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The Immersive Way
A roundup of 71 North updates
71 NORTH
January 21, 2025
The Immersive Way
This semester, at 71 North, we are diving deeper into virtual reality and expanding our offer of experiences to the NIU community. There are new opportunities to engage, learn, and reflect; we are excited to make these transformative technologies available to our community.
First Steps, developed by Meta, is a friendly and interactive introduction to VR.
Start with “First Steps”
You can reserve a spot starting this week and throughout the semester. First Steps is designed to ease users into the various aspects of virtual reality and build confidence in navigating immersive experiences.
Completing First Steps
Completing this orientation is necessary before proceeding to our featured experiences, ensuring everyone is prepared to make the most of what VR offers.
“MLK: Now Is The Time” by TIME Studios is an immersive VR experience examining the ongoing relevance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
Featured Experience: “MLK: Now Is The Time”
Launching this week and available through February, “MLK: Now Is The Time” by TIME Studios is an immersive VR experience examining the ongoing relevance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
What to Expect:
• Explore systemic injustices in housing, voting, and policing.
• Interact with first-person stories and scenarios illustrating ongoing racial inequalities.
• Experience a modern interpretation of a contemporary March on Washington designed to inspire a new generation of activists.
This powerful experience is both educational and moving. It highlights the continued importance of Dr. King’s vision and the work still to be done in addressing racial inequities.
There are multiple opportunities to explore virtual reality each week. Visit the HuskieVerse booking page to reserve your spot.
Our journey into immersive experiences is just beginning. Stay tuned for even more featured VR opportunities in the weeks to come. Together, we’ll explore the potential of virtual reality to educate, inspire, and connect.
Every misfortune is a blessing.
This Week at 71 North
Tuesday:
8:30 - 11:00 AM Morning Writing Group: Facilitated by Dr. Anna Klis, this interdisciplinary group invites you to start your day with coffee and creativity.
12:00 - 1:00 PM: Office Hour with Richard Mocarski • Stop by during lunch to connect with NIU’s Vice President of Research, ready to engage and inspire (BYOL).
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM: NICCS Day
Wednesday:
4:00 - 6:00 PM: NIU Makers Club - Where creativity meets craft. The club is a hands-on experience that promises fun and learning in equal measure.
5:00 - 6:00 PM: CAUSE Social Entrepreneurship - Engage in meaningful discussions and activities focused on driving social change through entrepreneurial action.
5:00 PM to 6:30 PM: Huskie Hackers - An engaged and passionate community of the next generation of technology leaders and entrepreneurs participating in MLH Official Hackathons.
Thursday:
12:00 - 1:00 PM: I-Corps - All about NSF I-Corps.
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Innovation Club - A student-led organization welcoming creative thinkers from all corners of campus who are interested in making the world a better place.
Friday:
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Vespa Mode - A collaborative project to develop a simulator for riding a vintage Vespa in virtual reality. Vespa Mode is part of the Huskieverse program.
Isaac Smith (Computer Science) drives the development of the VR model.
Looking Ahead:
• TechTacos (2/4/25): Spring kick-off.
• Valentinnovation (2/14/25): Save the date for a morning meetup for the NIU friends of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship community.
• Random Hack of Kindness (RHoK): This semester, RHoK will focus on impactful, feasible solutions for the Huskie Food Pantry.
• HealthIER Series: This series, which continues our collaboration with the College of Health and Human Sciences, will emphasize interdisciplinary research in health sciences and focus on NIH R15/R16 proposals.
• Breakthrough Community Business Academy: The second cohort of Opportunity DeKalb’s program kicks off on Mondays at the end of February.
📢 Registration is live for our spring De La Vega Incubator Program and Innovation Pitch Competition.
Looking Back:
A Weekend of Achievement
This past Saturday, Opportunity DeKalb celebrated the completion of the Breakthrough Community Business Academy, culminating in a pitch competition.
The Breakthrough CBA covers all the essential topics about running a business, such as budgeting, marketing, bookkeeping, cash flow analyses, pricing strategies, and credit building.
NIU Alumna Michelle Cryton earned second prize with her DeKalb County CARES business.
We’re thrilled to see the program empowering entrepreneurs and look forward to welcoming the next cohort this semester.
