NIU hasn’t only been attracting college football fans, it’s been attracting professional football fans, too.

Today, Pat McCaskey, director of special projects for the Chicago Bears, will speak about the necessity of a college education.

McCaskey is a grandson of the late George “Papa Bear” Halas, who founded the National Football League and the Chicago Bears.

McCaskey will give two speeches about the value of a college education.

He also will speak about the importance of perseverance in college, along with sharing some of his own personal stories from high school, college and life with the Chicago Bears.

Each speech is expected to last about 40 minutes, with about 20 minutes of questions afterward.

He will speak at 3:30 p.m. at the Holmes Student Center’s Regency Room, and again at 7 p.m. at the student center’s Carl Sandburg Auditorium.

Both events are free and open to the public.

McCaskey’s presentations will be sponsored by the First-Year Connections Program.

The First-Year Connections Program is responsible for college-success courses UNIV 101 and UNIV 201, as well as the Student-Faculty Links mentoring program.

The program’s main focus is to ease the transition for new students coming to NIU, but the presentations will not be for first-year students only, said to Chris Kubic, assistant director of Orientation and Coordinator of First-Year Connections Program.

“There may be a slight emphasis on first-years by making the most of college, and getting off on the right foot,” Kubic said. “The main focus will be for students in general.”