Bridging language barriers

For many families in DeKalb, a simple conversation about child development can make all the difference. Through a growing partnership between Northern Illinois University speech-language pathology graduate students and local organizations, those conversations are now happening in both English and Spanish, helping

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Leading Through Advocacy

Advocacy is not always the first thing that comes to mind when students think about physical therapy. But on April 23, students and clinicians gathered at Northern Illinois University’s Wellness and Literacy Center to explore how policy decisions made far beyond the

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Celebrate!

A steady stream of students moved through Wirtz Hall Atrium on March 19, drawn by tables of information, conversations with faculty and the chance to explore what the College of Health and Human Sciences (CHHS) has to offer. The “Celebrate CHHS” event

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Presidential Commission Awards

The NIU Presidential Commissions play a vital role in shaping a campus where everyone feels seen, supported and valued. Serving as advisory groups to the president, the commissions bring people together through collaboration and research to offer thoughtful recommendations that strengthen inclusion

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Building Community

For more than a decade, the curtain has risen at Northern Illinois University on something far bigger than a stage production. Penguin Players, led by Sycamore parents Barb and Joe King, brings together local adults with special needs — known as artists

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Unlocking Collaboration

What happens when you combine clinical education with puzzle-solving and teamwork under pressure? For graduate students in NIU’s Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) program, the result was a hands-on, high-energy learning experience that brought the principles of professional communication to life through an escape

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Rural Health Careers Camp empowers high school students

More than 50 students from 18 rural high schools across Northwest Illinois gathered on  NIU’s campus for an immersive three-day journey into the world of healthcare. The Rural Health Careers Camp, hosted by the National Center for Rural Health Professions (NCRHP) at the

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Play meets purpose

NIU hosted a free, faculty-supervised camp tailored specifically for autistic children, pairing therapeutic fun with hands-on training for graduate students in speech-language pathology (SLP) and physical therapy (DPT). “Camps like these are necessary because they provide a free opportunity for autistic children

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2025 Awards for Excellence

Dean Kelly Fiala announced the winners of the 2025 Dean’s Awards for Excellence during the college’s end-of-year celebration held April 29 at the Huskie Den in Holmes Student Center. Blythe Kitner, Yujun Liu, Beth Moxley, and the Allied Health and Communicative Disorders team of Danica

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Student Spotlight: Cassidy Sweeney

NIU student Cassidy Sweeney was awarded the 2024-2025 Midwest Deans Association (MDA) Legacy Scholarship sponsored by the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP). The Legacy Scholarship program was established to honor the legacies of current and former deans and directors of

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We’re all in this together 

About 150 students and two dozen faculty and instructors gathered at the Holmes Student Center on Feb. 21 for the 10th interprofessional education (IPE) event hosted by the College of Health and Human Sciences (CHHS). Students from programs including athletic training, audiology,

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