Bulletin: November 2020
November 2020
Winter/Spring 2021 Plans Announced
Stay up-to-date on all winter and spring semester announcements. As NDMU begins the transition to synchronous (real-time) learning this spring, be sure to check into NDMU Together to see how the transition might affect you. While the Undergraduate Studies is looking ahead to nearly all courses being offered face-to-face this spring, many other areas will see a hybrid format including in-person and online learning. More information regarding the spring semester plans will be announced in the following weeks while NDMU continually monitors the guidance from federal, state, and local health officials. The winter semester will proceed via synchronous (real-time) remote learning.
Eichner Women Writer Series
This year, NDMU is holding its first virtual Eichner Women Writer Series. We are welcoming Alice Walker, an internationally celebrated writer, poet and activist, for an open discussion.
Her work has been translated into more than two dozen languages, and her books have sold more than fifteen million copies. In addition to winning the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction in 1983 and the National Book Award, Walker was honored as one of the inaugural inductees into the California Hall of Fame in 2006. Her novel The Color Purple was made into a film and a Broadway musical.
The virtual Q&A will be on Thursday, November 12, at 7:00 p.m. and is open to all of the NDMU community and to the public.
“TreeBeta” Grows
Beta Beta Beta (TriBeta), the Biology Department’s Honor Society, continued their annual campaign of planting trees across campus, despite the limitations of the pandemic. TreeBeta, as they liked to be called when planting trees, took to campus on October 24 to add three new trees to campus. Students Dionne Forbin, Anh Nguyen, Vanessa Wright, Bintou Timbine, Myra Beyene, Christina McConnell and professor Dr. Kenneth Sossa and Mr. Pat Bell planted a Red Maple, Sugar Maple, and an Eastern Redbud in the areas surrounding the Grotto and the new entrance near Charles Street. In an effort to learn more about the species that were being planted, the students engaged a “Match Game” style game to match facts about the trees and understand their ecological significance. With the support of the NDMU grounds and facilities team, TriBeta secured the location for all the trees, planted them, and added deer protection to help the newly-planted trees from deer damage. The tree-planting activities began in 2008 to honor Dr. Nancy Kreiter who was a passionate ecologist. Be sure to check out the three new trees when stopping by campus. Check out photos on the day taken by students by Anh Nguyen and Myra Beyene.
More Stories
On October 24, 2020, the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) celebrated Foundation Day. The SSND were founded by Blessed Theresa of Jesus Gerhardinger in Bavaria on October 24, 1833. This year due to the pandemic, to celebrate Foundation Day, the SSND were asked to share “A View from My Window” in which SSND from across the globe shared this view from their rooms. Congratulations and thank you to the School Sisters of Notre Dame for your continued leadership!
Sending our prayers for Sister Trinitas Bochini, who passed away on October 29, 2020, at Villa Maria Health Care Center. Sister Trini, as she is known to many, was an NDMU faculty member for 50 years, Professor of Psychology and founding Chair of the Psychology Department. On June 6, 2020, she celebrated her 70th Jubilee as a School Sister of Notre Dame. We invite our NDMU Community to join us as we host a virtual memorial service for Sister Trinitas on November 23, 2020, at 7:00 p.m.
The Gormley Gallery’s Recording History Virtual Exhibition was selected as one of BmoreArt’s Picks of the week. The exhibition hosted their virtual artist's reception on November 7 and will remain open from now until November 27 virtually. Be sure to check out the Gormley Gallery’s website for more information.
NDMU Together PPE Tote Winners
Congratulations to all the winners of the NDMU Together PPE tote bag giveaway sponsored by Institutional Advancement. Thank you to the campus community for your continued dedication to keeping NDMU healthy and safe this year. Congratulations Jenna Maher, Kathy Litz, Lauren Haggerty, Melissa Albright, Michael Golze, Suzan Harkness, Terri Shrader, Vanessa Wright and Valen Dallasta.
Faculty Development: Brightspace Basics
You're invited to join instructional designer, Simone Christian for one or all of the 5-part basic training series in using the new Brightspace learning management system:
- Introduction & Overview: A 15-minute tour of the user interface, student views, and the Brightspace Community learning resources.
- Brightspace Course Content: One-hour session that shows the basics of creating assignments, discussions, and quizzes.
- Brightspace Reporting: in 30 minutes, you'll be introduced to the reporting, statistics, and analytics tools in Brightspace.
- Brightspace Communication: in one hour we look at the various ways to communicate with learners; from announcements to awards!
- Course Content Hands-on: we'll take an hour to practice building course content, assignments, quizzes, and discussions).
The series runs from November 16-25. These sessions are a useful supplement to the other live sessions given within your individual schools or the asynchronous self-paced training found on the Brightspace community. Learn more and register.
Library
Select USMAI and ILL book checkout
An expanded selection of books is available for contactless pickup from Loyola Notre Dame Library! Books from LNDL and select USMAI libraries are now available for contactless pickup from Loyola Notre Dame Library. Learn more about requesting books and contactless pickup.
Faculty and Graduate students can request contactless pickup of Interlibrary Loan books from libraries worldwide. You can continue to request PDFs of book chapters and articles via Interlibrary Loan, too.
Questions? Get the latest information or get help from a librarian 24/7 via chat!
Athletics
Fitness Center Open for Current Resident Students Only
The NDMU fitness center on campus has reopened with limitations to current NDMU residents. See more information regarding the safety precautions in place and how residents can register for a time slot.
Message from Dr. Yam Regarding the Fall 2020 Athletic Season
All Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) schools’ athletic programs were suspended through December 31, 2020. The CSAC Board of Directors will be reconvening in late November to evaluate athletics return for the spring semester.
Gators Celebrate Diversity and Inclusion through Social Media
The NCAA celebrated a "Diversity and Inclusion Social Media Campaign" that was partnered with the Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee (MOIC) and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committees. Throughout the campaign that ran October 27 through October 29, schools and conferences were encouraged to participate and support the campaign. See how NDMU student-athletes participated and how they celebrate diversity and inclusion.
Auxiliary & Conference Services
Camp Notre Dame at Home: Winter Wonderland
Give the gift of adventure! Purchase Camp Notre Dame At Home: Winter Wonderland Edition. All the supplies and materials for 15 crafts and projects, with access to pre-recorded tutorials by our camp staff, included.
Gator Swim School
The NDMU Office of Conference and Auxiliary Services is pleased to offer Gator Swim School! Our mission is to help young swimmers build upon their skill sets and be confident in and around the water. Let’s swim together!
Career Center
Learn how Communication and Teamwork skills are transferrable from customer service jobs. Get a new perspective on these roles and how to include them in your job search documents so they relate to your targeted job.
Tuesday, November 10 at 3:30-4:30 pm
Please watch for a message in the next few days regarding our Life Design Survey. You will be able to share which career topics are most important to you and what you need to meet your goals. Complete the survey and earn a chance to win an Amazon gift card.
English Language Institute
In December, Lindsay Conboy, ELI Course Administrator, will be presenting at the Maryland Adult Education Virtual Training Institute. The presentation Go BOLD!, discusses why explicitly teaching text features to adult language learners and literacy students are essential to building necessary skills for print and digital literacy. The presentation will include three evidence-based approaches for introducing the skill as well as ideas for reinforcement throughout a course.
School News
Save the Dates
Academic Calendar
Be sure to check out the latest version of the Academic Calendar for 2020-2021. As NDMU plans the return to campus in the spring, several changes have been made to the Academic Calendar that will affect spring break and Easter Monday.
Sister Circle Support Group
Every Tuesday from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., students are welcome to join Finding Our Voice: Sister Circle Support Group. Pre-registration is required to join each session. Contact Pamela Blackwell or Elaine Dearing to register.
NDMU Events
Be sure to check out the NDMU Events calendar below for all upcoming events.
Upcoming Events
- Apr 166:30 pm - 8:30 pmDoyle Formal
- Apr 174:00 pm - 5:00 pmLoyola Notre Dame Library
- Apr 176:00 pm - 9:00 pmKnott Lecture Hall
Campus News
