A Monthly Newsletter Publication of NKU Student Affairs and Enrollment Management
As we approach the summer after another successful school year, hours at some of your favorite locations will be changing:
Student Union / University Center
Monday - Friday, 7:30a - 5:00p
(On Orientation days, closing time will be 5:30p)
Closed on weekends (unless there is a Special Event) and all holidays
Campus Recreation
Sundays, 12:00p - 8:00p
Monday - Friday, 6:30a - 9:00p
Saturdays, 9:00a - 4:00p
(Pool, Membership Services, and Bouldering Wall have different hours.
Please visit the Campus Rec website for more information.)
Fuel NKU
Mondays, 11:00a - 3:00p
Wednesdays, 11:00a - 3:00p
Thursdays, 11:00a - 5:00p
Halee Tapp is the new administrative secretary for Northern Kentucky University’s Upward Bound Program. She started the position on April 17th! Halee is no stranger to NKU. She graduated from NKU this past fall semester and has a degree in Management and a minor in Business. When Halee isn’t working, she can be easily found reading! She is also likely to be watching or attending some sort of sporting event. Halee prefers hockey or baseball!
For her time as a student at NKU, she states that she was able to fit in immediately. She also mentions that she was glad to find a “home” at NKU as a student and now as an employee. When it comes to work, she states that she enjoys the feeling of knowing that she is appreciated each day at that she is in the office.
Halee mentions that she is really excited to have joined the Upward Bound team. She said, “I joined the Upward Bound team because I knew deep down in my heart that it was right for me. I had recently graduated and I was trying to figure out what was next. I felt that being with this team, I could learn so much about being in an office setting, a part of a team, and myself. Most importantly, I knew that I could help others while doing even the smallest tasks that could help lead these students to success.”
The Upward Bound team is very grateful for Halee, her work ethic, and dedication to the program! She already knows how to keep the office in line and sometimes that is needed! Feel free to reach out to Halee and introduce yourself! She is a great person to get to know!
By: Johnny Bergman, Upward Bound Director
The 2022-2023 academic year was very successful for Upward Bound. During the academic year, NKU’s Upward Bound students learned about diversity and inclusion, the pros and cons of social media, college costs, the admissions process, the FAFSA, financial aid, personality strengths, careers, majors, values, and long-term goals.
The students also got to participate in a few college tours, a recreational day, and community service activities. With the help of LAMP, AASI, and LGBTQA+ Student Initiatives, NKU Upward Bound members got to participate in a NKU student roundtable about college costs, scholarships, the college experience, and diversity. Upward Bound students mentioned that this roundtable was one of their favorite activities because they got to hear from actual college students.
In April, the program honored their seniors by taking them on a senior trip and providing them a senior dinner. The NKU Upward Bound seniors traveled to Chicago, Illinois, at the beginning of April. While in Chicago, the students got to experience the city’s architecture, culture, and diversity. The students got to go on an architectural boat experience, toured a couple of museums, ate and shopped in Chinatown, and had front row seats to a Blue Man Group production! On April 17, the program celebrated their seniors’ achievements at Walt’s Hitching Post in Fort Wright, Kentucky. Out of the program’s thirteen seniors, twelve of them plan on attending college in the fall. Seven of them plan on attending NKU!
Currently, the program is looking forward to our summer program, which begins on June 6th! This summer, the program will have 29 students from five different high schools living on campus. The students will be embarking on several endeavors and adventures through academic classes, trips, and diverse programming.
Melanie Herrick
Vice President of Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society
I am a transfer student in my senior year majoring in psychology, with a focus in social work. I plan to obtain my MSW following graduation and work with the pediatric population. I am very interested in DEI efforts and the intersectionality of disability with other marginalized groups. My vision for DAPi for the upcoming year is to be a source of support and camaraderie for disabled students while educating the wider NKU community on disability issues. Go Norse!
Chloe Webb
Secretary of Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society
I will be a third-year student and I am pursuing my B.S. in Environmental Science. For DAPi, I hope to help bring more awareness on campus of our honor society and bring more awareness of disabilities. I also hope to further my leadership, teamworking, and communication skills through my role as Secretary for DAPi and hope to help build a community where NKU students with disabilities feel safe and heard.
University Housing recently hosted its End of the Year Awards Banquet. We take this opportunity to recognize all the hard work members of our department have done throughout the year. During this time of celebration, there were many award recipients including our Unsung Hero, Paul Cohn, our Residential Community of the Year, New Residence Hall, and our Friend of Housing, Chartwells.
We were glad to be together and celebrate another successful academic year and recognize our graduating student leaders. Congratulations to all the award winners and graduates!
UCAP and Gown served 38 students this year for Spring Commencement!
All students met with a UCAP team member to discuss post-graduation plans, student loan repayment, and information about involvement as an alumni.
Many thanks to Special Events and Alumni Services for this amazing and wonderful partnership!
A very special thank you to VFW Post 10380 in Green Township for their special gift to launce our new program and service! Look for more information in the coming months - scheduled open date is August 2023 to coincide with our 10-year anniversary!
Hint: The "At-Ease" lounge is going to be kickin' with some new interactive gear!
During the past month, TRIO SSS staff have been busy.
We celebrated our Spring 2023 TRIO Graduates! For the first time in 3 years we were able to celebrate our graduates with an in-person luncheon where we touted their accomplishments and highlighted their future plans. This Spring we had 25 students become NKU TRIO SSS alumni! We are very proud of all our students and wish the graduates the best of luck in their graduate programs and new careers!
We have also been preparing for a TRIO SSS trip to Chicago. We are looking forward to spending May 12th – 14th in Chicago, as we had hoped to take this trip in 2020, then 2021, or maybe even 2022. Three staff and 22 students will be taking a motor coach to Chicago and visiting attractions such as the Shedd Aquarium, Millennial Park, Navy Pier, and the Natural History Museum! We are also planning to visit several iconic Chicago restaurants. Safe travels to our students and staff!
One of our staff members was in the final stretch of diligently preparing for the Flying Pig! During Flying Pig weekend, Liz Vagedes ran in four races: The Fifty West Mile, the 5k with her niece, the Flying Fur with her dog Lincoln, and the full marathon!
Way to go Liz!
Northern Kentucky University's own Dr. Meg Hensley, Senior Director for Student Wellbeing and Support in the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, recently served on a professional panel entitled "Eggs 'N Issues: Solving Caregiver Challenges in the Workplace."
During this panel, four leaders in the Northern Kentucky region talked about workplace flexibility in order to address caregiver challenges in the workplace. Caregivers could include working parents or working professionals taking care of older adults. The panel focused on accommodations in the workplace for caregivers and addressed some of the challenges faced.
Some of the accommodations suggestions offered by the panel included limiting meetings prior to 9:30a or after 4:00p; extended paid parental leave; discounts on childcare; flexibility to work from home; and after-hours childcare. The panel was well-received and viewers received thoughtful take-aways to bring back to their company or workplace.
Dr. Hensley's participation in the group is a reflection of her leadership of the Student Wellbeing and Support area, where she supervises Student Accessibility, Health Services, Counseling Services, Norse Violence Prevention, Student Wellness, and Parents Attending College.
Abbey Birch is a new dispatcher with NKU University Police.
Education
Graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and Political Science. She is currently working on her Masters in Social Work at NKU.
Why did you choose this job?
I wanted to work at NKU , as this is currently where I go to school and have always loved the tight-knit feeling that this community has on campus. It also helps that I get some additional help with funding my degree through this job.
What do you love about this job?
Although I have only been here for a short period of time, the department has a family atmosphere that makes it easy to love working here. The officers and dispatchers at NKUPD are a great group of people to work with and they all work hard to make a difference on campus for all students.
Fun Fact about you?
My favorite move is Dead Poets Society.
Join us as we welcome Abbey and make sure to say hi if you see her around campus! Welcome to the team!
The Victor E. Coins program is Northern Kentucky University's student engagement reward program. True to its motto of "Be Involved, Be Rewarded," the program positively rewards students for being involved in the different facets of campus life. As one of NKU's newest programs, it is known for its innovation, adaptability, and positive impact on the student experience. Thousands of students earned Victor E. Coins and over 100 students received a prize or other opportunity for their campus involvement. Way to go Norse!
This year, we would also like to recognize our Victor E. Coins' Top Earner, awarded to a student who actively participates in university-affiliated events and activities, earning the most coins throughout the academic year. This year's top earner is Tista Nazrul. Congratulation, Tista!
Northern Kentucky University seeks to promote the presence of a vigorous and diverse religious community on campus, to foster interfaith dialog, to promote understanding and cooperation within that community, and to encourage its active participation in the public discourse of the university. NKU welcomes the presence of a wide-range of denominational and non-denominational ministries reflecting all faiths and religious traditions. NKU's Inter-Faith Council (Campus Ministries) program is housed in the Center for Student Engagement. This spring semester, intentional steps were taken to grow this program and its visibility exemplified by its first ever Inter-Faith Fair with Lawn games.
The purpose of the Inter-Faith Fair with Lawn games was to further the connection between the Inter-Faith Council and the Northern Kentucky University community. It was a fun and successful event, rooted in the communal aspect of fellowship. Ten of the eleven recognized campus ministries were represented at the event and over 200 community members participated!
Not taking classes this summer? Purchase a Student Summer Membership and stay active this summer! Don't let the summer break derail your fitness goals. Enjoy unlimited workouts and classes all summer long through our student membership for the entire summer, and it's just $48! Student Summer Memberships can be purchased at the Membership Services desk.
From high-energy cardio to relaxing yoga, we've got something for everyone. Our summer fitness schedule is out on our website to view them! Visit campusrec.nku.edu for more updates!
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
