During her early days at NIU as a rookie assistant professor, Jenn Jacobs was already dreaming of the sabbatical she would take someday. Not the destination or the purpose, of course, but just the concept. “As far as I knew, it was
Read moreProject FLEX basketball tourney hosts youth from five juvenile justice centers
Three dozen youth in the secure custody of the State of Illinois showed off their hoops skills this spring during the inaugural “FLEX Lloyd Tournament of Champions” basketball tournament at Northern Illinois University’s Anderson Hall. And, between the whistles, they enjoyed another
Read moreNIU awards Jenn Jacobs for excellence in mentoring master’s, doctoral students
When Jenn Jacobs arrived on the NIU campus in 2012, she came not to teach but to learn. Jacobs began her pursuit of a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology then, only three years after earning her bachelor’s degree at the University of Illinois
Read moreStudent Research Symposium exhibits oral, poster presentations of discovery
When Matteo de Leon came to NIU to earn a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology, he wasn’t sure where he wanted that path to lead. Now he knows. “I knew that I loved personal training, but I knew that I could always do
Read moreAlternative Spring BAE travelers discuss work, life realizations during Belize trip
Three students from the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education who traveled to Belize during spring break joined in an April 9 panel discussion to talk about their experiences abroad. Emerson Baptist, Ashanti Ford and Wiktor Kwiatkowski, all of whom are studying
Read moreProject FLEX hosts hoops tournament, cuts ribbon on new Anderson Hall space
Since Project FLEX launched in 2018, its young participants in the secure custody of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice have become regular visitors to NIU and Anderson Hall. Now a new experience has taken place for everyone engaged in the initiative
Read moreJenn Jacobs earns new professorship endowed by Dr. M. Nadine Zimmerman
Jenn Jacobs was born for her career. “I played sports from a very, very young age. I have memories of being on a basketball team at age 3 or 4. It was a coed basketball team, and I was one of the
Read moreProject FLEX earns $2.55M to maintain, advance work in juvenile justice centers
Project FLEX has secured a five-year, $2.55 million grant from the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) to continue and expand its work providing positive interventions with youth who are in secure custody of the state. The NIU Department of Kinesiology and
Read moreENVEST Tanzania introduces students to different cultures, builds confidence
As far as homes go, it wasn’t much. Just one room, maybe 12 feet by 12 feet. No kitchen. No bathroom. One twin-size mattress, an inch or two thick at the most. A portable burner in one corner along with a couple
Read moreAlternative Spring BAE returns to Belize
Tylo Blackburn wasn’t looking for an invitation to travel abroad, but one found him. And his unexpected ticket to Belize with Alternative Spring BAE provided more than his first journey outside the United States. “I’m a very shy and reserved person right
Read moreMore to life? Project FLEX participants discuss how NIU program changed them
Different situations. Different backgrounds. Different races. Different traumas. Different struggles. Yet the four young men facing the audience in the Sky Room of the Holmes Student Center do share one reality – and, for many, it’s potentially insurmountable. Prison. Two already have
Read moreProject FLEX participants to tell stories of how sport offered healing behind bars
Project FLEX somehow continues to surprise Jenn Jacobs and Zach Wahl-Alexander. More than four years have passed since the associate professors in the NIU Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education launched their initiative to deliver structured physical activity and positive life lessons
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