2018 Volume 37 / Number 25 Today.Uic.Edu
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today.uic.edu March 14 2018 Volume 37 / Number 25 today.uic.edu For the community of the University of Illinois at Chicago An Evening with ANA NAVARRO CNN commentator talks politics, past / pg. 7 Photo: UIC Creative & Digital Services Vote early UIC’s resident Flames earn 2 - student voice at campus raptors return spot in 4 - campus news polling places to University postseason 8 - calendar Hall ledge tournament 10 - deaths 3 5 12 12 - sports Facebook / uicnews Twitter / uicnews YouTube / uicmedia Instagram / thisisuic & uicamiridis 2 UIC News | Wednesday, March 14, 2018 You won’t regret studying abroad By Michelle Garcia De La Vega — [email protected] Walking through the busy streets of I must admit it wasn’t an easy one, Madrid, lying in the sand in Barcelona, however. It had been my dream to study standing before the Roman Aqueduct in Spain since high school, but it wasn’t built during the 1st century, and walking until my junior year in college that I final- to school every morning in the beautiful ly decided I would follow through with city of Bilbao, Spain. the application process and set my fears It all sounds like a perfect dream, aside. I was afraid of airplanes and the doesn’t it? thought of being in a country I had never It was my reality last summer. Through visited. Being an entire ocean away from the Bilbao Summer Program that UIC my family for weeks was nerve-wracking. offers, I was able to immerse myself in I had so many concerns, including finan- the culture, history and everyday life that cial ones, but the UIC Study Abroad Of- I previously had only been able to visit fice helped me clear my doubts and find through textbooks and class lectures. the help I needed. Studying in Spain for the summer in- Whether you dream of visiting Spain, troduced me to so many amazing indi- France, Italy, or another country outside viduals, both from Spain and different of Europe, the study abroad journey is states in the U.S., whom I still have con- something I will always encourage all tact with today. I had the most passion- students to embark on. ate professors teach me about literature, Pay a visit to the Study Abroad Office the economy, and another world. It was a in 502 University Hall. Learn about the unique and unforgettable experience, diverse set of study abroad programs the from the educational and exciting excur- university has to offer because there are sions to historical and breathtaking sites, so many unique journeys waiting to be to the adventures I embarked on with lived by you. the friends I made. Studying abroad was Studying abroad is much more than a Michelle Garcia De La Vega spent last summer studying abroad in Bilbao, Spain. ‘It was a unique and unforgettable experience,” she says. the best decision I could have made. trip. It’s experiential learning. It’s growth. Read more “I am UIC” blogs at go.uic.edu/ iamuic Want to contribute a story? E-mail Christy Levy at [email protected] today.uic.edu UIC News | Wednesday, March 14, 2018 3 Vote early on campus this week By Francisca Corona – [email protected] Cast your ballot early on campus for vote for state and federal offices. Legis- the Illinois primary election. lators will weigh in on issues that are Early voting will take place from 10 important to higher education, such as a.m. to 5 p.m. March 14 to 16 in Room the state budget, Monetary Award Pro- 613, Student Center East. Share a selfie gram (MAP) grants, the future of the De- on social media with #UICVOTES. ferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Voting before the March 20 election (DACA) program, and more. offers a flexible and time-saving option “It’s important for this voter constitu- for Chicago residents. It’s also a chance ency to get out and show that we’re civi- for staff, students and faculty to be cally engaged,” said Marvin Slaughter, a heard. Those who want to vote but are junior in political science and econom- not registered can register at the polls. ics and president of the UIC Student Ad- “We have worked very hard to in- vocacy Coalition. “To show [our crease voter registration,” said Dick legislatures] that we should be a priority, Simpson, professor of political science. we have to show them that the civic and Those efforts were recognized last political process is a priority to us.” year. UIC was named a Voter Friendly Early voting at UIC was made possi- Campus by the Fair Elections Legal Net- ble by the UIC Center for Leadership work’s Campus Vote Project and Student and Civic Engagement, Student Affairs, Affairs Professionals in Higher Education the UIC Office of Public and Govern- (NASPA), as well as and the “Most En- ment Affairs, the Department of Political gaged Campus” during the ALL IN Cam- Science and campus student organiza- pus Democracy Challenge. tions. Voters will choose gubernatorial can- For more information, visit today.uic. didates for the November ballot, and edu/early-voting-at-uic Conversation highlights health disparities By Francisca Corona – [email protected] West Garfield negative health outcomes. Large gaps Park and Chicago’s in unemployment and wealth rates were Loop are a 20-min- some examples. Lewis also touched on ute drive apart, but prison overcrowding and how more when researchers state spending goes to corrections and map life expectan- police rather than domains directly re- cies at birth for lated to health. these areas, the Panelists offered some solutions. numbers take a dive Winn, professor of medicine, shared in the wrong direc- his thoughts about harnessing the tion. power of new technologies and being Loop residents mindful of their dangers, too, before are expected to live saying that connecting with communi- until they’re 85. West ties in meaningful ways is the key to Garfield Park resi- getting ahead. dents, 69. Odoms-Young, an IRRPP fellow, What causes this brought attention to grassroots work 16-year gap? being done on the South Side in Imani For the fifth Cam- Village, a project created to empower pus Conversation of underserved and historically disenfran- the year, expert chised Chicagoans. speakers explored Giles talked about mental health is- this topic and ad- sues, stress and the impacts they could dressed other social have on the body, which could include determinants of Campus Conversation panelists included Wayne Giles (from left), moderator Amanda Lewis, Angela Odoms- disability and increased risk of diabetes health in a talk titled, Young and Robert Winn. (Photo: Carley Mostar) and heart disease. He also called for “What are Chicago’s more precision in public health before Health Disparities, and Why Does it Mat- Lewis opened the event with an over- “One of the big conclusions in our stating that many topics the panel cov- ter?” Amanda Lewis, director of the UIC view of an IRRPP report, “A Tale of Three report is that far more Chicagoans are ered were not new. Institute for Research on Race and Pub- Cities: The State of Racial Justice in Chi- impacted every day by the effects of “We’ve been talking about these is- lic Policy (IRRPP), moderated the event’s cago,” which assesses the challenges structural violence than by the impact of sues for 119 years,” he said, referring to panel. Panelists included Wayne Giles, Chicago residents face and examines interpersonal violence,” said Lewis, be- an 1899 book by W.E.B. Du Bois, the dean and professor for the School of how conditions and outcomes vary for fore adding that the new Center for first time a systematic review of the Public Health; Angela Odoms-Young, as- residents from different racial and ethnic Health Equity Research, or CHER, is health for communities of color was sociate professor of nutrition; and Robert groups, namely black, Latinx and white helping to address the issue. published. Winn, associate vice chancellor for populations. The report covers areas re- She then highlighted key data points How can UIC help? The answer from community-based practice and director lated to housing, economics, education, to demonstrate how structural racism all experts: vote. of the UI Cancer Center. justice and health. and violence lead to inequalities and “Local politics matter,” said Winn. 4 UIC News | Wednesday, March 14, 2018 CAMPUS NEWS Submit campus news items at today.uic.edu/campus-news/submit-your-story-ideas UIC opens registration for MIE Engineering Summer Camp By David Staudacher — [email protected] Registration is open for UIC’s annual professor in mechanical and industrial MIE Engineering Summer Camp, which engineering. “The summer camp will provides a unique opportunity for Chica- allow them to discover the creative as- go-area high school and middle school pects of engineering, while experiencing students to explore what they can life as a student on a college campus in achieve in life through engineering. the heart of Chicago.” Hosted by the mechanical and indus- The nonresidential camp will be orga- trial engineering department, the camp nized in three tracks targeted for stu- provides the participating students a va- dents in different age groups. In each riety of hands-on learning experiences track, students of similar age will explore through design projects that are intend- and engage in fun projects covering ap- ed to improve the environment and qual- plications of topics such as robotics, au- ity of life. The camp will span many tomation, coding, energy engineering engineering disciplines, including me- and much more. The three tracks will be chanical, aerospace, civil, computer, offered from Monday to Friday in July.