For author Michael Black, ’71, writing allowed him to step outside of his occupation’s grim, violent reality and into a creative space where he controlled the story.

As a full-time police officer, Black would write on his days off or after his shift. It was his lifeline, and he credits his NIU professors for teaching him how to do it well.

“Being a cop means handling unpleasant situations and doing your best,” he said. “Often there wasn’t a happy ending. When writing, I could dictate a better outcome.”

Working on achieving his own positive outcomes, Black came to NIU and studied English, preparing to fulfill his lifelong aspiration of becoming a teacher. He completed his student teaching just before enlisting in the U.S. Army, where he served three years overseas as a military police officer. Upon his discharge, Black became a civilian police officer in the south suburbs of Chicago.

“I grew up on the South Side of Chicago and was bullied and beaten up at school almost daily,” Black said. “When I was 11, my father, who’d been a boxer in the Navy, found out about the bullying. He taught me the rudiments of boxing and enrolled me in judo classes. I was then able to stand up for myself and take care of the bullies. It developed a strong sense in me to always try to help others, which is why I wanted to be a teacher and later entered police work.”

NIU continued Black’s journey of self-discovery. It is where he matured, developed as an individual, and was encouraged to write. He recalls English professors Halma and Freeman as inspiring and fondly remembers Dr. Frank Court and Dr. Orville Baker. He credits James McNiece for helping him develop a sense of style and Dr. Mary Sue Schriber for believing in him and teaching him how to write.

“I owe Dr. Schriber a lot and dedicated one of my books to her,” he said. “Her Principles of Criticism course was the roughest class I had. We had a paper due every week, and under her excellent guidance, I really learned to write. Professors’ influence lives on through the lives they touch. I am grateful to them, and to extend my appreciation and support for Dr. Schriber, I attended an award ceremony honoring her excellence in teaching.

“My education at NIU has always served me well,” Black continued. “I learned about writing and life. NIU gave me the confidence to face anything and prevail through hard work. There are certainly things I wish I’d done better, but sometimes you have to make mistakes in order to improve. There is no truer test of one’s character than adversity.”

Perseverance was paramount through Black’s ten years of receiving rejections after submitting his work before finally getting published.

Today, Black has written over 50 books in various genres, including mystery, thriller, science fiction, horror, mainstream, young adult and western. He authored two books with the late actor Richard Belzer, known for his long-time role in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and has written under two different pseudonyms.

“It’s always been my goal to be published in as many different genres as possible,” he said.

“Trackdown,” an eight-book series beginning with “Devil’s Dance” and concluding with “Devil’s Liar,” follows the drama of Army Ranger Sergeant Steve Wolf. Wolf is a modern-day bounty hunter fueled by Black’s experience as a former military police officer, which he served for three years before his work as a civilian officer.

Most recently, Black authored “Where Legends Lie,” which features fictional characters along with famous writer Ambrose Bierce in what Black describes as a “humdinger of a western.”

Building his characters through his own experiences, Black sees himself in many of the characters in his books. He said there is a lot of him in the fictional character Jim Bishop, the returning veteran from the Philippine-American War in “Where Legends Lie.”

“I’ll never forget coming home after three years away and how it felt to be back on U.S. soil,” Black said.

Throughout his military service and 33-year career as a police officer, Black frequently used his teaching skills to give writing classes. In 2000, he earned his Master of Fine Arts in fiction writing from Columbia College. Upon his retirement from the police department, Black started teaching creative writing and other courses. He currently teaches at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Heights, Illinois.

Despite his retirement and focused work in the classroom and as an author, Black is most influenced by—and sometimes haunted by—his time as a police officer.

“The biggest challenge was constructing an emotional wall to keep all the tragic and negative things I saw as a cop from affecting me,” he said. “I used to tell the rookies I trained that they were going to see a lot of situations that would break their hearts. The trick was to be able to take a step back and try to rectify those situations as best you could without getting emotionally affected. The biggest surprise came after I retired when some of those old ghosts I thought I’d long left behind me came calling in the middle of the night.

“Once police work gets in your blood, you never want to do anything else. My proudest moments, however, will always be when I could help others. Whether it was responding to an accident, rendering aid, stopping a violent offender from hurting someone, or rescuing a cat from a tree, my goal was always to try and help people.

“And yes, the cat story is true. It turned out to be one of my most challenging calls.”

NIU is where Art, ’67, M.A. ’71, and Pat (Caracci) Guzzetta, ’69, M.S.Ed. ’71, met for the first time, and they still keep NIU in their hearts. To them, no matter how much NIU has changed since they lived there as students, it is still family.

“I love the direction that Northern has taken,” Pat said. “Northern, it’s almost like coming back to your family. You come back, you look at campus, there are a lot of new things going on. Just like when new kids come into the family, it’s still our family.”

They are happy to give back to their alma mater, knowing that their assistance keeps students on track. Their giving has included supporting student-athletes and the Northern Fund, which allows the NIU Foundation to direct funding where NIU needs it most.

“Once you give, you have this wonderful feeling like I’m helping someone else,” Pat said. “That person may need that extra boost to get through school, and rather than they give up, we’d rather come forward and help.”

Art added, “Giving is sharing. We always felt like, if you give, you receive just as much in return or more.”

Pat was born in Chicago and moved to the northern suburbs when she was a teen. She was the first in her working-class family to go to college and attended NIU based on what her family could afford and that it was close to home.

She recalled her father sending her a weekly allowance in the mail, enough to pay for snacks, she said.

“He would write letters every week – my father had beautiful penmanship,” she said. “And he would send me my allowance, $2 a week.”

Art, too, came from a working-class family and grew up on Chicago’s North Side, attending Catholic schools and graduating from Loyola Academy. His dad, a World War II veteran, worked as a milkman for Bowman Dairy Company and his mom worked at the factory for Curtis Candy Company, which created Baby Ruth and Butterfinger candy bars.

“I had too many of those,” Art joked.

The Guzzettas were undergraduate students at NIU when they met through Art’s pledging process while in the Delta Upsilon fraternity. Art was given the names of two students by his fraternity brother, Joel Delman, ’68, M.B.A. ‘71; he had to contact one of them and get her to sign his pledge book. The two women listed were Pat and Pat’s cousin Barbara Caracci, ’69, M.S. ‘74. Art decided to give Pat a call.

“It was through his pledging – you know how they do these crazy things,” Pat said. “One day I get back from class and I get this phone call, and he’s like, ‘Well, you don’t know me, but I want to know you and I have to have you sign my pledge book. Have a coffee with me.’ So, we met at the union. And I was still thinking, who is this guy?”

Yes, Pat did sign Art’s pledge book, and he made it into the fraternity.

The couple dated for 10 months before Art proposed to Pat during her senior year.

The two would later finish their master’s degrees in the same year, an accomplishment that wowed their blue-collar parents.

“My mother was from Italy, and she didn’t know about master’s degrees, but she knew it was something to be proud of,” Pat said. “When they came that night when we got our master’s degrees and were walking around campus, all four of our parents were just delighted.”

In 1974, Pat received a call from a friend about a teacher vacancy for a medical leave at an elementary school in McHenry School District 15. It was supposed to be a temporary, three-month position.

“I went in, and what do you know, I stayed and taught fourth grade for 30 years,” she said.

During her teaching career, Pat received the Teacher of the Month award from Star 105 Radio in 1994 and the Those Who Excel Award of Merit in 1992 from the Illinois State Board of Education.

Art held various positions in the education field, first as a full-time substitute at Chicago Public Schools, then as a librarian and coach at Kirkland High School in Kirkland, Illinois, a full-time librarian at Algonquin Middle School, and as a media center director at Dundee Crown High School in Carpentersville. He retired from Algonquin Middle School in 1993.

Both have great memories of NIU, and while they can’t recall specific names, they were impacted positively by the university’s faculty.

“All of those professors were just magnificent, so personalized and helpful,” Pat said.

The couple said they give because they want NIU to continue to grow and succeed.

“I’m hoping that our generosity helps Northern recruit students to come and continue to make a good name for NIU, and to help NIU keep up, whether it’s technology or facilities,” Pat said.

They want their fellow alumni to know that any gift helps, no matter the amount.

“I think people who are in a position to do that, no matter how small or how big, it’s important to do that, to come forward and say to students and to NIU, ‘We support you,’” she said.

The Guzzettas enjoy attending alumni and donor events, and for years purchased season tickets for Huskies Football games. From their enriching careers in education to friendships they say they have kept up with since leaving NIU, they appreciate everything that their alma mater has given them.

“We always think, wow, look at what NIU gave us the opportunity to do,” Pat said.

For more information on giving to support students or facilities, click here.

Lorena Martin, ’18, a former NIU athlete who is now a Track and Field Olympic athlete, represented Spain at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics and the 2024 European World Championship. She also signed a professional contract with New Balance.

A few months after the Olympics she was able to reflect on the experience.

“I know I wasn’t in the best place physically to give my all during my competition, but I was still grateful to get there,” she said. “The best part was sharing this experience with athletes the same age as me because I saw them develop through the years to get there. The closing ceremony was very emotional; it was the end of a ride. It was so hard to get there and very motivational for me to keep going to fight for Los Angeles 2028.”

Martin credits her grandparents and parents for inspiring and giving her the spirit of a competitive athlete.

“I come from a farmer’s family and seeing them work so hard gave me strong values such as patience, commitment and resilience,” she said.

Martin began running at only 13 years old in her small village, 30 miles away from Salamanca, Spain. She quickly started competing in regional and national championships for cross country and track and field. She was a multiple-time national champion in the under-18 and under-20 age categories for the 800 and 1500-meter outdoor track events.

In 2014, Martin boarded a plane for the first time and traveled from her hometown of Peñaranda de Bracamonte, Spain to attend NIU on a scholarship. At NIU, she learned to be a leader, a strong community member and a hard worker. In 2018, she earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing with a minor in sales.

“The College of Business led me to my decision to study at NIU, and getting a full-ride athletic scholarship gave me that opportunity,” she said. “I loved going to class. I have really good memories of all my professors. Especially Chuck Howlett, Rob Peterson, Daniel Morgan, and Jenny Redisi; they helped me a lot with the language and were a key part of my experience. Monique Bernoudy was a rock to me in my very first year at NIU. She helped me with the language and the classes and acted as a mother to me. My teammates, coach Adrian Myers, Melissa Dawson from Student-Athlete Academic Support Services, and my athletic trainers were all helpful.”

It’s at NIU where Martin said she really became an adult and matured through living with her best friends and getting to know people from all over the world—all while traveling to track and field meets across the country.

“My experience training with the NIU Track and Field team was amazing, we had a great group of people under Coach Adrian Myers,” Martin said. “I was part of the varsity team until I graduated in 2018 and broke some school records. We represented NIU and achieved the highest finish in school history at the 2017 MAC and Regional Championships.”

Today, Martin remains in contact with teammates, coaches, professors and classmates.

“I really cherished my beginning in the sport,” she said. “I shared my 2024 World Indoor Championship [800 meters short track] with NIU track and field head coach Connie Teaberry.”

Martin’s parents, father, Elias, and mother, Isabel, traveled outside of Spain for the first time to attend her NIU graduation. After, Martin returned to Spain to pursue a professional athletic career.

“When I got back to Spain in 2018, I was the under-age 23 national champion, and in 2022, I was selected to represent Spain for the first time in the World Athletics Indoor Championship, where I finished 8th place,” she said.

A month after returning from achilles surgery in 2023, Martin qualified for the World Athletics Outdoor Championship with an 800-meter three-second personal best. In moments like these, Martin says she had to believe in herself to keep trying.

“You have to commit to whatever it takes to get there while enjoying the ride,” she said. “I know that I invested my all into a dream, and it shows me that I am worthy.”

Lidia Marquez is a double major in Operations Management & Information Systems (OMIS) and Spanish and wanted to further sharpen her Spanish skills by studying abroad in Spain and Mexico.

The only thing holding her back from realizing her academic and professional potential was a financial barrier.

“I wanted to travel to another country and be actively learning Spanish to be more aware of the differences, similarities and the endless knowledge that I could gain,” she said.

Thanks to the generosity of donors, she was able to do just that. Marquez received the Michael Morris Memorial Expendable Fund Scholarship, a Study Abroad Travel Grant in 2023 and the Trudy and Peter Nicholls Scholarship for Study Abroad in 2024 to help her achieve her goals.

“Studying abroad has always been a goal for me since I started my college application process,” she said. “Thanks to these awards, I was able to fulfill this dream. I would like to thank donors for these generous awards that allowed me to travel at ease knowing that the experience was not going to be a financial burden.”

Marquez studied in Spain in the summer of 2023 and this past summer studied in Cancun, Mexico, under the Cancun Summer Experience through the Center for Latino and Latin American Studies.

A bilingual, first-generation student from a low-income household, Marquez recalled helping her family with their garage sales as a child and being interested in how prices were negotiated.

“This experience influenced my choice of major as I was going through the college process,” she said. “I noticed the big opportunities that Northern Illinois University could offer me as a business major.”

Marquez wanted to immerse herself in the Spanish culture and get out of her hometown and her comfort zone.

“I knew it would have been the best way to enrich my vocabulary, explore new interests and expand my knowledge by experiencing a different style of education; it’s something that I would not be exposed to at home,” she said. “I want to reach for any opportunity that I can learn from and that will contribute to my overall success at, and after, NIU. Therefore, it’s important to me to get out of my comfort zone by studying abroad, doing internships, be in leadership positions and build an attractive resume to be the best candidate I can be.”

After her planned graduation in May 2026, Marquez wants to start a business or join a business that incorporates the lessons learned from both of her majors. Studying abroad will help facilitate that goal, she said.

“After graduation, I plan to develop my own business where I can help create and facilitate social and cultural inclusion or be part of a great company that values diversity,” she said. “I realize I can’t do that or help facilitate it if I haven’t been able to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for my own mother tongue as well as for professionalism.”

Marquez is truly grateful for the philanthropy of donors who have given to funds that have helped her and other NIU students.

“The support that these awards have offered me is a motivation to keep putting in the effort for my dreams and education,” she said. “I appreciate the donors’ efforts in helping students like me.”

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

Dedicating his career to education and using technology to make the world a better place, Dr. Byoung-chul Min, M.S.Ed. ’91, Ed.D. ’98, is empowering learners of all ages and contributing to South Korea’s globalization.

As founder and chairman of the BCM Educational Group, Min grew the business from a publishing company to one of the largest language educational companies in Korea. It’s most widely known for its flagship English learning service, Uphone, which offers one-on-one instruction and conversation practice with live language instructors and AI over the phone.

“BCM Educational Group employs more than 500 professionals,” said Min. “Our culture is guided by six core values: integrity, passion, transparency, open communication, commitment to excellence, and the drive for change. And, our core mission is to help others reach their highest potential and become the best version of themselves. This commitment is at the heart of everything we do.”

Min advocates for personal and organizational advancement through education. In addition to his commitment to BCM Educational Group’s EdTech, he is a university business professor, founder of a non-profit organization, and human rights activist.

Dr. Byoung-chul Min is the recipient of this year’s Alumni Achievement in Business and Industry Award because of his business success and inspiring dedication to education and the advancement of society.

Growing up in Seoul, South Korea, during the period after the Korean War, a chance encounter with an Australian missionary changed the trajectory of Min’s life forever.

“On Sundays, after attending church, I would visit his home behind the church and spend time with his family,” Min said. “This is where I became interested in English, which was the first step in my career as an English educator. I wanted to study in the U.S., and in researching U.S. universities that specialized in pedagogy, I found that NIU offered an excellent program, especially in the area of adult continuing education.”

Beginning in 1989, Min began pursuing his M.S.Ed. on the DeKalb campus, and this decision proved to be an incredible and life-changing experience.

“NIU has shaped my journey in many ways,” Min said. “Being in an environment that offered not just classroom-based learning but also knowledge beyond the classrooms, I was able to step outside the box and think ahead.”

After earning his M.S.Ed. in 1991, Min decided to pursue his doctorate in adult continuing education at NIU, enabling him to achieve his dream of becoming a professor. It was the advice of his doctoral advisor, Dr. Richard Orem, that led Min to focus his future and the title of his dissertation on “A Study of the Attitudes of Korean Adults Toward Technology-Assisted Instruction in English Language Programs.”

Today, with 44 years of experience teaching English, Min’s philosophy on education—and the basis of The BCM Educational Group’s success—is to learn consistently every day. He also carries with him one of the most valuable lessons he learned at NIU.

“Professor Paul Ilsley’s Future Invention course helped me develop the ability to become a reflective practitioner, enabling me to anticipate and shape my future,” said Min. “My advice to current students is to always think ahead in life and take the time to reflect on your experiences. This mindset will not only help you adapt to change but also empower you to shape your own future. Equally important, strive to help others become the best they can become.”

With that same goal in mind, as an Endowed Chair Professor at Global MBA, Chung-Ang University, Min developed an AI – Metaverse Business Creativity course. He teaches students how to create their own business proposals from the ground up using AI tools in the Metaverse and their own creativity. As part of the curriculum, he connects students with global companies in leading industries to meet top business professionals and receive critical feedback on their aspiring ideas.

“The best part of my job is seeing my students working with real-life problems and providing solutions to top-notch businesses,” Min said.

From 1981 to 1991, Min hosted and presented his own English instructional TV programs on major Korean networks. His 10 years of teaching practical English on TV is recognized for contributing to Korea’s globalization.

In addition to teaching and building EdTech solutions for the masses, Min is the pioneer of two philanthropic efforts: the Sunfull Movement and the K-Respect Campaign. He also established the world’s first Internet Peace Prize, recognizing those who promote peace and combat hate via the Internet.

As founder and chairman of the Sunfull Movement, a non-profit international campaign that fights against cyber-bullying, hate speech and human rights violations on the Internet, Min has gathered more than 7,000 schools and organizations and over 840,000 members to participate in the Sunfull Foundation’s Internet Peace Movement. With unanimous support from all 299 (100%) of the 21st National Assembly of South Korea, a declaration was signed supporting the Sunfull Movement. The movement has also garnered support from more than half of the Republic of Philippines elected House of Representatives as of October 2024.

“I was motivated to create the campaign in 2007 when a Korean singer died of suicide after a large number of malicious comments attacking her were posted on the Internet,” explained Min. “In 2023, the movement reached a milestone of over 10 million positive comments on the Sunfull Internet Peace Movement website, making it the biggest milestone in its 16 years of journey.”

Through Sunfull Foundation’s K-Respect Campaign, Min is focused on protecting the human rights of foreigners and multicultural families in Korea and globally. For his remarkable efforts, he was honored with the Excellence in Global Harmony award during the third-annual Impact Awards in Manila, hosted by the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Party List and Buhay OFW Foundation in 2024. Min said ‘Sunfull’ in Korean means ‘positive comments,’ and this type of social activism and change-making is central to Min’s life philosophy and motivation to establish the foundation.

“I believe it is important for everyone to give back to society, to make the world a better place,” Min said. “I feel giving back as an individual is so important, and I devote a significant part of my time and energy to extending the Sunfull concept, to teach students about the benefit for both themselves and others to post uplifting comments and encourage others to always use positive language.”

Min, who is also an author of books on Korean culture, English, and business, is interested in bridging the divides between people around the world.

“I think it is important for each one of us to find areas of society that need to be changed, and to work to change those areas,” Min said. “I am deeply honored to receive this prestigious recognition from my alma mater, and my message to everyone at NIU is to create your own success path and then contribute to the greater good by giving back to your community because you shine by making others shine.”

The potential to impact and influence keeps Shannice Berry, ’10, M.S.Ed. ’12, involved as an NIU alumni volunteer, while attending events allows her to connect with others who share her love for NIU.

Berry is a member of the Greek Alumni Council, where she serves as the events coordinator. Attending the Chicago Fire tailgate co-sponsored by the NIU Latino Alumni Council and the Greek Alumni Council offered Berry more than a fun game-day tailgate experience.

“The sense of community and camaraderie during such events is heartwarming and makes you feel part of something bigger,” she said.

This year, Berry is celebrating 15 years of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. membership; she was initiated at the Zeta Iota chapter while at NIU. As an undergrad, she served as the first vice president for the chapter and remains active with the Chicago Metropolitan Alumnae chapter.

Berry also volunteers as a mentor with the Dr. Laverne Gyant mentoring program.

Dr. Gyant, whom Berry affectionately calls “Dr. G,” became her mentor and close friend after Dr. G served as the advisor to the S.I.S.T.E.R.S. organization and Black Graduate Student Association, both of which Berry was a member. Berry chose to get involved as a way to honor Dr. G and her commitment to NIU, and help current students in the College of Education boost their self-confidence and empower them to succeed.

“The Dr. Laverne Gyant mentorship program holds an extraordinary place in my heart,” she said. “If I can share my experiences with current and prospective students, I am delighted to do so, as I understand the importance of reaching back and encouraging current Huskies.”

Berry’s engagement in student organizations as an undergraduate and graduate student inspired her to volunteer and share her passion with fellow Huskies.

As a Lincoln Hall community advisor for four years, Berry was dedicated to creating a strong, inclusive community within the residence hall, ensuring that every student felt connected and supported during their time on campus. She actively worked to link students to valuable on-campus resources to enhance their academic and personal experiences while maintaining a welcoming and safe environment on her assigned floor.

“I prioritized fostering an atmosphere where residents could thrive socially and academically while feeling secure and supported in their living space,” she said.

Berry also served as the community relations chairperson and as a graduate student advisor for the S.I.S.T.E.R.S. organization. Her role as graduate student advisor centered on fostering a supportive, empowering environment for the organization’s leadership and members.

“I worked closely with them to help ensure they thrived in their roles, stayed aligned with the organization’s mission, and upheld institutional and organizational policies—all while collaborating with my co-graduate advisor,” Berry said. “The role served as a bridge between the student leaders and the faculty advisor, promoting open communication and unity. My goal was to nurture a sense of sisterhood, personal growth and collective success within the organization.”

At NIU, Berry was introduced to the idea of a career working in higher education. Her residence hall director talked to her about pursuing a master’s degree in education and explained how Berry’s role as a residence advisor fit into student affairs. Berry took the advice to heart and in 2012, graduated with a Master of Science in Education with a major focus in adult and higher education. She went on to earn her Ph.D. in educational administration and foundations from Illinois State University.

Today, Berry serves as the associate dean of instruction at Kennedy-King College. Before this, she was the assistant dean of first-year experience and transition at Wilbur Wright College.

Berry said her work in higher education and positive experiences at NIU drive her decision to volunteer. She encourages others who are considering volunteering to start small, noting that there are many opportunities to volunteer with NIU, and some are as simple as writing a postcard.

“Your voice and experience are essential in inspiring the next generation of Huskies,” she said. “Do what you can.”

Berry hopes the next generation of Huskies will gain lifelong friends, memorable experiences and an appreciation for their university.

“My experience as a volunteer and my work as a higher education professional has given me a greater appreciation for the commitment and work ethic of the staff at NIU,” she said. “As a student, it is easy to overlook the day-to-day operations of an institution, the amount of time and effort that goes into hosting programs and providing student support services. So, my ability to volunteer and understand the potential and possible impact of the work is always exciting, and I want to give back to an institution that has given me so much.

“I know for a fact it makes a difference and helps push the mission of the university forward.”

Each year, the NIU Alumni Association rewards the accomplishments of incredible alumni who have achieved outstanding professional and personal successes while pursuing civic, cultural or charitable activities.

“This group’s remarkable accomplishments exemplify the spirit and excellence of our NIU community,” said Reggie Bustinza, Executive Director of Operations and Alumni Engagement at the NIU Foundation. “Their dedication and leadership impact us all, and they stand as shining examples of what it means to be part of our Huskie alumni family.”

The seven 2024 award winners embody many important characteristics that so many Huskies share, including integrity, innovation, empathy and grit.

• Joan Bottarini, ’93 (COB) – Distinguished Alumna Award
Joan Bottarini has been Hyatt’s chief financial officer since November 2018, leading the company’s global finance function, including financial reporting, planning, treasury, tax, investor relations, internal audit, asset management and procurement. Bottarini is also the executive sponsor of the Hyatt HyPride Diversity Business Resource Group. During Bottarini’s 24-year Hyatt tenure, she has served as the company’s senior vice president, finance, Americas; vice president, hotel finance, Asia Pacific (Hong Kong); and vice president, strategic financial planning and analysis, Americas. Prior to joining Hyatt, Bottarini served as an assurance manager at KPMG LLP. As an alumna, she currently serves as co-chair on the NIU College of Business Dean’s Board of Executive Advisors. She also serves as a co-chair of the No Room for Trafficking Council of the American Hotel and Lodging Association Foundation and as an advisory board member of the Salt and Light Coalition in Chicago.

• Eric J. Lindsay, ’80 (CHHS) – F.R. Geigle Service Award
Eric J. Lindsay is the principal owner and agent of Westside Insurance Agency, LLC., which he opened in 2015. Prior to establishing his own agency, Eric was the agency owner of the Eric J. Lindsay Agency of American Family Mutual Insurance Company. Lindsay has been heavily involved in his alma mater as a member of the Black Alumni Council and a fundraising ambassador. Developing a friendly fundraising competition with more than 20 Black organizations, he has been an important relationship builder between the university and its alumni. For the last three years of the alumni competition, these organizations have raised over $67,000 in total. As a student, Lindsay was part of the CHANCE program and a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. He remains active as a member of the Evergreen Park Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, where he has served in many leadership positions. In addition to his philanthropic engagement with NIU, Lindsay is a member of the Young Men’s Educational Network Board of Directors and a deacon at Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago where he also serves on its Parking Ministry. He has supported the Neighborhood Housing Service as a board member, participated in Real Men Read and mentored high school males.

• Tertia “Abby” Jeppson, ’15, M.A. ’17 (CHHS) – Outstanding Young Alumna Award
Tertia “Abby” Jeppson is a research speech-language pathologist who has been recognized for being an advocate and leader in the field of speech-language pathology early on in her career. She is involved in professional, civic, and volunteer organizations, in addition to serving as a co-leader of the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Action (I.D.E.A.) Council’s Health Equity Subcommittee at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, where she began working as a clinical fellow and speech-language pathologist (SLP) in 2018. Jeppson worked her way up to senior SLP in 2021 before transitioning to the Center for Aphasia Research and Treatment as a research SLP in 2022. She earned a graduate certificate in health disparities research from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2022 and quickly identified practical ways to translate her knowledge from the classroom to her organization. Since graduating, Jeppson has volunteered to speak to undergraduate students in courses and at student organizations’ events. Jeppson has been involved in research with and published an article in the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology with NIU associate professor Jamie Mayer. She has been the presenting author of oral presentations at several national conferences and symposiums in her field.

• Catherine Lang-Cline, ’88 (CVPA) – Alumni Achievement in the Arts
Catherine Lang-Cline is the award-winning CEO and entrepreneur of Portfolio Creative, a niche recruiting and staffing company exclusive to roles in marketing. Lang-Cline started Portfolio Creative after 15 years in marketing and seeing a need in the creative community. She has since received numerous awards, including “Most Admired CEO” from Columbus Business First for three consecutive years. Portfolio Creative was also recognized as an Inc 500/5000 Fastest-Growing Privately-Owned Company from 2010 to 2014. In addition to Portfolio Creative, she is the principal owner of Catherine Lang-Cline, LLC, where she helps business owners and leaders integrate their creative left brains more prominently into the fold. Lang-Cline is a recipient of the Deloitte Board Ready Women certification and has shared her expertise as a spokesperson for the American Staffing Association, advisory board member to the American Red Cross, and board member and president to the National Association of Women Business Owners – Columbus, where she worked to create better opportunities and connections for other women in business. With art always in her heart, she has also served on the board of the Greater Columbus Arts Council to help many community small businesses and solopreneurs.

• Byoung-chul Min, M.S.Ed. ’91, Ed.D. ’98 (COE) – Alumni Achievement in Business and Industry
Dr. Byoung-chul Min is the founder and chairman of the BCM Educational Group. Min started BCM in 1980, and he has grown the business from a publishing business to one of the largest language educational companies in Korea. Currently, BCM is most widely known for its flagship online English learning service called UPhone. As an endowed chair professor at Global MBA, Chung-Ang University, Min developed an AI – Metaverse Business Creativity course teaching students how to create their own business from the ground up using AI tools in the Metaverse and their own creativity. In addition to his work as a university professor, Min had his own English instructional TV programs on major Korean television networks for more than 10 years. He is also the founder and chairman of the Sunfull Movement, a non-profit international campaign that fights against cyber-bullying, hate speech and human rights violations on the internet.

• Charles Rice, ’77 (CLAS) – Alumni Achievement in the Sciences
Charles Rice currently serves as distinguished university professor at Kansas State University, specializing in soil microbiology, carbon cycling, and climate change. Following his graduation from NIU, Rice earned an M.S. and Ph.D. in agronomy from the University of Kentucky. He joined the agronomy faculty at Kansas State in 1988. Rice was co-winner of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for his work with the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. His research has been supported by more than $90 million in grants from the USDA, U.S. Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, and others. Rice has advised more than 30 graduate students and has more than 100 publications. In addition to his research and teaching, he has been active with the Soil Science Society of America, where he served as president in 2011. He currently serves on the National Academies Board on Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Air Quality Task Force. Rice also chairs the Commission on Soils, Food Security and Public Health of the International Union of Soil Sciences, and is a Fellow of the Soil Science Society of America, American Society of Agronomy, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
• Robert Yadgir, ’86 (CLAS) – Alumni Achievement in Public Service
Robert Yadgir is a founding partner of Druker, Yadgir & Haupt, a media, advocacy and public policy consulting firm. Yadgir also serves as volunteer executive director of the Jesse White Foundation. Prior to the formation of his consulting firm, Yadgir served for 24 years as director of communications and senior policy advisor for Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White. Before that, he was press secretary to White for five years during White’s tenure as Cook County Recorder of Deeds.

The annual awards banquet will be held at noon on Friday, Oct. 18, at the Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center on campus.

To RSVP, contact Dana King, ’05, at 815-753-5421 or dking1@niu.edu by Oct. 11.

Joan Bottarini, ’93, still keeps in touch with the friends she made at NIU and has made connections with other NIU alumni in her capacity as chief financial officer of Hyatt Hotels.

Bottarini, who received a B.S. in accountancy, has been with Hyatt for more than 24 years and was named CFO in 2018.

For her success in business, Bottarini is receiving the 2024 Distinguished Alumna Award from the NIU Alumni Association.

Bottarini grew up in the northwestern suburbs of Chicago, and had an early love of numbers and, later, accounting.

“I’ve always had a passion for numbers and solving puzzles since I was little,” she said. “One of my first jobs as a teenager in high school was working at the local bank encoding checks and processing the mail every day after class. During the summer breaks, I spent time working in an office for a CPA who owned a small local business. It was there that I fell in love with spreadsheets and the rest was history!”

Bottarini recalled how excellent the professors were in the accounting program, including Donald Kieso.

“I had the great fortune of having Don Kieso for my financial accounting class,” she said. “He literally wrote the book on financial accounting. I remember when I took the CPA exam, people from other schools were there and they took pride in the fact that they were walking around with their financial accounting books with Don Kieso on the cover.”

Bottarini said the College of Business’s job placement program helped her land an internship at KPMG, where she worked for five years after graduation. Following some time working for a real estate company on the West Coast, she was hired by Hyatt back in Chicago.

“I have consistently drawn upon the great foundation that NIU provided me, while I have navigated my career and my journey,” she said. “The hospitality business is about people and relationships. At Hyatt we are a purpose-driven company We care for people so they can be their best.”

Bottarini talked about how taking risks has helped her grow in her career, notably her experience working as Hyatt’s vice president of hotel finance at the company’s Asia Pacific divisional office in Hong Kong. She lived and worked there for approximately two years.

“It was a very tough decision—my husband and two children and even my dog moved to Hong Kong,” she said. “I received great support from the colleagues there because they understood the magnitude of the decision professionally and personally working outside the U.S.”

She said that, at the time, she had been with the company for over 10 years and was confident that she had a lot to offer. However, the learning experience and cultural immersion was the one of the greatest growth opportunities and led her to appreciate the benefits of empathy and meeting others where they are. It was a humbling experience.

“The opportunity helped me understand how listening was so important and that working in the region, in different cultural environments, opened my eyes,” she said. ‘I really understood that I had to ask and not assume that I knew how to handle certain situations, and that really helped me understand implications of decisions. At Hyatt, we’re very focused on the inclusion of ideas and people—you never know where good ideas are going to come from. And, honestly, this inclusive approach and focus really leads to better outcomes from a business perspective.”

Bottarini regularly gives back to her alma mater. For example, she sits on the College of Business Board of Executive Advisors. She is also involved in organizations outside of Hyatt, serving as a co-chair of the No Room for Trafficking Council of the American Hotel and Lodging Association Foundation and as a board member of Salt and Light Coalition in Chicago.

As the CFO, Bottarini said she has the opportunity to work on a variety of initiatives at the company, and collaborate across a number of functions. For example, she said she is an executive sponsor of the company’s HyPride diversity business resource group.

“We are committed to creating safe and welcoming experiences for our colleagues and guests,” she said. “This collaborative work I’m privileged to do across the company really comes from the well-rounded student experience I had at NIU, something that’s important and I turn to in my career even today.”

Bottarini said her time at NIU influenced her future success.

“The preparation for my first job in public accounting was exceptional,” she said. “I felt confident and frankly more prepared than my peers to take on the challenge of the role. I also learned at NIU how to balance working hard while also developing key business relationship skills in my advanced classes. The students I met were driven and down-to-earth, and I’m delighted to share that two members of my team are also NIU alumni and we have a shared admiration for the experiences that prepared us for future success.”

Eric J. Lindsay, ’80, principal owner of Westside Insurance Agency, LLC, and proud NIU Black Alumni Council (BAC) member, not only protects his clients’ assets but also champions safeguarding the future of Northern Illinois University.

Lindsay was first a member of the BAC in the late 1980s through the mid-1990s before re-engaging ten years later with the desire to assist students and to be a visible Black alumni supporter of his alma mater. His efforts have focused specifically on recruitment and retention, scholarship fundraising, CHANCE Program support, and alumni engagement through the Black Alumni Council Enrichment Proposal. Along with other BAC members, Lindsay provided feedback and suggestions to the Division of Academic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the Office of the President, and the NIU Foundation on how to leverage Black alumni relationships to accomplish common goals.

As a supporter of the Fanny Ruth Patterson Scholarship, which promotes the educational benefits that derive from a diverse student body and provides scholarship support for deserving students who embody the spirit of Fanny Ruth Patterson, Lindsay spearheaded campaign fundraising with more than 20 Black organizations that alumni had been members of while they were undergraduates. These organizations have raised over $67,000 total in the last three years, with the potential to raise even more by the end of the year.

Lindsay’s boundless dedication to service to NIU is why he is this year’s recipient of the F.R. Geigle Service Award from the NIU Alumni Association.

“I want our students to know their Black alumni support them, and when they graduate, they should support our students,” Lindsay said. “Founding member of the BAC, Howard Hill, has initiated recruiting alumni to mentor Black students in the different colleges. I support his efforts and encourage participation from our BAC members.”

Lindsay credits NIU and the CHANCE Program as helping him get through his freshman year and giving him a “chance” to experience an environment in which he could grow educationally, socially and politically. Some of his closest friends today are people who were in the CHANCE Program with Lindsay, including his wife, Sandretta.

Born in Chicago, Lindsay attended Catholic school beginning in first grade and graduated from Quigley North High School in 1976. He spent those years active in his church parish on Chicago’s West Side. Lindsay’s mother, Johnnie Mae, was active with the parish, and his father, Charles, often worked two jobs.

“Both of my parents were volunteers in the community and at church, which is embedded in me,” Lindsay said.

Lindsay is a member of the Young Men’s Educational Network Board of Directors and a deacon at Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago where he also serves on its Parking Ministry. In addition to his volunteer service to NIU, he has supported the Neighborhood Housing Service as a board member, participated in Real Men Read to promote literacy in Chicago Public Schools, mentored high school males, and was a career day speaker at Manley High School.

Lindsay said NIU helped him learn how to network and work alongside other organizations and individuals, enhancing his foundational experiences from his community and church. Still, he reflects on his parents’ influence as the honoree of this award.

“Being recognized by my alma mater is humbling and unexpected,” he said. “I view it as a compliment to both of my parents, who I’ve tried to emulate when it comes to serving others. I feel honored and hope that it will motivate some of the recent graduates who I’ve met to get engaged with the university at some level.”

While at NIU, Lindsay worked at the campus assistance desk at Holmes Student Center for three years, serving parents, students, staff and administrators. He joined Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, lived in the fraternity house for two years and was chapter president. He was also vice president of the Black Student Union. He remains active as a member of the Evergreen Park Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, where he has served in many leadership positions.

Before opening Westside Insurance Agency in 2015, Eric was the agency owner of Eric J. Lindsay Agency of American Family Insurance, which was in the North Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago for over 18 years. Prior to this, Lindsay worked as a foster care moderator and served as a youth director and basketball coach for a catholic school and parish on Chicago’s South Side.

In 2021, Eric and Sandretta, along with their daughters, Jasmine and Erica, and granddaughter, Erin, started the Lindsay Italian Ice business, which specializes in pop-up events at festivals, schools and organizations.

“I’m proud of opening my insurance agency in an underserved community where I had once lived and eventually moved back to,” said Lindsay. “NIU was also my home, and my most vivid memories of NIU are of a nurturing environment. I choose to give back to a place that not only served me but also gave me many opportunities to serve.”

Early in her career, research speech-language pathologist Tertia “Abby” Jeppson, ’15, M.A. ’17, became an advocate and leader in the field of speech-language pathology.

Jeppson is involved in various professional, civic, and volunteer organizations, in addition to serving as co-leader of the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Action (I.D.E.A.) Council’s Health Equity Subcommittee at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (SRAlab) where she began working as a clinical fellow and staff speech-language pathologist (SLP) in 2018. She worked her way up to senior SLP in 2021 before transitioning to the Center for Aphasia Research and Treatment under Dr. Leora R. Cherney as a research SLP in 2022.

Participating in research activities with a primary emphasis on aphasia, a language disorder that impacts all modalities of language without affecting intelligence following an acquired brain injury, Jeppson administers comprehensive assessments to participants for a longitudinal study. In addition to working on a grant-funded study, she also acts as a research mentor on internal grant applications with clinical staff and facilitates weekly aphasia conversation groups and book club sessions.

Following the social injustice events of 2020 and her lived experience as a healthcare provider of patients in predominantly underserved communities on Chicago’s South Side, Jeppson sought out an educational program that was applicable to her professional role while also addressing disparities. She earned a graduate certificate in health disparities research from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2022 and quickly identified practical ways to translate her knowledge from the classroom to the organization in her role with the I.D.E.A. Council and as a member of the SLP Cultural Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism Task Force.

Jeppson has grown social and cultural awareness and humility. Creating and completing a preliminary data analysis for a quality improvement survey, she examined the knowledge, perspectives, and confidence of healthcare professionals in the DayRehab and outpatient levels of care related to social determinants of health (SDOH). This survey is the Health Equity Subcommittee’s first step in a process to implement and sustain SDOH screening processes across the organization.

“I’ve witnessed healthcare disparities, and I’ve come to realize how important health equity is and that we must champion it,” Jeppson said. “I work to display and highlight cultural humility with a desire to do better for our patients, especially when barriers are present.”

With a passion for health equity and early success in her speech-language pathology career, the NIU Alumni Association has named Jeppson as the recipient of the 2024 NIU Alumni Association Outstanding Young Alumna Award. Jeppson was also awarded the 2024 Outstanding Speech-Language Pathology Alumni Award from the School of Allied Health and Communicative Disorders and is honored to be recognized by her alma mater for her contributions to her field.

Jeppson is a first-generation college student. Her mother, Tina, was a single mother raising three children, and they lived together with Jeppson’s grandparents. Jeppson said she knew she wanted to be a Huskie but first attended Illinois Valley Community College. Transferring to NIU, she took Neuroscience of Communication and Associated Behaviors with Dr. Jamie Mayer, whom she has been involved in research with and published an article in the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology.

“NIU is very special to me, and without the knowledge and opportunities I had in undergrad and grad school, I would not be where I am today,” Jeppson said. “I am grateful and truly love my career, which I never would have found if not for NIU and Dr. Mayer. I developed a deep appreciation for the brain and was able to participate in Dr. Mayer’s research as an undergraduate. Her mentorship in clinical adult, medical-based speech-language pathology and research were, and continue to be, influential in my professional growth. I am honored to be a published researcher alongside my NIU mentor.”

As a student, Jeppson received several awards. In 2014, she was recognized as NIU’s Student Lincoln Laureate, a prestigious honor that credits the efforts and accomplishments of one top graduating student each year. Jeppson graduated in 2015 with a double major in speech-language pathology and rehabilitation services and a double minor in psychology and deafness rehabilitation. She received her M.A. in communicative disorders with a specialization in speech-language pathology from NIU in 2017.

Since graduating, Jeppson has volunteered to speak to undergraduate students in courses and at student organizations’ events. She has been the presenting author of oral presentations at several national conferences and symposiums in her field and was invited to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, as a guest lecturer. Jeppson is actively involved in the Northwestern Bioethics Clinical Scholars Program and the National Black Association of Speech-Language and Hearing (NBASLH) Cultural Humility Task Force’s Ambassador Program.

In 2021, Jeppson was awarded the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Distinguished Early Career Professional (ECP) certificate, recognizing her impact at the local, state, and/or national level through her leadership, volunteer, and advocacy work. In the same year, she received the inaugural Speech-Language Pathologist Early Career Achievement Award from the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab for her dedication to her field and organization. She also furthered her clinical education and became a Certified Brain Injury Specialist from the Brain Injury Association of America.

To finish an already packed year, Jeppson received the 2021-2022 James Brown IV Fellowship at SRAlab. During the yearlong research fellowship, Jeppson worked with research mentor Elissa Larkin to implement tailored interdisciplinary communication partner training for physical and occupational therapists. At the same time, Jeppson became a certified trainer in Supported Conversation for Adults with Aphasia (SCA™) and continues to facilitate training.

She says NIU catapulted her confidence, which has led her to involvement in these organizations and the awards she has received.

“At NIU, I found confidence in myself that I did not have previously with academics and extracurricular activities,” Jeppson said. “Despite outwardly presenting confident, I was very self-critical. Since then, I have learned self-love and kindness that I also extend to others. I hope my legacy is predominantly based on characteristics of kindness and respect toward diversity, humility and equity.”