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A Message From the President
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Greetings NIU Black Alumni and friends –
I would like to welcome you to the inaugural edition of what we hope will be a vehicle to keep us all connected to the university and each other. For the first newsletter from the Northern Illinois University (NIU) Black Alumni Council (BAC), I could not think of a better thing to do than congratulate the Northern Illinois University class of 2023 on a job well done.
To all of our graduates, especially those that just joined us, please take advantage of your alumni services, and professional networking. We have over 300 years of combined workplace experience and we would love to share that knowledge with you. We have a mantra to pay it forward, and we are doing so through mentoring and the Fanny Ruth Patterson Scholarship Endowment.
We look forward to seeing you at future NIUBAC events and encourage each of you to stay active in the mission to make NIU a university where all students can flourish.
Have a great summer.
Michael C. Pattrick ’90, M.S.Ed. ’94
NIU Black Alumni Council President
Black Alumni Council Members
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De'Andrea Robinson ’96
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Michael Crawford ’05, M.S.Ed. ’08
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Howard Hill ’80
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Michael Johns ’07, M.S.Ed. ’10
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Eric Lindsay ’80
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Rich Hart ’83
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Lewis Powell III ’79, M.P.A. ’81
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Toni Minter ’97
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Marlon Haywood ’10, M.S.Ed. ’12
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Antoinette Bryant ’82
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Kweli Kwaza ’87
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Huskie Highlights
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Dr. Yvonne Harris, ’84, M.S. ’92, Ph.D. ’93, will take the reins as NIU’s Vice President of Research and Innovation Partnerships. Read more ⇨
Cherese Johnson, ’14, M.B.A. ’17, feels one of her most meaningful volunteering roles has been being a founding member of the NIU College of Business Black Alumni Mentoring Program (BAMP). Read more ⇨
Antoinette Bryant ’82, named to NIU Alumni Association Board of Directors. Read more ⇨
After five years as NIU’s first Chief Diversity Officer, Dr. Vernese Edghill-Walden departs NIU to return to lead at her alma mater, Bucknell University. Dr. Carol A. Sumner, who brings 27 years of experience in higher education, will step in to take her place. Read more ⇨
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Fanny Ruth Patterson Scholarship
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The NIU Black Alumni Council celebrated its most successful fundraising effort yet for the Fanny Ruth Patterson Scholarship, named for the first Black graduate from NIU. The team raised $34,456, exceeding the $22,000 goal and providing deserving students with $10,000 in scholarships for the next year. The BAC also made marked progress toward endowing the scholarship, with over $20,000 of its fundraising effort going toward the $500,000 goal. Endowing the scholarship will enable the BAC to award the scholarship in perpetuity. Make a donation to help current students and fund the endowment here.
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Center for Black Studies Notes
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Members of the NIU Community and Black Alumni Council joined the Center for Black Studies staff, Dr. LaVerne Gyant, Derrick Smith, Gaylen Rivers and Christopher Mitchell for The Black Graduation, celebrating the success of our graduates this spring! View photos from the celebration here.
The Center for Black Studies would also like feedback on what you’d like to see at Homecoming this year. Share your thoughts here.
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Upcoming Events
September
• NIU Black Alumni Council Reunion Picnic, Sept. 3—Read more ⇨
October
• NIU's 116th Homecoming, Oct. 8-15—Read more ⇨
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the NIU Alumni Association