In honor of Latine Heritage Month, Dominican University presents distinguished writer Ana Castillo, discussing her most recent book of poetry, My Book of the Dead, on Wednesday, September 15 at 5:30 p.m. A book signing will follow Castillo’s lecture. The program will be held in the Lund Auditorium, 7900 W. Division Street, River Forest.

Castillo is an internationally acclaimed poet, novelist, short story writer, and playwright. Her acclaimed works include So Far from God 1993), Peel My Love Like an

In partnership with Interfaith Youth Core, a team of DU student ambassadors fanned out through the Chicago area this summer, encouraging individuals to get vaccinated for COVID-19 and countering vaccine misconceptions.

In an article in the Forest Leaves (a Pioneer Press/Chicago Tribune newspaper), Glena Temple, who started as president of Dominican University on August 2, advised that she plans to help students move in to their residence halls on August 27. It's emblematic of Temple's down-to-earth style and desire to connect with students.

In an interview with the Wednesday Journal, conducted one week into her presidency at Dominican, Glena Temple described her role as being very different than a typical 9 to 5 job. 

"If you look at it as a job, the hours and the work can be a lot. But I love going to the athletic games of students or the fine arts performances or the art shows or research presentations, and that doesn't feel like work. That feels like the celebration of a community I care about--and that's what makes this job great!"

Melissa Cedillo covered Dominican University's "El Futuro is Here" conference for the National Catholic Reporter and reported that speakers discussed their diverse Latino backgrounds, described by Jeanette Rodriguez, professor of theology and religious studies at Seattle University, as a combination of mestijafe (mixed race), which, in her case, includes family members representing Ecuador. Mexico, Puerto Rico, Germany, Vietnam and Cuba. 

Chicago Catholic profiled Dominican President Glena Temple, one week into her tenure on campus. When asked why she considered leaving Viterbo University, where she had been for 20 years, including a stint as president, Temple indicated thar, while she was not actively looking for another job, Dominican was attractive as a role model for best practices in serving the needs of a diverse student body.

National Catholic Reporter published a preview of Dominican University's upcoming "El Futuro is Here!" conference, August 3 - 5. The conference is being held to explore ways of understanding and appreciating the cultures of Latinx students and to encourage Catholic campus ministries to change their practices to better serve these students' unique needs. 

River Forest, IL - Dominican University has been recognized as a recipient of the Daily Herald Business Ledger’s inaugural Diversity in Business Awards. The university is the only educational institution to be included among 18 Chicago and suburban award recipients, including Bank of America, Comcast, and Zurich NA.

Donna Carroll discussed her remarkable 27-year tenure at Dominican University for a special issue of Diversity Issues in Higher Education honoring retiring college presidents. She discussed the university's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion as well as her personal advocacy on behalf of undocumented students. She also shared information on Dominican's leadership with its own community on anti-racism efforts.

Dominican University is working with Proviso Township Math and Science Academy to offer a dual credit course on "Africa and African American Thought" as part of the high school's expanded and enhanced Black History program. The course, which will be taught by Nkuzi Nnam, director of Dominican's Black World Studies program, will be open to junior and senior students. The program was spurred by Proviso students, including Ivoryana Neal and Danaria Keys (pictured), who wanted a more robust treatment of Black History than what they had been receiving.