who has actively participated in community affairs.
University Service Award: This award is given to a senior student who has provided outstanding service to the University.
Excelsior Award: Presented to an outstanding senior student who has overcome great obstacles to achieve their academic pursuits.
President's Award: Given to a senior student who has greatly contributed to the development of a strong sense of community at NKU.
Faculty Senate Award: Given to a senior student who has demonstrated exceptional skills and productivity in an independent study project.
Visit the Student Awards website for full award criteria and the nomination form.
White House Correspondent April Ryan has a unique vantage point as the only black female reporter covering urban issues from the White House – a position she has held since the Clinton era. Her position as a White House Correspondent has afforded her unusual insight into the racial sensitivities, issues, and attendant political struggles of our nation’s past presidents.
April can be seen almost daily on CNN as a political analyst. She is also the Washington D.C Bureau Chief on TheGrio. She has been featured in Essence, Vogue, Cosmopolitan and Elle magazines – to name a few. April Ryan has served on the board of the prestigious White House Correspondents Association. She is one of only three African Americans in the Association’s over 100-year history to serve on its board. She is also an esteemed member of the National Press Club. In 2015, Ms. Ryan was nominated for an NAACP Image Award (Outstanding Literary Work - Debut Author) for her first book.
Ms. Ryan will speak virtually to the NKU campus on Thursday, February 24, 2022, at 6:30pm. Moderated by Dr. Jarrod Druery and Danielle Pollion, this keynote promises to be engaging and powerful. Registration information will be available soon from African American Student Initiatives.
Black History Month pays tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society.
As a Harvard-trained historian, Carter G. Woodson, like W. E. B. Du Bois before him, believed that truth could not be denied and that reason would prevail over prejudice. His hopes to raise awareness of African American's contributions to civilization was realized when he and the organization he founded, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), conceived and announced Negro History Week in 1925. The event was first celebrated during a week in February 1926 that encompassed the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The response was overwhelming: Black history clubs sprang up; teachers demanded materials to instruct their pupils; and progressive whites, not simply white scholars and philanthropists, stepped forward to endorse the effort.
By the time of Woodson's death in 1950, Negro History Week had become a central part of African American life and substantial progress had been made in bringing more Americans to appreciate the celebration. At mid–century, mayors of cities nationwide issued proclamations noting Negro History Week. The Black Awakening of the 1960s dramatically expanded the consciousness of African Americans about the importance of black history, and the Civil Rights movement focused Americans of all colors on the subject of the contributions of African Americans to our history and culture.
The celebration was expanded to a month in 1976, the nation's bicentennial. President Gerald R. Ford urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” That year, fifty years after the first celebration, the association held the first Black History Month. By this time, the entire nation had come to recognize the importance of Black history in the drama of the American story. Since then each American president has issued Black History Month proclamations. And the association—now the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH)—continues to promote the study of Black history all year.
(Excerpt from an essay by Daryl Michael Scott, Howard University, for the Association for the Study of African American Life and History)
African American Student Initiatives, in collaboration with the Center for Student Inclusiveness, is proud to celebrate NKU's Black History Month Celebration 2022. Representing partnerships across the University, including Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, Alumni, and Student Organizations, this month of programs and events aims to educate, celebrate, and recognize black, African American, and African students, staff, faculty, community members, and alumni at NKU. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and visit our website to learn more about all of the events this month.
Black History Month Events Flyer
In 1980, President Jimmy Carter designated March 2-8, 1980 as Women's History Week, marking the occasion with the following words:
"From the first settlers who came to our shores, from the first American Indian families who befriended them, men and women have worked together to build this nation. Too often the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well.
As Dr. Gerda Lerner has noted, “Women’s History is Women’s Right.” – It is an essential and indispensable heritage from which we can draw pride, comfort, courage, and long-range vision.”
I ask my fellow Americans to recognize this heritage with appropriate activities during National Women’s History Week, March 2-8, 1980.
I urge libraries, schools, and community organizations to focus their observances on the leaders who struggled for equality – – Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Lucy Stone, Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Harriet Tubman, and Alice Paul.
Understanding the true history of our country will help us to comprehend the need for full equality under the law for all our people.
This goal can be achieved by ratifying the 27th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which states that “Equality of Rights under the Law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.”
In 1987 the U.S. Congress designated March as National Women’s History Month. This creates a special opportunity in our schools, our workplaces, and our communities to recognize and celebrate the often-overlooked achievements of American women. This year’s theme is:
The 2022 National Women’s History theme presents the opportunity to honor the work of caregivers and frontline workers during the pandemic. The theme also pays tribute to the many women throughout history and from a multitude of cultures who have led the way in promoting healing and hope.
NKU's National Women's History Month 2022 Schedule of Events is presented by the Women's History Month Programming group which is a collaborative group comprised of representatives from departments and divisions campus-wide.
Student Affairs has a new social media presence led by our new Graduate Assistant, Colin Stepien. In the spirit of connectivity, everyone is encouraged to follow the Vice President of Student Affairs on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. We will be highlighting events hosted by all our offices, including University Housing, Norse Violence Prevention, Center for Student Engagement, University Police, African American Student Initiatives, Latino Student Initiatives, and LGBTQA+ Student Initiatives, just to name a few. To see everything happening in Student Affairs, follow the VPSA:
Twitter
(@nku_vpsa)
Instagram
(@vpsa.nku)
Facebook
(@nkuvpsa)
You can find all Student Affairs Social Media in the Norse Student Handbook.
Lt. Love
Lt. Ruehl
Lt. Will Love is pivoting to be responsible for Equitable Policing and associated initiatives.
Lt. Autumn Ruehl is now the Field Operations Lieutenant, aiming for community focused relationships and day-to-day departmental functions.
Ms. Combs
Leo Calderon began his career with Northern Kentucky University over 36 years ago in the Department of Public Safety. From there he moved to the President’s office and found innovative ways to leverage his position to encourage institutional volunteer initiatives and promote community partnerships. Leo’s next move took him back to the Department of Public safety where he continued to nurture the growing relationships between the university and the community.
Eventually, Leo moved to his most challenging, yet rewarding, role at Northern Kentucky University as the founding Director of the Office of Latino Student Affairs. In this role, Leo has exemplified the student-centered approach and has gone out of his way to serve our students, their families, and the community at large. Through his work of the past 20 years, Leo has situated NKU as a national leader in supporting Latino students through regional, statewide, and national partnerships he formed on behalf of the university, and NKU’s Office of Latino Student Initiatives has been recognized as a “Best Practice” in Frankfort, Lexington, Columbus, Indiana, Chicago, and even Texas.
Leo Calderon’s work has not been confined to the walls of Northern Kentucky University and is in fact recognized by more than thirty organizations. Leo was the first Latino person to be appointed to the Kentucky Board of Education where he served on various committees on education, curriculum, and diversity. He has formed close partnerships with key groups on both local and international levels, including the Mexican Consulate, LULAC, and the YMCA. These relationships have resulted in many sponsorship dollars being provided for NKU students over the years.
Today he continues his advocacy through the Kentucky Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence and the Esperanza Center, which provides support to the multicultural community of Northern Kentucky and acts as a central location for individuals to access services including educational programs, health and legal advice, and assistance with documents.
Leo’s commitment and dedication to the work has made a real impact on all who have worked with him, and Leo’s well-deserved staff emeritus appointment will continue giving Northern Kentucky University a greater national and international recognition.
Personal Training Sale
Now is the perfect time to start personal training! Get 10% off all Personal Training Packages with promo code NEWYOU#2022. Sale ends February 28, 2022.
Sand Volleyball League
Join the Intramural Sand Volleyball League. Games are played on Monday and Tuesday evenings at the Sand Volleyball Complex. The entry deadline is March 15, and the league starts March 21, 2022. Register online on the Campus Rec website.
Intramural Sports
Get 22% off all annual memberships purchased from December 1, 2021, to February 28, 2022. Use promo code NEWYEAR#2022 when renewing your membership online. All new memberships must be purchased in person at the Membership Services desk.
Housing Selection
Housing selection is fully under way. All students are able to fill out their housing applications online and select their rooms on the Housing website.
Summer Housing
Summer residents will be housed in Northern Terrace! NKU's summer housing application will open on Tuesday, March 1, 2022.
Black History Month - Movie Night at the Cinema
Housing is sponsoring a trip to the cinema to watch Judas and the Black Messiah on Thursday, February 17, 2022. Doors open at 7:30p and the movie begins at 8:30p. The movie will be shown at Wilder Stadium 14 (103 Crossing Dr, Wilder, KY 41076). Please contact housing@nku.edu for more information.
Now Hiring!
University Housing is now hiring for its next Associate Director of Housing Facilities. For more information, please contact Scott Patton, Director of University Housing.
End of Newsletter
This newsletter was created by David Berland on behalf of NKU Student Affairs. Please direct questions, comments, or updates to berlandd1@nku.edu.
Northern Kentucky University
832 Lucas Administrative Center
Highland Heights, KY 41099
Phone: (859) 572-6447
Fax: (859) 572-1310
