Telling It Like It Was: The 2018 (4th Annual/Commemoration) NUBAA Summit and Salute to Excellence Gala

The last day of the 50th Anniversary Commemoration of the 1968 Bursar’s Office Takeover was the stage for the 4th Annual NUBAA Summit and Salute to Excellence Gala. The event meant to focus both on key individuals from the Bursar’s Office Takeover and the legacy left by the actions from the takeover.

Photos from the fantastic opening reception were shared in the previous post. Events from the day of May 5th included the following:

• The NUBAA Summit offered seminars on philanthropy and entrepreneurship.

 

• The President’s NUBAA Next Luncheon featured a stirring speech from the recipient of the Emerging Leader Award, Michael Blake who is the Vice-President of the Democratic National Committee.

 

• The premiere of the NUBAA conceived and produced documentary, The Takeover – The Revolution of the Black Experience at Northwestern University occurred to a packed house, followed by a stirring panel discussion moderated by acclaimed actor and past NUBAA Salute to Excellence Award recipient Harry Lennix.

• The NUBAA Salute to Excellence Gala honored a group of our most accomplished alumni, including participants in the Bursar’s Office Takeover.

 

Enjoy the slide show featuring over 100 photos from this unforgettable day of events. Tomorrow’s post will discuss our documentary in greater detail. Video of the events will eventually be available on NUBAA.org and within The NUBAA Archives.

 

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And… a final special thanks to 2014-2018 NUBAA VP and NUBAA Summit Chairperson for each of the four NUBAA Summits, Sonia Waiters. Thank you for your role in bringing NUBAA Nation to where it is today!

Go Cats!

The 50th Anniversary of the 1968 Bursar’s Office Takeover: Day 1 (May 3rd, 2018)

After two and a half years of planning (whew!), NUBAA welcomed back over fifty of the members of the 1968 Bursar’s Office Takeover as well as approximately a thousand participants across the weekend’s activities for the 50th Anniversary of that fateful event.

Day One was very sentimental and emotional. Consider everything that occurred:

• It began with the returnees taking a tour of campus, with many not having been on campus in over forty years! 
• The Commemoration kicked off in full speed with a high-powered Keynote Symposium featuring NU President Morty Schapiro, NUBAA President Jeffrey Sterling and Bursar’s Office takeover participants Kathryn Ogletree and John Bracey. 
• The panel was followed by an amazing procession through the courtyard toward The Bursar’s Office. 
• A commemorative plaque that is permanently affixed to the Bursar’s Office was unveiled. 
• We held a short program at Rebecca Crown Center, during which a stirring poem “We Were Just Kids” was presented by B100 participant Kimya Moyo. 
• We held a symbolic groundbreaking at The Black House in recognition of the upcoming $4.5 million renovation and modernization of it! 
• We unveiled a Black House commemorative in honor of the B100. It will permanently occupy a wall in the conference room. 
• The B100 members were feted at a private dinner at the residence of President and Mrs. Schapiro.
• A reception was held with the Department of Athletics, honoring the legacy of athletics as a part of the Black experience at Northwestern. 

What a day! Enjoy this slide show featuring about 100 pictures from the various events. In this space (NUBAA.org) we will be posting videos of the entire Commemoration! Stay tuned.

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Were you there? Check back tomorrow for the amazing slate of Day 2 activities. Go Cats!

Telling It Like It Was: Supporting Black Students

Today the Northwestern University Class of 2018 joins the ranks of alumni. NUBAA has dramatically and emphatically been of service to each generation of Black students at NU. Here are some specific ways in which we demonstrate our commitment and provide support.

FINANCIAL AID

 

Since 2013, NUBAA has raised over $300,000 in student scholarship funds, including support of traditional needs-based funds such as the Gardner-Exum Scholarship Fund, The Alpha Phi Alpha Endowment Fund, The Alpha Kappa Alpha Endowment Fund and the NUBAA Promise Scholarship. In 2015, we introduced the NUBAA Achievement Scholarship (NAS) to offer financial aid eligibility based on performance. In the last three years alone, the NAS has generated over $130,000 in gifts and pledges, and NUBAA itself is making an additional $25,000 contribution to the NAS at its annual meeting!

MENTORING

In 2014, we developed a student-alumni mentor program we call the NUBAA Student Based Initiatives (SBI). We have had over 400 alumni participate with students via mixers, direct mentoring, internships. Several graduating students have received full term employment from this program.

During 2017-18 academic year, we hosted different SBI events in the following disciplines: The Arts, Athletics, Business & Entrepreneurship, Engineering, Medicine/Health, and the Legal Professions.

ADVOCACY

In 2015, NUBAA was out front in bringing clarity to the role and evolution of The Black House. Circumstances necessitated development of a petition of students, faculty, staff and alumni including approximately 2500 signatures, followed by participation and oversight in subsequent university efforts that have resulted in a multimillion dollar renovation and reimagining of the space and services offered in the building more synonymous with the Black experience on campus.

 

THE JOY (Journey of Our Years)

NUBAA has co-sponsored and/or the NUBAA President has participated in The Joy (The Black Celebratory) every year since its inception. In 2016, NUBAA began a new tradition of presenting graduating students purple NUBAA stoles as a measure of welcoming them into the next phase of their Wildcat existence. Enjoy these photos from the 2016 event (other years are available within NUBAA.org).

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Congratulations to the Class of 2018! Welcome to NUBAA! Go Cats!

Event Recap: Athletes Connect – A NUBAA Student Based Initiatives Program

The inaugural “Athletes Connect” NUBAA Student Based Initiatives was held at the Black House this past Wednesday (Oct. 12). Co-sponsored with the Department of Athletics, and hosted by NUBAA President Dr. Jeffrey Sterling, Attorney Derrick Thompson (Big Ten Conference Advisory Commission – NU Representative), and FMO Coordinator Cheron Mims, the event was joyous, boisterous and productive.

The Athletes Connect event featured a roster of prominent current and past male and female NU student athletes from football, basketball and soccer. Great comments were delivered from Associate Provost for Diversity and Inclusion Jabbar Bennett, NUBAA Treasurer/Past Big Ten CAC Representative Daryl Newell, NUBAA Athletic SBI Coordinator Alex Moyer, and past NU soccer legend Oliver Kupe, among many others in the crowd.

Thank you to our host committee:

• Christopher Rooney – Football (WCAS 92 / Kellogg 02)
• Oliver Kupe – Soccer (WCAS 12)
• Lauren Lowery (McC 89)
• Rishal Dinkins – Women’s Basketball (WCAS 87/Kellogg 93 )
• Daryl Newell – Football (WCAS 86)

The NUBAA SBIs are an effort to match current students with alumni in their fields of interest, providing mentorship, internships, externships and career opportunities. NUBAA current offers the following SBIs:

• Arts
• Athletics
• Business and Entrepreneurship
• Engineering
• Journalism
• Health/Medicine
• Legal Careers

Hundreds of NUBAA members have signed up to participate in the 2016 SBIs! Our next event is the general SBI launch, to be held in concert with the Black House Homecoming Reception/Parade Viewing Event, Friday, October 21^st (5 pm – 7 pm). See you there!