The contest is open to all currently enrolled NIU students. Entries consisting of original artwork or photography can be submitted up until 5 p.m. on November 18, 2024. Students may submit multiple entries. We encourage submissions to review past years' winners and think creatively about how to avoid repetition or duplication.

A committee of faculty and staff will select the top three submissions based on quality, originality and holiday/Huskie spirit. The students with the top three selections will receive a one-time scholarship (first place $500, second place $300 and third place $100) and be featured in the president's electronic holiday card.

Now is the time to start preparing to register for spring 2025 classes. Read the tips below and learn when to register and how to register for classes. 

1. If you have not met with your advisor, do so. They are here to help you.

2. Log in to MyNIU and Navigate Student.

Registration for spring 2025 classes is right around the corner. Do you know that you can search for and select classes that use low- ($40 or less) or zero-cost course materials in MyNIU?

To find courses with affordable course materials in MyNIU, apply the Textbooks/Low Cost or Textbooks/Zero Costfilter to class searches. Or you can search by the keyword low cost.

Note: Course materials are defined as required books, textbooks, ebooks, streaming video, CDs or DVDs. Because students using the book charge program must purchase texts through the bookstore, the cost of materials is determined by the bookstore price. 

Want to know more? Check out our Affordable Materials Search and Filter for Students page.

Join us at the The Real Talk Conference: Opening Pathways to Embrace Our Humanity on Friday, Oct. 25. Come make new connections while engaging in powerful conversations that promote understanding, increase empathy, and facilitate change in our community. Experience dynamic keynote speakers and interactive sessions led by NIU's students, faculty, and community members.

It's National Transfer Student Week.

Improving Password Security

To improve our university’s security, the Department of Information Security and Operations has made changes to the university’s password/passphrase blocking list. This change strengthens our passwords and brings us into alignment with recommendations from external security professionals. We are now blocking additional words associated with NIU, Chicago and the university in general that could be guessed, and thereby make a hacker’s job easier (i.e., we’ve added over 100 common words to our list that cannot be used in part of a password/passphrase). Some variants using different capitalization, or some special characters, will also be blocked. Users will see these changes upon their next password change.

Any questions can be directed to the Division of Information Technology.

Orientation leader applications are now open! Apply before Wednesday, Nov. 13.

Orientation leaders are undergraduate students who help incoming first-year and transfer students transition to NIU. Their primary role is to build connections between new students and help form a sense of belonging on campus. This is a paid student leadership position.

This is a great opportunity to develop your leadership skills, communication skills and build your résumé while making a positive impact on new Huskies.

2025 Orientation Leader Application.

Contact Scott Johansen, program assistant for student training and development for the Office of Orientation and First Year Programs, at sjohansen@niu.edu with any questions and to learn more about the orientation leader position.