Haunted Hackers

So much to do, and so little time. Thankfully, we have Halloween to look forward to! Check out some of our recent updates - it’s been a busy week and we’ve got even more good things coming soon!

Press Play To Begin!

StartUp StandUp is on! The first part of our annual improv-slash-product pitching experience was epic! Our teams entered the world of retro arcade games to solve a unique problem while learning how to improvise, tell a good story, develop a product, and pitch it, all competing against one another in a fun and entertaining environment. Here’s the Director of NIU’s E-Sports team, Russ Devereaux, hyping everyone up:

Part Two of StartUp StandUp takes place on Oct. 30 from 10:00-2:00 in the lower level of the library, just like last time. If you’re interested in witnessing the participant’s showcase, stop by and support your favorites!

Book Launch and Cartoon Workshop!

On Thursday, Nov. 12 from 4:00-4:30, we’ll have a book launch party with Dr. James Allen, an NIU alumni and visual learning innovator, cartoonist, and entrepreneur. He worked with Dr. Lynn Herrmann as illustrator for their new book, Camp Kids in Motion, which explores exercise and its impacts on the human body in a way all ages can comprehend.

After the book launch party, we’ll have a cartoon learning workshop from 4:30-5:30 at the studio where people can learn how to use the SSUP3 model to improve their storytelling abilities, utilizing the same professional development that Allen has taught at Drake University, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville University, and numerous conferences.

Then, on Friday, Nov. 13, we’ll have J.A. Allen as a special guest for Demo Day from 11:00-12:00. He’ll have an exhibitor’s table from 12:00-3:00 PM so people can chat with him and learn about his work.

Tech Taco: Acsell with Excel

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for another fantastic Tech Tacos session at the 71 North Partnership Studio!

We had an incredible turnout exploring Julia, a high-performance programming language. A special thank you to Dr. Nathan Krislock for introducing our community to its powerful applications in data science, machine learning, and numerical analysis.

Beyond the great learning, it was wonderful to see everyone connecting, networking, and building community over some delicious tacos.

Remember to visit the studio from 5:00-7:00 PM on Tuesday nights to enjoy some tacos and learn some programming skills!

heARTwork

For one hour at the DeKalb Public Library, participants in an upcoming research study will engage in various guided art activities intended to foster a deep connection between mind and body. To help measure the impact, participants will fill out a brief, anonymous survey tracking feelings and heart rate before and after the session. Anyone older than 18 is welcome, regardless of artistic talent.

Upcoming Session Dates & Times:

• Thursday, November 12th | 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

• Friday, November 13th | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

• Saturday, November 14th | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

The study is led by Lynn Herrmann, PhD, MPH, a Certified Therapeutic Arts Practitioner and Professor of Public Health & Health Education at NIU.

To register, please contact Lynn Herrmann directly at [email protected] to RSVP and reserve your spot for one of the times above.

The Morning Cuppa

If you need a morning pick-me-up, drop by Coffice Hours and try some of our Brazilian coffee!

Student Organization Highlights

Fiber Arts Club

We hosted the HuskieFurs a week ago and made these super cute felt designs!

The therapy dog that we had planned for last week’s meeting couldn’t make it, so we were a little bummed, but we’re working on rescheduling, and we met some really nice folks from the Wellness Team!

Huskie Hackers

We’re moving to Wednesday-only meetings!

Indie Game Developers Organization

We reviewed the game design document for “Race’n’Chase,” the game that would eventually become the widely popular Grand Theft Auto!

Innovation Club

We had a riveting conversation about AI and innovation last week. It was… insightful, to say the least.

NIU Garden Club

We held our final campus cleanup of the year at Greek Row on Wednesday, Oct. 21st with the help of the Justice and Sustainability Association, our cleanup co-host, Phi Sigma Kappa, and numerous other fraternities and sororities that turned out to help. In total, we picked up 133 pounds of trash!

Society of Women Engineers

We’ll join 71 North for Demo Day and we’re planning a 3D printing workshop for later in the semester!

Did you know you can learn more about the studio? On Mondays from 5:30-6:30 PM and Thursdays from 2:00-3:00 PM, we give studio tours. We invite you to come learn about what we do and how we work together!

This Friday from 2:00-3:00 PM, we’ll be giving Huskieverse tours to anyone who is interested. Please stop by and see what we have to offer!

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