Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you make time for yourself over the next several days to acknowledge all of the accomplishments you made this year, get some well-deserved rest, and, of course, eat a ton of turkey!

Gobble Gobble! Have a great day everyone.

Thank you,

-Professor Green

Listen in to learn more about NLU student Cristiana Cocos. Her journey to NLU and pursuit of her degree will resonate with any listener who has faced challenges and overcame them to reach their goals!

Thank you, Cristiana, for all the positives you bring to NLU, your community, and of course, your family!

Click Here for the Slide Deck:

https://sway.office.com/l7plCY8Hcow4t7Cz?ref=Link

Welcome new listeners! Today's episode is about mid-term(ish) fatigue. Many of us may feel tired and as if we are running low on fuel. That is understandable, but there are strategies you can use to mitigate fatigue. Listen to learn more about the pitfalls, what you can do, and the long-term rewards of addressing fatigue.

In short-You are an NLU student for a reason, and you can do it!

This is the NLU UG ED Prep Podcast called Stay Informed, Stay Connected. I encourage you to listen to interviews with classmates, professors, and other NLU professionals to learn more about your University and how you may get involved.

Meet Brisa Garcia, NLU's site manager for the Jumpstart Literacy Program. Students, if you have field hours to complete, you truly need to listen to Brisa and what her team has to offer! :)

Brisa Garcia is the Site Manager for the new Jumpstart Literacy Program at National Louis University. Her passion for literacy development was brought home by her experience in the Peace Corps, Dominican Republic, as a Literacy Educator. Brisa graduated with a B.S. in Neuroscience with a minor in Education at Saint Louis University and received her M.Ed. in Human Devlopment with a concentration in Language and Literacy at Harvard. Located on the 3rd Floor of NLU's 18 South Michigan building, Brisa welcomes any students to come chat about Jumpstarts education internship opportunities and any career/life topics you may be interested in!

Feel free to reach out on Linkedin or contact at brisa.garcia@jstart.org.  Follow us at @jumpstartatnlu on Instagram. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gbrisasarai/

Curious about NLU's competency-based (CB) program? Listen in to get to know Bianca and learn more about CB and her journey!

Bianca's Bio-

My name is Bianca Zollicoffer. I am currently an Executive School Director for an amazing childcare center in the Chicago suburbs. I absolutely love traveling and spending time with my 8-year-old daughter. I have 10+ years of CNA/Hospice experience and about eight years of ECE experience. I primarily speak English but can understand Spanish enough to have a conversation and reply minimally. My ultimate goal plan is to become a Special Education Coordinator or Teacher. I love helping parents connect with Early Intervention and transition into the school district. I am currently going for my Bachelor's in ECE with a PEL/LBS1 learning journey. I received my Associate's from Rasmussen, but I have enjoyed the overall process at NLU. I am excited to continue my education journey while doing what I love because, as my grandma always says, "Time waits for no one."

Briana is an educational powerhouse; you do not want to miss this podcast discussing her educational journey!

Biography: Briana Morales is a proud Latina and freedom fighter for students in alternative education, where she has spent her career loving and learning alongside students furthest from justice in East St. Louis, IL. She focuses on empowering her students with personalized, competency-based education where their cultural funds of knowledge are honored and students work at their own pace to master content rather than traditional learning that focuses on seat time and completion of work. Briana was honored as a 2021 NCTE Early Career Educator of Color and has shared the journey she and her students have embarked on to turn pain into power through narrative poetry of witness both locally and nationally. Her commitment as a school board member for the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, School District #428 has allowed her to elevate the voices of justice-impacted youth. She is deeply passionate about creating healing-centered spaces where Black and brown students can feel seen, heard, and, one day, be free to be their authentic selves. Her love offering toward this future is her nonprofit, (Sister)Hood of Hope, Inc., dedicated to honoring brighter futures for girls of color everywhere by empowering them through the community of sisterhood. She earned her BA in secondary English education from St. Ambrose University and her MEd in curriculum and instruction from American College of Education. She is currently pursuing an EdD in diversity and equity in education at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Briana is the 2023 Illinois Teacher of the Year.

I often discuss how joining the education profession is only sometimes a straight line. Instead, many of us experience twists and turns with unexpected opportunities to do our work. NLU student Alex Glover is an excellent example of leveraging your passion and finding your calling. Luckily for us, Alex's calling is to work as an educator!

Bio:

Alex Glover

He is the husband of a beautiful woman named Jennifer Glover and the father of two kids. Eli Alexander Glover and Nola Rae Glover. Born in Chicago and raised in the south suburbs. He has been in the education field since 2011 and is currently a Hip-hop teacher at Lloyd Bond Academy. A student here at NLU pursuing his bachelor's and certification in Elementary Education. Also, he is a mentor for the group Guitars over Guns. Some of his hobbies are DJ-ing and Emceeing. Alex is also part of a duo Hiphop group called The Black Mavericks that is part of an independent label called Gryskll.