John Polemikos, ’08, is devoted to his students as a special education high school history teacher, and he also has a passion for writing about and learning the history of the Balkans, including Greece and Greek Americans.
Polemikos, who lives in Loves Park, Illinois, with his wife, Zografia, and two daughters, Rini and Ellie, was born and raised in Rockford to parents with Greek roots. His father came to the U.S. from Karpathos, Greece, in 1967, and was a tailor and landlord, and his mother, who was a middle school English teacher, has family roots from the same Greek region.
Being an educator runs in his family. In addition to his mother, Polemikos’ two sisters are teachers – one lives in Karpathos and teaches English as a second language, and the other lives in Loves Park, Illinois, and is a preschool teacher.
After graduating with a degree in history from NIU with a teacher’s certification, Polemikos earned a master’s degree in teaching from Rockford University, which focuses on teaching history to students with disabilities. This is his 15th year working at Harlem High School in Machesney Park, Illinois.
“I provide specialized instruction to students with special needs for the social studies department,” he said. “I teach both co-taught and self-contained classes.”
His time at NIU was memorable and led to a fulfilling career.
“I still reference many of the materials from my NIU classes,” he said. “I had many professors that stick out to me. Brian Sandberg, Valerie Garver, Aaron Fogleman, Kenton Clymer, Eric Mogren, and J.D. Bowers all offered me priceless advice. At the time, I was focused on pursuing advanced degrees in history, with a particular interest in Balkan history.”
He continued, “However, after several years of substitute teaching, I discovered a passion for teaching special education and decided to go that route instead. The job market for teachers was very competitive and specialization opened up employment opportunities. By teaching special education, I am able to combine both of my interests by making challenging historical scholarship accessible to diverse learners.”
The job can be thankless, Polemikos said.
“Occasionally, a student will return to say thank you, or you’ll watch a student who overcame major challenges walk across the graduation stage,” he said. “But those moments are rare. One of the biggest challenges I face as a teacher is managing the wide range of motivation levels and academic abilities present in any single classroom.”
However, Polemikos is passionate about teaching. He said he doesn’t just teach curriculum.
“Building relationships, establishing rapport, and showing up as a real human being always take precedence over the content itself,” he said. “That’s not to diminish the value of strong instruction or a well-researched lesson plan, but at the end of the day, students are far more likely to remember how you made them feel—or the moment you made them laugh—than any specific strategy you used in class.”
Through his involvement in the Balkan History Association, he has edited written history projects, including “Wallachian Mobility and Settlement along the Carpathian Arc,” published by Routledge in February 2025, and is currently editing a project called “Cyprus and the Balkans: Cultural, Historical and Religious Connections.” He has written an article published in the Rockford Historical Society’s Nuggets of History quarterly called “When Greek Meets Greek: Foundations of the Rockford Greek Orthodox Parish of Sts. Constantine and Helen.”
Polemikos has also recently completed a book on the Rockford Greek community and is currently marketing it to publishers.
In building a successful career guiding students and teaching others about regional and international history, Polemikos is the embodiment of a true NIU Huskie.
“A true NIU Huskie is driven by intellectual curiosity, a passion for discovery, and a commitment to personal and academic growth,” he said.
Ted Muendel, M.S. ’69, built a successful career in business, including the co-founding of a management consulting firm, before retiring and pursuing one of his passions: screenwriting.
“We started with four offices and today the company operates 74 offices in 46 countries and employs about 500 consultants,” he said. “It is ranked among the global top 10 consulting companies by several publications. My career has been one of entrepreneurship. I have created several startup businesses, all diverse, and most have been successful. I am retired now, and I look back with pride.”
Muendel said he decided to try screenwriting following retirement from Stanton Chase and after having discussions with the husband of one of his employees who was a Hollywood screenplay writer.
“We talked often, and he piqued my interest,” he said. “Also, I am not the type to sit around and just play golf; I am too entrepreneurial. So, I embarked on this learning adventure to see if my perspective, seniority and experience could add value in storytelling.”
Muendel’s stories and scripts are based on historical events or are, in some cases, autobiographical. One of them, “Susquehanna,” was based on his five-times great-grandfather who died in the Revolutionary War battle the script was named for. Three of his screenplays have been awarded by the Capital Fund Screenplay Competition.
Muendel looks at script writing as a challenge that keeps his mind sharp.
“I believe in lifelong learning, so many more experienced individuals have influenced my development as a writer,” he said. “The research that goes into historical stories makes these scripts all the more entertaining and fascinating. I use some of the skills I used in my thesis work at NIU on management training and development.”
Muendel is marketing his scripts to producers, and he is optimistic.
“It is a long and challenging process that I am learning,” he said. “However, with persistence and the goal to improve screenplay stories, I remain confident that one of my scripts will be filmed. Then my family, friends and I can truly celebrate. In short, script writing is a complex discipline, but like many endeavors in life, only determined and committed individuals will succeed.”
Muendel grew up on the East Coast, graduating from high school in New Jersey, the son of an artist mother and surgeon father. He attended Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science.
After graduating from Lehigh, Muendel was recruited by Allegheny Ludlum Steel in Pittsburgh, at that time the largest producer of stainless steel in the U.S. They were acquiring various metal fabrication companies and bought Arnold Engineering Company in Marengo, Illinois, where Muendel was promoted for a human resources position.
“I wanted to earn an advanced degree in business, and NIU was the closest university,” he said. “I applied, was accepted and received a corporate scholarship.”
Muendel worked full-time and attended night courses for more than four years before completing his master’s degree. Since he had been promoted and transferred to positions in California and Pennsylvania, the chairman of NIU’s Department of Management at the time approved transfer credits so Muendel could graduate.
Muendel was inducted into the Sigma Iota Epsilon business honorary and helped set up management training programs while a student at NIU. He recalled the incredible faculty at NIU and the impact of one particular professor.
“My professors were experienced in outside consulting and integrated their classes with ‘real world’ problem solving,” he said. “I will never forget one of my older professors whose name I cannot recall, he would unfortunately repeat stories about his consulting projects. We would always say, ‘Professor, you have already told us about that project several times now.’ In reply, he would say, ‘Gentlemen, always remember, repetition is emphasis.’ To this day, I have used this same expression, and the NIU memory has stayed with me ever since.”
Muendel’s master’s degree from NIU opened many doors for him in the business world.
“First and foremost was my employment at one of the top general management consulting firms in the U.S., Theodore Barry and Associates, Los Angeles,” he said. “Without an advanced business degree, I would never have been recruited. I worked with a group of young, sharp professionals, all with advanced degrees from Harvard, Stanford, Wharton and others. My NIU preparation enabled me to successfully complete assignments and I received several promotions during my four years there.”
Further, his years as a consultant gave him a wealth of experience.
“Consulting projects exposed me to some of the most fascinating and challenging business problems facing Fortune 500 western corporations in aerospace, consumer products, entertainment, health care, lumber products, underground copper mining and related industries,” he said. “The experience was like an advanced MBA on steroids.”
Muendel has served on many boards for universities, corporations and nonprofit organizations, including the prestigious business council for the United Nations. Smart CEO Magazine honored him as a CEO of the Year in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
Muendel is grateful to NIU for the experience he had and for the lessons that have carried him throughout his successful career.
“As I look back, NIU has contributed many unique benefits to my success, and I remain both loyal and appreciative of what the university did to advance my career and life,” he said. “Go Huskies!”
Joe Intrakamhang, ’02, has been building an innovative future as a tech executive, while also ensuring a safe, healthy future for the planet as an advocate for food sustainability.
Intrakamhang earned two bachelor’s degrees from NIU – one in computer science and the other in mathematical science.
After spending nearly nine years at Google and Google affiliates, most recently as head of cost optimization and data management at Verily, Intrakamhang joined SWARM Engineering, a California-based agentic AI (or autonomous artificial intelligence) startup, as its chief technology officer in February 2025.
Agentic AI differs from the more commonly known generative AI in that, while generative AI relies on prompts to create text, images or other creative content, agentic AI systems can set their own goals, make autonomous decisions and take actions without prompts. Where generative AI is reactive, agentic AI is proactive.
“As chief technology officer, I’m responsible for setting the product and technical strategy. I’m also responsible for leading the offshore and onshore teams,” Intrakamhang said.
In addition, Intrakamhang is a board member of the Northern Illinois Food Bank and has worked on projects to help streamline data related to food waste, food insecurity and sustainability. He is passionate about sustainability and eliminating food waste.
Intrakamhang was involved in a project while at X, The Moonshot Factory, a Google company, that helped streamline and visualize data for Kroger and the organization Feeding America, which have been partners for decades. Kroger regularly donates food to Feeding America’s network of food banks.
“Food waste produces 79 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions,” he said. “If food waste were its own country, it would be the third largest producer of greenhouse gas emissions.”
Intrakamhang grew up in suburban Streamwood, Illinois, the son of blue-collar workers. He became interested in computer programming while in middle school.
He commuted to NIU for the first year and a half and finished his degree in three years.
“My family couldn’t afford the full college experience, so I had to choose a school that was nearby where I could commute to school with a strong computer science degree,” he said.
He worked his way through school at Circuit City and as a teaching assistant with the Department of Mathematical Sciences.
NIU holds a special place in his heart as it is where he met his wife, Giselle (Soto), ’04. He said the two met in a class and were competitive in a playful way, and they finally began dating.
“I met my wife my freshman year and we are celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary this year,” he said.
Intrakamhang has fond memories of computer science professor and one-time department chair Rodney Angotti. He said when he was chair, Angotti helped guide him so he would graduate in three years.
“Dr. Angotti gave me the chance to graduate early with the ability to substitute a class,” Intrakamhang said. “Without him, I would have had an extra year of waiting for the one required class offered once a year.”
When he graduated, it was at the peak of the dot-com bust years, and jobs were scarce. But Intrakamhang said the classes he took and the areas he was focused on at NIU helped him land a job right away as a developer for CVS Caremark.
“They taught a lot of mainframe courses, and at that time they needed a lot of mainframe developers, so I was able to get that job,” he said. “I’m still so grateful to get that first job that gave me that chance to prove myself.”
Intrakamhang said during his career he has had to work on soft skills, but that his career has been rewarding.
“Interacting with my colleagues and influencing without authority isn’t natural for me, and I had to continue to work on my soft skills,” he said. “The most rewarding part of my career has been mentoring other folks and seeing them rise on their career and personal rocket ship.”
Intrakamhang and his wife now return to campus on occasion with their 12-year-old daughter, who is interested in child psychology and wants to be a Huskie someday.
“Coming back to campus evokes so many memories,” he said.
For Intrakamhang, being a Huskie means being humble and working hard to succeed.
“Huskies have the grit and the grind to succeed in the workforce,” he said. “They don’t wait to be rewarded, they are ambitious to go after their goals and aspirations.”
Ecological Restoration Superintendent Samantha DeDina, ’12 (Photo: Jonathan Koepke)
Public Defender John Palmer, ’00, J.D. ’03 (Photo: John Palmer)
As a heartfelt tribute to Liz McSpadden, ’10, M.B.A. ’16, a dedicated volunteer who continued to show up for her alma mater throughout her battle with cancer, the Northern Illinois University Alumni Association announced two extraordinary volunteers to receive the inaugural Northern Lights Award.
Samantha “Sam” DeDina, ’12, and John Palmer, ’00, J.D. ’03, were chosen for their committed volunteer contributions and for embodying the qualities that made McSpadden a truly impactful volunteer: generosity, initiative, reliability, joyfulness and curiosity.
Both Palmer and DeDina are respected for their strong dedication and reliability.
“If every alumnus dedicated themselves to the College of Law the way John Palmer does, our student body would be incomparably driven towards success,” read Palmer’s nomination from the College of Law.
“Sam is someone students, faculty, and colleagues can always count on,” she said. “Her reliability makes her an invaluable resource for both the university and the students who depend on her guidance.”
Just as the late McSpadden inspired Huskies through speaking engagements, supporting the Huskie Food Pantry, or sending notes of encouragement, Palmer and DeDina found their niches within the university where their skills and backgrounds shine.
Working for the Winnebago Public Defender’s Office, Palmer supervises new attorneys and 711 clerks. He finds fulfillment in mentoring those new to the legal field, similar to his volunteer work at NIU. He credits the College of Law for giving him the right experiences that landed him a job offer before graduation.
As an NIU alumni volunteer, Palmer judges trial competitions, facilitates ethics seminars and coaches external trial competition teams. He believes that sharing his experiences with law students is the most practical and meaningful way to enhance the future practice of law.
“As a law student, I can remember meeting other graduates who offered their own time to come back to NIU to share their experiences,” Palmer said. “Hearing their stories impacted me, not only because it showed me that there is life beyond law school but also because I saw how being a lawyer could be a rich and rewarding experience. They inspired me, and I can only hope that in some way I can inspire today’s students to become tomorrow’s attorneys.”
Still, Palmer confesses there is a bit of selfishness to his volunteer activity.
“For well over a decade, I have been asked to judge closing arguments competitions,” he said. “Although I enjoy offering my advice, every year I take something away for myself. Sometimes it is because I hear some fresh ideas that I want to use in my own trials, but mostly because seeing the eagerness of law students reinvigorates my own love of the practice of law. It reminds me of why being a lawyer can be so impactful on both an individual person and the whole of society.”
Like Palmer, DeDina’s professional background fuels her volunteer efforts. As an Ecological Restoration Superintendent at ENCAP, Inc., DeDina guides field crews to complete restoration and natural areas stewardship activities for private and public clients. She also manages contracts, recruits summer interns and coordinates their prescribed burn program. DeDina finds fulfillment in creating management plans for ecologically sensitive areas, educating the public on the importance of natural area restoration, and creating meaningful green spaces that benefit communities, plants, and animals.
As an NIU alumni volunteer, DeDina has participated in various speaking, educational, and mentor opportunities and advocated for increased native landscaping on campus. This eventually led to the naturalization of portions of NIU’s lagoon shoreline. She also guided field trips for environmental studies and conservation biology classes and spoke to students about careers in ecological restoration and shoreline restoration.
Having worked on several additional projects, primarily assisting with grant funding applications, DeDina enjoys being in the company of like-minded people.
“I really enjoy working with the NIU Community, especially the Environmental Studies program that I feel especially connected to,” she said. “I knew I wanted to work in ecology upon graduation but had no idea where to start or what careers would be available. I enjoy sharing my insight on the expansive ecological restoration industry and associated careers to help students get excited about their future. There is a lot of important work to do!”
Palmer and DeDina look fondly back on their NIU years.
“By offering some of my time to the school and its students, I can recapture all of the good things that made my experience so fulfilling,” Palmer said. “Being selected for the Northern Lights Award makes me feel that I have made a positive difference. I am flattered, and that feeling alone is reward enough.”
Both DeDina and Palmer are deeply grateful to be recognized as Northern Lights Award recipients in memory of Liz McSpadden.
“I cannot be more humbled to honor the memory of someone who contributed such significant efforts in the service of others despite her personal circumstances and with such grace,” DeDina said. “Receipt of this award fills me with gratitude for the opportunity to continue to make connections in the NIU community and be able to influence the trajectory of student’s futures in small but meaningful ways. As individuals, we control nothing but influence everything. You never know who you may be influencing.”
NIU alumni volunteer their time in meaningful ways. Want to brainstorm ways you can get involved? Contact Eric Glasby, ’15, M.S.Ed. ’18, at eglasby1@niu.edu.
Michael Zawacke, ’64, M.S.Ed. ’69, spent decades as an elementary school principal and then a learning specialist at the collegiate level.
Zawacke credits NIU with the beginning of his professional journey, and he and his wife, Judith, regularly give to their respective alma maters; Judith is an alumna of Illinois Wesleyan University. The pair has a named scholarship at NIU, the Michael and Judith Zawacke Expendable Scholarship, which funds unrestricted scholarship support for students.
In addition to their regular giving, the couple has been strong and consistent supporters of Huskies United, NIU’s annual day of giving.
This year, Huskies United begins on Wednesday, April 2, at 4:25 p.m. and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, April 3.
“We have established general tuition scholarships to help provide the means for all students to receive the opportunity of a college education,” he said. “NIU can be proud to serve a significant number of first-generation students. We want our gifts to make a difference for these capable students and leaders of tomorrow. President Lisa C. Freeman is the strength of NIU. Meet her and your commitment is ensured.”
Zawacke said he wanted to be a teacher when he graduated from high school and chose NIU because of its excellent education department and its proximity from his parents’ home in Elmhurst.
“I received an Illinois State Teacher’s Scholarship which covered tuition; room and board was reasonable in those days,” he said. “With part-time campus work – dorm, union dining hall, campus police dispatcher – and summer employment, a student could all but cover college costs.”
Zawacke has great memories of NIU, including watching the Huskies football team in the 1960s, led by Hall of Famers Coach Howard “Fletch” Fletcher and QB George Bork. He met many friends at NIU and has maintained such friendships more than 60 years later.
After starting graduate school, he accepted a sixth-grade teaching position in Palatine, Illinois, and put his master’s degree on hold.
“After several years I was teaching a class of gifted students,” he recalled. “My principal encouraged me to pursue a degree in educational administration. Building committees, school district committee participation and university coursework helped to cement leadership skills required of a principal. After school year and summer coursework, I received a master’s degree and soon my first elementary school principalship.”
He stayed in Palatine schools for 37 years until his retirement.
“Unable to call it quits, I worked part-time as a learning specialist at Harper College for another 19 years,” he said. “In that role, I provided academic support in strategies for college success.”
“My story is not unique or special,” he added. “What it has been is a lifelong commitment to serve and help others. Philanthropy has been one part of that commitment.”
For more information on Huskies United, please visit the website: https://dog.niu.edu/
Marilyn Wax, ’68, is a Hall of Fame high school girls’ sports coach who is committed to supporting student-athletes and future educators through her philanthropy.
During her 33 years as a physical education teacher and coach at Evergreen Park High School in the Chicago suburbs, Wax led teams in softball, bowling and golf to multiple state tournaments, shaping many student-atheltes’ futures.
Over the years, Wax has supported NIU and its students in several areas, including scholarships.
“Giving back to NIU is important to me, as the groundwork of my success was built during my four years in DeKalb,” she said. “I like to contribute so that other students can have opportunities that they may not have without assistance.”
In addition to her regular, steadfast support, Wax is a strong and consistent supporter of Huskies United, NIU’s annual day of giving.
This year, Huskies United begins on Wednesday, April 2, at 4:25 p.m. and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, April 3.
Wax’s favorite areas to support NIU during Huskies United are the College of Education and the Huskies softball team.
“We need dedicated teachers as good role models, and if donating to the College of Education can help students pursue that role, I am happy to contribute,” she said. “Softball has a special place in my heart, that is why I gladly donate to that program.”
Wax, who grew up in Chicago, knew she wanted to be a physical education major, and Anderson Hall, which houses that department, opened during her freshman year on campus.
“The campus was close to home but still far enough away for me to be independent and experience life in a small town rather than a big city like Chicago,” she said.
Wax was busy as a student, being the president of her residence hall, Neptune East, and joining the Association of College Unions Women’s Bowling Team competing around the Midwest. She recalled spending a week at the Lorado Taft Field Campus, participating in outdoor classes on the North 40 behind Anderson Hall, and canoeing on the lagoon for physical education classes.
“I participated in a variety of intramurals just to be introduced to the sports that I did not experience while attending a Chicago high school,” she said. “Most, if not all, of my classmates came from suburban high schools where they were much more prepared in a variety of sports. I was at a disadvantage and needed to learn most of the curriculum through intramural participation. So not only was I participating in intramurals but I was in charge of the bowling intramural program as well as a participant.”
Wax kept her NIU ties strong after graduation. She would frequently encounter fellow physical education alumni over her career who, like her, were leaders in the development of girls’ sports in the state of Illinois. She also saw many of her former instructors at Homecoming events and other alumni events over the years.
“I proudly considered them colleagues throughout my career, keeping in touch with them,” she said of her former instructors.
During her lengthy career as a coach at Evergreen Park High School from 1968 to 2001, Wax was a pioneer for girls’ sports in Illinois. In 1970, she started the school’s softball program and in 1975, its girls’ bowling program.
“I am honored to have been involved with the beginnings of girls’ sports in the state of Illinois,” she said. “Those of us who experienced this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity never had manuals, teaching aids or fitness programs; it was a time of trial and error. Playing sports for the love of the game to forming conferences that led to state competition took a few years.”
Wax was the only high school softball coach in Illinois to take her teams to Illinois High School Association state tournaments in four decades: the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. Her softball teams racked up 525 total wins during her tenure. She was inducted into the Illinois Girls Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1991, the Illinois Softball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2002, and the Evergreen Park High School Hall of Fame in 2017.
“I was blessed with outstanding athletes in bowling, softball and golf who made my dreams come true and took me to sixteen state tournaments in three sports,” she said.
Wax gives so that future Huskies will have the opportunity to inspire others and blaze their own paths.
“I am forever grateful to NIU for preparing me for my teaching and coaching journey,” she said. “From the education I received to all the experiences that provided for my personal growth–be it social or through involvement in activities–my time at NIU was not only memorable but also built a foundation for my success.”
For more information on Huskies United, please visit the website: https://dog.niu.edu/
Scott Burton, ’84, poses on the football field and tailgates with fellow Huskies (Photos: Scott Burton)
Scott Burton, ’84, launched his over 40-year career in music working at NIU’s radio station WKDI.
As vice president of promotion for The Orchard, a Sony Music-owned digital distribution company, Burton runs the radio promotion department specializing in alternative music, working with artists to get their music played on radio stations across the country. He says the career he loves would not have come to fruition without his experiences at NIU.
That’s why Burton is a consistent donor for Huskies United, NIU’s annual day of giving.
“I know that every little bit helps,” Burton said. “If 50 people or more give a little bit, all of a sudden, it’s a big thing, and I want to be one of those people.”
This year, Huskies United begins on Wednesday, April 2, at 4:25 p.m. and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, April 3.
“Northern’s given me a lot; it’s the right thing to do,” Burton said.
He got the radio bug when working at WKDI. He was promoted to program director in his junior year, which was most often given to seniors.
“Back in those days, Chicago-based record company employees would call me to promote their music because I was the program director and decided what music we would play,” Burton said. “Later, I figured out I already had my foot in the door and could easily transition to this role, so I got into the music business right away.”
Scott Burton launched his music career on campus. (Photo: Scott Burton)
Before getting paid at the station, Burton worked in the cafeteria at Stevenson Hall. He was also a member of the NIU concert committee, working to find bands to bring to DeKalb and play for the students.
“It was a great gig because we were given a budget to spend, and we didn’t have to make a profit,” Burton said. “I remember when R.E.M. came when they were just becoming big. I was scheduled to interview the lead guitarist, Peter Buck, at the radio station, but he never showed up. I saw the lead singer, Michael Stipe, walking by the station, and I ran over to him and told him what happened, so he came in for an interview. We were just 18- or 19-year-old kids geeking out.”
Burton graduated and earned a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis on radio, television and film. He gained life-long friends from the two years he lived on the fifth floor of Stevenson North. Many gather at football games today to tailgate and cheer on the Huskies.
“We usually have between 30 and 50 people at our tailgate,” Burton said. “I’m a football and men’s basketball season ticket holder. It’s another way to support the university. Everyone really enjoys getting together. I organize the tailgate, and a few guys help out with the cooking. Whether it’s coming back to campus for a game or donating during Huskies United, you know, it just makes me feel good.”
For more information on Huskies United, please visit the website: https://dog.niu.edu/
Jordan Arcilla, ’18, M.A.S. ’19, volunteers with NIUAA. (Photos: Jordan Arcilla)
Jordan Arcilla, ’18, M.A.S. ’19, began volunteering virtually for Northern Illinois University during the pandemic, offering students valuable resume feedback and performing mock interviews.
“The NIU Alumni Association did a good job organizing the virtual environment, so I was motivated to return and stay involved,” Arcilla said.
Although virtual volunteer opportunities remain to this day, Arcilla volunteered to hold in-person mock interviews with NIU students this past fall. Working with three students in the UNIV 301/Braven course, a cohort designed to navigate the transition from college to the workforce or further education, Arcilla helped students practice their interviewing skills in a real-world setting. After the interviews, Arcilla provided feedback on what the students could do to improve, such as giving clear examples to showcase their impact.
“As a student, I utilized many resources in my internship and job search to find opportunities to jumpstart my career,” Arcilla said. “As I reflect, the long hours I spent researching, practicing and obtaining feedback have paid off, and I want to help Huskies achieve similar benefits.”
As a student, Arcilla served on the executive boards of NIU Housing, through the Residence Hall Association and the National Residence Hall Honorary, the Student Accountancy Society, and the Internal Audit Student Association. He worked as an honors fellow in the University Honors Program and was a peer mentor of the Asian American Center’s OHANA Program and University Honors Program.
Arcilla credits NIU and its student organizations for providing a supportive network—which includes alumni volunteers—that helped him on his journey to get where he is today.
“I recall working with many volunteers and guest speakers as an involved student,” Arcilla said. “I enjoyed learning about their backgrounds and hearing their stories.”
Jordan Arcilla cheers on the Huskies at Notre Dame. (Photo: Jordan Arcilla)
Today, Arcilla is proud to do the same for NIU students and says his career path plays a role in his decision to volunteer. Noting that after graduation, he chose a career path in risk management, going against the path many accountancy students take working in external audit or tax.
“Sharing my career journey with students allows them to see alternative, unique opportunities they may not have considered otherwise,” he said.
Arcilla began his career at PwC as a risk assurance associate before taking on the cyber, risk and regulatory advisory associate role. After over three years at PwC, he joined The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC). He has worked as a senior associate for over two years, first in internal audit and then in business operations – enterprise risk management.
As an active alumnus and self-proclaimed “die-hard sports fan,” Arcilla attended the historical Huskies 16-14 victory over the fifth-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish in South Bend, Indiana.
“It was a dream come true watching NIU win against a team with a strong program tradition, like Notre Dame,” he said. “I continue to be inspired by NIU, our students and student-athletes. They are why I remain involved with the campus. Go Huskies!”
NIU alumni volunteer their time in meaningful ways. Want to brainstorm ways you can get involved? Contact Eric Glasby, ’15, M.S.Ed. ’18, at eglasby1@niu.edu.
Dr. Warren M. Billings’ journey from NIU graduate student to a nationally recognized historian demonstrates how passion and perseverance can lead to a lifetime of scholarship and influence.
Billings’ academic path began at the University of Pittsburgh, where he earned a master’s degree in history under the mentorship of the late Emory G. Evans. When Evans became chair of NIU’s Department of History, Billings followed to join the newly established doctoral program.
Billings was allowed to dive straight into advanced research, as he was one of the first students to enter the program with a master’s degree. He was awarded a graduate assistantship, where he gained invaluable experience working alongside respected historians such as Al Young, Ben Keen, Bob Schneider and Stephen Foster. In the spring of 1968, he became the third student to earn a Ph.D. in history from NIU, defending a dissertation on Bacon’s Rebellion, the first major uprising by American colonists against colonial leadership in Virginia from 1676 to 1677.
“Over the course of his career and into retirement, Dr. Billings has made varied and important contributions to our discipline through his original research, dedicated teaching and preservation of the historical record,” said Valerie L. Garver, Ph.D., Chair of NIU’s Department of History. “Especially for our graduate students, Dr. Billings provides a model of balancing research, teaching and service as a historian and professor. More broadly he shows how the study of history can help students constructively engage in civic life across their lifetimes.”
Billings is grateful for the opportunities he had at NIU.
“I was fortunate to study with an outstanding faculty who held me to the highest standards of excellence in teaching and doing history,” he said. “They prepared me well. I have never once regretted my decision to follow Emory Evans to DeKalb, nor has graduating from a new doctoral program hindered me.”
After completing his doctorate, Billings accepted an assistant professorship at Louisiana State University in New Orleans, now the University of New Orleans (UNO), where he remained for his entire career. There, he struck a balance between teaching, writing and serving the larger New Orleans community. He primarily worked with graduate students—many of whom went on to surpass him, while also earning the reputation as the “dean of early Virginia studies” and solidifying his place as a leading scholar of 17th-century Virginia.
In 1976, Billing played a crucial role in preserving Louisiana’s legal history by negotiating the transfer of the historic archives of the Supreme Court of Louisiana to the Division of Special Collections in the Earl K. Long Library at UNO. He was later designated the Court’s official historian. His work extended beyond Virginia, with significant contributions to early Louisiana law, culminating in the founding of New Louisiana Legal History, a major reinterpretation of the state’s legal origins. His expertise was recognized nationally, leading him to serve as Visiting Williams Professor of Law at the University of Richmond and Visiting Professor of Law at the College of William & Mary.
“Doing the history of Louisiana law has been one of my more challenging and rewarding scholarly experiences,” Billings said.
Following his retirement in 2005, Billings continued writing and lecturing. He became a visiting professor of law at the College of William & Mary and remained active in historical discourse.
Today, Dr. Billings’ career preserving and interpreting legal history reminds NIU students that their research can leave a lasting impact, whether in academia, public service, or beyond. Dr. Billings’ journey is an inspiring example of how a foundation in history at NIU can open doors to lifelong achievement and prestige.
Kevin Lustik working on a project during his senior year at NIU and, right, this year. (Photos: Kevin Lustik)
Kevin Lustik, ’85, has spent decades perfecting his craft as a needlepoint artist while working his full-time job at a law firm.
Lustik earned two bachelor’s degrees from NIU: one in English and the other in theater history, writing and criticism. He found that his early sewing skills led to a more robust appreciation for the creative arts, and he began doing needlepoint after leaving NIU.
“Ever since I was a kid, I was handy with a needle and thread; I could sew on a button or mend a tear,” he said. “After graduating from NIU and using my brain for four solid years, I wanted to do something with my hands, so I started quilting, which led to needlepoint kits, which led to creating my own unusual designs.”
Lustik said he didn’t plan to become a full-time artist, as he wanted to keep his creative side separate from making a living.
“Creating art was always part-time for me, something I did in the evenings and on weekends,” he said. “I never wanted to be a full-time artist, living in a garret and starving. That would cause too much pressure to create and sell. I wanted my artwork to be a pleasurable, relaxing activity.”
However, after 40 years of making art, he recently decided to sell some of his detailed, expressive needlepoint work, which touches on themes ranging from pop culture to politics. His pieces are available for sale through New Mexico-based Wilder-Nightingale Fine Art Gallery.
Lustik was born and raised in a Slovenian neighborhood in Joliet, Illinois. His father was a union machinist, and his mother was a secretary before she became a full-time homemaker raising the family’s four children.
“I got my strong work ethic from both of my parents,” he said.
Lustik chose NIU because he wanted to go away to college but not too far away.
“DeKalb is only about an hour and a half’s drive from Joliet, so it was perfect for me, and I had a few friends who were going there, so that helped me adjust to being away from home for the first time,” he said.
A piece by Kevin Lustik entitled ‘When the Mind Unravels: Madness or Genius?’
He worked his way through NIU, taking jobs as a front desk clerk at his residence hall, Stevenson Towers North, and as an English tutor.
Lustik took full advantage of all the social opportunities that NIU had to offer.
“I loved my time at NIU,” he said. “Yes, it was hard work, but I balanced that with fun and socializing. I was involved with the film series at Holmes Student Center, I worked crew on many of the theater productions in the Stevens Building, and I attended many of the Gay/Lesbian Union events.”
Lustik named professors Mary Sue Schrieber, Lynne Waldeland, and Gerald Berkowitz in the Department of English, and Alan Chesler in the theater department, as educators who inspired him.
“These brilliant people taught me critical thinking, which I still use today,” Lustik said.
After graduating from NIU, Lustik lived in Chicago and then, in 1993, moved to New York City.
“Moving to New York City was one of the best decisions of my life because I matured here and took on adult responsibilities,” he said. “Also, I met so many interesting, creative people who have enriched my life.”
After many years away from NIU, Lustik said he still admires the qualities of true Huskies.
“NIU Huskies have all the best qualities of Midwesterners: they’re hard-working, helpful, honest, and just plain good folk,” he said.
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