The Northern Star

03/07/2025

Lisa Dienst-Thomas shows off her 21 art pieces during her “Fantastical Blooms” art reception.

The reception was held from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday in the Annette and Jerry Johns Gallery of the Art Building.

📰 📸: Kahlil Kambui

Read more at northernstar.info

Lisa Dienst-Thomas shared the blooming feelings of joy and hope at the reception for her “Fantastical Blooms” exhibition. The reception was held from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday in the Annette and Jerry Johns Gallery of the Art Building. The “Fantastical Blooms” exhibit is part of Thomas’...

03/07/2025

NIU students mostly originate from Illinois and the surrounding states.

A map shows the origin of NIU students. The data from is from Fall 2024.

📰: Devin Oommen

Read more here: https://northernstar.info/123754/news/where-are-niu-students-from/

03/07/2025

The Mongolian Lunar New Year, known as Tsagaan Sar, is the first day of the Mongolian lunisolar calendar. Citizens of Mongolia celebrate the lunar new year, which is the first day through three days of the first lunisolar calendar.

Video Editor Jenny Javkhlantugs talks about the Mongolian Lunar New Year and what it means to her.

📰📸: Jenny Javkhlantugs

Read more at northernstar.info

The Mongolian Lunar New Year, known as Tsagaan Sar, is the first day of the Mongolian lunisolar calendar. Citizens of Mongolia celebrate the lunar new year, which is the first day through three days of the first lunisolar calendar. Before the day of Lunar New Year starts, we have Lunar New Year Eve....

03/07/2025

NIU is now offering free test preparation courses for career credentials and exams.

Illinois has invested $10 million into free test prep for students.

📰: Anna Wittenkeller and Devin Oommen
📸: Brynn Krug

Read more at northernstar.info

DeKALB – NIU is now offering free test preparation courses for career credentials and exams. The program is offered through a partnership between Kaplan, the Illinois Student Assistance Commision and the state of Illinois and offers free test prep materials to all students at public universities a...

03/06/2025

Quantum computing could change the fundamentals of telecommunications, banking and data storage.

Professor Laurence Lurio said quantum computing has great potential, but the greatest uses of the technology are still out of reach.

📰: Jonathan Durbin

Read more at northernstar.info

DeKALB – Quantum computing could change the fundamentals of telecommunications, banking and data storage. But what is quantum computing? Classical computers function by using switches, called transistors, which can either give a value of one or zero. These transistors can then be combined to perfo...

03/06/2025

The 97th annual Academy Awards, hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien, was held at 6 p.m. Sunday, with the comedy-drama “Anora” winning five out of its six nominations.

Opinion Editor Emily Beebe breaks down some of the biggest moments of the 97th Academy Awards.

📰: Emily Beebe

Read more at northernstar.info

The 97th annual Academy Awards, or Oscars, hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien, was held at 6 p.m. Sunday, with the comedy-drama “Anora” winning five out of its six nominations. In addition, Nick Offerman was an announcer at the Oscars for the first time. Sean Baker, director of the film “Anora...

03/05/2025

The College of Liberal Arts has the most enrollment of all colleges at NIU.

In fall 2024 there were 15,415 students enrolled at NIU.

📰: Devin Oommen

Click the link below to read the story



https://northernstar.info/123667/news/niu-enrollment-by-college/

03/05/2025

The city of DeKalb received a $50,000 grant for a new initiative to put police on Huskie Buses. This grant was specifically applied for to be used in this initiative and could not have gone to other areas of safety.

The Northern Star Editorial Board argues the initiative to have police on buses may seem unnecessary, but is good for student safety.

📰: Northern Star Editorial Board
Cartoon: Daniela Barajas

Read more at northernstar.info

The city of DeKalb received a $50,000 grant for a new initiative to put police on Huskie Buses. While this may not seem necessary, this grant was specifically applied for to be used in this initiative and could not have gone to other areas of safety. The safety of NIU students, faculty, staff and re...

03/05/2025

Content is flowing out of the White House like a fire hose, out of the president’s mouth, the orders he signs and so much more.

Opinion Columnist Lucy Atkinson argues that the Department of Government Efficiency is complete chaos.

📰: Lucy Atkinson

Read more at northernstar.info

As an opinion columnist, it feels unnerving to have so much political content to write about. Content is flowing out of the White House like a fire hose, out of the president’s mouth, the orders he signs and so much more. There is too much that needs to be said, questioned and addressed, and there...

03/04/2025

With spring break just around the corner, you may have plans to go on vacation. Students go to many tourist spots to relax, recharge and unwind.

What is the best vacation spot to visit during spring break?

📰: Emily Beebe

Vote in this poll using the link or on our story.

With spring break just around the corner, you may have plans to go on vacation. Students go to many tourist spots to relax, recharge and unwind. Which vacation spot is the best to visit over spring break? CANCUN, MEXICO Cancun is a popular vacation destination for college students. With breathtaking...

03/04/2025

The DeKalb bus system requires funding for vehicle and infrastructure maintenance, paychecks for drivers and administrators as well as facilities and fuel.

In 2025, NIU will be contributing $2.4 million to the bus system at a cost to individual students of $8.66 per credit hour for up to 12 credit hours.

📰: Jonathan Durbin
📸: Marco Alvarez

Read more at northernstar.info

DeKALB – Buses drive down the streets, conduct hundreds of service trips and move thousands of people each week. It is no secret that transit systems are expensive. The DeKalb bus system requires funding for vehicle and infrastructure maintenance, paychecks for drivers and administrators as well a...

03/04/2025

The Student Government Association (SGA) passed a bill to introduce executive orders, passed a bill to update the responsibilities of the speaker and passed a resolution to confirm Damian Hepburn as the director of athletics at their meeting on Friday.

SGA is hosting a special election on Wednesday for 10 open legislative seats.

📰: Austin Lamb

Read more at northernstar.info

The Student Government Association (SGA) passed a bill to introduce executive orders, passed a bill to update the responsibilities of the speaker and passed a resolution to confirm Damian Hepburn as the director of athletics at their meeting on Friday. BILL TO INTRODUCE EXECUTIVE ORDERS SGA passed a...

03/04/2025

Performed by the NIU School of Theatre and Dance, “Prowess,” written by Ike Holter and directed by Roxanna Conner, had performances from Friday through Sunday (Feb. 28 to March 2) and will be performing Wednesday through Friday (March 5 to 7) in the Stevens Building.

The School of Theatre and Dance performs this story which shows how people respond to violence.

📰: Ethan Quirk
📸: Kahlil Kambui

Read more at northernstar.info

When it comes to being a superhero, no one expects the drawbacks that come with it. Zora, Jax, Mark and Andy in “Prowess” know the pain all too well. Performed by the NIU School of Theatre and Dance, “Prowess,” written by Ike Holter and directed by Roxanna Conner, had performances from Frida...

03/03/2025

A 56-year-old man was arrested in Sycamore for eight counts of possession of child po*******hy, and eight counts of dissemination of child po*******hy on Wednesday.

📰: Austin Lamb

Read more at northernstar.info

*******hy

DeKALB – A 56-year-old man was arrested in Sycamore for eight counts of possession of child po*******hy, and eight counts of dissemination of child po*******hy on Wednesday. The charges are class two and class X felonies. Christopher A. Juday was arrested at his home on the 1100 block of Alexandri...

03/03/2025

📸: Erin Marie Barker and Tim Dodge

View the full gallery at the link or on our story

The Northern Star is the student-produced, independent media at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois, and is a limited public forum whose content is determined exclusively by its student editors. Information presented on this website and in its print products is not controlled by NIU adm...

03/02/2025

VOTING ENDS TONIGHT AT 11:59!!

Vote for your favorite coffee place, late night eatery, student organization and more.

Votes are limited to one vote per person for each of the 22 categories. Voters will be asked to provide their first and last name as well as their email address.

The Best of DeKalb 2025 winners will be announced in print and online on March 17.

Please vote for what you think is best in each category. Voting is open from 12:01 a.m. Feb. 23 to 11:59 p.m. March 2. Results will be available March 17 in print and online.

03/02/2025

NIU women’s basketball mounted a 15-point fourth-quarter comeback, fueled by graduate student guard Chelby Koker, for a thrilling 84-77 double-overtime victory against Bowling Green State University.

DeKALB – NIU women’s basketball (13-15, 6-10 MAC) mounted a 15-point fourth-quarter comeback, fueled by graduate student guard Chelby Koker, for a thrilling 84-77 double-overtime victory against Bowling Green State University (16-12, 9-7 MAC). “I think there’s been times this year where we.....

03/01/2025

The city of DeKalb will be replacing the remaining lead pipes in the city in accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974.

This process will allow for safer drinking water in DeKalb as well as $3.1 million in loan forgiveness from the state for the cost of replacing the contaminated water pipes.

📰: Jonathan Durbin

Read more at northernstar.info

DeKALB – Over 50 years after the federal government mandated that the EPA create regulations to limit potential contaminants, lead contamination of water systems is still common. The Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 empowered the EPA to ensure citizens have safe drinking water. The city of DeKalb m...