Join us for 14 East Live, new programs at DePaul, FEST this week
and a tasty recommendation for you all to try
The Spring Quarter is finally coming to a close. To our fellow Blue Demons, best of luck on your last two weeks of classes! It’s your newsletter team — Claire, Elly, Mariah, Maureen, Monique, Emily, Kate, Cam, Grace and Richie — here to start your week.
Though another academic year is wrapping up, the team at 14 East is still in full force! Today we have a full slate of city news, campus updates, resources and recommendations for you.
In addition to that, this week is 14 East Live — our fifth annual live storytelling event where writers and creatives come together to share stories related to a single subject. This year’s theme is Stories of Memory, with pieces that recall, transformative moments in time, examine the impact of loss and nostalgia, look at the relationship between color and memory and more. It’s sure to be a memorable night, so you won’t want to miss it! Reserve a ticket now and then join us on DePaul’s Loop Campus on Thursday, May 26 at 6 p.m. We hope to see you there!
But that’s not all! We have a few more events, we want you to put on your calendars:
Join us this Tuesday, May 31 at 6 p.m. for Pueblo’s public newsroom on bilingual reporting (English and Spanish) featuring Laura Rodriguez of the Chicago Tribune. For more details, visit our Instagram.
Finally, come join us on Friday, June 3 at 7 p.m. as we celebrate six years as a publication! The in-person return of our annual social, 14 East and Friends, will be held at Build Coffee in Woodlawn. Students and community members are welcome to travel with 14 East staff members from the Loop campus to the venue. Get your ticket here.
Now that we’ve covered all that, let’s dive right in!
DePaul Adds New Health Science Programs
By Elly Boes
Next fall, DePaul will offer two new programs for undergraduate and graduate students in the College of Science and Health.
According to a Newsline article published last week, the university will welcome its first cohort of students seeking a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy under Program Director and Associate Professor Kate Barrett.
Additionally, incoming freshmen will have the opportunity to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Nursing during the 2022-2023 academic school year. However, the program is “direct admit,” meaning current students wouldn’t be able to switch into the major next fall.
College of Science and Health Dean Stephanie Dance-Barnes said DePaul previously had a bachelor’s degree of nursing program but it closed in 1991 due to low exam passing rates.
An estimated 40 applicants will make up the program’s first cohort, which prepares undergraduate students to become Registered Nurses.
As part of President A. Gabriel Esteban’s “Grounded in Mission: The Plan for DePaul 2024,” the university aims to expand its academic programs for those entering health-related career fields.
In November 2020, Faculty Council members approved the initial plan to add a two-year master’s program in Occupational Therapy to the College of Science and Health. According to meeting notes, Provost Salma Ghanem said at the time the program’s funds were allocated from DePaul’s Strategic Resource Allocation Committee three years prior.
Barrett began her work as director developing the university’s OT program back in 2019, later hiring Academic Fieldwork Coordinator Hillary Napier-Gondek to assist in building its curriculum and completing an accreditation process.
In a video introduction from April 2021, Barret said she and Napier-Gondek were “in the process of building out a dedicated space for occupational therapy [on campus].”
“You can imagine in the middle of COVID Dr. Hilary Napier-Gondek came on to secure two fieldwork placements for each student … and she was able to do it. We anticipate accepting 30 students, and I think we have close to 70 fieldwork spots. But those are highly competitive to get in and were very challenging,” Barrett said. “So we're very grateful for her.”
A year later, the program was granted “Candidacy Status” by the Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education, meaning its formal review will be completed before the first group of students begin fieldwork in 2024.
Barrett said courses will be offered near the Welcome Center at 2400 N Sheffield Avenue, including a multi-use sensory gym, a family apartment-styled lab space and another classroom.
Students in the OT program will be taught by Barrett, clinical coordinators like Napier-Gondek and four other associate professors, two of whom will be hired over the summer.
“I'll be teaching the Disability Studies course, which is intentional, to teach that in the first quarter, because it really helps us center voices of people with disability within the curriculum,” Barrett said. “So oftentimes, you know, we think about treating and fixing people with disabilities, without fully appreciating that people with disabilities live full lives and don't necessarily need to be fixed.”
DePaul News
By Mariah Hernandez
President Esteban releases statement condemning recent U.S. shootings
On May 20, President Esteban released a statement regarding the recent shootings in Buffalo, New York and Laguna Woods, California. The statement titled “Hate has no home in our society” calls out the shootings for being racially motivated and acts of domestic terrorism. Esteban mourns for families of victims and encourages prayer for change in the world. Resources such as pastoral counseling and the Black Cultural Center are included within the statement. You can read the president's full statement here.
FEST is here!
The day you have all been waiting for is here. This Friday from 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Quad, the DePaul Activities Board will be hosting FEST for the first time since 2019. After a long school year full of new adjustments and struggles, a celebration is necessary. The concert will start with student performers 404KRAZY, Any Two Words and Minivan at 4:30 p.m. At 7 p.m., main performances from bbno$ and 2 Chainz begin. Music is not the only thing promised at the event, you can anticipate food and activities as well. Not tired yet? You are in luck, FEST will continue with an After Hours event in the Lincoln Park Student Center from 9:30 p.m. to 12 a.m. Tickets are still available and cost only $10. You can buy your tickets here and read rules on the do’s and don'ts of what to bring to FEST.
Thirteen of DePaul’s track and field athletes have been added to the All Big East List
On May 18, The Big East Conference released the All Big East teams for outdoor track and field. Thirteen of DePaul’s student athletes were added. Qualifying students include DePaul athletes who previously finished in the top three in individual or relay events at the Big East Outdoor Championships. The students include Jason Montano, Jarel Terry, Dominic Cole, Tori Carroll, Isabel Ingram, Cameron Attucks, Myles Marshall, Michael Stanley, Alex Bernstein, Darius Brown, Esther Aldana, Kiersten Walker and Maia Mays. You can read about the students' accomplishments here.
Lastly, here is your weekend sports update (May 20 to May 22):
With an upcoming end to the 2021-22 school year, sports seasons at DePaul have come to an end as well, so sadly I have no weekend sports update for you. You can check here for upcoming sports events and be sure to support DePaul at the NCAA West Preliminaries this upcoming week as well as the NCAA Outdoor Championships from June 8 to 11.
Chicago Headlines
By Maureen Dunne
Men Charged with Shooting Outside Near North McDonald’s Held without Bail – A Cook County Judge ordered two men held without bond on charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and trespassing on the CTA related to a mass shooting outside the McDonald’s at Chicago and State Streets last week. One man is alleged to have shot into a crowd of people outside the McDonald’s with a semi-automatic weapon, killing two and injuring seven others. Kelly Bauer of Block Club Chicago has more.
City Council Delays Approval of Mayor’s New Youth Curfew Ordinance — Mayor Lightfoot’s efforts to bump the City’s youth curfew ordinance to encompass youth under 18 beginning at 10 p.m. from 17-year-olds and under at 11 p.m. has hit a roadblock in City Council. Criticism from all sides on her proposal, from alderpersons citing the decline in enforcement to overburdening the police and disproportionate enforcement for Black youth, encouraged two alderpersons to delay the vote until this Wednesday. Fran Spielman of the Chicago Sun-Times has more.
Stacy Davis Gates Elected President of the Chicago Teachers’ Union — Former union Vice President Stacy Davis Gates will succeed outgoing president Jesse Sharkey as president of the Chicago Teachers Union, keeping their slate, the Caucus of Rank-and-file Educators (CORE), in power. Davis Gates is an outspoken advocate for more COVID-19 protections in schools and mental health resources for students. She is now tasked with guiding the union through the upcoming establishment of an elected school board and contract negotiations. Tracy Swartz of the Chicago Tribune reports.
All-Affordable Housing Building Opens in Logan Square after Years of Planning, Debate — The building, named the Lucy Gonzalez Parsons Apartments after the Chicago activist, has transformed a former city-owned parking lot into 100 affordable housing units. Advocates praised it as a beacon of racial and economic diversity and safeguard against displacement in Logan Square. It is located near the Logan Square Blue Line stop. Quinn Meyers of Block Club Chicago reports.
National Headlines
By Monique Mulima
Biden Takes Steps to Address Baby Formula Shortage – On Saturday President Biden signed into law the Access to Baby Formula Act of 2022. This law passed by Congress will allow more flexibility for families who purchase formula through a government nutrition program. President Biden also invoked the Defense Production Act to ensure that formula manufacturers receive needed supplies first and announced that about 1.5 million bottles worth of formula will be flown in from Europe. Brett Samuels of The Hill has more.
Oklahoma Legislature Passes Strictest Abortion Bill in the Country – On Thursday the Oklahoma legislature passed a bill that would ban abortion from the moment of “fertilization.” The bill is expected to be signed by the Oklahoma Governor and would become the strictest abortion law in the country. The Supreme Court is expected to overturn Roe v. Wade in June, and many Republican-led states are trying to pass bills that would limit abortion access in anticipation. Rebekah Riess, Jeremy Grisham and Devan Cole of CNN have the details.
Federal Judge Blocks Biden from Lifting Title 42 – On Friday Louisiana U.S. District Judge Robert R. Summerhays blocked the lifting of the Title 42 immigration policy. The Title 42 policy allows the U.S. to expel asylum seekers without any legal process under the guise of public health. The policy put in place under Trump and continued under Biden has been criticized for violating the right to seek asylum. Summerhays ruled that the policy must stay in place until a lawsuit in favor of the policy led by 24 states has been resolved. Myah Ward and Jonathan Lemire of Politico report.
CDC Approves COVID-19 Boosters for Children – The CDC endorsed COVID-19 vaccine boosters for children ages 5 to 11 on Thursday following FDA authorization earlier last week. Children of these ages will now be eligible for a booster at least five months after their second dose. The CDC is trying to encourage parents to get their children vaccinated as COVID-19 cases are once again on the rise and currently only 30% of children in this age group are fully vaccinated. Berkeley Lovelace Jr. of NBC News has more.
Hey, Check This Out!
With Featured Columnist Emily Soto
Hi everyone and welcome to this week’s rec! I’m pretty excited for this one so let’s get right to it.
Personally, I don’t think I’m a very good cook so typically, I stick to the basics. But when I’m feeling like something different, I have to rely on a recipe. This way I know what I’m doing and don’t make a disaster in the kitchen. When these occasions arise, one of my favorite things to do is try to recreate dishes I have eaten at a chain restaurant and really liked. You can generally find these recreations pretty easily with a quick Google search!
So for this week’s rec I’m bringing you a Copycat Pasta Fresca. It’s a homemade version of the Noodles & Company dish of the same name — and I think it’s just as good! It is made up of penne pasta, tomatoes, onions, spinach and a balsamic vinaigrette-based sauce. You can also add a protein if you so desire.
Plus, the recipe itself is pretty simple — it comes down to three parts. Boiling the pasta, mixing together the sauce with the vegetables to cook, and making your protein.
When it comes to a recipe like this one, I think it’s pretty adaptable to a person’s preferences. You can cook the vegetables to be either as crunchy or soft as you like. You can add whatever protein you prefer whether that be chicken, pork or tofu. You can use regular penne pasta or go for a whole grain option. Either way you choose will make for a delicious dinner.
Then top it off, you can add a little (or a lot) of parmesan cheese!
I hope this recipe is one that makes you excited to try something new. I’ve made it for family, friends and sometimes just for myself, but every time I do, the best part is knowing I made something just as good (if not better) as the pros!
Resources
Need resources regarding warming centers, rental assistance, COVID-19 testing and vaccines or mental health? Check out our complete list here.
That’s it for this week! We’ll see you back here next Monday with more news, updates, recommendations and another episode of The B-Side. Until then, take care!
The 14 East Newsletter Team