uicnews.uic.edu August 31 2016 Volume 36 / Number 2 uicnews.uic.edu For the community of the University of Illinois at Chicago WeeksWOW of Welcome builds community More on p. 11 Photo: Amod Mahadika Spark in the Exhibition East Meets 2 - student voice Park features marks center’s West highlights 4 - campus news eclectic mix anniversary collaborations 8 - calendar 12 - sports 3 4 6-7 Facebook / uicnews Twitter / uicnews YouTube / uicmedia Flickr / uicnews Instagram / thisisuic & uicamiridis 2 UIC News | Wednesday, August 31, 2016 Student Veteran of the Month By Billy Triphahn — [email protected] Maria Mckiever’s motivation ing. She was assigned the 4th industrial engineering major. for joining the Army was largely ID 124th Signal Battalion in She plans to graduate in spring influenced by family tradition. Fort Hood, Texas, and served for 2018. Her mother, cousin, uncle, four years until she was honor- “State schools are amazing great-uncle and grandfather all ably discharged in 2006. for vets in that there is no anxi- served in the military. She was deployed twice, ety about covering tuition gaps And carrying on this tradition once to Tikrit, Iraq, from March after your GI Bill,” she said. “My has helped her build a sense of 2003 to April 2004 in support experience has been that state community at UIC. of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and schools have a larger percent- “My service has allowed me from December 2004 to June age of non-traditional students.” to connect with other veterans 2006 to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. An active member of the Stu- on campus,” she said. “Being a Her military awards include dent Veterans Association at part of a community can give the Army Commendation Medal, UIC, Mckiever is also involved you a sense of pride and has three Army Achievement Med- with UIC’s chapter of the Insti- helped me with staying on track als, Meritorious Unit Commen- tute for Industrial Engineers. and focusing on school work, dation, Army Good Conduct At UIC, she hopes to make while in turn giving back to the Medal, National Defense Ser- great memories with the people university.” vice Medal, Iraq Campaign she meets on and off campus. Mckiever enlisted in the U.S. Medal, Global War on Terrorism “The professors are very im- Army in 2002 as a 91W Health Expeditionary Medal, Global pressive, and I’ve had the oppor- Care Specialist. She was sta- War on Terrorism Service Medal, tunity to work under some that tioned in Fort Jackson, South Army Service Ribbon and Over- made me grateful to be able to Carolina, for basic training and seas Service Ribbon. study here,” she said. “The Col- “My service has allowed me to connect with other veterans on Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Mckiever began her UIC ca- lege of Engineering has been campus,” says Maria Mckiever, a junior in industrial engineering. for Advanced Individual Train- reer in the fall of 2015 as an an incredible resource for me.” uicnews.uic.edu UIC News | Wednesday, August 31, 2016 3 CAMPUS NEWS Free concert features eclectic mix of musicians By Francisca Corona — [email protected] UIC’s free, private concert will feature house/electronic produc- eclectic music Thursday with headliner tion duo called Nexus & Travis Scott, special guests Young Thug Aztro, winners of UIC’s DJ and Daya and student performers as Battle. opening acts. Daya, an American pop Spark in the Park is an effort to “wel- artist known for her hit come students back to campus,” said debut single “Hide Away” Bernard Little, associate director for the — which climbed to No. Center for Student Involvement. “It’s a 23 on the Billboard Hot tradition, and it’s one that brings the en- 100 after its release — tire campus together.” will take the stage after- Gates will open at 5 p.m. at the UIC ward. Pavilion, with performances starting at 7 Young Thug, also p.m. A valid UIC i-card is required for ad- known as Jeffery, will mission. The first 2,000 people will be transition the event’s admitted to the floor level. For the first spotlight to rap and hip- time this year, a limited number of alum- hop genres with a touch ni had the opportunity to purchase tick- of trap. The Atlanta rapper ets. is known for his experi- Student polls and surveys taken last mental and unconven- academic year helped select the festi- tional styles. val’s line-up. “Having rappers is a “Because this is about the students, really Chicago thing,” this is student-led,” Little said. Dombro added. The result is a performance schedule Rapper, singer, song- that reflects the diversity of UIC’s student writer and record produc- body. er Travis Scott is set to Spark in the Park, the free annual music festival exclusively for the UIC community, is set for Thursday at Jonathan Dombro, a senior in eco- close the show. He the UIC Pavilion. (Photo: Joseph Horejs) nomics, is opening the event with the gained recognition for his progressive rock band Splor. The band debut mixtape “Owl Pharaoh,” which was “This is a major, key event,” said Tyler volvement (@UICCSI) or SAB (@UIC_ won the 2016 Battle of the Bands event created with help from Kanye West and Portis, a member of the Spark commit- SAB) on Twitter. hosted by UIC Radio. other prominent producers. The EP fea- tee. “I hope that people enjoy it.” Spark in the Park is sponsored and “We play through genres, so we tend tures high-profile guests T.I., Wale, 2 For a chance to win a VIP experience, organized by the Center for Student In- to not stick to one sound all of the time,” Chainz, Toro y Moi, A$AP Ferg and Meek attend the Involvement Fair Aug. 31. For volvement, the Student Activities Board, said Dombro, who plays the ukulele and Mill, among others. “Antidote,” one of his more information, follow the Spark Face- UIC Radio and the UIC Pavilion. bandola. “We’re something very different.” most recent singles, was listed at No. 16 book page (facebook.com/SparkInThe For disability accommodations, call The second student act will be a on the US Billboard Hot 100. ParkUIC) or the Center for Student In- 312-413-5070. UIC ranks in top 30 LGBTQ-friendly campuses By Carlos Sadovi — [email protected] UIC is one of the nation’s top 30 les- “THIS RECOGNITION UIC earned a 4.5 out of five stars landscape,” Carney said. “I’m grateful to bian, gay, bisexual and transgender- and received top scores for LGBTQ stu- all of the staff, faculty, students and friendly colleges and universities in the FROM CAMPUS PRIDE dent life, which looked at 14 areas, alumni whose contributions over the latest edition of the Campus Pride IS SIGNIFICANT FOR ranging from how the campus offers years have shaped UIC.” Index. awareness of experiences and con- More information about UIC and the UIC, which is in the top 30 for the third OUR CAMPUS BECAUSE cerns of the LGBTQ community, to hav- other ranked schools is available online. time, is the only institution in Illinois IT REFLECTS THE WAYS ing LGBTQ representation and “Prospective students and their fami- named in the 2016 ranking. The list, now THAT LGBTQ INCLUSION leadership opportunities. lies today expect colleges to be in its eighth year, highlights the most The campus also earned a top score LGBTQ-friendly. They want to know what LGBTQ-inclusive colleges and universi- IS A SHARED PRIORITY in LGBTQ housing and residence life LGBTQ programs, services and resourc- ties for policy, programs and practices. AMONG MANY UNITS.” based on 11 areas, including the option es are available on the campus, and “This recognition from Campus Pride for LGBTQ students to be matched with which are the ‘best of the best,’” said is significant for our campus because it Chicago 10 years ago.” a LGBTQ-friendly roommate. Shane Windmeyer, executive director of reflects the ways that LGBTQ inclusion According to Campus Pride, the uni- UIC earned five stars in 12 areas, Campus Pride and creator of the Cam- is a shared priority among many units,” versities highlighted this year were cho- such as the recruitment and retention of pus Pride Index. “Now more than ever, said Megan Carney, director of the Gen- sen based on their overall ratings on the LGBTQ students and for developing there are colleges that are recruiting der and Sexuality Center. Campus Pride Index and specific programs focusing on gender identity LGBTQ youth, and they are investing in a “UIC has been a pioneer in some LGBTQ-inclusive benchmarks. This and expression. campus that is fully supportive of ways, by founding a center for LGBTQ year’s list includes public and private “Certainly, there’s still work to be LGBTQ students. This top 30 list show- issues over 20 years ago and being the colleges ranging from 807 to over done, but this listing helps us to better cases those top campuses leading the first to start a Lavender Graduation in 45,000 students. understand where we fit in the national way.” 4 UIC News | Wednesday, August 31, 2016 CAMPUS NEWS Exhibition wraps up African American Cultural Center’s anniversary series By Brian Flood — [email protected] The UIC African American center’s 2016-2017 theme, “A tures remarks by the visiting Cultural Center this semester Year of Remedies.” They reflect artists, who include photogra- presents the final installment of upon the state of black wom- pher Dorothy Perry, visual artists “In Retrospect: An Exhibition en’s centrality in Africa and its Rhonda Gray and Henry L.