Jazz band takes first at contest in Wisconsin

The NIU Jazz Lab Band captured first place in the 41st edition of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Jazz Festival, held on the weekend of March 28. NIU was up against various other Midwest schools, including various Wisconsin universities and the University of Minnesota.

Latino rights leader to speak on campus

Latino rights leader Dolores Huerta will speak on campus at 7 p.m. tonight in the Holmes Student Center, Carl Sandburg Auditorium. Huerta, a co-founder of the United Farm Workers Union, will speak on the labor movement, civic engagement and the importance of the Latino vote in this year’s election, according to the press release.

The address is titled, “The Need for Social Change: From the Fight in the Fields to the Halls of Congress.”

The event is free and open to the public.

LA&S to offer academic summer camps

The NIU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is offering summer academic camps for students ranging from grades four through 12.

– NIU Speech Camp (June 22-27) – must have completed a grade between eight and 12.

– NIU Creative Writing Camp (June 22-27) – must have completed a grade between eight and 12.

– NIU Science Camp: Sci-Camp Explorations Jr. (June 22-27) – must have completed a grade between five and seven.

– NIU Science Camp: Sci-Camp Investigations Sr. (July 6-11) – must have completed a grade between eight and 12.

– NIU Film Camp (July 6-11) – must have completed a grade between eight and 12.

– NIU Muggle Academy: An Interdisciplinary “Harry Potter” Camp (July 13-18) – must have completed a grade between four and 12. Grades four through seven are only eligible for the day camp version.

For more information, please call 815-753-1456.

Women’s Studies announces contest winner

The Women’s Studies Program would like to congratulate the winners of the Women’s History Month Essay Contest. First place winner was Lucy Sosa’s essay “Gender-based Violence.” Second place winner went to the essay “Carrying a Book of Myths: On Recognizing Modern Motherhood,” by Saif Patel. The third place winner was an essay by Paulette Bowman called “Quilting: A Bibliographical Essay.” These winners were awarded in the undergraduate category.

Women student award recipients announced

Recipients of the 2008 NIU Outstanding Women Student Awards are Lisa Kay, Tara Lydon and Caresse John. The award, given out by the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW), are given to students who “assume leadership roles, pursue non-traditional career goals, overcome significant obstacles, or whose accomplishments might otherwise go unrecognized.”

The PCSW will host a ceremony April 20 to congratulate the students.