April 3, 12 – 2:00 PM
NIU Founders Memorial Library, Staff Lounge
Experience a captivating conversation about author Curtis Chin's journey as a gay Asian American growing up in Detroit. Discover the cultural richness of diverse American families, communities, and our resilience. Connect with your friends and neighbors in a celebration of cultural enrichment. The event is open to the public. Register here.

April 4, 1 -  2:30 PM
Holmes Student Center, Skyroom
In-person sessions open to all international students. This session will give a broad overview of forms of F-1 Work Authorization (on-campus employment, CPT and OPT) and the relationship between them. The ISSS team will answer questions about how F-1 CPT and OPT can lead into the big picture of life after NIU. Offered by International Student and Scholar Services.

April 10, 3:00 – 4:00 PM
Virtual
This webinar will take you through the interviewing process. You’ll learn why and how employers make hiring decisions. We’ll also talk about steps of the job interview process — because chances are, you’ll go through multiple rounds of interviews with different stakeholders.

You’ll learn some common questions asked in each stage of the process and how you can confidently communicate your value to employers. The webinar will include a live Q&A where attendees can receive answers to their specific questions too.

Presented by Beyond Graduate School. Register to attend.

April 11, 12-1:30 PM
Holmes Student Center, Regency Room
Presenter Bob White, Principal Immigration Attorney. An in-person session open to all international students to learn about the pathway from F-1 student status into other employment-based visa categories such as H1B, and other options for Permanent Residency. Offered by International Student and Scholar Services.

April 8, 12 – 1 PM
Virtual
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. Contact Kimberly Shotick at kshotick@niu.edu with questions. Register to attend.

Outstanding Graduate Student Awards Ceremony and Reception

April 15, 3:00-4:30 PM
Altgeld Auditorium
The 2024 Outstanding Graduate Student Awards Ceremony and Reception will be on Tuesday, April 16th, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. in the Altgeld Hall Auditorium.  Presentation to begin at 3:30 p.m.

April 16, 5:30-8:00 PM
In Person at Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center and Virtual
An evening event to advocate for interprofessional evidence-based SUD treatment and recovery approaches. NIU College of Health and Human Sciences, together with Northeast IL Area Health Education Center, Ogle/DeKalb Recovery Oriented Systems of Care Council, and Recovery Centers of America are uniting healthcare professionals, healthcare students, people in recovery, and community members to collaborate for recovery. This event is funded by a generous donation from Cynthia and Earl Rachowicz. Register today.

Experience anxiety reduction in this informal setting, where the dual focus on crafting and conversation alleviates the stress associated with scholarship. Embrace interdisciplinary collaboration as you knit your way to innovative research partnerships. As a bonus, discover and reinforce valuable research and writing support services available at the University Libraries and the University Writing Center. Join us in weaving a tapestry of creativity, camaraderie, and scholarly exploration! In the Library's Lower Level Staff Lounge, behind Einstein's. All are welcome. Supplies will be available, along with tea and cookies. No experience is necessary. For more information.

April 20, 9 AM – 4:30 PM
Barsema and Alumni Visitors Center
The Regional History Center at NIU Libraries presents the second annual Northern Illinois Regional History Conference 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 20, 2024, at NIU’s Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center. The conference will feature presentations from area historians and scholars on a variety of topics related to northern Illinois' history, heritage and culture in local and global contexts. The conference keynote will be delivered by Professor Erik S. McDuffie from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The conference is free and open to the public, but attendees are encouraged to RSVP. For program details and to RSVP.

It’s never too early to read the guidelines for formatting your document correctly: 

· Thesis Format Guidelines
· Dissertation Format Guidelines

Email thesis@niu.edu with any questions about defense deadlines, required forms, and document formatting.

NIU Graduate Commencement is on Friday, May 10 at the NIU Convocation Center.
Doors open, 3 PM
Ceremony starts, 4 PM
More information 
I am finishing my degree this semester but forgot to apply for graduation. What do I do?

Apply for summer 2024 graduation in MyNIU with the degree you are completing (directions here). Then, submit a graduation deferral request to be placed on the spring 2024 expected graduation list. Once your request has been processed, you will receive an automated email notifying you of the change.

If I apply for graduation late, can I still walk in the ceremony?

Yes. After you complete the above steps, the Graduate School will reach out to you with instructions on how to RSVP to the commencement ceremony.

When do I need to RSVP and order my cap and gown?

If you have received your email invitation to the ceremony and wish to attend, please RSVP by April 29, 2024. Doctoral students must provide the name of their hooder at this time. Orders for caps and gowns must be placed by April 19, 2024. More information about commencement can be found here: www.niu.edu/commencement/faq.

Graduate assistants are eligible to receive paid leave through the State of Illinois Paid Leave Benefit program. Effective March 31, 2024, all graduate assistants employed by the NIU will be issued 20 hours of leave benefits to use between March 31, 2024, and June 30, 2024. Then, effective July 1, 2024, and every July thereafter, eligible employees (including graduate assistants) will be issued 40 hours total of benefit leave time at the start of the fiscal year or on their date of hire if hired after July 1. More information on this benefit program can be found on the Human Resource Services (HRS) website.