Hello Huskies,
 
It has certainly been a summer, actually a year, unlike any other as COVID-19 has disrupted almost every aspect of our daily lives. I sincerely hope you and your family are doing well as we all continue to adjust to this new way of life.
 
I'm happy to report that NIU student-athletes, along with our staff, have done a great job of making adjustments as they have returned to campus. From observing new protocols in our buildings to how workouts are conducted to preseason schedules, the student-athletes who are back have handled these necessary changes remarkably well.
 
We have already seen changes to our fall schedules as conferences around the country, including the Mid-American Conference, continue to monitor the public health data and recommendations regarding the coronavirus. We anticipate more information regarding the MAC's fall plans will be announced in the near future and will share that with you as soon as it is announced.
 
Huskie Athletics is changing too. Earlier this month, President Freeman announced a reorganization of the NIU RecWell program which moved operations of NIU Recreation to Intercollegiate Athletics. This move allows us to serve an even larger portion of the student body and further strengthen the connection between NIU's Division I student-athletes and other students on campus. With this change, NIU Athletics now includes management of the club and intramural sports programs and oversight of the NIU Recreation Center, the Outdoor Recreation Sports Complex and the office of Outdoor Adventures. We are so pleased to welcome members of the recreation staff to our athletics family!
 
The union with NIU's recreation operation comes on the heels of last year's transition of the Huskie Marching Band and Silverettes to Athletics. Earlier this year, we also enhanced Athletics' connection with the NIU Esports program as they joined with other Mid-American Conference institutions to create the Esports Collegiate Conference.  Working with the NIU Office of Academic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, we are taking an even more active role in addressing social justice initiatives.
 
These are just the latest examples of the ways in which Huskie Athletics is connected to nearly every aspect of university life.
 
Athletics' contributions to student life and recruitment includes involvement with and support of events and programs like Jobs Plus, Homecoming, Welcome Week, Orientations, Open Houses and Admitted Students Days. From Admissions to Military Science, Student Involvement, Campus Dining, Academic Affairs and the NIU Alumni Association, our collaborations throughout campus reinforce our commitment to moving NIU forward.   
 
We provide numerous opportunities to students to advance their academic pursuits – from athletic training to nutrition and dietetics to sports administration, marketing and beyond – through internships, clinicals and class observations, research projects, student employment and graduate assistantships. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in the classroom as an instructor for LESM 341, and several of our athletic training professionals also serve as adjunct instructors for the athletic training program in KNPE.
 
The PDF document  includes many examples of the way that Huskie Athletics is integrated in the academic, external and student life aspects of NIU. In addition, check out this Frazier's Corner from last October where I detailed many of our university and community-wide partnerships.   
 
Throughout my time at NIU, we have worked hard to ensure that the impact of Athletics on all students extends well beyond just providing tickets to competitions, and that the athletic department contributes to the overall university experience for students and staff. I firmly believe we have demonstrated great success in that comprehensive approach while keeping the portion of undergraduate general fees that support athletics and rec sports at one of the lowest levels of any Mid-American Conference institution. This ongoing institutional support is extremely important as we continue to serve and engage all students, provide an ongoing and extremely visible marketing tool for the university through our competitions and events, and contribute to the academic development and student life components of NIU.
 
Huskie Athletics has been a part of the fabric of Northern Illinois University throughout its 125-year history, through world wars and recessions, crises, triumphs and now, a pandemic. These extraordinary circumstances have only strengthened our commitment to serve and support the students and staff, alumni, our community and all of Huskie Nation.
 
Thank you for your support.
 
Go Huskies!
 
 
Sean T. Frazier
Associate Vice-President and Director of Athletics