Combining her passion for coffee and community, Kat Nosal, ’20, opened The Crawler Brewing Company, a mobile coffee trailer and coffee pop-up company.

Since 2020, Nosal has been sharing her love of coffee and community all over Illinois—and fulfilling her lifelong dream of owning a coffee shop.

“I’ve always associated coffee with family and community gatherings,” Nosal said. “I wanted to create a space for others to gather and enjoy great coffee.”

Growing up, Nosal remembers sitting on her grandparents’ covered patio listening to an old static radio while her grandfather sat on a high-top stool drinking coffee. The smell of coffee takes her back to moments like these—a time of joy and family connection.

“Coffee was more than a beverage in our home; it was a daily ritual,” Nosal said. “We’d drink it while playing cards at the dining room table, while greeting neighbors on the front porch, and while chatting with our parents before heading off to school. It was always there, grounding us!”

At a young age, Nosal snuck a sip of coffee and thought, “Oh, this is awful. Why do people drink this?” Despite this first impression, the taste grew on her. Eventually, she desired to perfect the craft. This inspired The Crawler Brewing Company’s tagline, “Life is too short for bad coffee,” and her commitment to sourcing high-quality beans from family-owned farms around the world. Nosal sources beans from countries including Brazil, Columbia, and Guatemala, and she is proud to work with partners who use sustainable farming practices and treat and pay their workers fairly.

“If you’re going to drink it every morning, it should be good!” Nosal said.

When Nosal first started, she had no background in the business side of the coffee industry and wasn’t sure where to begin. She had about six years of barista experience and ten years in the service industry, but getting started took a lot of research and learning. Her biggest challenge came when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, putting a pause on her plans to open a physical location.

“During the lockdown, I was inspired by essential workers in our community making deliveries directly to customers’ cars, and thought, ‘Why not bring coffee to the community?’ That’s when the idea for my mobile coffee service took off.”

The Crawler is a name Nosal chose for a coffee shop when she was a child, and it became the theme for her traveling—or crawling—from town to town. Her sister, Kelly O’Sullivan, who has an art degree, worked with Nosal to design the coffee bag artwork. They were inspired by Nosal’s high school notebook doodles and incorporated elements to represent each coffee’s country of origin. Choosing a name, logo and branding turned out to be the easiest part.

“I had to work out the logistics, partner with a third-party source to connect with farms around the world, and save up for a trailer, equipment and a pop-up tent,” she said. “My proudest accomplishment has been bringing my childhood dream to a reality and being able to share my craft with so many people. It warms my heart to hear customers say, ‘I’ve heard of you!’ or ‘I follow you on Instagram!’”

Nosal said NIU gave her the necessary tools to become an entrepreneur and leader.

“NIU significantly impacted me as a leader,” she said. “I learned critical thinking and creativity, allowing me to develop and execute my business idea. These are skills I use every day.”

While at Lincoln-Way West High School in New Lenox, Illinois, Nosal dreamed of attending NIU. She first attended Joliet Junior College for her associate degree and transferred to NIU. In 2020, Nosal earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology. She recalls Phillip Krasula’s teaching.

“Dr. Krasula believed in me and my ideas, even during times I wasn’t feeling it,” Nosal said. “He made learning fun, which fostered my love for learning. My business has gotten involved a lot in our local schools within our community, inspiring the next generation of students. I feel like his love for learning was the inspiration for that!”

In 2022, Nosal partnered with the NIU Alumni Association to host a coffee-tasting event, “The Art and Science of Coffee Tasting.” She loves being actively involved in her community and extending her outreach and passion for coffee to other communities.

“It was The Crawler Brewing Company’s very first event,” Nosal said. “Since then, we’ve done a lot of events throughout Illinois, including Ottawa’s Chris Kringle Market, Utica’s Burgoo Festival, and various events through New Lenox’s Chamber of Commerce and Community Park District. We support philanthropic events and programs that raise awareness and money for veterans as well as raising money for New Lenox High Schools.”

Nosal may be in the coffee business, but she is also in the business of making memories. Whether her customers grab a cup to start the day, share good news with a group of friends, or order a bag of coffee online to serve at their next family gathering, she hopes her coffee can be a catalyst for bringing people together.

“Keep making memories,” she said. “I look back on mine with joy, even if it was just a cup of coffee with a late night of studying. I really enjoyed the memories I made at NIU, and I am confident that they helped me become the person and leader I am today.”

One of Lanetta Cole’s favorite things about NIU is its sense of community.

“As a deaf student, I’ve felt supported by the resources and the people here, from interpreters who have become close friends, to professors and peers who are inclusive and encouraging,” she said. “NIU’s commitment to accessibility has made my experience so much more rewarding, and I’ve made friendships of a lifetime.”

Cole, an elementary education major with a counseling minor who plans to graduate in December 2025, grew up in Springfield, Illinois, with five siblings. Her mother worked as a child support specialist until an injury left her unable to work for the past few years, and her father works in a warehouse producing boots for the military. Her mother, Dynetta Cole, is the only person in her family who graduated from college and she is proud to be continuing that legacy of a college education at NIU.

Cole was born with Meniere’s disease, an inner ear disease that can cause dizzy spells, also called vertigo, tinnitus and hearing loss, and can be caused by ear infections.

“It’s shaped much of my childhood and how I navigate through the world,” Cole said of the disease.

Cole transferred to NIU in 2021 from Southern New Hampshire University.

“What caught my eye about NIU was affordability and all the different things I could get involved in here,” she said. “At the time, I was a psychology major, and NIU was rated high for psych majors. I also loved the diversity and the support that NIU provided to students with disabilities.”

She continued, “When switching my major, NIU’s resources and support didn’t stop. In my clinicals, I’m able to get interpreters and accessibility services, which has helped me succeed academically. NIU is also close to my hometown, so I am still able to stay connected with my family while still feeling independent here in college.”

Cole received 15 scholarships that have helped her navigate her NIU experience, including the Forward Together Forward Scholarship.

“Receiving scholarships was a huge turning point for me,” she said. “They eased so much of the financial burden that college brings; they allowed me to focus more on school and clinicals rather than constantly worrying about how to manage everything. At one point, I was working three jobs, taking six classes, in my clinicals and trying to move into an apartment.”

Cole said she considers the scholarships “a blessing from God.”

“Receiving the scholarships, I was overwhelmed with so much gratitude and relief,” she said. “They motivated me in a way that kept me going and pushing towards finishing my education and making the most of it.”

Cole said donors who give have a profound impact on students.

“It’s so much more than money and relieving financial burden, it’s giving students a chance to pursue a degree when all other odds are stacked against them,” she said. “It gives students the confidence to believe in themselves and every contribution, no matter the size, matters. It’s a ripple effect, helping students like me achieve our dreams and give back to our community in a meaningful way. It changes lives.”

To help students like Cole realize their dreams and goals, please visit the NIU Foundation website.

Navigating Amazon’s endless options and reviews can be dizzying for consumers, but for brands, the landscape presents far greater complexities.

Ryan Flynn, ‘05, founder and CEO of ExpertCPG Commerce (formerly Charmac) helps brands navigate the chaos. He is a
seasoned expert committed to guiding brands through Amazon.

Flynn leads a skilled team of 12 full-time employees based in the U.S. and the Philippines to ensure his clients stand out and create more meaningful connections with customers.

“We offer programs for brands just starting on Amazon as well as full account management for brands that need support scaling and growing,” Flynn said. “We provide the strategy and execution for Amazon so our clients can spend their time growing other areas of their business.”

Since 2015, Flynn has grown ExpertCPG into a seven-figure-a-year business, consistently working with over 30 clients.

“Our clients include brands selling millions of dollars a year on Amazon alone to clients that can be found on store shelves across the United States and worldwide,” he said.

Working with Blue Stop Max, a Texas-based company that sells personal care products to relieve body aches and joint pains, Flynn and his team developed a strategy to transform Blue Stop Max’s Amazon business. They developed a fully optimized approach responding to Blue Stop Max’s unique needs.

“We overhauled their listings, addressed pricing conflicts with their in-store SKUs, and helped grow their account to new heights through advertising and marketing,” Flynn said. “It’s been rewarding to see their success both on and off Amazon.”

ExpertCPG tailors its strategies to respond to its clients’ specific needs and goals, but its success didn’t come without unexpected challenges. In 2019, Flynn faced the tough decision to shift ExpertCPG’s business model.

“What we were doing wasn’t working,” he said. “We learned that we couldn’t serve everyone who wanted to sell their products on Amazon. Instead, we identified the profiles of our ideal clients in order to replicate the success we had with our first few brands. It required restructuring agreements, laying off some folks, and rethinking everything—but it led to where we are today.”

Flynn shares his knowledge and interviews insightful guests on his ExpertCPG Commerce Podcast. Episodes offer actionable tips and inspiring stories from brands that transformed their feelings about Amazon from anxiety to affection.

From as far back as he can remember, Flynn wanted to own his own business. He was drawn to the appeal of seeing a vision come to life and the thrill of doing his own ‘thing’. His first job was a paper route starting in fifth grade which he kept all the way into high school. He also worked at Kellogg Golf Course in his hometown of Peoria, Illinois.

After graduating from NIU with a bachelor’s degree in management, Flynn entered the retail management training program at JPMorgan Chase. There, he spent nine years in business development and his last four years working directly with small business clients.

“I managed some clients who were seeing great success with Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), which had just opened up to independent sellers,” Flynn said. “I started researching more about it and then slowly began selling things on Amazon myself. Six months into it, I left the bank and pursued the business full-time. Over time, we evolved from selling random products to helping brands optimize and grow their presence on Amazon.”

Flynn said NIU gave him a well-rounded foundation in business, building his confidence to leap into entrepreneurship. He chose NIU because he wanted something different and liked its proximity to Chicago. He lived in Grant and Stevenson Towers from 2001 to 2003, fondly recalls watching football games with Michael Turner and Garrett Wolfe on the field, and became a campus tour guide, later helping to manage the tour guide program.

“My godparents went to NIU,” he said. “My family mostly went to Illinois State, but I wanted something different. When I visited NIU, I loved the campus. Barsema Hall was just being planned at the time (it opened my sophomore year), and it was exciting to be a part of that. I knew I wanted to be a business major, and after a brief stint as an OMIS major, I switched to organizational management. I often wonder how my life might be different (and how good my Excel skills would be) if I stuck with OMIS.”

Joining the Society for Advanced Management (SAM) at Northern helped Flynn connect classroom learning to real-world applications through competitions and speaker events. This experience was further enriched by the influence of NIU Management Professor Russ Hagberg, who made a lasting impact on Flynn’s education.

“The exposure to business history and case studies through SAM was invaluable and is something I often go back to,” he said. “Professor Hagberg, with his extensive real-world experience, would frequently pick out stories from the Wall Street Journal’s ‘What’s New’ section and relate them to what we were learning in class. I credit him with inspiring my ongoing subscription to the Wall Street Journal to this day!”

Despite his entrepreneurial success, tremendous support from his wife, Michelle, and personal pride stemming from the courage to carve his own professional path, Flynn said entrepreneurship can be lonely and has advice for new entrepreneurs.

“You’re out on an island, and it’s not like the corporate world where others are doing similar roles,” he said. “No one in my immediate or extended family is an entrepreneur, so I am not the norm, nor do I have people close to me who I can relate to. Joining a peer network of entrepreneurs really helped me work through that and they have been critical in my journey.”

Flynn stays motivated by his innate desire to create solutions that solve problems, but he says the key is to stay resilient.

“You have to be able to adapt and keep going despite setbacks,” he said. “It took me years to finally leave my corporate job, but I’m a big believer that it’s never too late for someone to start their own business.”

NIU instructor and alumna Madelyn Anderson, M.A. ’92, was taught at a young age that a community’s health is influenced by its citizens’ engagement.

Today, as an engaged volunteer, NIU is the benefactor of her Huskie Pride and service. Anderson says one of her favorite NIU phrases is “Huskies. Never. Quit.” because it is poignantly accurate, referencing NIU students as some of the hardest-working, industrious, creative and dedicated people. To show students her support, Anderson volunteers.

Anderson frequently volunteers at the Huskie Food Pantry, serving individually and as a faculty member with her students. She has also volunteered for programs such as NIU Cares Day, NIU Advocacy Day in Springfield, STEM Fest, the university gardens, career preparation workshops, Homecoming, and the Honors Program.

“I have been involved in non-profit work, community service, and advocacy most of my life, both as a volunteer and a professional,” Anderson said. “At NIU, I have found a wonderful, spirited community of alumni, students, faculty and staff who work incredibly hard to support our amazing campus. As an alumna and teacher, it has been my mission to serve our students and support their learning opportunities in and outside of the classroom.”

Driven by her primary goal of finding volunteer opportunities that directly benefit students, which in turn benefit the university, Anderson offers the following examples of volunteer impact:

Food Insecurity

Volunteering at the Huskie Food Pantry puts Anderson on the front lines, tackling the unfortunate and significant reality of food security among college-age students.

“Students living with chronic food insecurity are more at risk in terms of their academic success, health, etc.,” she said. “As a teacher, I have witnessed the impact of food insecurity, which is heartbreaking. Volunteering at the pantry and setting up food drives can make a real difference because our food pantry relies heavily on volunteer support to continue serving our students.”

Career Preparation

Volunteering at programs that support students’ career preparation and practical use of critical career-ready skills allows Anderson to guide and mentor the next generation of professionals.

“I am keenly aware of the importance for students to acquire communication skills that will maximize their ability to be effective in the workforce and other social contexts,” she said. “Volunteering at programs such as the Career Preparation Workshop offer a wonderful opportunity for students to learn and practice skills to build their communication competency and confidence. Students receive ideas and mentorship from our alumni volunteers and begin networking with them! This program is of tremendous value to our students.”

Fostering Active Citizenship

Volunteering at NIU Cares Day and NIU Advocacy Day enables Anderson to serve the community alongside students and foster a connection to promote a lifelong commitment to civic engagement.

“By volunteering alongside our students, I can enrich their experience to help them see the value of building community and participating in advocacy work,” she said. “These civic engagement opportunities enable students to be active citizens by serving our community on and off-campus and to advocate for NIU with alumni and faculty, staff and administration at the state level.”

Whether witnessing the joy on her students’ faces after volunteering together at the Huskie Food Pantry, the rewarding conversations while riding the bus to campus after NIU Advocacy Day, or picking and cleaning produce from the university garden to then see it in the food pantry, Anderson says volunteering is a privilege and a joy—and part of her definition of a true Huskie.

Coming to NIU after working for over ten years in media, audience development for public radio, and non-profit arts administration, Anderson graduated with distinction with a Master of Arts in communication and a graduate emphasis in women’s studies.

Anderson teaches a public speaking course in the Honors Program emphasizing service learning. She was awarded the “Great Professor” award by the University Honors Program and the “Sharon Davis Women Who Make a Difference” Award by the NIU Presidential Commission for the Status of Women. In addition, she was named one of NIU’s “Engaged Learning Exemplars” and received an “Outstanding Service Award” for her work in coordinating the COMS 100 Program.

“I have been fortunate to be able to extend my volunteer service with the NIU Alumni Association,” Anderson said. “This is a wonderful facet of outreach to, with, and for our students.”

NIU alumni volunteer their time in meaningful ways. Want to brainstorm ways you can get involved? Contact Liz McKee, M.S.Ed. ’14 at lmckee1@niu.edu or 815-753-7400.

Tom Gregory, ’84, M.S.Ed. ’89, is a New Orleans-based Emmy Award-winning TV host, producer, and writer who still looks back with fondness on his days at NIU.

“My career path has been diverse, encompassing radio, news, sports, travel and entertainment television,” he said. “But it all began at Northern Illinois University.”

Gregory was born on Chicago’s South Side and grew up in suburban Mount Prospect, Illinois, with two brothers. His father was a junior high school principal who also taught master’s level education courses at Northeastern Illinois University, and his mother was a nurse.

Gregory fell in love with radio at an early age while tuning in to Chicago disc jockeys.

“Steve Dahl and Gerry Meier inspired me to go into broadcasting,” he said. “I saw the duo broadcast live and said, ‘That’s what I want to do: I want to make people laugh and think simultaneously.’ I later began to follow Bob Sirott’s career path, who moved seamlessly between radio and TV and did both so well. The dream of a Chicago radio career was a powerful force that led me to NIU. While that specific dream didn’t materialize, the journey has been invaluable, shaping me into the person I am today.”

Gregory chose a radio/TV/film major in what was the communication studies department, while also pursuing a math minor as he was exploring various opportunities.

He found himself heavily involved in NIU’s radio station.

“Like my career path, my NIU experience was varied and diverse,” he said. “My first foray into broadcasting came through WKDI, the student-run alternative rock station. There, I held roles as a DJ, movie critic, and research director, even continuing my involvement with the station while pursuing my master’s in education.”

He also spent a year as a resident assistant in Stevenson North, which significantly shaped his time at NIU.

“The enduring friendships forged on that floor helped define who I am today,” he said. “Professionally, the role taught me the value of diverse approaches to achieving goals, a liberating and inspiring realization.”

Gregory was positively influenced by faculty who helped him find his way in a competitive profession.

“Although I didn’t fully grasp their influence at the time, their teachings have proven invaluable,” he said. “My film and radio production courses, with their emphasis on hands-on learning, were instrumental. From shooting Super 8mm film and editing with razor blades to restoring decades-old radio broadcasts, I developed a deep appreciation for the craft and the importance of meticulous work.”

The classes cultivated a desire to build a well-rounded broadcasting skillset, he said, which helped him professionally.

“When the industry changed, the foundation I built at NIU enabled me to pivot and find new opportunities,” he said. “Ultimately, my instructors instilled in me the understanding that storytelling is the heart of our industry. While technology and audience preferences evolve, the power of a compelling narrative endures.”

Gregory has been part of a number of productions that tell meaningful stories, from producing impactful documentaries to acting in a biopic on the boxer George Foreman released on Netflix last year.

“Awards are gratifying, but the true measure of success is your work’s impact on others,” he said. “As a storyteller, sharing someone’s narrative and witnessing their emotional response is incredibly rewarding. When that story resonates beyond the individual and makes a tangible difference in the world, that is the highest reward possible.”

One of his documentaries, “Vanishing Coast, Vanishing Safety,” airing just a month before Hurricane Katrina in 2005, explored the critical link between Louisiana’s disappearing wetlands and their growing threat to its residents.

“The film offered a blueprint for survival,” he said. “To hear later that it saved lives was both humbling and heartbreaking.”

Gregory also produced a series a year after Katrina called “Renewing New Orleans: Keeping America’s Beat,” showing his beloved town recovering from the storm through a cultural lens.

“By challenging misconceptions about the ongoing recovery, we helped dispel the myth of a city in ruins and inspired hope for the future,” he said.

Gregory was most recently the host of YurView’s “Driven” series, which put him in the driver’s seat of a 600-horsepower race car, a military vehicle on safari and a $100,000 EV motorcycle prototype. The series was honored with seven National Telly Awards, including three in 2024 for the “Return to Route 66” special. Building on this success, Gregory is developing a limited docu-reality series that will offer a creative take on this iconic highway and the unforgettable people who call the road home.

“The project would also give me an opportunity for the first time to come back and film in my home state of Illinois!” he said.

Gregory has also been nominated for more than 40 regional Emmys, including being honored three times for On-Camera Host for the travel adventure series “GO Coast: Louisiana.” While hosting that series, he experienced feeding alligators, deep sea fishing, crawfishing, joining a Cajun band, and flyboarding.

This school year, Gregory is also putting his master’s degree to use teaching and developing the curriculum for a content creation and video production class for juniors and seniors at Metairie Park Country Day School in Metairie, Louisiana.

“It’s only one class, but it allows me to use my background in education and keeps me near my two daughters who attend middle school there,” he said.

Gregory said he has seen a variety of challenges in the TV and film industry, especially for independent productions, but he sees opportunities as well. Like a true Huskie, he exudes resilience and pivots when necessary.

“While my TV series ‘Driven’ and ‘GO Coast,’ were funded by the network and stations, the series ended due to internal restructuring, which underscored the industry’s evolving challenges,” he said. “Such setbacks, especially when out of the producer’s control, though disheartening, are not uncommon in the world of independent filmmaking. Yet, amidst these challenges, new opportunities abound. From grants and crowdfunding to sponsorships and streaming platforms, the path to storytelling is broadening. I’m excited to explore these new avenues as I develop future projects.”

Gregory said Huskies will always have a connection to NIU and DeKalb, no matter where they live.

“That connection is more than mastering skills and gaining knowledge, because our time there is more than academic pursuits; it is a bond of friendships, shared dreams, and unforgettable experiences,” he said. “It is a bond that connects us regardless of distance.”

When Amber Godinsky, ’23, left her hometown of Sycamore, Illinois, to attend the University of Arizona, she didn’t know that everything she needed to launch a rewarding nonprofit career was in her own backyard at NIU.

Just one semester into her first year away from home, the Covid-19 pandemic hit, and she moved back.

“Once I returned, I knew that home was where I wanted to be,” Godinsky said. “I missed my community and the culture of the Midwest. Yes, ‘Midwest nice’ is a real thing!”

Growing up in a small town instilled in Godinsky a strong sense of community from a young age. She learned the importance of getting involved and looked for ways to be part of the bigger picture.

“I saw how civil discourse and voluntary engagement shape a thriving community,” she said.

Godinsky transferred to NIU and was excited to learn she could pursue a Bachelor of Arts in nonprofit studies. She credits the Center for Nonprofit and NGO Studies (NNGO) and her professors for celebrating her curiosity and encouraging students to explore and strengthen their inner voices. She notes the curriculum’s emphasis on critical thinking and problem solving, which has fueled her success as the Meals on Wheels program manager at the Voluntary Action Center of Northern Illinois.

The Meals on Wheels program delivers in-house prepared meals to homebound elderly and disabled individuals in DeKalb County. Godinsky leads the planning and implementation of all activities related to the program within the agency’s Sycamore service area. She assists neighboring programs to ensure that services are provided in the most efficient, safe, and cost-effective manner while complying with state and local regulations.

“Much of what led me to a career in the nonprofit space I owe to my mom,” Godinsky said. “Growing up, she worked for a nonprofit organization focused on serving economically and socially challenged children by giving them access to the arts. Her work celebrated individual creativity and focused on bringing people together to create something larger than themselves.”

Godinsky said this early introduction to a career in the nonprofit sector influenced her path, and she is grateful to her mom, Glenna, for inspiring her.

“As we have heard before, our parents are our first and most important teachers in life, and that is completely accurate in my case,” she said.

Godinsky began working as the Meals on Wheels program assistant while still a student. Despite working nearly full-time, she fit the Women’s Rugby Club into her busy schedule and held team leadership positions each year she played. She said she was impressed by NIU’s dedication to club sports, providing each team with the necessary resources to succeed.

“The Women’s Rugby Club greatly supported my academic career by awarding me with a scholarship generously provided by the Northern Illinois Rugby Alumni Association,” Godinsky said. “Most valuable to me, though, was having the opportunity to grow the game of rugby and introduce others to the same sport that has impacted my life in such a meaningful way. I am grateful to continue working with the NIU Women’s Rugby Club as a volunteer coach and support the academic and athletic community that helped shape me into who I am today.”

Off the field, Godinsky thanks Dr. Laura Heideman, Dr. Alicia Schatteman, Julie Ann O’Connell, and Stephanie Kummerer for being inspirational women whom she deeply admires.

“Each of these women played a unique role in my academic and personal growth, and their dedication, insight and passion continue to inspire me today,” she said.

NIU offered Godinsky invaluable experiences to hone her skills and enrich her passion for a nonprofit career.

During her junior year, she completed a gerontology internship under Julie Boggess’s supervision. The semester-long project focused on the impact of compassionate touch in care partner relationships and the overall quality of life for those living with dementia. Godinsky first completed an instructional course on compassionate touch developed by AGE-u-cate Training Institute. Afterward, she presented a program on compassionate touch for Dementia Friendly Elgin Area’s Memory Café.

“This experience was especially rewarding to me as I was able to reshape the concept of touch in a way that a majority of the caregivers attending the café had never considered previously,” she said. “Compassionate touch can be a very intimate and healing tool, especially for those living with memory changes or cognitive impairments.”

Godinsky became a Certified Dementia Friend in 2020 to better understand how dementia affects those diagnosed and their families, friends, and care partners and to learn tools for caregivers. Personally touched by the disease, Godinsky’s grandma Eillene, affectionately known as “Grandma Garden,” was diagnosed with dementia and lived with Godinsky and her family until her passing. This experience showed Godinsky how a little extra compassion and understanding from others could have made caregiving a more gentle journey.

“Being a Dementia Friend is just one small step towards creating a more inclusive, age-friendly community and reducing the stigma surrounding memory loss,” Godinsky said.

During her senior capstone research presentation at the Conference on Undergraduate Research and Engagement (CURE), Godinsky shared her project titled, “Engaging Older Adults in Local Nonprofit Nutrition Assistance Programs: Understanding Barriers and Exploring Opportunities for Improved Participation.” She applied the research methods she learned in her courses to her work at Meals on Wheels, connecting her academics to real-world experiences. At the conclusion of her project, Godinsky shared her research outcomes with the Meals on Wheels organization, offering them insights into program impact and highlighting the observed program participation barriers.

Observing the impact of her efforts is Godinsky’s greatest motivation in her role as Meals on Wheels program manager, where she is navigating the rapid changes in community demographics and adapting to the evolving needs that come with those shifts.

“By 2030, all baby boomers in the United States will be 65 years or older, significantly increasing the demand for services tailored to older adults,” Godinsky said. “To meet the nutritional needs of this growing population, I must continuously assess how to scale and adapt our services to meet the increasing demand. I often reflect on my experiences in my NNGO classes when brainstorming solutions for the future.”

Godinsky hopes the valuable lessons she learned—including the importance of seeking input from diverse perspectives, actively listening to the community’s needs, and being mindful of the broader impact—will help ensure that her efforts are both effective and responsive.

“Knowing that I have made a difference in someone else’s life is the most rewarding aspect of my career,” she said. “Whether it’s a hot meal, a compassionate touch, or a small gesture, our actions can hold deep meaning, and I try to keep this in mind every day. At all times, our actions can have a positive contribution to those around us—why not take advantage of that?”

Gerald Smith, M.P.A. ’93, grew up in foster care, spent time in an institution, and ultimately found himself in an orphanage. He believes that one’s choices—and the paths forged along the way—hold far more significance than the uncontrollable circumstances of one’s birth.

With resilience, perseverance, and an unwavering commitment to public service, Smith has transformed his challenging beginnings into a successful career as the director of general services for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee (Metro Nashville).

As the 12th of 17 children born into an unstable environment in St. Louis, Missouri, Smith was placed into foster care due to his mother’s health shortly after birth. Just six months later, his parents’ rights were permanently severed, leading to a tumultuous youth marked by struggles, trauma, bullying and educational delays.

“Reflecting on how I managed to preserve my mental resilience, I believe my imagination and faith were my saving grace,” Smith said. “I sensed that there had to be something more significant guiding my survival. This faith solidified when I found myself under Catholic Charities’ care, grounding me in the belief that I would ultimately overcome my circumstances.”

At age 14, Smith went to live with his oldest sister and began high school at 16. By his junior year, Smith had set his sights on college, yearning for a path toward public service.

“Despite my hardships, I was determined to create a new future and completed high school,” said Smith. “Upon graduating, I moved to Chicago to live with another sister I did not know. I enrolled at Triton College, where I began my college journey and eventually took on work with AMTRAK. I traveled across the continental United States, working as a train attendant to support myself. I later transferred to Elmhurst College, where I graduated with a political science and urban history degree, gaining insights into the urban challenges I would later address in my career.”

Smith went on to earn his Master of Public Administration degree from NIU, which strengthened his interest in public service.

“NIU forever changed my life, enabling me to share my talents with communities that embraced my management style,” he said.

Under the mentorship of Dr. James M. Banovetz, he was awarded an academic fellowship, enabling him to intern with local government in Deerfield, Illinois. Smith credits these experiences with affirming his commitment to city management and his passion for working with communities where he can make a significant contribution to structures and efficiencies.

“Following my graduation from NIU, I continued working in Deerfield, ultimately serving as the administrative assistant to the city manager,” Smith said. “In 1997, I accepted my first city administrator position in North Chicago, where I introduced the concept of professional city management to a community unfamiliar with the council/manager form of government model. This work set the stage for my leadership in similar ‘frontier communities’—a term I use to describe communities new to the professional management structures.”

Smith’s career has primarily intersected with communities at the early stages of embracing diversity within professional city management. As a manager of color, Smith said his service in five frontier communities has required resilience, cultural sensitivity, and a constant commitment to high ethical standards.

“While frontier communities offer unique opportunities for personal and professional growth, they are also inherently challenging due to limited acceptance and understanding of management boundaries,” he said. “I’ve experienced both the rewards of advancing public management in these environments along with the risks of short tenures. The establishment of a council/manager form of government can be challenged and compromised by new officials attempting to dismantle it, leading to the reluctance among experienced, progressive leaders to serve in such communities.”

Smith has over 30 years of professional public administration experience, including over five years as the founding director of the Department of General Services in Kansas City, Missouri. Today, as the director of general services of Metro Nashville, Smith oversees fleet management, sustainability initiatives, facilities management, and the design and construction of numerous capital projects.

“With its rapid growth and nationally and internationally diverse population, Metro Nashville is a dynamic environment that challenges and inspires me daily,” Smith said. “To meet the city’s evolving demands, I am committed to advancing beyond traditional business models and implementing modern best practices.

“My origin story, marked by adversity and challenges, has driven me to be a leader who values inclusion, persistence and purpose. I live and embrace the proverbial expression from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, ‘To Thine Own Self Be True.’ I hope to inspire others to see that the beginning of one’s story does not define the end. Instead, it’s the courage to continue despite the challenges we encounter.”

Watching “Star Trek” as a youth inspired John Higginson, ’90, to get into computers and technology, but it was working for his single mom that sparked his passion for equity in the workplace.

Higginson leads a team of more than 400 software engineers, data scientists, project managers and infrastructure engineers as the chief technology officer of Curriculum Associates, which creates and runs software used by more than 13 million K-12 students in the U.S.

“Growing up, I loved ‘Star Trek,’” he said. “Where other kids had Legos, I had an electronics kit that you could build your own radio or a random series of flashing lights. Then, when I was 11, I started working with early personal computers. In grade school, my friend Tom and I would use the school pass to code on the school computers. We were completely hooked. I went on to take every computer and math-related course my high school had to offer.”

Higginson said he was inspired by educators at a young age because he struggled to learn.

“I’m where I am today because of the help I received from my teachers,” he said. “When I was in grade school, I was diagnosed with a motor learning disability, where I couldn’t make the letters or images in my head match with the movement my hands were making, and because of that, I repeated first grade. Without the help of caring, supportive and dedicated teachers who supported me in overcoming those learning struggles and growing, I almost certainly would have stopped at high school.”

With his current job, he is able to help struggling students like him succeed.

“Today, I’m grateful to work for a company that is focused on student outcomes and thinks every day about improving those outcomes to reach or exceed grade level,” he said. “It’s incredibly fulfilling work.”

Higginson said a pair of educators in high school encouraged him to apply to NIU.

“One was a counselor with both undergrad and graduate degrees from NIU who raved about the faculty and campus,” he said. “The other was my physics teacher, who was good friends with a professor at NIU teaching a course that blended physics and electronic music. That led me to apply, and I chose NIU over the University of Illinois.”

He initially entered NIU as a dual major in computer science and English, hoping to marry his love of computers and technology with storytelling and become a game developer.

“However, because of my interest in coding and computer science in high school and the time I had invested in learning on my own, I already had a lot of the 100-level knowledge available in those early computer science days,” he said. “I was also a pretty independent 18-year-old, so I decided to continue learning independently and just drop into the computer classes rather than pursue it formally. Instead, I graduated as an English major in 1990. I became the first in my family – both immediate and extended – to go to and graduate from college.”

Higginson spent his first two years at NIU living in Grant Towers North, and his final two years in an off-campus apartment with friends. He built strong friendships and has incredible memories of his years in DeKalb.

“I have so many great memories from my time at NIU — everything from wandering the stacks at Founders Library to spending the day outside when ‘thundersnow’ canceled the first day of finals,” he said. “I made lifelong friends and received an education that I use every day.”

While a student, he took advantage of NIU’s extensive course catalog.

“My degree program allowed me to take a wide variety of courses — from climate science to psychology — and NIU had a great speaker series where I got to see politicians, thinkers and firebrands share their knowledge,” he said.

Higginson recalled three faculty members who made an impact on him as a student.

“The first is Frank Court, who taught essay writing, a course I took during my senior year,” he said. “I was not a great persuasive writer before his class, but he made me one. The class was all about argument and persuasion, and he honed our work through his feedback and peer review. It’s one of the most challenging classes I’ve ever taken, but I got an A, and I have used those skills every year since as a leader and a technologist to sell ideas.”

“The second is Lucien Stryk, who taught poetry, which was my preferred medium. He taught me the magic of language and the power of rhythm. How he would read poems aloud shapes how I give presentations or product keynotes. He was also a Zen Buddhist scholar, and through him, I discovered Zen writers and Japanese Zen haiku, which I read to this day.”

“The third was Madame Hull, my sophomore-year French teacher. She was an adjunct who came to NIU from Reykjavik, Iceland, because she married an American and settled in the area. Her class was so much fun, and I discovered reggae because her lessons always consisted of translations of Peter Tosh’s or Bob Marley’s lyrics. She showed me you could be a leader but still have a sense of humor.”

Higginson was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs by his mother who managed a restaurant; his parents divorced when he was four years old.

“I worked for my mom when I was younger and saw how customers – often businessmen — would come through the restaurant she managed and argue about the table they received, the bill, or their reservations,” he said. “I watched countless times as they would speak with my mother, grow frustrated, and ask for the ‘real manager.’ For some reason, they could not wrap their minds around the idea that a woman could be in charge. Seeing that instilled a desire to use my position to advocate for marginalized groups.”

He said being raised by a single mother and then working for her was an incredible gift that later inspired him in his career.

“It gave me a different way to look at the world, to see that gender wasn’t a barrier to having a career or being a leader,” he said. “It also showed me how the world often isn’t fair to women or other minorities. That understanding and perspective from my mom continue to inspire me to do my part to build equitable work environments, especially in tech spaces.”

He continued, “Whether it was working at CHIEF, the professional women’s network, as their first CTO, creating a women-in-tech conference in Chicago, or supporting employee resource groups as an executive sponsor, I want to help make the world inside the office reflect the diversity of the world outside. I get to continue that work at Curriculum Associates, where I lead the tech organization and serve as the executive sponsor of one of our six employee resource groups.”

Higginson said he’s passionate about education and the opportunities it gave him and gives others.

“Despite my somewhat unusual educational background, education changed my life,” he said. “I would not be able to do what I do – serving as a CTO of an ed-tech company – or serving as a board member for startups without education giving me the opportunity.”

Higginson is a proud Huskie and shared that he believes he and his fellow NIU alumni are doing great work in the world.

“We Huskies are best known for our kindness, our support for one another, and our quiet accomplishments,” he said. “We’re not out there bragging — we’re building and making a difference. It’s a testament to the school and the alumni and, maybe, a bit of the diet of corn and beer nuggets.”

Sonni Choi Williams, J.D. ’99, was installed this year as the 148th president of the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), the first woman attorney of color to helm the organization.

“This historic advancement is not for me, but for so many others who have put their hopes and dreams in my rise to the highest position in the organization,” she said. “I hope that my presidency inspires others after me to take the leap of faith and follow me, thus making the ISBA more welcoming and inclusive of attorneys who have long been under-represented in the ISBA leadership.”

Williams, who also chairs the NIU College of Law’s Board of Visitors, has found tremendous success in the field of law, serving as the city attorney for the City of Lockport, Illinois for the past seven years. Prior to her time at Lockport, she represented the City of Peoria, Illinois, for 17 years.

“As Lockport city attorney, I represent the city, its elected and appointed officials, and employees as their in-house legal counsel,” she explained.

As city attorney, Williams said the most challenging part of her job is not having an administrative staff – no administrative assistant or paralegal. But she works with some incredible people and that makes her job worth it, she said.

“The most rewarding part of my job is that I have the fortune of having the most supportive and understanding co-workers and supervisors, they make the challenging parts of my job rewarding,” she said.

She noted that when she was sworn in for her ISBA presidency at the Illinois Supreme Court in May, the City of Lockport’s city administrator, finance director, director of community and economic development, and the police chief attended the ceremony in support.

Williams was born in Seoul, South Korea, and she immigrated with her family to the U.S. in 1977. She grew up in a small rural town in Iowa and her parents worked a variety of labor-intensive jobs to support the family, including welder, dishwasher, janitor, meat processor, and newspaper binder. She has an older brother, Quan Soo Choi, who lives in Lisle, Illinois, and a younger sister, Yu-Kyong Choi, who lives in New York City.

Williams earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Iowa in 1994, and decided to come to NIU for her juris doctor (J.D.) degree because it was affordable. She wanted to go back to school for her J.D. for a variety of reasons, she said.

“There were various factors that I considered, including what I could do with a history degree, experiencing the impact of not having attorneys who looked like me, and my desire to help others,” she said.

While at NIU, Williams was part of the inaugural student organization, Women Law Caucus, and an active member of the law school fraternity organization, Phi Alpha Delta, and participated in moot court competitions.

Williams named professors Leona Green, the longest-tenured African American professor at the College of Law, and Lorraine Schmall, who taught at the College of Law for nearly 25 years before she retired in 2013, as having an impact on her during law school.

“I recall being inspired by professor Schmall and professor Green by them being among the small group of female law school professors at the time,” she said.

Williams said being a Huskie means to not only lead in your community, but to give back to your alma mater and support current students.

“I think that being an NIU Huskie is the pride of being a strong and supportive leader, but also giving back by being the emissary for NIU and spreading the great advantages of being an NIU Huskie,” she said.

The NIU College of Law is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024. Those interested can donate to the 50th Anniversary Fund that supports scholarships and other College of Law needs.

Jared Rivera aims to positively influence his two younger high school siblings by graduating from NIU and showing them the way to success.

A child of Mexican immigrants, Rivera was born and raised in Aurora, Illinois. His father worked factory and manufacturing jobs so his mother could stay home and raise the family’s three children. He is the first in his immediate family to attend college.

“I have two younger siblings, both in high school—one’s a junior and the other is a sophomore—so they’re starting to think about their futures in college as well,” he said. “I’m a first-generation college student, paving the way for my siblings and future generations.”

Rivera seeks to graduate in May 2025 with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering with an emphasis in robotics and controls. He said he chose NIU because it was affordable and close to home. A scholarship from generous donors helped offset his costs even more.

“NIU allowed me to pursue my education without taking on a huge amount of debt, while still being able to visit my family when needed,” he said. “Receiving the scholarship was a big help in allowing me to focus on my studies instead of worrying about working more to cover that cost.”

Rivera said he felt shocked and relieved when he received the OMRON Electronics Scholarship.

“The scholarship gave me the opportunity to study, attend office hours and work with peers without as much financial stress,” he said. “I even had more time to take care of myself, like working out or spending time with family and friends.”

Rivera hopes to work in the aerospace or defense industries after graduation.

“After college, I’m really excited to pursue a career in robotics,” he said. “I’m inspired by the rapid advancements in robotics and AI, and I want to contribute to innovation in this space, especially in developing technologies that can have a positive, transformative impact. I also have a strong interest in aerospace and defense, and a dream of mine is to work at NASA someday, where I could help push the boundaries of what robotics can do in space exploration. Maybe, after years of hard work and dedication, I might even have the chance to become an astronaut myself.”

He continued, “I’d also be honored to support national security by working in the defense sector, where I can help protect and advance our country’s technological capabilities. Long term, I’m considering starting my own robotics company to create cutting-edge technology solutions and possibly pursuing an MBA or master’s degree to help me navigate the business and leadership side of that journey.”

Rivera is thankful for the donors who have contributed to student scholarships.

“Their support not only helps ease financial burdens but also boosts our morale and shows that someone believes in us,” he said. “This investment in our futures motivates us to keep pushing forward, reminding us that we’re not alone on this journey. We are truly grateful for every bit of help, and it makes a real difference in our lives, both academically and personally.”

To help students like Jared realize their dreams and goals, please visit the NIU Foundation website.