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| Staff Newsletter | April 2024 |
Dear colleagues,
The past few weeks have seen a flurry of exciting University announcements that demonstrate Northwestern's momentum in advancing our institutional priorities. It is so rewarding to see the long-term work of partners across our community come to fruition.
Last week, I was thrilled to announce the naming of Deborah Cohen as the executive director of the Buffett Institute for Global Affairs, where our faculty and staff do an exemplary job of helping position Northwestern at the forefront of international scholarship and global engagement.
We also recently shared that, soon, Northwestern will begin the much-anticipated Jacobs Center renovation. When complete, the building will house Buffett, along with the School of Education and Social Policy, the Institute for Policy Research and several departments within the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, making it a hub for one of our institutional priorities: to foster interdisciplinary innovation among social sciences and global studies.
Earlier this month, we activated another University priority — harnessing the power of data analytics and artificial intelligence (DS/AI) — with a new DS/AI steering committee and updated infrastructure to support the growth of new and existing DS/AI activity across our campuses. This comes after last year's announcement of a major gift that will accelerate the University priority of leading in decarbonization, renewable energy and sustainability, which is the focus of the Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy. Also last year, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative selected Northwestern to co-lead its new biomedical research hub in Chicago, a boon for our institutional goal of advancing the biosciences.
There is not enough room here to describe all of the steps we are taking to bring University priorities to life. The truth is we are working toward all of them in meaningful ways.
I hope you feel as inspired as I do by the fact that the Office of the Provost is making a huge impact, both for our University community and the world around us. As always, I am grateful for your many contributions.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Hagerty |
All about the staff |
Meet Lina Eskew
Lina Eskew joined Northwestern in 2022 as Assistant Director of Equitable Assessment in the Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching. She co-leads initiatives that promote in-depth reflection on student learning and guides the implementation of the institution's assessment strategy. Currently, she is heavily involved in gathering evidence and articulating Northwestern's commitment to a systematic approach to assessment of student learning outcomes as the University enters its 10-year re-accreditation cycle.
What drew you to the work you do?
My current work perfectly mirrors my passions. I grew up in Cali, Colombia, and emigrated to Chicagoland when I was 16 to finish my senior year of high school. While I performed well, thanks to a lot of support from ESL, I did not do as well on my ACTs due to my limited English. I managed to get accepted into college based primarily on my GPA and eventually went on to complete my undergraduate and graduate degrees. However, it wasn’t an easy road. My experiences as a student and later as an instructor pushed me to think deeply about the importance of making learning accessible, inclusive, dynamic and diverse. From there, I found my way to institutional research, where I learned about the higher education system and realized that unpacking learning and uncovering gaps were my biggest career motivators. I am passionate about shaping learning environments where student experiences are at the forefront and learning becomes a collaborative journey between educators and students.
What is most rewarding about your role?
Seeing Northwestern’s educators' dedication to their students — even amidst their busy research schedules — and their commitment to improving their teaching through Searle workshops and initiatives, such as the Reimagining Assessment Practicum.
Can you share a fun fact about yourself?
I am, as much as possible, a wanderer who collects slices of street art from the diverse corners I get to explore. My basement walls are decorated with paintings that show landmarks or historical buildings from cities I have visited. One of my most treasured paintings is one from Prague, featuring the Charles Bridge. It serves as a cherished memory of the time I stood there with my family, looking at and discussing the different sculptures that line the bridge.
Staff who started roles in February
Buffett Institute for Global Affairs
Center for Leadership
Financial Aid
NROTC
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News, notes and need to know |
Office of the Provost professional development programs The Office of the Provost Professional Development programs are well underway. We've had an educational Evanston bus tour, explored the potential of SmartSheet, engaged in a deeper understanding of DEI and more. Thank you to all of the coordinators of these terrific programs. The following opportunities are coming up:
Learn about data science and AI research at Northwestern On April 2, the Office of the Provost and Northwestern Information Technology will host the new Computation and Data Exchange (CoDEx) symposium. This all-day event will showcase computational and data-intensive research at Northwestern and provide networking and learning opportunities for University faculty, graduate students, undergraduate students, postdoctoral researchers and staff.
News from the Block Museum + University Libraries The Block Museum of Art and Northwestern University Libraries recently integrated the museum’s collection records into the Libraries’ search database. The Block Museum of Art’s collection of over 6,000 artworks is now searchable through Northwestern Libraries’ online catalog via NUSearch.
New initiative from the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion The Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion has launched the Mediation, Conflict Resolution, and Restorative Practices Initiative. This University-wide initiative aims to equip the Northwestern community with the skills needed to navigate conflicts constructively through empathetic and evidence-based approaches that promote inclusivity and well-being.
Calling expecting parents The Office of Human Resources is hosting its first-ever baby shower for all new and expecting parents this spring to connect, share experiences and access resources. The Evanston campus shower will take place April 30 in Evanston (Norris) and May 7 in Chicago (Abbott Hall). Both events will be held from noon-1 p.m. Register here.
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More resources Help us build future newsletters! If your unit is working on a project that is relevant to the entire Office of the Provost, or if you have awards, honors or accomplishments to share, send an email to officeoftheprovost@northwestern.edu. |
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