So You Think You Know DePaul – May 2013

City views and warm weather are what attract many DePaul students and staff to this rooftop nook in the Loop. What is the name of the DePaul building where you can find this beautiful view of the city?

Happy guessing! And remember these trivia rules:

• To enter, post your answer in the comments section by clicking “Leave a Comment” below.
• The contest will be open Friday, May 17, 2013, from 12:30 p.m. Central through 4 p.m. Central.
• All of the correct answers will be compiled and a winner from that group will be drawn at random to win an alumni-themed prize.

Bringing Smiles to Pediatric Patients, One Card at a Time

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Sometime in the near future, a homemade card adorned with a grinning hippo will brighten the day of a hospitalized child. This happy card was one of many that DePaul University alumni created during a recent volunteer event. Armed with glue sticks, colorful paper, pipe cleaners, stickers and vivid imaginations, alumni produced 80 artistic masterpieces on behalf of Cardz for Kidz, a local non-profit founded by DePaul MBA student Ike Nwankwo and alumnus David Harrison (BUS ’07).

Cardz for Kidz organizes casual gatherings where groups of friends or colleagues join together to make inspirational cards for pediatric patients and other children in need. “Our mission is uplifting spirits, one card at a time,” says Nwankwo. Since 2010, Cardz for Kidz has done just that for more than 3,000 children around the world. The organization partners with 14 hospitals and ensures that each card is hand-delivered to patients’ rooms.

It’s hard to exaggerate the gratitude and excitement of the young recipients. “The kids feel like somebody made a card specifically for them,” Nwankwo explains. “They feel so special.” For volunteers, the experience of creating homemade cards is equally heartwarming. “It was so fun to make a card that would make a child feel like a rock star,” shares Colleen Moodie (CMN ’11). “Each card is one of a kind—just like the kids who received them.”

As of April 18, DePaul student and alumni groups have contributed 209 cards to the cause. This puts DePaul slightly ahead of Northwestern University (202 cards) and the University of Illinois at Chicago (169). Alumni can get involved in the challenge—and bring joy to more hospitalized kids—by hosting a Cardz for Kidz party or making cards on their own. “A little piece of paper with marker on it makes a difference,” Nwankwo asserts. “The kids know someone is thinking of them.”

Feel free to be creative with your designs, but Cardz for Kidz cannot accept cards that reference the patient’s health in any way, such as “get well soon” or “feel better.” Similarly, Cardz for Kidz does not deliver cards that feature religious language or iconography. For more information, please review the organization’s guidelines.

Card drop-off location:
DePaul Alumni Center
2400 N. Sheffield Ave.
Suite 150
Chicago, IL 60614
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Or mail your cards to:
PHD Media
c/o David Harrison
225 N. Michigan Ave.
Suite 2150
Chicago, IL 60601

So You Think You Know DePaul – April 2013

Those who participated in community service activities and worked on social service projects as DePaul students have seen this secluded and harmonious neighborhood garden on campus. What is the name of the building surrounding this garden?

Happy guessing! And remember these trivia rules:

• To enter, post your answer in the comments section by clicking “Leave a Comment” below.
• The contest will be open Friday, April 12, 2013, from 12:30 p.m. Central through 4 p.m. Central.
• All of the correct answers will be compiled and a winner from that group will be drawn at random to win an alumni-themed prize.

Get Ready to Give Back: Vincentian Service Day 2013

Mark your calendars for May 4 and prepare to give back: This year’s annual community service event, Vincentian Service Day, is almost here. This tradition brings together more than 1,000 alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends at sites nationwide to serve in the spirit of St. Vincent de Paul. Check out the various opportunities for alumni below and click on the links to register.

Chicagoland sites:

• Chicago
• Evanston
• Lake Forest
• Lakeview Neighborhood
• Near North Side

Regional sites:

• Boston
• Dallas
• Denver
• Detroit
• Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
• Hermosa Beach, Calif.
• Minneapolis-St. Paul
• New York City
• Phoenix
• San Francisco
• Washington, D.C.

This year’s theme is Vincentian Vision, based on a quote by St. Vincent: “Some persons look and never see, others see and never look.” The university team organizing Vincentian Service Day notes, “Our hope is that in participating this year, our volunteers will renew their own individual vision of what it means to be part of DePaul University′s Vincentian family.”

For more information, contact the Office of Alumni Relations by calling (800) 437-1898 or emailing alumnievents@depaul.edu.

Have you participated in Vincentian Service Day?

So You Think You Know DePaul – March 2013

DePaul’s mascot, DIBS

With DePaul sports in the news lately, we wanted to focus on DePaul’s most loyal fan: DIBS. Our mascot has been cheering on the Blue Demons for decades. Originally named “Billy,” our mascot later took on the name DIBS. What does the name DIBS stand for?

Happy guessing! And remember these trivia rules:

• To enter, post your answer in the comments section by clicking “Leave a Comment” below.
• The contest will be open Thursday, March 14, 2013, from 12:30 p.m. Central through 4 p.m. Central.
• All of the correct answers will be compiled and a winner from that group will be drawn at random to win an alumni-themed prize.

Moving Forward with Advice from Career Week 2013

For Career Week 2013, more than 1,000 DePaul alumni and graduate and CPE students gathered February 17-22 for a week of events to assist them in moving their careers forward. This year marked the sixth year anniversary for DePaul’s annual Career Week event. The Office of Alumni Relations, the Career Center and 20 other departments and organizations collaborated to bring participants an amazing lineup of activities and guest speakers.

Keynote Speaker Eric Hellige (CMN ’05)

Career Week 2013 kicked off with an Opening Keynote Brunch address by Eric Hellige (CMN ’05), career services manager of CareerBuilder. Hellige gave participants exclusive insights on the recruiter prospective of job post boards. Alumna Donna Williams-Murray says, “The speaker was a phenomenal presenter. Eric came to share some information. He did not come to be an infomercial to promote/sell Careerbuilders.com products—he came to share and teach his fellow alums how to utilize online job sites more succinctly, more strategically and more successfully. All I can say is: he came with preparation and passion; he conquered a skeptical, but hopeful audience; and he delivered an immeasurable amount of information, in a minuscule amount of time.”

Author Melissa Giovagnoli

Melissa Giovagnoli, best-selling author and social media expert, intrigued participants during her workshop “Networking is Dead.” Giovagnoli engaged participants by sharing personal experiences that formed her concepts on business networking. She left attendees inspired with the altruistic deed of providing all guests with a free copy of her book, “Networking is Dead.” Giovagnoli was part of Career Week’s author speaking series, where each day highlighted an author from the DePaul community. In addition to Giovagnoli, featured authors were Fernanda Hopkins, Alice Stuhlmacher, Ph.D., and Terri Lonier, Ph.D.

Did you attend Career Week 2013? Tell us about your experience by filling out the post-event survey. You can also get recaps, resources and handouts from individual sessions on the Career Week website.

If you missed last week’s events, DePaul offers more career services throughout the year! Visit the Alumni Career Services website for more workshops and networking opportunities.

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So You Think You Know DePaul – February 2013

Source: DePaul Digital Collections

It’s the week of Valentine’s Day, and we can’t help but think about how much we love DePaul’s campus! Today’s trivia question brings in some nostalgia about the history of DePaul’s older buildings. This space, buillt in 1907, was originally built for the arts and was later transformed into a gymnasium where the Blue Demon basketball team played 1920-1957. The building caught fire in 1969 and was torn down in 1979. The Ray Meyer Fitness Center now stands on that site. What is the full name of the vintage building pictured here?
Hint: The space was nicknamed “The Barn.”

Happy guessing! And remember these trivia rules:

• To enter, post your answer in the comments section by clicking “Leave a Comment” below.
• The contest will be open Friday, Feb. 15, 2013, from 12:30 p.m. Central through 4 p.m. Central.

All of the correct answers will be compiled and a winner from that group will be drawn at random to win the prize.