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.

Scholarship Stories: Lamont Weaver (CMN ’13)

DePaul University strives to make higher education affordable to students from different backgrounds, particularly those who are the first in their families to attend college. Thanks to the support of alumni and friends, DePaul is able to offer scholarships and financial assistance to first-generation students like Lamont Weaver, who transferred to DePaul from a university in California.

“When I was researching DePaul, it really caught my eye. Not only was it in a great city like Chicago, but also, I noticed the Vincentian values and the fact that [DePaul] really encourages first-generation students. I myself am a first-generation student… [so] it seemed like the perfect fit for me.”

The Vincentian ideals that led Lamont to DePaul are also reasons for the university’s focus on scholarships. For many students, scholarship support makes a huge difference in their ability to attend DePaul.

“Private school is really expensive, but at DePaul, they’re not saying, ‘Hey, you decided to come here, it’s an expensive place, deal with it.’ They could have done that—a lot of universities do—but they want to help. DePaul actually gave me a scholarship, and it was just what I needed.”

As Lamont looks toward the future, he’s grateful for the financial, emotional and educational support he’s received throughout his time at DePaul.

“This is a school that’s not only trying to educate its students, but it’s trying to give students a chance. It’s rough out there these days, and a lot of students, especially from minority backgrounds, they need that support. They need a school that’s going to work with them and try to help cultivate and transform them into better students. I feel like when I graduate from here, my experiences will have made me into a better person.”

This is the fourth in a series of stories focusing on DePaul scholarship recipients and how they benefit from the generosity of DePaul alumni and friends. Visit giving.depaul.edu to learn more about how you can help students like Lamont.

Blue Demon Day Shirt Swap Is a Success

We thought our alumni would like to see what we’ve been doing on campus to prepare for DePaul’s inaugural Blue Demon Day! In honor of the event, coming up Feb. 2, 2013, the Office of Alumni Relations encouraged students, staff and faculty to trade in shirts from rivals schools. Each shirt swapper received a new Blue Demon Day shirt in exchange!

Check out a slideshow of some of the best donations we received, and learn more about DePaul’s spirited event on the Blue Demon Day website.

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Scholarship Stories: Jenna Bergevin (CSH ’13)

Alumni and friends who contribute to DePaul University’s scholarship funds make a huge impact on the lives of students and their families. Nearly three-quarters of students receive some form of financial assistance, and scholarship support can mean the difference between attending DePaul or not, as Jenna Bergevin explains.

“I wouldn’t be at DePaul if I didn’t have scholarships, because it’s a private school and Chicago is an expensive city. My scholarships reduced my tuition enough that I was able to come here. Thanks to my scholarships, I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to focus on my education and hold an on-campus job that relates specifically to my coursework.”

Jenna’s scholarship reflects the university’s dedication to giving back, and this Vincentian commitment is also evident in DePaul’s many service opportunities.

“I struggled my freshman year deciding whether to do science as a career or as a hobby, because I’m also really into community service. So I was thinking maybe I could do international studies, but we have such a good service community here that I was able to pursue science as a career and do service on the side.”

Last year, this physics major (who is also a mathematics minor) led a DePaul/Global Brigades trip to Honduras, where the team built a middle school for a rural community. Education remains one of Jenna’s great passions, and she hopes to eventually teach at the university level.

“As a potential future faculty member, I’d like to give back just to pay it forward, because the scholarships I’ve received have been really beneficial to me. Getting a scholarship is a great reminder that your education is important and that you can help other people.”

This is the third in a series of stories focusing on DePaul scholarship recipients and how they benefit from the generosity of DePaul alumni and friends. Visit giving.depaul.edu to learn more about how you can help students like Jenna.