Morning Brew & Write
Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, 9 to 11 a.m.
Founders Memorial Library, 71 North Partnership Studio (1st floor)

Build community and sustainable writing habits! No editing or reading of each other's papers required - just keeping each other accountable, focused, and moving writing projects forward.

Schedule:

Perfect for: Dissertations, theses, literature reviews for comprehensive exams in certain disciplines, research papers, course papers, any writing project. Open to all graduate students and post-docs across all disciplines.

Zotero For Citation Management Basics
Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, noon to 1 p.m. CST--Virtual via Teams

In this webinar you will learn the basics of using the Reference Management Software Zotero to organize your research. This is for individuals who are not familiar with or have little experience with Zotero. Attendees are encouraged to download Zotero prior to the webinar.

Innovation Pages at 71 North (Book Club!): Reading "Ecosystems as Models for Restoring our Economies”
Tuesdays, First Session is Feb. 10, 2026, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
71 North Partnership Studio (Lower-Level Founders Library)

Innovation Pages is our book club where ideas leap off the page and inspire action. Each semester, we explore books that help shape the culture of our studio and provide the basis for fostering innovation. Together, we spark conversations, share insights, and turn different perspectives into an appreciation of diversity across campus.

We will be reading, Ecosystems as Models for Restoring our Economies by John Giordanengo: how a restoration ecologist/businessman started thinking about how to improve our economy for everyone. You'll receive a copy of the book. Each following session, please try to read the assigned chapter and come with your thoughts and questions for the group. Even if you miss the first session, you're welcome to join, but we will be advancing steadily through the book throughout the semester! By weaving these perspectives together, we learn how to design impactful products and find inspiration for cultivating trust and collaboration as the foundation for innovation. Join a community of innovators who read, discuss, and create one page at a time.

Zotero Note-Taking and Group Libraries
Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, noon to 1:00 p.m.
Virtual via Teams

In this advanced session you will learn how to take notes on items in your Zotero library and create and manage group libraries for collaborating on research. Users should have a basic familiarity with Zotero and should have it installed on their personal device.

When AI Gets it wrong: Addressing Drift, Hallucinations, and more in Academic Writing
Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. 
Virtual Event

Generative AI isn’t perfect; drift, hallucinations, and context collapse can undermine reliability, introduce bias, and even distort research outcomes in academic writing. Join staff from the HASC Writing Center to learn how to identify these issues, validate AI-generated content, and develop practical workflows that support the responsible use of AI tools. This effort is co-sponsored by The Graduate School and the HASC Writing Center.

Career Success Clinic
Feb. 3, 2026, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Holmes Student Center, Duke Ellington Ballroom and Capitol Room

Get ready to polish your résumé (bring a copy of your résumé or your laptop), LinkedIn profile, perfect your elevator pitch and connect with professionals eager to support your success. Our Career Success Clinic is an interactive evening designed to help you feel confident and career-ready, no matter where you are in your journey.

You’ll have access to:

Open to all majors and class years. Approved for Career Launchpad, Honors Engaged and Business Passport.

Please make sure to RSVP to the event in Career Launchpad to secure your spot.

Pro-tip: Get a head start on your résumé. Use Quinncia to create and perfect your current résumé.  Log in to begin.

Boosting your Resume and Interview Skills Virtual Workshop
Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, noon to 1:00 p.m.
Virtual MS Teams

Learn how to optimize your resume and your interview skills. This virtual workshop will help

you to effectively communicate your accomplishments and demonstrate to employers and other decision-makers that you are a good fit for a job, internship, and additional opportunities. You will become acquainted with Quinncia, an AI-tool that provides a customized analysis of your resume (with suggestions for improvement) and a mock interview feature.

Just starting your resume or the interview process? Already a "pro" at these? Come with questions and insights as you learn additional strategies.

While it is not a requirement, it is recommended that you log in to Quinncia and upload your resume in advance.

How to Stand Out in a Competitive Job Market
Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 1 to 1:30 p.m.
Virtual Event

In today’s AI-driven job market, graduate students are finding it increasingly difficult to secure employment. Hiring has slowed, the market is saturated with qualified candidates, and many students are turning to AI tools that, unfortunately, hinder their job search more than they help. “How to Stand Out in a Competitive Job Market” is a virtual series designed to help master’s students navigate this new job market with confidence. You will learn essential job search strategies, tools, and techniques to navigate a hyper-competitive market. Each day, we’ll explore a key aspect of job searching as a master’s student today, so you can strategically plan your next steps. Register to attend!

This special event is open to master’s students from all academic disciplines.

LinkedIn for Career Fair Success Virtual Workshop
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, 5 to 6 p.m.
Virtual MS Teams

The Career Fairs are coming up! Don’t just show up—show up prepared! Research. Connect. Impress. In this workshopyou will learn how to use LinkedIn to research employers, connect with recruiters, and get insider advice leveraging the world’s largest social network. Create your LinkedIn account before the workshop and join us!

Spring 2026 All-Majors Internship and Job Fair
Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, 1 to 4:30 p.m.
NIU Convocation Center

NIU Career Services' spring 2026 All-Majors Internship and Job Fair provides an opportunity to connect with employers for internships, and full-time, part-time and student employment positions. Our All-Majors Internship and Job Fair is open to undergraduates, graduating seniors, graduate students, alumni, and non-NIU candidates. The fair is free for all candidates to attend, and pre-registration is not required. Parking is also free, or you may take the 2R or 2L bus line. To prepare for the event, we encourage students to download the Career Fair Plus app, where they can begin exploring and registering employers attending the fair. As the event date approaches, the interactive event map will also be available in the app to help you plan your visit efficiently.

Went to a Career Fair, Now What? Virtual Workshop
Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, noon to 1:00 p.m.
Virtual MS Teams

Don't let your career fair efforts end with a handshake. This workshop will teach you how to stand out by perfecting the art of the follow-up, leveraging your LinkedIn profile, and using NIU's top career resources. This session features a special Q&A with Samantha McMahon, HR Business Partner from Omron Management Center of America, INC., where you can get an employer's perspective on what makes a candidate memorable. You'll leave with a clear, actionable plan to turn conversations into job opportunities.

HELPS Fair: Exploring Helping Professions
Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, 2 to 5 p.m.
NIU Convocation Center

Introducing the inaugural HELPS Fair: Exploring Helping Professions, a free career event for students pursuing careers in Healthcare, Education, Legal, and Public Service/Non-Profit. Connect with top employers and gain industry insights without a reservation; free parking or the 2R/2L bus is available. To prepare for the event, we encourage students to download the Career Fair Plus app, where they can begin exploring and researching employers attending the fair. As the event date approaches, the interactive event map will also be available in the app to help you plan your visit efficiently.

Responsible Conduct of Research Forum Series

Learn about responsible and ethical conduct of research from NIU's research faculty and staff. Earn a transcript notation by attending 7 webinars in 2 years and participating in the blackboard discussions. Open to all graduate students from any discipline. This series will be conducted via Blackboard. Please register here!

 

Open Classroom Weeks for Graduate Teaching Assistants
Feb. 16 - 27, 2026

Graduate Teaching Assistants are invited to observe exemplary NIU faculty teaching during Open Classroom Weeks, Feb. 16–27. This annual opportunity allows GTAs to sit in on a faculty member’s class to see effective teaching practices in action, gain practical strategies, and learn from outstanding instructors across disciplines. Visit the event website for the full schedule and registration details. GTAs will leave with real examples of how faculty design activities, facilitate discussion, use technology, and shape classroom environments, along with insights they can apply to their own teaching roles.

Participants are also invited to a networking and reflection session on Tuesday, March 3, from 2–3 p.m., to share observations, ask questions, and think through next steps for their own teaching practice.

 

Chilling with Chase!
Feb. 4 and 18 1 to 2:00 p.m.., HSC Fireplace
Come hangout with our therapy dog Chase and his friends!

Crafting Connections!
Mondays, Feb. 2,9,16,23, 6  to 7 p.m., HSC Room 250
Weekly arts and crafts workshop to make friends and de-stress.

Procrastination Cafe
Feb. 3 and 17, Library FO20 | (behind Einstein's)
Feb. 10 and 24, HSC Ellington's

This event is a dedicated space for you to do your work and get prizes for finishing it. Now in partnership with the Huskie Academic Support Center! A Peer Academic Coach will be here to help you every week.

Crash Out Course
Wednesdays, Feb. 4,11,18,25, Online
Thursdays, Feb. 5,12,19,26, In person

This workshop series is on coping skills for burnout, breakdowns, and everything in between. 91% of students who attended last semester said it helped their overall wellbeing!

The Real Talk Conference
Thursday, Feb. 5 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 
Holmes Student Center 

NIU's Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Center's The Real Talk Conference 2026 is led by the Division of Academic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Division of Student Affairs. The theme for the 2026 conference is Stories of the Past, Visions for the Future, which represents the intergenerational dialogue and the power of oral history. Through storytelling, shared experiences, and meaningful conversations, participants will explore how the wisdom of the past can inform and inspire visions for a more just and connected future. Designed to bridge generational gaps, this gathering invites attendees to listen deeply, speak authentically, and honor the voices that have shaped our communities across time. Register here!

Meaningful Connections Grad Student Group
Fridays, First Session, Feb. 13, 2026, 1:30 to 3 p.m.

Hosted by NIU Counseling and Consultation Services, Meaningful Connections is a 10-week group where NIU students completing graduate or professional programs come together to make connections, discuss common day-to-day concerns, and learn from and support each other. The group will decide on weekly discussion topics, but possible topics include juggling multiple obligations, combatting isolation, building a social support system, problem solving academic difficulties, attending to personal wellness on a full schedule, avoiding burnout, and managing interpersonal challenges. This is a confidential, in-person therapy group.

Group membership is limited. Interested students should contact Counseling and Consultation Services (815-753-1206). An initial discussion with the group leader is required prior to starting the group. 

First-Gen Forward Network Symposium
Feb. 20, 2026, noon to 5 p.m.
Virtual Symposium

Join other first-generation students at the 9th annual First-Generation Graduate Student Symposium. This is a free symposium opportunity for first-gen graduates and professional students! For more information, visit here! 

Connect: Sharing Cultural Stories
Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, 7 to 8 p.m.
Asian American Resource Center, 375 Wirtz Dr

Every student at NIU carries a unique history. Join us for an evening of storytelling where we bridge borders through personal narratives. Whether it’s a tradition from your hometown or a story of your journey to DeKalb, this is a space to listen, share, and find common ground with peers from all over the world. Refreshments and snacks will be provided. All students and staff are welcome to participate. Contact Sovannak Ra, sra1@niu.edu for more information.

Application for Spring 2026 Graduation Deadline
Feb. 15 is the deadline to apply for Spring 2026 graduation for graduate students. Please note that there is a one-time, nonrefundable fee of $55. If you need to change your graduation date, please follow this link: You can find important deadlines on the Graduate School website.

Oral Defense Process Information

If you plan on holding your oral defense this semester, submit your committee approval form immediately if you have not already done so: Committee Approval Form.

Madeline Miller
Master of Music student with specialization in music performance

I am currently pursuing a master’s degree in music performance. When I was deciding on my undergrad degree, I realized that my true love was music. I wanted to perform, and I wanted to teach, so I decided to continue through music so I can do just that.