NIU Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference (December 6, 2019)

Consider returning to campus to judge the 11th annual Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference from 12 - 2pm on December 6, 2019! This conference features a browsing fair of posters showcasing undergraduate student research projects conducted in collaboration with faculty and graduate student mentors. It’s a celebration of home-grown knowledge! 
Requirements: Judges will need to have earned a Master’s degree in a graduate program that involved comprehension and evaluation of research related to psychology. Register here.

NIU Commencement Cap and Gown Pickup (December 13 - 14, 2019)

Help celebrate graduating Huskies and welcome them to the alumni community by volunteering at Cap and Gown pickup. Volunteers help NIU Alumni Association staff congratulate our newest graduates with a both a free license plate frame and year-long membership to the Alumni Association. Volunteers will also share information about how to stay connected with NIU through alumni association activities and communications. Participants will be trained and accompanied by staff, but will definitely be the stars of the show as they share their stories and inspire the next generation of alumni! Volunteers can sign up for one or more two-hour shifts here.

University Honors Externship Program (Jan. 6-10, 2020)

Alumni working within 75 miles of campus can apply to host NIU students interested in their professional field. Alumni have the autonomy to curate this week-long experience for students (Jan. 6 - 10, 2020) with support from the NIU Alumni Association and the University Honors Program. Click here to apply to be a site.

Living-Learning Communities (LLC) Alumni Career Network Series (Ongoing)

Share your professional expertise with students through the Living-Learning Communities (LLC) Alumni Career Network Series at NIU. Through this unique opportunity you can choose to bring LLC students onsite to your company or visit NIU and share your real-world experiences with LLC students. Visit the Living-Learning Communities webpage and learn more about LLC, and apply for the LLC Alumni Career Network Series here! Contact Jeanne Baxter at jbaxter1@niu.edu or call 815-753-5062 with any questions.

Share Your Love of Reading With the Jerry L. Johns Literacy Clinic! (Ongoing)

The Early Literacy Reading Program: Alumni volunteers are needed to guide monthly reading sessions with preschoolers ages 3 – 5. The parents will remain with their child while listening to the story. Ages and themes will change and creativity is encouraged!

The Boys and Books Club: This program is geared specifically for boys in Grades 5 – 8. Male alumni volunteers who enjoy mentoring in a relaxed reading setting are needed to lead reading and discussion sessions.

 If you would like to learn more, please contact the Director of the Jerry L. Johns Literacy Clinic, Mary Gardner at gardner@niu.edu or phone 815-753-8187.

NIU Esports: Volunteer Coaches and Content Experts Needed (Ongoing)

Get involved in esports at NIU!  Our fast-growing esports club program needs knowledgeable volunteers to support coaching students, presenting in esports classes, and organizing esports tournaments. There are so many opportunities for students, alumni and community members to have fun, play video games and help build our exciting esports program. If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact Jeannine East or Aline Click at esports@niu.edu.

Department of Accountancy "Helping Huskies" Mentor Program (Ongoing)

"Helping Huskies" connects accountancy alumni with students for one-on-one conversations about careers, academics, business and start-ups. Set your availability and choose the areas you’d like to mentor in. Then you'll be matched with students looking for assistance in those areas. Matches don't always occur instantaneously, but your participation in the mentoring network will greatly enhance the department's ability to provide accountancy students with strong mentors. Click here to join.

Communiversity Gardens (Ongoing)

The NIU Communiversity Gardens are part of a community-wide approach to end food insecurity in DeKalb County by providing access to fresh organic vegetables that are locally grown for anyone in need. Volunteers have the opportunity to plant, weed and harvest for this cause while improving their gardening skills. Volunteers are typically needed for shifts a few days per week. Click here and sign up to volunteer for hours that fit your schedule.

Huskie Food Pantry (Ongoing)

The Huskie Food Pantry is an amazing NIU program that serves students who lack access to adequate food sources. The pantry is a nonprofit organization that relies on the support of generous donors, volunteers, interns and university partners to maintain the program. During the summer months, the pantry is in great need of volunteers to fill the roles left vacant by dedicated student volunteers who have gone home for the summer. Alumni volunteers can help by donating food, stocking shelves or serving on a pantry night. Click here and sign up to volunteer.

Living-Learning Communities (LLC) Alumni Career Network Series (Ongoing)

Share your professional expertise with students through the Living-Learning Communities (LLC) Alumni Career Network Series at NIU. Through this unique opportunity you can choose to bring LLC students onsite to your company or visit NIU and share your real-world experiences with LLC students. Visit the Living-Learning Communities webpage and learn more about LLC, and apply for the LLC Alumni Career Network Series here! Contact Jeanne Baxter at jbaxter1@niu.edu or call 815-753-5062 with any questions.

Become a volunteer advocate for NIU! (Ongoing)

Add your voice to the conversation and share NIU's legislative priorities with legislators in your district. Click here to learn more, or register for our advocacy platform and become an advocate!

University Honors Scholarship Review Program (Feb. 1-28, 2020)

Alumni play a huge role in supporting the NIU University Honors staff award merit-based scholarships to deserving NIU students by participating in the scholarship application review process! Alumni reviewers selected for this opportunity will review and score student scholarship applications through our online platform between Feb. 1 - 28. Training will occur in January 2020. This fantastic opportunity provides a unique window into life at NIU and is an excellent way for alumni to learn more about current NIU students. Apply to review scholarships here!

Become a volunteer advocate for NIU! (Ongoing)

Add your voice to the conversation and share NIU's legislative priorities with legislators in your district. Click here to register for our advocacy platform and to become an advocate!

Graduate Career and Professional Development Connections (Ongoing)

The NIU Graduate School Career and Professional Development Portal provides professional development programming through use of educational strategies that engage graduate students in job discovery and diverse career opportunities. Alumni are key in helping students gain insight on what their field is demanding and how the job market is changing. To develop connections with alumni, workshops through the program show graduate students how to use LinkedIn as a networking tool to find alumni who have jobs of interest to them. Graduate students are then encouraged to conduct 15- to 20-minute online interviews with these alumni. Program staff seek alumni who are interested in participating in these interviews. Alumni can sign-up here to participate.

NIUniverse: A Social Media Ambassador Program (Ongoing)

Join the NIUniverse to share your Huskie pride through your social networks! NIU social media ambassadors have first-look access to exciting content, can share and recommend stories on behalf of the NIU Alumni Association and can win Huskie swag by participating in contests and challenges. All you have to do is join, take a few moments each week to share our stories with your networks and participate in our contests! The more you participate, the better your chances at winning awesome NIU swag. Sign up here.

Department of Communication Alumni: Share your Success Story! (Ongoing)

The Department of Communication, which includes Communication Studies and Journalism, seeks to celebrate their graduates' career accomplishments by featuring their success stories online. If you are an alumnus of the program who is interested in sharing their story, contact Laura Vazquez at lvazquez@niu.edu to have your profile added to the Department of Communication webpage.

Refer a Huskie (Ongoing)

Remember, you can always use the NIU Alumni Association's online form to refer a student that would make a great Huskie. Students referred this way receive a promotional code, which covers the application cost.