Baker, wife reach out to campus
President Doug Baker (center) talks to members of the NIU community Wednesday during his ice cream social, which was held at the MLK Commons. Students and staff gathered to greet to the president and were treated to root beer floats as they waited.
September 5, 2013
NIU had a special way to meet its president while beating the heat: Ice cream.
The treat was part of Wednesday’s root beer social in the MLK Commons. Students were invited to enjoy root beer floats and relax to the sound of NIU’s Steel Band.
“It’s a way for me to get to know the university faculty, staff and students, but also allowing the university to get to know me,” said President Doug Baker.
Students also enjoyed Wednesday’s social.
“It’s good. My favorite thing is that I get to meet the president,” said Ricco Ramos, junior business administration major.
Baker will host other events and workshops in different departments so he can unleash the “potential of the university.”
“President Baker works well and takes good care of students and programs; I don’t think that other university presidents would have an event like this,” said Arunkumar Soorneedi, freshman computer science major.
The event also provided students a chance to meet Baker’s wife, Dana Stover.
“Its been a lot of fun, loved these events as a way to meet students, faculty and staff, also bringing in a lot of energy to the campus,” Stover said.
Stover said she also enjoyed a dinner with student orientation leaders and meeting the McNair Scholars, which helped her fall in love with those groups and NIU. Another favorite event of Stover’s? Watching NIU beat Iowa in Saturday’s game.