Roosevelt University - RU in the Community

RU in the Community - March 2008

Sara Tuchman (left), a student in the University's Physical Resources Department, encourages social justice major Brian Brown to take the RU Green Pledge that lists 18 ways anyone in the RU community can make a difference to the environment. The pledge can be taken from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the second floor Michigan Avenue lounge, or by visiting www.roosevelt.edu/greenpledge

Derek Lee, a student in Roosevelt's Master's in Public Administration program, views the FDR @ 75 banner exhibit that is on display through the end of the month in the University's Michigan Avenue lobby

Dozens of books were sold Tuesday in the Herman Crown Center by the student organization RU Prime and volunteers (from left) Mallory Umar, Sharrise Brooks and Renee Kelsey. Proceeds from the sale will be used to buy RU Prime t-shirts.

For the Walter E. Heller College of Business Administration's Service Learning Project, Carolyn Wiley, professor of Management, along with eight Heller College students co-facilitated breakout sessions for the Bay Valley Foods’ national 2008 Leadership Conference. Front row: Dr. Wiley, Joe Coning, president of Bay Valley Foods and Valerie Parker, vice president of Human Resources. Back row: students Roberta A. White-Hunter, LaKeisha Lando, Tapeca Drain-Noble, Jane J. Rhee, Sonequia “Sony” Tiggs, Jetridge Kibonge, Mengya “Mia” Wang, and Adele Stowe.

Alex Kolowitz, author of There Are No Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in the Other America, attracted a standing-room-only crowd when he spoke at Roosevelt on March 13. Kotlowitz, the 2008 Mansfield Institute for Social Justice lecturer, talked about two youngsters he befriended in the Henry Horner Homes public housing project.

Roosevelt University hosted more than 300 high school journalists from 17 Chicago public and private high schools at the 16th annual Scholastic Press Association of Chicago journalism workshop held in the Gage Building on March 11. Journalism Professor John Fountain was the featured speaker at the awards ceremony. This is the largest workshop in the 16 years since the Scholastic Press Association of Chicago was founded at Roosevelt in 1991. Photo by James Robinson.

Roosevelt students learned Chicago-style step dancing
from members of the Majestic Gents on March 13 in the Marvin Moss
Student Center. Chicago-style stepping originated in Chicago's
predominately African-American neighborhoods, and has grown to encompass its own distinct culture, dressing style and music. The lessons were sponsored by the Black Student Union.

In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, members of the Glen Gale Pipe Band performed at the Schaumburg Campus on Monday. From left are Tom McDonnell (husband of Mary McDonnell, chief clerk), Nestor Avila, program assistant in the Office of Career Services and Maureen Vaughan.

Paul Green, director of Roosevelt University’s Institute for Politics, watches as Kristen McQueary, political reporter for the Southtown Star, explains what has been happening recently in the Illinois General Assembly. She and Rich Miller, publisher of Capitol Fax (near), were among the speakers at the inaugural Herb and Eileen Franks Seminar on Elections and Politics held March 10 in the Congress Lounge. More than 100 people attended the seminar which featured two panel discussions, one on national politics and the other on state and local politics.

On March 11 in the Congress Lounge, Yusuf Omar, consul general of the South African Consulate in Chicago, delivered Roosevelt’s annual RU Global lecture, sponsored by the Office of the President–Governmental Affairs. He discussed the numerous political, educational, social and economic changes taking place in South Africa.

Francis Carroll (BA, ’54) received a framed copy of a Roosevelt University alumni magazine article about her and her identical twin sister, Grace Dawson (BA, ’54), from President Chuck Middleton prior to a special meeting of the Illinois Board of Higher Education held March 11 at the University. Carroll, a member of the IBHE, attended the meeting which focused on strategic priorities for higher education in Illinois.

Representatives from 67 corporations, nonprofit organizations and governmental bodies interviewed Roosevelt students and alumni at the University's annual Job and Internship Fair on March 6. Display tables were set up in the Fainman and Congress Lounges in the Auditorium Building.

Last weekend Roosevelt students made history when they attended the first Leadership Summit at the Illinois Beach Resort and Conference Center in Zion. The summit was coordinated by the Center for Student Involvement and an advisory team with representatives from Project Prime, International Programs, SGA, RU Prime, Provost’s Office and SPEED. During the three-day, two-night summit, students went to leadership workshops, held round table discussions about Roosevelt issues and were able to reflect on their own leadership development. The summit was so successful that plans are being made to make it an annual event.

Rick Kogan (left), a Chicago Tribune writer and host on WGN radio, and author Timuel Black (BA, ’50), a classmate of Harold Washington (BA, ’49) at Roosevelt University, talked about Washington’s career and his years as mayor of Chicago. The March 4 presentation at the University was co-sponsored by Roosevelt and the Harold Washington Commemorative Year Committee.

In celebration of Black History Month, the Black Student Union of Roosevelt University presented a lecture by Haki R. Madhubuti titled "Black Culture, White Culture and Barack Obama" on Feb. 28 at the Chicago Campus. Madhubuti is director of the master of fine arts program in creative writing at Chicago State University, the author of numerous books and a 2007 Chicagoan of the Year.

A delegation of senior educators from China visited the University on March 4 to learn how American universities are governed. Michael Durnil, vice president for governmental affairs and university outreach and assistant secretary to the Board of Trustees, explained how Roosevelt’s Board of Trustees operates during a meeting in the board room.

The Schaumburg Campus Center for Student Life hosted its inaugural Dodgeball Tournament on Friday, Feb. 29 in Alumni Hall. The winning team, the Drive By Ballers, went undefeated.

The Legacy Project IV, a Celebration of Black Music, was held in Ganz Hall Monday evening, March 3. Organized by Adrian Dunn, if featured the music of Tage Larsen, Candace Taylor, Dana Brown, the Legacy Celebration Choir and Hopera '08.

Paul Green, the Arthur Rubloff Professor of Policy Studies and director of the Institute for Politics, had his picture taken at the James R. Thompson Center with Uno, the Illinois beagle that recently won the best in show title at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show in New York. Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn declared March 5 as Uno the Beagle Day across the State.