Nontraditional Degree Programs

University Without Walls Forms and Examples

Jason Gallardo — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 17:26:00 +0000

University Without Walls Forms and Examples

Jason Gallardo Mon, 11/22/2021 - 11:26

The University Without Walls Program is a degree completion program for adult students who have gained significant college learning through career or other experiences. Below are downloadable links to forms and other important information beneficial to students enrolled in the program:

University Without Walls Review Board

Jason Gallardo — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 17:17:27 +0000

University Without Walls Review Board

What is a Graduation Review Board?

As you near the completion of your work in the UWW Program, you will file for graduation with the University Records office. The final academic requirements for a student's program completion are determined by a Graduation Review Board. The Review Board (RB) will consist of six to seven people reviewing the student's academic portfolio.

Jason Gallardo Wed, 11/17/2021 - 11:17

Review Board/Narrative Transcript

What is an Autobiographical Statement?

UWW's autobiographical statement discusses who you are and what adult educational and professional experiences you've had post high school. This statement should focus on experiences in Depth, Breadth, and Effective Communication. The autobiographical statement will introduce your learning history to the evaluation team participating in the Review Board meeting.

Dos and Don'ts

Do ...

Think of the autobiographical statement as an "intellectual autobiography"
- The statement should convey a clear, thoughtful picture of your adult educational life. You may include distinct motivations, accomplishments, aims, or ideas that have sculpted your professional and educational path.
Aim to define a central idea, impression, or theme
- The most memorable autobiographical statements are those that have a clear, centralizing theme. Sometimes you'll know what this theme is; other times it will emerge as you begin drafting your statement.
Keep it simple
- It's easy to write over the page count in autobiographical statement. However, use words that are concise and thoughtful.
Use specifics
- By using specifics, your statement will become unique and therefore, more memorable. For example, say “my internship with the Sierra Club’s Bald Eagle Project” rather than “my internship with a renowned environmental organization’s project that works to save endangered species.”
Find the "story" in your history
- Your life has been a journey, with planned and unexpected turns, successes and frustrations, and hard-earned and accidental insights. Your basic challenge in writing a compelling autobiographical statement is to tell the story that makes sense of your life as an adult.
Welcome the reader into your life and aims
- Scholarships, and other academic opportunities, are looking for promising students, not high-powered profiles. So, write to engage your audience.

Don't ...

Write to impress
- Scholarship selection committees have seen and heard it all. Let your credentials and awards speak for themselves. Use your autobiographical statement to convey what motivates, inspires, and shapes you as an adult. Include what your specific accomplishments have meant to you and how they have shaped your life since high school.
Write in clichés
- Ask yourself if each and every sentence in your draft reflects some thought, fact, reflection or experience of your own. Avoid stock phrases and expressions.
Rewrite your resume in prose
- Again, selection committees are looking for the person behind the credentials. Avoid the laundry list of activities and focus on the select few experiences that have meant the most to you.
Be too general or abstract
- Don’t distance your audience by using vague references or abstractions. You may think it sounds more impressive to say “in my internship, with a renowned environmental organization, I worked on a project to save endangered species” but that doesn’t tell the audience what organization you worked for or what species was being helped. Your audience, however, can connect with the person who worked with the Sierra Club to help save bald eagles.
Get too frustrated
- Distilling your life into a compelling, informative one thousand word (or one-page) autobiographical statement is a challenging task. Think of this as an opportunity to reflect creatively on who you are, who you want to be, and what you hope to do with your life.

Checklist for Evaluating your Personal Statement Drafts

Does your opening paragraph quickly engage the reader? Does it convey a distinct picture or impression of you as a person?
Is your guiding theme or idea clearly expressed? Is there a thread that runs through the essay, unifying it?
Are your key intellectual interests clearly elaborated? Is there evidence of your intellectual engagement in your adult work or studies?
Are your important commitments to community service, campus or off-campus organizations, or leadership roles effectively addressed?
Is the closing paragraph effective? Will it leave your audience with a sense of completeness? Does it suggest to the reader what you plan to do with your career, education, and/or life going forward?

This information was taken from the National Scholarships Office (2017).

You may request to convene a Graduation Review Board when all of the following conditions are met:

A Learning Contract has been approved by the Academic Advisor, Community Advisor, and the UWW Program
90-100% of the learning goals, objectives, learning experiences, and activities identified in the Learning Contract have been achieved
All prior and new learning identified in the Learning Contract has been documented and the documentation has been reviewed by the Academic and Community Advisors
Academic and Community Advisors agree that the student is ready to have a Review Board
University graduation requirements have been met
- Writing Intensive Requirement
- Math/Quantitative Reasoning Requirement
- Improving Human Relations Requirement
Successfully completed a minimum of 24 semester hours of UWW Independent Study and/or formal coursework
Enrolled in UWW Independent Study hours or course(s) for the semester the Review Board will meet
An NEIU grade point average of at least 2.0

Review Boards can be held at any time during the semester. Students should be aware that Review Board members may decide that additional requirements must be met before the student is allowed to graduate. Sometimes, this can require an additional semester.

View the University Graduation Requirements in the Academic Catalog.

How Do I Organize My Review Board?

If the student's Advisors agree that a Review Board (RB) can convene, the student should then begin organizing the meeting. To set up a Review Board meeting, students should:

Ask the Academic Advisor to suggest two full-time Northeastern Illinois faculty members to serve on your RB
- Contact the suggested faculty to ask their availability
Choose and invite an outside evaluator who is off campus and who is not the student's Community Advisor. The Academic Advisor must confirm this person’s appropriateness to serve on the RB. Relatives or significant others are not eligible to serve on your RB
Arrange the RB meeting date and time by checking with the following people's schedules:
- Academic Advisor
- NEIU Faculty (2)
- Community Advisor
- Outside Evaluator
- Interim Director, Nontraditional Degree Programs: t-barnett1@neiu.edu

Submit a completed Request To Convene Review Board form (below) to the UWW office at least two weeks prior to the RB date
Check-in with the UWW office to keep them informed about your Review Board

Deliver one copy of the original (unbound) Review Board Portfolio to the UWW office. Deliver copies of your Review Board Portfolio to the Academic Advisor, one copy to each of the two (2) faculty evaluators, one copy to the Community Advisor, and one copy to the outside evaluator. You will need a total of six (6) copies. All Review Board Portfolios must be delivered no later than two weeks prior to the Review Board.

Review Board Meetings should be scheduled on a weekday, at least three weeks before the end of the term. Contact the UWW office to hold a tentative date/time. The NDP office will notify Review Board members of the location.

Filling Out the Request to Convene Form

After you have contacted all the individuals who will be at the RB, you will need to fill out the below form. This form should be submitted to the Nontraditional Degree Program's office two (2) weeks prior to date of the Review Board date.

Download the Request to Convene Form.

What is the Narrative Transcript?

The Narrative Transcript is a nontraditional transcript which summarizes the demonstrated learning outcomes you acquired during and prior to your work at UWW. The Narrative Transcript and your 91Porn transcript comprise the official record of your Bachelor’s degree completion. Whenever you request your Northeastern transcript, the Records Office will send both documents to the specified address, along with an explanation of the UWW program.

The Narrative Transcript is developed with the UWW Academic and Faculty Advisor. It includes Prior Learning and UWW demonstrated learning outcomes in three program areas: Depth, Breadth and Effective Communication. It is approximately six pages in length (eight maximum).
Students typically use their approved Learning Contract to develop the Narrative Transcript. The Narrative Transcript will include the following:

Your name, Depth Area and proposed graduation date
- Spaced down 2.5 inches from the top of page 1, on the right side of the page. Title the document “Narrative Transcript"

The names and titles of your Review Board Evaluators
Summary of all formal college work completed
- Include the number of credit hours completed, as well as the number of UWW Independent Study semesters
Title of Depth Area and a summary of new learning goals and objectives related to the Learning Contract
- This section should cover the demonstrated learning outcomes acquired in the depth area. Remember to include your prior and UWW learning. Each statement should also include the demonstrated learning outcomes acquired, as well as the activities that accomplished the learning goal
Demonstrated learning outcomes acquired in the Breadth Area
- This includes your prior and UWW learning in the five academic disciplines that comprise Breadth
Demonstrated learning outcomes acquired in Effective Communication.
- This includes your prior and UWW learning

Download and view an example of a Narrative Transcript.

Autobiographical Statement

Additional Documentation

Remember that your review board portfolio should reflect your BREADTH, DEPTH, and EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION from prior learning as well as new learning obtained while at NEIU. These can be in your portfolio under additional documents or attached to your semester reports.

These are the areas that you will help you become a well rounded student here at NEIU. There are four main categories:

Fine Arts
Humanities
Social/Behavioral Science
Natural Sciences

The key is to develop two demonstrated learning outcomes in each of the four required areas.

Breadth Areas will ...

Mimic general education/liberal arts curriculum
Insure exposure to a variety of subjects
Include learning goals, activities to attain those, and documentation of achievements

See below of examples of the Breadth Areas:

Fine Arts	Social/Behavioral Science
Visual art Art appreciation Art history Studio Art Media and Theater Music Music appreciation Studio music Dance	Anthropology Economics Geography and Environmental Studies History Justice Studies Political Science Psychology Sociology
Humanities	Natural Sciences
Communication English World Languages Literature Linguistics Philosophy	Biology Chemistry Earth Science Physics

Depth Area

Substantial knowledge and understanding in a specific area of academic expertise. This is experience that you bring in and want to further develop. You should look at what you are interested in and what you feel is important to your learning. Below you will see a list of potential depth areas that you select from, but it will be up to you, the UWW Faculty Advisor, your Academic Advisor, and your Community Advisor to selected a depth that is similar to your studies.

Effective Communication

In Effective Communication, you will be able to address the demonstrated learning outcomes in: world languages; demonstration of oral and written proficiency in English; and other communication forms.

These areas also include any digital media that you may have encountered prior or during your studies at NEIU. Please keep in mind how you used technology to present or explain something for class. Here are some examples to help guide you in knowing effective communication:

Using PowerPoint
Using technology as a social media outlet
Using Technology applications to present information

Think about how you use daily language to communicate important information to others. How do communicate with others, and what resources do you use?

Additional Documentation

Presentation of appropriate evidence of learning is a vital part of the demonstrated learning outcomes for the UWW Program. The documentation can take a variety of forms, such as:

work product –artwork, essays, research papers, manuals, case studies, annotated bibliographies;
performance - evaluations of teaching or speaking engagements; video or audio tapes
third party validation - includes certificates, licenses, and evaluative letters;
official transcripts - original transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended.

As you begin to document both prior and new learning outcomes, consider the following:

You must document the knowledge and/or skills that resulted from the learning activities. Ask yourself: what have I learned (i.e. what do I know? what can I do?) as a result of this learning activity, project, experience?
If actual products cannot be put in your UWW student file, the product should be photographed and submitted electronically.
Original transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended must be submitted to the UWW Office. Transcripts will be forwarded to the NEIU Office of Enrollment Services where staff will determine transfer credit hours.
Letters, if used to corroborate learning activities, should:
- evaluate rather than commend
- explain clearly and succinctly the relationship between the author of the letter and the student
- focus on the duties, responsibilities, tasks or activities involved in the experience under consideration
- describe the context of the experience - the who, what, when, why, for how long, where, etc.
- be typewritten and on letterhead.

If none of the above-mentioned forms of documentation can be provided for a particular learning activity, discuss an alternative means of verification with your advisors and the UWW Faculty Advisor.
Decisions regarding the appropriate form of documentation to verify a certain demonstrated learning outcome are usually made through consultation with either or both advisors.
Documentation of demonstrated learning outcomes can occur at any time during UWW participation.;

Typically, students submit prior learning documentation with their Learning Contract and submit new learning documentation with each Semester Report.

Format/Examples

What Needs to Be in the Portfolio and How Do I put It Together?

Below is a guided sequence of the order for your portfolio. Make sure you refer back to each section for additional information. Click on the image to get an idea of how your portfolio should be organized.

1. Title Page

This should be the first thing evaluators can see. It should have the following on one page:

91Porn
Nontraditional Degree Programs
University Without Walls

Name

Review Board Portfolio

Date of the Review Board

Depth Area

Your depth area
Proposed Graduation Date

2. Table of Contents

This will allow the evaluators to look at what is about to be discussed in your portfolio. Keep in mind that you will need to have tabs that separate each section. These are the sections that you will need:

Narrative Transcript
Autobiographical Statement
Learning Contract
Semester Report
Transcripts (NEIU print out, even if you attended more than one University)
Additional UWW Documentation

3. Narrative Transcript

Please refer to the Narrative Section on the UWW webpage to see what is needed for this section.
- Remember this is something that future universities and employees will see.

4. Autobiographical Statement

This should be a statement that reflects who you are as a person.

Please refer to the Autobiographical Statement tab for Review Board Workshop Do's and Dont's

5. Learning Contract

This is the "Bread and Butter" of your portfolio. This will help the evaluator look at what you knew coming into the program and what competencies you have developed while attending NEIU. It should be detailed and organized based on the template in the Learning contract section in the UWW Orientation webpage.

Pay attention to grammar, punctuation, and key concepts that you have developed.
Also refer back to the Learning Contract section to help you revise your final learning contract.

6. Semester Report

The Semester Report is the summary of learning experiences submitted to the UWW Office by the student near the end of each semester for which the student is registered. Its purpose is to determine that you are making satisfactory progress towards your degree. It is required for each semester the student is registered (except the semester in which the student convenes a Graduation Review Board) and must bear the signatures of the student, academic advisor, and community advisor.

The Semester Report summarizes the learning experiences and activities accomplished as well as substantiate the learning outcomes/competencies by documenting them, It is due at the end of the semester during the finals period.
If you have any documentation that you have discovered during the semester such as papers written by yourself, you should attach them here.

7.Transcripts

You will need to ass a print out of your NEIU transcripts. As you have already sent the university your transcripts from past universities/colleges/schools, you will only need to print out the transcript that is on your NEIU portal.

These are essential to have since the evaluator will be looking at prior learning and current learning.

Please make sure that you print these out and should there be any incomplete grades on the transcript, then you will need to arrange with your academic advisor to get a grade change.

Your transcripts are located under the student tab in NEIUport underneath your Academic Profile.

8. Additional Documents

This should be information that is either from prior learning or current learning.

Some things you might want to add are:

Certificates
Research Papers
Artwork
Performance Evaluations
Letter of Recommendations

Examples of Review Board

As you are gathering information, please use this example as a guide to show you what the portfolio sections look like:

Sample Portfolio For Review Board

In addition, There are plenty of examples in the NDP Office for you to look at. Please come in and check them out.

Day of REview The Board

To help guide your presentation, it is recommended that you use a slide show, PowerPoint, or other technological apps that can provide a visual and keep you on track. For your reference there is a video of one's student, former NBA player Rod Strickland's presentation below. While he does not have technology, he has an extensive outline to help guide him in the right direction. In addition, you can view the Review Board Checklist and the Review Board Procedure and Purpose.

Guidelines for Review Board Presentation

15-20 minutes long
PowerPoint or Prezi
Video, Art, etc. (Please make sure you are introducing this video and the purpose of this video
Notes or Outline (You can use handwritten notes or a timeline tech tool to organize your thoughts

Additional Requirements

Length of Portfolio: Approximately 100 (no more than 110) pages. Pages must be numbered. Page 1 of your Review Board Portfolio should be Page 1 of your Narrative Transcript.

Last Page will be titled “Additional UWW Documentation.” List all documentation submitted to UWW and evaluated by your advisors, but that is not included in the Portfolio.

Assemble the Portfolio: Use original documents from your UWW file. (Copies of transcripts on file with UWW will suffice.) RB Portfolio must be reviewed by UWW staff (and should also be reviewed by the student’s advisors) prior to duplication.

The student should make at least eight copies of the Review Board Portfolio. Seven copies should be bound or put in folders. THE ORIGINAL PORTFOLIO MUST BE UNBOUND. It should contain original documentation and is retained on file in the UWW Office for five years.

Unit or Department

Nontraditional Degree Programs

File

Request to Convene Review Board33.39 KB

Narrative Transcript sample66.23 KB

Sample portfolio for review board1.07 MB

Review Board Checklist34.83 KB

Review Board Procedure and Purpose16.16 KB

University Without Walls Orientation

Jason Gallardo — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 19:01:44 +0000

University Without Walls Orientation

University WIthout Walls (UWW) is based on demonstrated learning outcomes that lead to a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. UWW students bring life and work experiences that count toward their credits for graduation. Students are asked to design and complete approved experiential curricula as an alternative to traditional courses.

Jason Gallardo Fri, 11/12/2021 - 13:01

Learning Contract

What is Independent Study?

Independent Study is a Pass or Fail (P/F) course. You will be able to sign up for Independent Study with the help of your Academic Advisor. Each semester, you will work with your Academic Advisor to complete a UWW Independent Study Student Agreement, in which you will plan what your studies will be, and what demonstrated learning outcomes you hope to gain. Each Independent Study course, worth (3) credit hours, is roughly the equivalent of a university course in terms of workload (6-8 hours per week dedicated to the work) but can include a variety of tasks.

It's My First Semester, What Should I Do?

For your first semester you will need to fill out and return the Independent Study Registration Form-First Semester to the UWW office. To complete this task, download the document below:

Independent Study First Semester Form

Please note: you must fill out both pages of the Independent Study Registration Form-First Semester. This must be complete to register for the first (3) credit hours of your Independent Study.

If you would like to take an additional Independent Study during your first semester (i.e. taking 6 or 9 hours of Independent Study), you will need to fill out the Independent Study Registration Form-First Semester and the Independent Study Registration Form (this document can be found under the "What Should I Do After I've Completed My First Semester?" section below). For example: If you plan on taking (6) credit hours of Independent Study during your first semester, you will need to fill out (1) Independent Study Registration Form-First Semester and (1) Independent Study Registration Form.

What Should I Do After I've Completed My First Semester?

After your first semester, you will fill out the below form.

Independent Study Registration Form

You will need to fill out both pages of the Independent Study Registration Form. For each (3) credit hour Independent Study taken, a form will need to be filled out and approved by the UWW office. For example: If you plan on taking (9) credit hours in Independent Study, you will need to fill out the Independent Study Registration Form 3 times - (1) form for each Independent Study taken.

What Should I Do If I'm Approaching My Last Semester?

If you are registering for your last semester, you will need to complete the Last Semester Independent Study Form. This will encompass (3) credit hours that will focus on preparing your materials for the Review Board hearing. To register for your last semester, download the document below:

Independent Study Last Semester Form

Please refer to the Nontraditional Degree Program's website for registration due dates.

University Without Walls Webpage

What is the Learning Contract?

The Learning Contract (LC) details the individualized degree program; it shows your progression of study at NEIU. The LC also serves as a blueprint for the UWW program. It should list the courses you have taken, or will take, to obtain your degree. This outline is one of the most important documents in your portfolio; it will act as a reference during your Review Board hearing.

Your Learning Contract will include:

Prior Learning in

Depth, Breadth, and Effective Communication Areas
University requirements

Proposed Learning in

Depth, Breadth, and Effective Communication Areas
University requirements

You will be developing a Learning Contract with your:

Academic Advisor
Community Advisor

Your Learning Contract must include prior and proposed learning, as well as what you have gained from your experience in:

Depth Area
Breath Area
Effective Communication
University Requirements

Please stop in to see a UWW staff member if you have questions or concerns around developing a learning contract.

What Areas Does the Learning Contract Include?

Breadth Area

Mimics a general education/liberal arts curriculum

Ensures exposure to a variety of subjects
Includes learning goals, activities to attain those, and documentation of achievements
Develops two demonstrated learning outcomes in the following categories:
- Fine Arts
- Humanities
- Behavioral/Social Sciences
- Sciences (natural and technological)

University Requirements

These courses are required, by 91Porn, to graduate. They include Math/Quantitative Reasoning, Writing Intensive Program (WIP), and a Human Relations Program. For the full list of requirements, please click the link below:

University Requirements

Depth Area

Documents substantial knowledge and experience (prior and proposed) in a specific content area
Includes both experiential and theoretical knowledge
Includes learning goals and the activities completed to reach those goals, and documentation of achievements
Primarily focuses on current and past skills and how they contribute to your degree

Effective Communication

These courses will demonstrate learning outcomes in world languages, oral and written proficiency in English, and other communication forms. This area can also include digital media you may have encountered prior or during your studies at NEIU.

Independent Studies

Semester Reports

What Is the Semester Report?

The Semester Report is a summary of learning experiences submitted to the UWW Office by the student at the end of each registered semester. Its purpose is to determine whether there is satisfactory progress toward your degree. This document is required for each registered semester EXCEPT for the semester in which the student convenes a Graduation Review Board. The Semester Report must be signed by the student, Academic Advisor, and Community Advisor. The Semester Report summarizes the learning experiences and activities accomplished, as well as substantiates the demonstrated learning outcomes.

How Can I Complete My Semester Report?

To complete your Semester Report; download the below document, fill it in, and return it to the UWW Office before the end of the semester:

Semester Report Template

How Do I Track My Progress?

Documentation of your studies is a vital part of tracking your demonstrated learning outcomes. Your documentation can take a variety of forms, such as:

Work Product – artwork, essays, research papers, manuals, case studies, annotated bibliographies
Performance - evaluations of teaching, speaking engagements, video or audio tapes
Third Party Validation - includes certificates, licensure, and evaluative letters
Official Transcripts - original transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended

How Do I Document Readings That I Have Completed?

To document readings, as with all other kinds of documentation concerns, first consult with your Academic Advisor. In addition to this consultation, the UWW Office may be able to suggest possible documentation methods. Three of the most common ways UWW students document their readings are:

an Annotated Bibliography
a Critical Review (1 - 2 pages) of each book or article
a Research or Position Paper

When You Are Documenting, Remember...

You must document the knowledge and/or skills that resulted from the learning activities completed.
- Prompt: What have I learned, what do I know, and what can I do as a result of this learning activity, project, or experience?
If Work Products cannot be put in your UWW student file, the product should be photographed and submitted electronically.
Official Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended must be submitted to the UWW Office. Transcripts will be forwarded to the NEIU Office of Enrollment Services where staff will determine transfer credit hours.
Third Party Validation, such as Letters (if used to corroborate learning activities) should:
- evaluate rather than commend
- explain clearly and succinctly the relationship between the author of the letter and the student
- focus on the duties, responsibilities, tasks, or activities involved in the experience
- describe the context of the experience - who, what, when, why, for how long, where, etc.
- be typewritten and on letterhead

If none of the above mentioned forms of documentation can be provided for a particular learning activity, discuss an alternative means of verification with your Academic Advisor
Decisions regarding the appropriate form of documentation, to verify a certain demonstrated learning outcome, are usually made through consultation with your Academic Advisor
Documentation of demonstrated learning outcomes can occur at any time during your enrollment with the UWW program

Typically, students submit Prior Learning documentation with their Learning Contract, and Proposed Learning documentation with each Semester Report.

Unit or Department

Nontraditional Degree Programs

File

UWW Independent Study Form first semester262.69 KB

UWW Independent Study Form Registration Form219.57 KB

UWW Independent Study form Last Semester251.93 KB

Semester Report Template24.36 KB

Learning Contract Template28.58 KB

Learning Contract Information from UWW Orientation Packet25.41 KB

Sample Learning Contract252.76 KB

Learning Contract Example 132.14 KB

Learning Contract Example 1.533.04 KB

Learning Contract Example 249.82 KB

University Without Walls Prospective Students

Jason Gallardo — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 16:00:00 +0000

University Without Walls Prospective Students

University Without Walls (UWW) is based on demonstrated learning outcomes that lead to a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. UWW students bring life and work experiences that count toward their credits for graduation. Students are asked to design and complete approved experiential curricula as an alternative to traditional courses.

Jason Gallardo Thu, 10/14/2021 - 11:00

Applying to UWW

Per University policy, there are certain requirements that need to be met in order to graduate. These requirements consist of:

Writing Intensive course (The Nontraditional Degree Program offers NDP 310 Diversity in the Workplace)
Human Relations course (If you are taking NDP 310 Diversity in the Workplace Writing Intensive Course, this would satisfy the requirement.)
Math/Quantitative reasoning (Must be college-level; no fundamentals of mathematics)
Minimum 24 credit hours earned at NEIU (Includes Independent Studies)
Approved Learning Contract
Approved Narrative Transcript
Graduation approval from Review Board
No Incomplete grades

We also have plenty of resources to help you fulfill requirements that are expected of the university. We have tutors that can help you, please contact NDP at ndp@neiu.edu for further guidance.

How do I meet the University requirements?

Meeting the Math/Quantitative Reasoning Requirement

In order to meet the Math/Quantitative Reasoning requirement you must earn a grade of C or higher in a pre-approved math course (3 credit hours) - OR - have a transfer credit with a grade of C or better in any math course (college algebra-level or higher).

If you have not met these requirements, please contact NEIU's Testing Services for math placement scores and testing times (students who plan to fulfill the math requirement through an NEIU class must take NEIU's math placement test). Click the link below to get more information on placement testing.

TESTING SERVICES

UWW students may also contact Arish, the office's math tutor, to set up a math tutoring session. Please email a-ali25@neiu.edu for appointments.

Meeting the Improving Human Relations Requirement

In order to successfully complete the Improving Human Relations Requirement, you will need to have, or take, a class that deals with improving human relations. Please note: NDP 310: Diversity in the Workplace will count as your Improving Human Relations requirement.

Meeting the Writing Intensive Program Requirement

The Writing Intensive Program is comprised of undergraduate courses, across the curriculum, that fulfill the writing intensive graduation requirement. Undergraduate students must successfully complete a writing intensive (WIP) course, of at least 3 credit hours, within their discipline in order to graduate. Students should speak with their Academic Advisor to learn which course(s) will fulfill the WIP requirement.

WIP courses are content courses that are designed to help students master the course content, learn about writing in their chosen discipline, and improve their writing skills. The Center for Academic Writing (CAW) provides tutoring for students enrolled in WIP courses. WIP peer tutors are selected by their departments, and are hired/trained by CAW to provide support to students working on writing assignments in WIP courses. Students should speak with the instructor of their WIP course and/or contact CAW for information about WIP peer tutoring.

UWW students may also contact Ulisa, the office's writing tutor, to set up a writing session. Please email ublakely@neiu.edu for appointments.

Center for Academic Writing
4th Floor of the Ronald Williams Library
caw@neiu.edu
(773) 442-4492

For more information on CAW, click the link below:

CENTER FOR ACADEMIC WRITING

Application Process

You will need to apply to the University Without Walls program first. To do this, you will need to have:

Attend a Prospective Student Meeting (PSM). Learn more about these meetings and how to reserve a spot, please visit our PSM page.
Autobiographical statement
Prior and proposed learning in the Depth Area
Prior and proposed learning in the Breadth Areas
Prior and proposed learning in Effective Communication
Documentation of prior learning
Official sealed, paper transcripts from all previously attended institutions
Official high school or GED transcripts

These items will be organized into a Narrative Application To see an example of the Narrative Application please click on the Narrative Application Template.

Completed Narrative Applications can be submitted to the Nontraditional Degree Programs Office via in person in B Building, Room B 147 or by email at ndp@neiu.edu.

Note that you will need to have your official, sealed transcripts from your high school or your GED results sent to the NDP office. As a recommendation, you should have two copies sent to your place of residence; one for your personal records and one to turn in. After receiving your transcript, please turn one copy into the NDP office (along with your application) located in Room B 147 in the B Building on NEIU's Main Campus.

In addition, each UWW student works with an Academic Advisor who is an NEIU faculty member or administrator with knowledge in the student’s academic concentration. The Academic Advisor:

assists the student with the development of their Learning Contract
helps students develop an Independent Study plan and, if necessary, chooses NEIU courses
ensures documentation of all learning
evaluates and approves the Learning Contract and Semester Reports
provides written feedback on Independent Study and progress towards degree completion each semester
assists the student in preparation for the Graduation Review Board and is an integral member of the Review Board.

Each UWW student also works with an off-campus Community Advisor who has professional and/or academic expertise in the student’s academic concentration. The Community Advisor:

acts as a resource person for the student's Depth Area
helps design the Learning Contract
evaluates Semester Reports
serves as a member of the Graduation Review Board.

The Community Advisor is selected by the UWW Applicant. It is important to have the Community Advisor selected when applying.

Upon review, you will receive an email stating the decision of your enrollment status. If accepted to the program, you will need to do the following:

Complete an application for admission to 91Porn
- To complete a University application, please come to the Nontraditional Degree Program's office, located on the Main Campus, in Room B 147 (NEIU Campus Map and Directions). Or, email us at ndp@neiu.edu so that an NEIU application can be emailed/mailed to you. Please note: On the NEIU application that you must disclose all previous colleges/universities attended.
There is a $30 application fee associated with applying to NEIU.
If you are currently an NEIU student within another program, you will not need to complete an NEIU application for admission. Instead, please stop by the Nontraditional Degree Programs office in Room B 147 on the Main Campus to complete an Internal Transfer form.
Please contact us at ndp@neiu.edu if you have already submitted these files to the University.

Your file will be complete when we have received:

a completed and signed NEIU application (or internal transfer form);
your official transcripts from all previous colleges/universities attended;
your official high school/GED transcript (if applicable) and
the $30 application fee.

You will receive a notification of your acceptance to NEIU within a few weeks. Once you have received the notification, you will need to attend the mandatory UWW New Student Orientation meeting. An email will be sent once the date and time have been determined.

University Requirements

Student Curricula

During the first semester in the UWW Program, students are expected to:

Take the Math Placement Test
- The Math Placement test determines your mathematics skill level if you have not already fulfilled NEIU's Math/Quantitative Reasoning Requirement
Make an appointment with your UWW Academic Advisor to discuss the UWW program and review sample Learning Contracts (LC)
- Begin documenting prior and new learning
Prepare a draft of the UWW Learning Contract (LC) with the assistance of their Academic Advisor
- This draft will be used to obtain an Academic Advisor if one has not already been identified
Make an appointment with UWW Academic Advisor to prepare the Independent Study/Tutored Study Request form
- UWW Independent Study New Student Contract, and the UWW Independent Study Contract for additional credit hours after the original three credits hours submit a Semester Report (SR) with documentation by the deadline each semester

Breadth Areas

These are the areas that you will help you become a well-rounded student here at NEIU. There are four main categories:

Fine Arts
Humanities
Social/Behavioral Science
Natural Sciences

The key is to develop two demonstrated learning outcomes in each of the four required areas.

Breadth Areas will:

Mimic general education/liberal arts curriculum
Ensure exposure to a variety of subjects
Include learning goals and activities to attain those goals, and documentation of achievements

See below examples of the Breadth Areas.

Fine Arts	Social/Behavioral Science
Visual Art Art Appreciation Art History Studio Art Media and Theatre Music Music Appreciation Studio Music Dance	Anthropology Economics Geography & Environmental Studies History Justice Studies Political Science Psychology Sociology
Humanities	Natural Sciences
Communication English World Languages Literature Linguistics Philosophy	Biology Chemistry Earth Science Physics

Depth Areas

Substantial knowledge and understanding in a specific area of academic expertise. This is experience that you bring in and want to further develop. You should look at what you are interested in and what you feel is important to your learning. It will be up to you, the UWW Faculty Advisor, your Academic Advisor, and your Community Advisor to select a depth that is similar to your studies.

Effective Communication

Effective Communication will showcase demonstrated learning outcomes in world languages, oral and written proficiency in English, or another communication form. This area can also include any digital media you may have encountered prior or during your studies at NEIU. Keep in mind how you use technology to present or explain content. Below are examples of how Effective Communication may appear in daily life:

Using social media, and/or technology, as a communication outlet
Using software applications to present information
Creating content that can be shared in digital or physical form

Talk to your Academic Advisor about how you use language to communicate important information to others. How do you usually communicate with others; what resources do you use?

Unit or Department

Nontraditional Degree Programs

File

Narrative Application Template 23.71 KB

Learning Fellows Program

Jason Gallardo — Mon, 17 May 2021 16:44:18 +0000

Learning Fellows Program

Jason Gallardo Mon, 05/17/2021 - 11:44

91Porn (NEIU) and the Prison + Neighborhoods Arts/Education Project (PNAP) are excited to sponsor the first cohort of Learning Fellows. Each of the Learning Fellows receives a financial award, as well as academic support from PNAP; they are current students at NEIU who will help to create events on campus, around the city of Chicago, and at Stateville Prison over the next two years. These events will highlight the importance of education as a human right for all, while providing multiple constituencies the opportunity for dialogue around education in prison, prison abolition, alternatives to prison, and related topics.

Third Cohort (Appointed January 2022)

Samantha Dunn was born in Lincoln, Rhode Island, on Jan. 24, 1976. She was raised within two dysfunctional families. Throughout her childhood, she questioned who she was and what she wanted to be. These questions stemmed from the many traumatizing events she survived growing up. Samantha always wanted to do something to help other people, especially the less fortunate. Unfortunately, college was never in her sights due to family dynamics and financial status. Therefore, in the spring of 1994, she chose to enlist in the U.S. Army in hopes of getting an education, so she could fulfill her goal of helping others.

While Samantha was at basic training, her grandmother passed away. She was the glue for that side of the family, and it showed when family members went their separate ways, and Samantha was told that she wasn’t welcome in that part of the family anymore. Her family would consist only of her mom, her mom’s husband, and her sister for quite some time. Though she continued to make it in the Army, she realized it wasn’t for her, and she was honorably discharged in 1998. After that Samantha began working in the service industry—cooking, factories, construction, etc. She worked at least two jobs while still doing weekend drills in the Army National Guard until November 1999, when she decided to move to Alabama.

After moving to Alabama, Samantha tried to find some form of acceptance. She was still questioning who she was and what she wanted to do. She worked herself up into management positions at multiple jobs over the years, but was also involved in many unhealthy relationships, and rather than getting out of these relationships, they destroyed her career. After three marriages and multiple jobs, Samantha finally began to live for herself. She had a job she loved and a partner that accepted her for who she was. The problem was that she had an addiction, and in October 2011 was sentenced to 97 months in prison. In February 2012, Samantha surrendered to the prison system.

While in prison, she had the opportunity to reflect on her life, the poor choices she had made, and the harm she had caused others. She also realized who she truly is on the inside and took steps to begin the transition process. Samantha signed up for many self-development courses (anger management, stress management, etc.), as well as a residential Cognitive Behavioral Therapy course, so she had the chance to learn how to manage her thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. She also began fighting for the rights of trans individuals, as well as other LGBT and oppressed people within the prison system.

Samantha was released from prison in May 2019 and relocated to Chicago with the help of family and friends. Since moving to Chicago, she has worked as a chef at a local restaurant in Rogers Park called Smack Dab. She has been there for 2 ½ years now and is loving every minute of it. She uses this opportunity to educate individuals about self-growth—motivating people to be the best versions of themselves, showing them that they can be anything they want to be. Samantha has also been working with a national non-profit organization to build bridges between the larger society and incarcerated people. She has spoken at events about the oppression of the incarcerated, as well as LGBT people in general.

Samantha’s goal is to get a degree in Social Justice Advocacy, and she also wants to study psychology, in order to give hope to those who have felt that nobody would ever listen to, help, or fight for them. She wants to teach society that, though our skin tones may be different and our sexuality and identity may not be same, inside we are all people, and we should all have the same rights. Samantha reflects: “I know I made many poor choices over the years. I regret the fact that I have hurt and embarrassed my family, as well as many other people throughout my life. I also know that, if society were more balanced, my life’s outcomes would have been different.”

Richard Rowe is a Senior Program Manager with the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), where he co-leads CSH’s National Justice work. He has over 20 years of professional and lived experience in this area. In his role as Senior Program Manager, he provides TA support, training, and input for reducing barriers to housing. Richard began his work with CSH in 2017 as the lead Collaboration Manager for Housing Supports for Families in Transition Program in partnership with the Department of Family and Support Services, Chicago Public Schools, the Office of the Mayor, and the University of Chicago’s Urban Labs. He helped to implement Chicago’s Coordinated Entry System for families with children.

Prior to joining CSH, he was the Manager of Clinical Operations with Heartland Health Outreach (HHO), where he oversaw day-to-day operations of programs serving people with lived experience of homelessness. He led a diverse team of professionals to new levels of success in services designed to meet short and long-term needs. This included producing measurable outcomes and tangible results through the delivery of housing, healthcare, addiction treatment, behavioral health sciences, and health care management.

Subsequent to Heartland, he was a Supervisor of Community Specialty Services, with six direct reports on access to healthcare and social services among homeless families with children and individuals with complex medical and mental conditions, substance use disorders, and justice involvement. In addition, he provided operations and consulting support to A Safe Haven Foundation, where his primary responsibilities centered on Addiction Treatment and Affordable Housing.

Richard has extensive experience at both the program and senior leadership levels. As a result, he has been nominated or appointed to serve on a number of key boards and committee seats. He’s an active participant in Chicago’s Continuum of Care (CoC), having held several leadership positions in Chicago’s CoC, including three terms as Board Chair. He has dedicated many hours to volunteer work with the following organizations:

Next Steps, NFP Board President: 2018-present
All Chicago Lived Experience Commission, Leadership Team: 2010-present
The Illinois Reentry Council, Housing Workgroup, Co-Chair: 2021-present
Chicago Continuum of Care, Board Chair: 2013, 2016, and 2021
Chicago CoC, Executive Board Member, and former Treasurer, Secretary: 2013-14
Chicago Low Income Housing Trust Fund Board Member, Mayoral Appointment: 2018-19
Chicago Torture Justice Center, Board Member: 2017-19
Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation Board Member, Vice President: 2014-16

Richard’s honors include the University of Chicago Jane Addams Center for Social Policy and Research Community Achievement Award (2014) and the All Chicago Partner of the Year Award (2012). He holds an associate’s degree in Liberal Studies from Lakeland Community College and is currently completing his bachelor’s degree at 91Porn.

Second Cohort (Appointed August 2021)

Willette Benford

Willette Benford’s initial relationship with education was peppered with love and hatred. Growing up, she came to believe the lie that she could not learn. She began to hate attending class and ultimately dropped out of school in the ninth grade. During a period of incarceration, she was tested for school placement because it was a requirement. When she received her scores, she found that she had tested higher than anyone in the class. Thirty days after the test, she had her GED. This was only the beginning. Willette’s appetite had been whet. She finally realized that learning was something she possessed the intelligence to do and was quite capable of. From that point, she began to take every class available within the system. She attended classes for every available certificate, from cosmetology to business management and building maintenance. She ultimately acquired her associate degree. As time went on, school was taken out of the equation because the classes she needed to acquire her bachelor’s degree were no longer available.

While practicing her faith as a Christian, Willette began to teach Bible study. She did this for 13 years, becoming an ordained minister in 2007. In 2019, she started to work downtown at City Hall as a legislative assistant; she did that for about a year, switching jobs during the pandemic. In July 2020, Willette was offered the position as Decarceration Organizer for Live Free Illinois. Live Free is a faith-based organization, and she is responsible for organizing faith leaders, formerly incarcerated individuals, and community leaders around the issues that affect their communities. Last year her supervisor asked if she thought about going back to school. Needless to say she had not, yet at that moment the seed was planted.

As Willette began to think about completing her bachelor’s degree, she reached out to NEIU to inquire about classes and was connected with an amazing advisor who has supported her every step of the way. The support continued even when she did not enroll during the summer semester because of uncertainty. This fall she decided that she would no longer postpone enrollment and took the leap and enrolled. Willette was accepted as a senior, with 91 transferable credits. That was one of the most exciting pieces of news, since it meant that all of the inside work had eventually paid off. Past life experiences have made Willette think about studying theology, however, her path into the criminal justice reform space has her contemplating justice studies, too. (Mercy and justice, the two areas we can all benefit from.) In five years Willette would like to be a homeowner, have a master’s degree, while consulting and advising on reentry issues as an expert in the field, alongside a team of justice-impacted women that have been educated, activated, and politicized to do the same and are leading in these spaces.

Kevin Blumenberg

Kevin Blumenberg is a citizen returning home after spending approximately 30 years in prison. If our environment educates us, it can also miseducate us, and we can become a product of that environment. After going through his own personal transitions, Kevin didn’t want his experiences to become a disease to himself or others. In order to help others change in positive ways and to learn from his experiences, he realized he needed to build on his education so he could come back to his community and others like his to help others avoid the mistakes he once made.

Currently, Kevin works as a community navigator for a company called Acclivus, helping others get their criminal records expunged, find jobs, and get back in school. He also works for The People’s Lobby, with its Mass Liberation squad, fighting for the people’s rights and winning the Pretrial Fairness Act. And Kevin is helping Parole Illinois to bring back parole for people who have natural life sentences and have served 20 years. He works to convince state senators and representatives to aid in this fight. He’s also talking to commissioners to try to get American Rescue Fund money into the communities that need it most.

Kevin has credits toward his associate’s degree and eventually would like to obtain a master’s degree in Public Policy. He wants to create programs to help communities thrive in positive ways towards betterment, etc. In five years, he would like to have his own 501( c)(3) established and be in a position to help communities throughout the state.

Kevin Gardner

Kevin Gardner (also known as Orion Meadows) is a Slam Performance Artist, activist, and author. He is currently a student at 91Porn, participating in the University Without Walls program. He chose NEIU because he wanted the opportunity to trace his own path, pursuing something that interests him as an individual, but that also would provide a service to his demographic: the urban/hip-hop community. He has declared Urban/Hip-hop Aesthetics and Culture as his major, because as a youth he was molded by these cultural aesthetics, which continue to have a profound impact on his life. They have become ubiquitous among urban youth, and he feels the need to tap into them as a resource for educating, raising awareness, and sparking creativity in the communities where such aesthetics and culture are prevalent. Besides being a UWW student, Kevin works as a residential aid at The Pioneer House, which is a residence for homeless veterans and returning citizens. It is the vision of Eddie Beard, who devoted himself to providing shelter and better living conditions for the less fortunate people in the community.

As a creative artist and member of the hip-hop community, he has always been driven to go beyond the boundaries others have attempted to set for him. This was something he was compelled to do while incarcerated, when he tried to finance his own higher education but was denied by the prison administration. Instead of becoming discouraged, he was motivated to pursue education informally. He was infuriated, and out of sheet defiance, he aspired to acquire as much knowledge and education as he could to show the system that the fire burning in his soul was zealous and no authority was powerful enough to stifle his development. This was his enrollment in a “University Without Walls,” long before he’d been informed about and admitted into Northeastern’s program. To Kevin, the universe was his university, and he sought to allow his mind to venture far out into the boundlessness of the macrocosm, as he endeavored to harness the creativity of his imagination and develop his skill as a writer. He found liberation through education, honing his craft, and using it to assist others in attaining liberation for themselves. As time progressed, he began publishing his work.

Kevin’s goal is to elevate the aesthetics of the culture he was reared in, which have had such an impact on him, his contemporaries, and innumerable urban youth today. He hopes to contribute to the understanding and appreciation of cultural aesthetics of hip-hop, as an ambassador and practitioner of the urban literary arts, building an establishment where the people in the community will be immersed in the wondrous glory emanating from the creative expressions of their beautiful minds. This will be a beauty they can look upon and be proud of for generations, passing it along to posterity to preserve with dignity.

Pablo Mendoza

Pablo Mendoza is currently a Research Fellow for the Prison + Neighborhood Arts/Education Project. He creates evaluation tools to answer the burning question: Is a community space that bridges the divide between incarcerated folks and their communities on the outside something that is needed/necessary? He has devised and implemented several evaluation tools to get at this question. Pablo is also using his lived experience to inform the development of the community space, particularly in terms of the traumas suffered by systems-impacted folks. He researches other organizations in order to be in community with and informed on best practices in the field of trauma-informed care.

The educational pathway that led Pablo to this moment involves the Education Justice Project. This in-prison higher education program introduced him to critical pedagogy, which changed his life forever. Because of this concept he was motivated to exercise his agency and advocate for the voiceless.

Pablo’s five-year goal is to finish his bachelor’s degree so that he can open a halfway house for returning citizens. He hopes to have a facility where folks can get on their feet and obtain the skills necessary to succeed in life. He will focus on immediate needs, like housing, to assuage their anxieties, also allowing for programming to deal with the trauma that contributes to recidivism–in short, taking a holistic approach to reentry.

Pablo’s interests are not tied to monetary gains. He aspires to create as much change as his efforts will allow and hopefully a bit more. His desires are tied to the youth of our communities because they will be the ones who will keep the ball rolling forward. Pablo strives to remove the stigma of poverty. He knows that is a lofty goal, but what is a dream if not something big? He would like to know that he contributed something to this world besides pain and sorrow. His dream is to bring about healing. Healing is something that is necessary but too rarely sought after or thought of. He hopes to change that.

Kilroy Watkins

As a young African American male, Kilroy Watkins was targeted by the late Lt. Commander Jon Burge and his officers, who tortured him into signing a false confession back in 1992. Said false confession eventually resulted in a guilty finding by the court and a sentence of nearly 60 years. Kilroy knew early on that in order to prove his innocence he must learn the law and how the criminal justice system works. This was the start of his journey back to school to acquire his GED and then to enroll in college, to obtain his paralegal certification. Kilroy’s paralegal certificate allowed him to obtain employment in the prison law library, to work on his case, and to continue his college education towards a degree. In his nearly 30 yrs of incarceration, he worked in five institutional law libraries and assisted thousands of his peers with appeals, grievances, civil lawsuits, and exonerations.

Kilroy now works as a Community Fellow with the Human Rights Lab at the University of Chicago. The Human Rights Lab is actively engaging communities, students, and scholars on the crises of mass incarceration and racialized policing. He has also worked as a member of the Advisory Council of the University of Illinois Education Justice Project Reentry Guide Initiative. Kilroy now aims to acquire his undergraduate degree, which will help him with his professional goal to open Freedom Schools, which would be led by torture survivors, formerly incarcerated people, and their family members. The Freedom Schools would serve the needs of the community and address social issues that have had an enormous impact on communities of color, who are often underrepresented and over-policed. The five-year plan would be to expand the Freedom Schools throughout the City of Chicago and pave the way to Freedom Houses for formerly incarcerated men and women, to help with their reentry skills and relationship building with family and friends.

First Cohort (appointed January 2021)

Eric Blackmon

Eric Blackmon is a paralegal with the Roderick and Solange MacArthur Justice Center at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. In this role, he works alongside attorneys representing clients through complex civil litigation. Eric also works with the University of Chicago’s Pozen Center Human Rights Lab, where he takes part in shaping the minds of the next generation of activists, and assists with organizing and supporting many social justice events. He sits on the boards of several organizations, including the Chicago Torture Justice Center and the Justice Renewal Initiative.

Eric was wrongfully convicted and served 16 years in prison, during which he began his paralegal studies. While he has received the necessary credentials to serve as a paralegal, much of Eric’s legal education was obtained independently. His quest to help not only himself, but others imprisoned with him, led him deeper into the law. Eric was released from prison in 2018, was exonerated in 2019, and earned his certificate of innocence in 2020. He has continued his educational path, is currently completing his bachelor’s degree at 91Porn, and plans to attend law school in the near future.

Eric is regularly invited to speak about his work and life experience. He has presented at the College of DuPage’s Constitution Day alongside his attorney, the late Karen Daniel. He has also spoken with local high school students at their Martin Luther King Jr. event, in addition to addressing groups at Northwestern University, Roosevelt University, the University of Chicago, and various detention centers throughout the city.

Raphel Pierre Jackson

Raphel Pierre Jackson was incarcerated at the age of 16 and served more than 26 years in prison before he was released in 2020. For nearly three decades, he experienced a range of challenges and epiphanies; and, in that least likely of places, he discovered an appreciation for knowledge. At that time of his life the gang he belonged to had written laws, codes of conduct, and life philosophies all wrapped up in the term “literature”; that’s when he became interested in deconstructing and reconstructing knowledge.

He started to attend Adult Basic Education (ABE), and eventually would attain the Adult Basic Education Certificate, as well as a G.E.D., an Associate in Arts and Science, a Substance Abuse Counselor Training Certificate, Horticulture Certificate, as well as a Construction Certificate. He also facilitated trauma circles, cognitive behavioral therapy groups, as well as public health groups addressing STI prevention. And he participated in many graduate-level courses through the Educational Justice Project.

Raphel now serves as the Hospitality Manager and Navigator at Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation. His responsibilities include developing trauma and peace circle programming and life skills lessons like financial literacy. He is also responsible for managing the re-entry house, which consists of case management, facilitating house meetings, making sure that tenants have things like updated resumes, Social Security cards, birth certificates, job training, mental health resources, and employment resources. His long-term professional goal is to practice program development and evaluation, specifically focusing on inner-city programs that address trauma and violence, and eventually opening an evaluation firm. After acquiring a bachelor’s degree, he intends to pursue a doctorate in Community Psychology or Social Work.

Joseph Mapp

Joseph Mapp is a Restorative Justice Practitioner who is passionate about ending mass incarceration and turning the “school to prison pipeline” on its head by engaging in “prison to school” work. As a returning citizen who was incarcerated for nearly 27 years, Joseph has experienced firsthand the transformative power of education.

While incarcerated, he received two associate degrees, three vocational certificates, a Substance Abuse Counselor Certificate, and volunteered for over 10 years as a peer educator, facilitating adult literacy classes and several cognitive behavioral programs. Joseph wrote a proposal for a program that is now known as Community Anti-Violence Education (CAVE), a trauma-informed peer-facilitated program still utilized today in adult and youth facilities throughout the state. He also co-founded Language Partners, a nationally award-winning peer-led English as a second language program.

Following his release from prison, he continues this work as a Re-entry Case Manager for Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation, a faith-based restorative justice organization. Joseph’s responsibilities include supporting returned, formerly incarcerated citizens, community engagement, and policy advocacy. He collaborates with other organizations, including New Life Centers, to offer mentorship and trauma-informed education to incarcerated young men and juvenile detention facilities. In addition to this work, he volunteers for several organizations that are fighting to improve the conditions of those who are incarcerated, such as the Illinois Coalition for Higher Education in Prison, Communities in Dialogue, and People’s Liberty Project. Joseph is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree at NEIU, where he also plans to obtain a master’s degree in Business Administration.

Chris Patterson

Chris Patterson is the Chief Program Officer for Friends of the Children-Chicago, a program designed to support children and families in the Austin and North Lawndale communities. He also works with Chicago’s largest violence intervention efforts, READI Chicago and Community Partnering 4 Peace. Chris was a co-founder and Senior Director of Programs and Policy for the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago. He previously worked as a Community Organizer/CeaseFire Illinois Program Manager with ONE Northside, then as the Associate Director of Organizing for The Community Renewal Society.

With community leaders and organizing partners from around Chicago, Chris has worked tirelessly on several key bills to allow formerly incarcerated people employment access previously denied to them. These bills include: HB5701, the bill known as “Ban the Box”; SB42, the bill which allows people with records to work in the healthcare industry; and HB5973, which allows people with records the opportunity to work in fields not directly related to the past crime committed (e.g. Chicago Public Schools and Chicago Park Districts).

Chris is the author of "21: The Epitome of Perseverance," a memoir in which he details the steps he took to reverse a lifetime of bad decisions. He uses his experience and talents to address root causes of violence, and he mentors men and women who are at risk of incarceration, who are at risk of being harmed or harming others. Chris is pursuing his bachelor’s degree at 91Porn in the University Without Walls program so he can continue work in non-profit spaces, making Chicago safer for those who live here.

Colette Payne

Colette Payne is a Policy Associate at Cabrini Green Legal Aid. She started out as a coordinator for the Visible Voices program, which provides women with the tools to say ‘no’ to recidivism and ‘yes’ to life. Participants meet bi-weekly to share personal challenges, ideas, strengths, and hope with one another. Colette is also an organizer and much sought-after public speaker, and she shares her story with others to create change. She is also a consultant for the Women’s Justice Institute, whose mission is to reduce the number of women in prisons in the state by 50 percent. (She was the first formerly-incarcerated woman to serve in this role in the United States.) Colette helped create a report from the findings and The Women’s Correctional Services Act was passed.

Colette’s educational pathway started as a young child. Her parents stressed the importance of education and sent Colette and her siblings to Catholic school, despite living in poverty. However, after being incarcerated at the age of 14, she felt discouraged about going back because she was too far behind. After spending time in jails and prison, she went to Grace House, a halfway house with an adult high school program. She received her high school diploma there at the age of 34. After another period of incarceration, she was released and then started school at Harold Washington Community College, eventually transferring to the University Without Walls program at NEIU, where she is working towards her bachelor’s degree. Once she receives her bachelor’s degree, she plans to either attend law school or pursue a doctoral degree.

Sean Carey

Jason Gallardo — Thu, 18 Jun 2020 15:22:05 +0000

Sean Carey

Jason Gallardo Thu, 06/18/2020 - 10:22

Sean

Carey

Instructor

Courses Taught

NDP 301 - Putting it All Together: Projects for Academic and Career Goals

NDP 310 - WIP: Diversity in the Workplace

Research Interests

Course Design
Sound Engineering
New Media Effects

Education

M.A. Communication, Media, and Theatre, 91Porn (2019)

B.A. Interdisciplinary Studies, 91Porn (2017)

A.F.A. Music Performance, Wilbur Wright College (2013)

Background

Sean is a lifelong Chicagoan and proud graduate of both City Colleges of Chicago and 91Porn. In addition to teaching in the Nontraditional Degree Program at NEIU, Sean also has worked on several productions for NEIU's Stage Center Theatre. Further, he works at Wright College in Academic Support Services and in the Performing Arts Department, where he teaches the Fundamentals of Speech Communication.

s-carey3@neiu.edu

Office Hours

By appointment. Email s-carey3@neiu.edu.

(773) 442-6030

Nontraditional Degree Programs

Other Academic Areas

Main Campus

Newsletters

Timothy White — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 21:29:26 +0000

Newsletters

Timothy White Wed, 06/13/2018 - 16:29

Check out our newsletters!

Spring 2024

Fall 2023

Fall 2022

Volume 10, Issue 1

Spring 2020

Volume 8, Issue 2

Fall 2019

Volume 8, Issue 1

Spring 2019

Volume 7, Issue 2

Fall 2018

Volume 7, Issue 1

Spring 2018

Volume 6, Issue 2

Fall 2017

Volume 6, Issue 1

Spring 2017

Volume 5, Issue 2

Fall 2016

Volume 5, Issue 1

Spring 2016

Volume 4, Issue 2

Fall 2015

Volume 4, Issue 1

Special Edition, Summer 2015

Volume 3, Issue 3

Spring 2015

Volume 3, Issue 2

Fall 2014

Volume 3, Issue 1

Spring 2014

Volume 2, Issue 2

Fall 2013

Volume 2, Issue 1

Fall 2012

Volume 1, Issue 1

Scholarships

mbrown68 — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 15:39:28 +0000

Scholarships

mbrown68 Wed, 06/13/2018 - 10:39

Scholarships especially for BAIS and UWW students:

Explore other scholarships available for Northeastern students as well.

Help Us Build a Scholarship

Scholarships can be transformative. They affirm our students' good work and can make a crucial difference on the road to achieving one’s degree. We are working to build an endowed scholarship specifically for NDP. If you would like to help support this effort, you can make a tax-deductible gift to the NEIU Foundation in one of two ways:

Online, select Designation: “Nontraditional Degree Program,” and complete the rest of the form as prompted, or via check made payable to the NEIU Foundation. Please designate “Nontraditional Degree Program” in the memo and mail to: NEIU Foundation, 5500 North St. Louis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60625

Prior Learning Assessment

mbrown68 — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 15:31:38 +0000

Prior Learning Assessment

mbrown68 Wed, 06/13/2018 - 10:31

Our students come to us with a vast array of life and work experience. Our Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) program provides students with the opportunity to earn credit for that learning through the following two options:

Credit by Examination

Prior Learning Portfolio

A Prior Learning Portfolio is a written, documented description of prior experiential learning that is comparable in knowledge and skills to what students learn from taking a course at any regionally accredited American community college, college or university.

Prior learning can include learning acquired from:

Law enforcement professional experience
Employment and on-the-job training
Military training
Business ownership
Workshops and seminars
Volunteer work
Political/community involvement
Living abroad
Independent research

Portfolio Development

In Fall 2016, NDP began offering a new, one-credit-hour course, NDP 330: Creating a Prior Learning Portfolio, to help you create your portfolio. Our BAIS advisors are also available for individual portfolio appointments.

NDP 330: Creating a Prior Learning Portfolio

This new, one-credit-hour course guides students through the process of creating a portfolio that showcases prior learning experiences. The course examines issues relating to learning and life experience. It explores questions of academic specialization and professional development. Final portfolios can be used to request credit by assessment and as a testament to a student’s personal and professional accomplishments.

A Portfolio is comprised of ...

four major components: Course Narrative, Documentation, Autobiographical Essay, and Chronological Record.

The Course Narrative describes the learning in detail and is often similar to a major term paper for a course. The narrative discusses theories, concepts, and corresponding literature, demonstrating the student's mastery of the subject area.

The narrative must be well documented. Documentation supports the experiential statements in the narrative. Examples of supporting documentation are:

Job descriptions
Letters from employers
Certificates
Work product
Transcripts
Performance evaluation
Employee records

The Autobiographical Statement describes your learning experiences and your educational goals. Think of it as your method of introducing yourself to the faculty who will evaluate your portfolio. It will establish a context for your experiential learning. The autobiographical statement should include:

Description of your values as a student
Your short and long term educational goals, including your reasons for entering the BAIS program
An account of each of the events in your Chronological Record that describes your learning experiences and the circumstances that led you to acquire them.

A Chronological Record is a list of the significant life experiences you have had since high school that have led to college-level learning without college credit.

Fee

Qualified faculty members in the specific subject area evaluate each portfolio and award Prior Learning Credit. To submit a portfolio to a faculty member for review, the fee is dependent upon the number of awarded credits.

Prior to submission, BAIS staff will review your portfolio.

1-6 credits = The cost of 1/2 of one credit hour at NEIU's current tuition rate.

7-18 credits = The cost of 2/3 of one credit hour at NEIU's current tuition rate.

19-36 credits = The cost of one full credit hour at NEIU's current tuition rate.

Limitations

You cannot earn academic credit through the portfolio process for credit that has already been earned. If you have previously taken a course and did poorly in it, you cannot complete a portfolio to try and improve the grade.

PLA credit may be applied to all degree requirements except the BAIS NEIU residency requirement of 24 semester hours.

Nontraditional Degree Programs

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Nontraditional Degree Programs

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Prospective Student Meetings

NDP Newsletter

Adult Learners!

NDP Facebook Page

Nontraditional Degree Programs (NDP) include two regionally accredited undergraduate degree completion programs for adult students at 91Porn:

Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (BAIS) is a credit-based, alternative, self-paced program compatible with career and family responsibilities. Approximately 900 returning adult students are enrolled in BAIS.
University Without Walls Program (UWW) leads to a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. UWW students design and complete approved experiential curricula as an alternative to traditional courses.

Both programs offer:

Generous transfer credit policies
Flexibility and choices
Holistic advising
Academic rigor
Graduate school preparation
Options to demonstrate experiential learning

How to Become a Major

Schedule a Prospective Student Meeting (phone or video) by emailing ndp@neiu.edu. During the meeting a BAIS advisor will discuss your interests, needs, program requirements and answer any questions you might have. In order to apply to NEIU, go to the Admissions page and select NDP for application type.

For general Northeastern admission requirements, the Admissions Office helps new and returning students through the application process. In addition, the Transfer Center assists transfer students and students who are veterans transition to our campus.

Please note that an adult holding a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university will not be admitted to either program.

Academic Advising

Our advising staff is available to discuss transcripts, transfer credits, course selection, career options or any questions and concerns you may have. Once you are accepted to an NDP program, you will meet with one of the following advisors:

Zada Johnson, University Without Walls
Jennifer Blair, Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies
Jacqueline Butler, Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies

For Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies students, visit our Advising page.

Careers and Graduate Schools

Our graduates enter a variety of careers and graduate programs.

Free Tutoring for NDP Students

NDP regularly employs graduate assistants to tutor our students. If you are a current NDP student and are interested in using this service, please email us at ndp@neiu.edu or call our office at (773) 442-6030.

Help Us Build a Scholarship

Give to NEIU online, select Designation: Nontraditional Degree Programs, and complete the rest of the form as prompted.
Check made payable to the NEIU Foundation. Please designate Nontraditional Degree Programs in the memo, and mail to NEIU Foundation, 5500 North St. Louis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60625.
If your bank is set up with Zelle, you can make a donation to the NEIU Foundation right from your bank's own app and no fees are charged. Please designate Nontraditional Degree Programs in the memo, and send to neiufoundation@neiu.edu.

Location

NDP is housed in the B Building, Room 147.

Contact Us

Visit our Contact Us page!

Nontraditional Degree Programs

University Without Walls Forms and Examples

University Without Walls Forms and Examples

APPLICATIONS

DEPTH AREA

COMMUNITY ADVISORS

LEARNING CONTRACT

SEMESTER REPORT

INDEPENDENT STUDY FORMS

APPLICATION FOR GRADUATION

REQUEST TO CONVENE

NARRATIVE TRANSCRIPT

UWW HANDBOOK

University Without Walls Review Board

University Without Walls Review Board

What is a Graduation Review Board?

What is an Autobiographical Statement?

Dos and Don'ts

Do ...

Don't ...

Checklist for Evaluating your Personal Statement Drafts

You may request to convene a Graduation Review Board when all of the following conditions are met:

View the University Graduation Requirements in the Academic Catalog.

How Do I Organize My Review Board?

Filling Out the Request to Convene Form

What is the Narrative Transcript?

Depth Area

Effective Communication

Additional Documentation

Typically, students submit prior learning documentation with their Learning Contract and submit new learning documentation with each Semester Report.

What Needs to Be in the Portfolio and How Do I put It Together?

1. Title Page

2. Table of Contents

3. Narrative Transcript

4. Autobiographical Statement

5. Learning Contract

6. Semester Report

7.Transcripts

8. Additional Documents

Examples of Review Board

Day of REview The Board

Additional Requirements

University Without Walls Orientation

University Without Walls Orientation

What is Independent Study?

It's My First Semester, What Should I Do?

What Should I Do After I've Completed My First Semester?

What Should I Do If I'm Approaching My Last Semester?

What is the Learning Contract?

Your Learning Contract must include prior and proposed learning, as well as what you have gained from your experience in:

Please stop in to see a UWW staff member if you have questions or concerns around developing a learning contract.

What Areas Does the Learning Contract Include?

Breadth Area​

University Requirements

Depth Area

Effective Communication

What Is the Semester Report?

Suggested items to be Included in the Semester Report

How Can I Complete My Semester Report?

How Do I Track My Progress?

Documentation of your studies is a vital part of tracking your demonstrated learning outcomes. Your documentation can take a variety of forms, such as:

How Do I Document Readings That I Have Completed?

To document readings, as with all other kinds of documentation concerns, first consult with your Academic Advisor. In addition to this consultation, the UWW Office may be able to suggest possible documentation methods. Three of the most common ways UWW students document their readings are:

When You Are Documenting, Remember...

Typically, students submit Prior Learning documentation with their Learning Contract, and Proposed Learning documentation with each Semester Report.

University Without Walls Prospective Students

University Without Walls Prospective Students

How do I meet the University requirements?

Meeting the Math/Quantitative Reasoning Requirement

Meeting the Improving Human Relations Requirement

Meeting the Writing Intensive Program Requirement

Application Process

During the first semester in the UWW Program, students are expected to:

Breadth Areas

Depth Areas

Effective Communication

Learning Fellows Program

Learning Fellows Program

Third Cohort (Appointed January 2022)

Second Cohort (Appointed August 2021)

Breadth Area