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Huskie Spotlight: Alma Perrote, Music Education and Steelpan Performance

Alma Perotte, who is majoring in music education and steelpan performance in the School of Music is the subject of a Huskie Spotlight. Alma says she knew as a child growing up in Belize City, Belize that she wanted music to be an essential part of her life. When I was...

Music Education alumna Hayley Gotzsche wins Golden Apple Award

Hayley Gotzsche decided at a very young age that being a music teacher would be a great job. "I've always loved music," she said. "Music has always been a source of joy and an expression of confidence. It was just natural to go into it. I love to get to bring those...

Kelly Gross named Illinois Higher Education Art Educator of the Year

Kelly Gross, Ph.D., assistant professor of art and design education in the NIU School of Art and Design has been named the 2025-2026 Higher Education Art Educator of the Year by the Illinois Art Education Association (IAEA). Gross was honored at their annual...

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Alumni spotlight: Korkut Akacik, illustrator, animator, and educator

May 22, 2019 | Art and Design, xArt and Design News, xCVPA, xFeatured

Korkut Akacik earned his Master of Fine Arts in animation from the NIU School of Art and Design in 2018. He is currently the creative director at Econ Illinois, a non-profit organization through NIU that has been developing interesting and interactive...

Renowned jazz guitarist Bobby Broom joins School of Music faculty

May 16, 2019 | Music, Music News, xCVPA, xFeatured

Renowned jazz guitarist Bobby Broom has been appointed assistant professor of music in the Northern Illinois University School of Music. He will teach jazz guitar and improvisation in the school’s Jazz Studies Program. Born on New York City's Upper West Side, Broom...

NIU Percussion Camp Returns This Summer

May 13, 2019 | Community School of the Arts, Music News, xCVPA, xFeatured

Registration is open for NIU Percussion Camp, as part of our annual Summer in the Arts at Northern series. The College of Visual and Performing Arts invites middle and high school students to explore the amazing world of percussion this summer. Hands-on camp...

Unleash a Huskie – Tyrique McNeal, music performance major

May 9, 2019 | Music, Music News, xCVPA, xFeatured

Music performance major Tyrique McNeal describes the happiness he feels being able to study music at NIU.

Thank you for supporting the Day of Giving

May 9, 2019 | CVPA, Music News, Theatre and Dance News, xArt and Design News, xCVPA, xFeatured

Thank you for your support of NIU's first-ever Day of Giving. NIU raised more than $750,000 in 1895 minutes (to honor the founding of the university nearly 125 years ago), and the College of Visual and Performing Arts totaled the second most gifts of any college in...

Oona Holtane uses “illustration to tell stories and evoke emotion” and it’s led to a dream summer

May 3, 2019 | Art and Design, xArt and Design News, xCVPA, xFeatured

Oona Holtane says her love of art and illustration goes back as long as she can remember, when as a three-year old she was watching Disney's The Aristocats while, "holding a pudding spoon in one hand and a crayon in the other." The junior illustration major from...

Andrew Glendening selected as new director of the School of Music

Apr 30, 2019 | Music, Music News, xCVPA, xFeatured

Andrew Glendening, currently the dean of the School of Music and professor of music at University of Redlands in Redlands, Calif., has been selected as the next director of the School of Music at Northern Illinois University. Glendening will begin his new post on...

NIU and DeKalb’s annual art celebration ARTigras returns May 4

Apr 26, 2019 | Art and Design, xArt and Design News, xCVPA, xFeatured

ARTigras is an annual event developed by the NIU School of Art and Design in partnership with the City of DeKalb to create a fun and creative celebration of the arts – something new for the area to bring our community together. The first inaugural ARTigras took place...

NIU Day of Giving: 1895 Minutes to ‘Unleash a Huskie’ begins May 7

Apr 23, 2019 | CVPA, xFeatured

Huskies. Never. Quit. You just have to unleash them. For 1,895 minutes on Tuesday, May 7- Wednesday, May 8, NIU will host its first-ever Day of Giving. Day of Giving events have grown in popularity over the past several years, and among colleges and universities in...