Wanted: Students Who Ask the Big Questions

North Central is a place where you are encouraged to identify problems, pose questions and learn how to work toward solutions.

Need some motivation? Check out these students.

How can I help?

Katie Lynn Costenaro, a religious studies major, wanted to know more about non-profit management and volunteer organizations. Seeking to meet the needs of the less fortunate, Katie spent an academic term in Washington, D.C. where she interned at The Salvation Army in nearby Alexandria, Va.

What will be my legacy?

As a graduate assistant in the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Mario Vassall started to notice a gap in student interactions: men not having significant conversations with one another. He wondered whether there was a way to bridge that gap. That question inspired Vassall to found Legacy, a men’s student group on campus that uses social gatherings to create open dialogue about what it means to be a man in today’s world.

Where are all the voters?

Voter registration and early voting surged nationally in preparation for the 2018 midterm elections, but one North Central student was inquisitive as to why more students weren’t participating. With help from Assistant Professor of Political Science Alyx D. Mark, Josh Simmons earned one of six fellowships across Illinois from the Campus Election Engagement Project, providing him with a $1,000 grant to work on raising awareness and registering students to vote.

Why is it so quiet?

Working at the front desk of North Central’s Koten Chapel, Mikel Mays, a music education major, wondered why the halls were so quiet. He re-energized Voices of Praise, a gospel choir, to bring a fresh sound to campus. In their first year, they have already performed for U.S. Representatives Lauren Underwood and Bill Foster.

What should I wear?

An often overlooked expense in preparing for your future career is dressing for success. In collaboration with staff, marketing major Alice Zordan organized an annual event, Cardinal Career Closet, to help North Central students browse through professional clothing and choose an outfit to keep. Clothes are donated by alumni and the campus community. Event organizers assist attendees by advising them on how to put together the most professional look.

What about all this food?

During a summer internship Jake Jaskowiak, a Chinese and environmental studies major, heard about the Food Recovery Network, which donates unserved food across the nation. He wondered how hard it would be to implement at North Central. It turns out not hard at all. Jake is set to donate over 1,000 pounds of food from Kaufman Dining Hall in the first year alone.