Each year, during the fall semester, the UID Steering Committee collaborates with the academic departments on various contests. The UID Steering Committee works with the Department of English on an essay contest open to students enrolled in English 102, 103, 104 and 105 courses. The UID Steering Committee works with the Department of Communication on a speech contest as well, which is promoted through COMS 100 - Fundamentals of Speech Communication courses each fall.
Through the essay and speech contets, NIU students are given the opportunity to share their understanding of Unity in Diversity based on their personal experiences. From among the hundreds of submissions, prizes are awarded for the first, second, and third place, and for several honorable mentions. The essay contest is awarded at a Department of English ceremony in the fall. The speech contest winner is announced and the winning speech is read each spring at the Diversity & Equity Awards gala.
Additionally, during the spring semester, the UID Steering Committee sponsors a theme and poster contest. The selected theme is used in the design of the following year's poster. The winning poster is printed and distributed across campus the following fall semester as a way to highlight NIU's commitment to diversity. Theme and poster contest winners are recognized at the Diversity & Equity Awards gala each April.
On an ongoing basis, the UID Steering Committee provides funds to University departments and student organizations to support programs and events that promote unity in diversity on Northern Illinois University's campus. Requests for funding should be submitted using the UID Funding Request form and are reviewed and voted on by the funding committe. For more information, please see the Funding tab to the left.