Slivka Residential College

Freshman Mailer A Letter from Our President and Master

2010 - 2011

Hello! And welcome to Slivka, the Residential College of Science & Engineering. Our goals are to promote interactions between our students and faculty in casual settings beyond the confines of classroom walls; to offer our students a wide array of exciting intellectual, cultural, sporting, and social events; and to actively involve our students in a friendly, comfortable living and learning community. At Slivka, we encourage a humanistic view of science and engineering. We interpret this in many ways. Included among us are students pursuing majors in science and engineering as well as in the humanities and music. This creates a group of shared yet diverse Owen Priest, Master, and Ryan Brock, President interests, which fosters a sense of belonging in the community. Our activities include trips to Chicagos renowned museums, theaters, and comedy clubs. We also have fun camping, biking, BBQing, attending professional sporting events, and dancing at our winter formal (usually held at a special venue in Chicago). Within Slivka's walls, we host a range of events, from social, to academic, to philanthropic, and even technological (we are the Science and Engineering dorm, after all). We eat meals with professors in the dining hall and at quarterly Student Faculty Receptions. Additional activities during the academic year may include special for-credit seminars offered exclusively to students of Slivka (in the past, topics included American Sign Language, Visual Basic, and AIDS and Society). The key to all of our events is that they grow out of student interest. Engagement in our community will lead to very close ties and lasting friendships, so we strongly encourage you to not only participate in Slivkas activities, but also to personally get involved in organizing additional activities of your own. Whats inside: Most members of our community live in Slivka Hall, a state-of-the-art facility with features such as high-speed Internet access, a cyber caf, a music room, and a Discovery Room stocked with scientific equipment and computers for exclusive use Exec Board 2 by Slivka's residents. The large, kitchen-equipped recreation lounge is a favorite meeting place for students to unwind by playing billiards, ping-pong, or foosball Master Staff 4 with professional-quality equipment or simply to have munchies while watching their favorite show on the big screen TV. This room is also used to host firesides given Members 4 by Northwestern professors, as well as a wide range of other special events. Slivka's residents are some of the best, brightest, and most talented young men and women at The Facilities 5 Northwestern. We hope that you will forge new and enduring relationships and have the time of your life at Slivka. While there are many different places to live on campus, at Slivka, we like to think of ourselves as one of the most tight-knit communities. We hope that you are looking forward to being a part of the Slivka community as much as we are looking forward to having you join it. We cannot wait to meet you in the fall! Owen Priest Master Ryan Brock President
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Checklist Shopping Websites Editors Letter

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Ryan Brock, President Class of 2011, Materials Science & Engineering

ryanbrock2011@u.northwestern.edu
Ryan Brock, I am President of Slivka, yes Material Science. Engineer is me, I rock FIFA World Cup Goallllllll!!!! Fantastico!!!! Love Slivka, intense Want to attend all events Haikus are too hard.

So basically, Im your president for the upcoming year. Im here to help you transition to college, get to know the dorm, and anything else you need. If you have questions/comments/stories/witty comments/anything to say about the Cubs, Facebook friend me! If its about poetry friend the academic chair. written by Brittany Zhang

Ford Culver, Vice President Class of 2012, Biomedical Engineering Mechanical Engineering
fordculver2012@u.northwestern.edu
Ford is, on the surface, an always-smiling, helpful, and all-around likeable guy. But behind the faade lurks an evil mastermind. Under the guise of completing the BS/MS program AND becoming a doctor, this ambitious gentleman comes ever closer to his true goal: world domination. Arch enemy: Kushal Amin, former vice president, coerced out of office by this smooth-talking criminal. Evidence: The Culvers make up 20% of the Exec Board. They live close to campus, in case backup is needed in their plans for domination. Also, as VP, Ford keeps track of house points. In other words, Ford has sole control over who lives in Slivka. Ford enjoys golf, tennis, and playing the French horn Sure, Ford. Whatever you say. Were on to you. written by Amy Blood

Jimmy Clifton, Treasurer Class of 2013, Biology Religious Studies

jamesclifton2013@u.northwestern.edu
James Clifton is a human male who is most recognizable for portraying a female chicken. This would be unfortunate for most people but Jimmy seems to have taken this identity to heart. He can now be found sitting for extended periods of time in the same spot playing Xbox. In between his hatching trial runs, Jimmy likes to attend class, play IM sports, socialize, eat, study, sleep, attend various NU events, make new friends, get groceries, play outside, and cause trouble. Overall, we dont think Jimmy is much different when he dresses up as a chicken. written by Derek Morris

Sam Carton, Academic Class of 2012, Computer Science

samuelcarton2012@u.northwestern.edu
Deep in Slivka, one can find the rare Sam Carton (Computerus Scientificus). It is possible to observe the Sam Carton quietly hunched over a computer, writing long strings of code. When removed from Bethesda, Maryland, it can be found in a variety of locations from the study lounge to scaling small buildings. An altruistic creature, it seeks to coax persons of academia to give presentations and to organize events that expand the minds of those around it. In isolation, this creature seeks comfort in works of literature and poetry. One can see it partaking in a unique activity that can only be describe as a rudimentary version of ultimate Frisbee. This form of social dynamics seems to indicate a very friendly creature. written by Matt Kan

Amy Blood, Faculty Class of 2013, Biology

amyblood2013@u.northwestern.edu
A native of Collinsville, IL (it's basically St. Louis), Amy Blood is a bio major and pre-med student. As a sophomore and thus one of the younger members of the Slivka Exec Board, her academic ambitions are well matched by her efforts as Faculty Chair. Her main goal for Slivka is to increase the involvement of our fellows in order to enrich the sense of Slivka community and enhance the ties between the academic and social aspects of residential college life. She's not all work and no play; she's an active singer and actress and a big fan of movies (that don't feature chainsaw wielding maniacs). written by Austin Culver

Austin Culver, Social Class of 2012, Biomedical Engineering

austin.culver@gmail.com
As historian, I have to interact with Austin a lot. Mostly, I bug him every Saturday night/Sunday morning to update the Google Calendar/plan the social events for the week. Thus, Ive gotten to know him rather well. He probably spends too much time in the rec lounge playing COD4: Modern Warfare; sometimes I find him playing at 5am. During these hours, I ask him if he has started his BME problem sets due in four hours. His usual response is, Ill do it soon. Somehow, I doubt him. Despite his mass procrastination, Austin is a very dependable guyif I ever want to throw around a Frisbee, I know who I can ask. That, however, will not stop him from using his monstrous strength to throw people into the snow. Dont be fooled by this; Austin is a giant teddy bear. written by Jen Dotrong

Brittany Zhang, Philanthropy Class of 2013, Biology International Studies

brittanyzhang2013@u.northwestern.edu
Hola! Im Brittany Zhang, but you can call me B-Zhang! A member of the Class of 2013, I am your enthusiastic, overly-social, and crazy philanthropy chair from Michigan. To show you just how enthusiastic I am, here are some instances last year that tell a bit about who I am. When running for philanthropy chair, I talked to almost every person I could to see what the job was and what the job could potentially be. At Dance Marathon, I spent most of my time dancing with a man in a chicken suit. I was the MC for the Slivka Bachelor Auction, and during this auction, I did a dance to Lady Gagas Bad Romance with your treasurer, Jimmy Clifton. Check out those Facebook pics! Anyway, I cant wait to meet you freshman! Get excited for the best years of your life! written Jimmy Clifton

Derek Morris, IT Class of 2012, Computer Science Cognitive Science

derekmorris2012@u.northwestern.edu

When he came to Northwestern, Derek was covered in glossy, thick, dark brown fur, spoke no English, and was an efficient and deadly predator. His floor-mates, awash with both pity for his degenerate state and a healthy respect for his razor-sharp incisors, taught him to speak, dress himself, and develop websites. Derek is now a successful and happy computer science major in the engineering school with a strong interest in cognitive science and only the occasional glimpse of his feral nature is apparent to the casual onlooker. written by Sam Carton

Matt Kan, Facilities Class of 2013, Civil Engineering

matthewkan2013@u.northwestern.edu
Matt Kan is a sophomore from Brecksville, Ohio, and is one of the few Civil Engineering majors. During his free time, Matt works at the Apple store at Norris, and is overly obsessed with anything silver, shiny, and has a picture of an apple on it. He even owns the award winning MacBook Wheel. Matt is also involved with club swimming and the endless hours of work demanded per day from engineering professors. As facilities director of the building, Matt is responsible for maintaining all the common areas of the building. As the resident janitor, Matt has every key to the building and is the proud owner of an elevator key for Slivka. If you ever need to use the elevator in Slivka, or are just feeling lazy, text him and he will be there within 30 seconds. written by Ford Culver

Jen Dotrong, Historian Class of 2013, Biomedical Engineering Religious Studies

jenniferdotrong2013@u.northwestern.edu

Well, I know Jen is going to destroy me regardless of what I write, so I'll go for broke. Jen is famous for being the angriest and shortest member of the Lollipop Guild. True story, check the credits. She decided the Munchkin life was not for her, and so decided to move from Ohio to study Biomedical Engineering and Religious Studies at Northwestern. She seems harmless enough, but don't let the cute little happy Asian girl act fool you! She once beat me up and stole my backpack! Jen is also well known for being hit in the face in every sport ever invented (or as she calls it, she "plays IM sports"). She's Slivka's historian, which means she writes awesome weekly newsletters for us, maintains the calendars, and yells at Austin a lot. written by Ryan Brock

A Letter from Our Master Staff

Greetings! My name is Owen Priest. I am a Distinguished Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chemistry at Northwestern and the Director of the Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Laboratories. This fall, when you join Slivka, I will be starting my first year as the Master. The Master of a residential college is responsible for the intellectual leadership of the college and serves as an unofficial advisor to and an advocate for the students of the college. While I do not live on campus (I live in Chicago), I intend to be a visible presence in the dorm. The Masters office is on the first floor of Slivka by the main entrance; when working in the office, I will have an open door policy. Owen Priest, Master The remainder of the Master Staff consists of an o-priest@u.northwestern.edu David Chopp, Associate Master Associate Master and an Assistant Master. The Associate Master chopp@northwestern.edu is David Chopp, a professor in the Department of Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics. Professor Chopps research interests include numerical methods, scientific computations, and the motion of interfaces. Applications of his work include bacterial biofilms, neurophysiology, crack propagation, and solidification among other areas. Jen Hobbs is our Assistant Master. Jen lived in Slivka as an undergraduate and is now a graduate student in Northwesterns physics department. She lived in Slivka for many years, so she brings a lot to the table. Jen Hobbs, Assistant Master Even though I do not live near Slivka, Ryan Brock jenniferhobbs2008@u.northwestern.edu (President) and Ford Culver (Vice President) know how to reach me 24/7 for important matters and in emergency situations. If you ever have questions or concerns, please contact me, another member of the Master Staff, or a member of the Executive Board.

Members of the Community

Along with the Master Staff and the Executive Board, Slivka has several other resources that incoming freshmen can use. Community Assistants Northwesterns version of RAs, community assistants (a.k.a. CAs), are responsible for their residents following the rules set forth by University Housing. They make a great resource for all questions about university life. CAs report to an Area Coordinator; ours is Kristina, who lives in the building. All CAs are fellow undergraduates. We have three who live in Slivka, on the second, third, and fourth floors. Suitemates Suites are made up of upperclassmen and freshmen. Upperclassmen begin moving in the Friday of Welcome Week; we all remember what its like on the first day of college, so please do not hesitate to ask for help.

Fellows Every residential college has a set of professors and graduate students who are associated with the college. You will frequently find fellows at P2P (Peer-toProfessor) lunches and Student-Faculty Receptions (SFR). Theyre great for questions about classes, research, and life. Many will be your professors during your time here at Northwestern. Moose Moose is Jen Hobbs adorable Cattle Dog/Spaniel mix. He is the unofficial Slivka mascot and can be found attending most outdoor events (especially IM games).

The Facilities
Common Areas Seminar room (1st floor) similar to a library room; sometimes used as a conference room Study lounge (1st floor) generally the louder; more social study area Rec lounge (2nd floor) indoor socializing area; firesides and house meetings are held here; contains TV, X-box, DVD player, Ping-Pong table, pool table, foosball table, couches and coffee tables Discovery Room (basement) abbreviated DR; extremely quiet study area; occasional rave location Laundry room (basement) 5 washers, 6 dryers; $1 to wash one load, $1 to dry Music room (basement) contains: stand, upright piano, keyboard Floors Kitchens (2nd, 3rd, 4th floors) 1st and 2nd floor share the same kitchen (located in the rec lounge); contains: full-size refrigerator/freezer, dishwasher (dishwasher tablets provided), microwave, oven, stove, sink (dish soap provided) Trash/Recycling (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th floors) community trash cans and recycling bins; emptied daily Suites Combination of singles and doubles (no more than 8 people per suite) Lounge can be (and usually is) decorated by suitemates; contains: floor lamp, couch, two lounge chairs, coffee table Two bathrooms contains: shower (shower curtain provided), bathroom stall (toilet paper provided), sink(s) (hand soap provided) Rooms For each resident: one desk, one wooden chair, one bed (extra-long twin with mattress), one closet space, one dresser, one bookshelf, one personal trashcan, one personal recycling bin one ceiling light one air conditioning/heating unit one full-length mirror carpeted floors

Checklist
Consider bringing: Clothes: formal (necessary for the Thanksgiving dinner), warm (the temperature can drop by Thanksgiving) Laundry hamper Toiletries (hand soap is provided) Shower items (shower caddies can be very useful to ferry items) Computer/laptop (laptops are useful for working anywhere other than your room; both PC and Mac are popular) Ethernet cable (needed to watch NUTV; extremely useful for LANs) Alarm clock Extra lighting (desk lamps are helpful) Flashlight (for sporadic power outages) Hangers Cooking utensils (if you intend to cook; most people are willing to share) Refrigerator (a personal one is helpful, though there are community fridges; no larger than 3ft3) Spare cash (SPAC and Tech have ATMs; theres a $2 surcharge of you dont belong to US Bank) Pillow, extra-long sheets, blankets, comforter Notebooks/paper/binders Printer (its handy to have one in your room) Additional Storage (milk crates are popular, cheap alternatives) Bike (and bike lock; Northwestern holds a bike sale at the beginning of the year) Doorstop (to be social!) Do not bring: Pets (even fish) Microwaves Coffee makers/water heaters Alcohol (if under 21) Firearms/explosives Illegal substances

Local Shopping
Target (retailer), OfficeMax (office supplies), Best Buy (electronics), Jewel (groceries): South on Sheridan, continue on Chicago, right on Howard, right on Sacramento. The Shop-N-Ride drops off and picks up students from here every Sunday. Dominick's (grocery): South on Sheridan, continue on Chicago, right on Dempster. On left. D&D (corner grocery): South on Sheridan, right on Noyes. On right.

Helpful Websites
Campus Map: Locations for Wildcat Welcome events www.northwestern.edu/visiting/maps NUCuisine: Provides information about meal plans www.northwestern.edu/nucuisine Slivka's Website: Information about Slivka. Directions are listed under About the Building. www.slivka.northwestern.edu Norris Bookstore: Find out what textbooks classes need northwestern.bncollege.com

A Letter from the Editor

Hellloooo Freshmen! Welcome to Northwestern and Slivka! Move-in day can be extremely stressful, especially if youre a freshman (I know mine was). But dont worry; you have a staff of ten upperclassmen whose sole job is to make your transition from home life to college life a smooth one. Well be wandering around Slivka, helping you move in, unpack, rearrange your furniture, and answer any questions you might possibly have. After unpacking and getting your keys (one Marlok for suite doors and one specifically for your room), come to the Masters Reception! Itll be staggered around lunch time so everyone can attend. Lunch will be provided and its intended for both students and parents. There, you and your parents can ask us (the Executive Board) or the Master Staff any questions you might have about going to school at Northwestern or living in Slivka. Your first week here will be crazy and hectic. Your schedule will be jam packed not only with Northwestern events but also with Slivka events. You will be assigned a peer advisor (or PA), who will lead you through the mandatory activities during the day. If you arent sure which events to go to, just remember you have to go to Essential NUs and you should take placement tests (if you havent already), get your WildCARD at Norris, and attend anything that has to do with your schedule (each school hosts its separate information session). Youll also meet with your academic advisor, a professor from your department that will help you with graduation requirements and course selection all through freshmen year. Freshmen begin registering for classes near the end of Welcome Week. If you dont know what to take, dont worry! Youll have a ton of Slivkans you can ask for advicebetween the 70+ us, weve probably
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taken all the science and engineering courses. At night, Northwesterns student groups offer a huge selection of shows: theatre, a capella, dance, skits, etc. Attend any performances youre interested in! I watched the a capella show and thought it was fantastic. There will be enough offered that everyone will find something pertaining to their interests. On Friday, sophomores, juniors, and seniors will begin to move in. Youll meet the rest of your suitemates and youll partake in ice breaker activities meant to introduce all the freshmen to the upperclassmen. Most likely, youll also be dragged into a game of Apples to Apples, Settlers of Catan, Carcassonne, or Mafia (we love our board games). Or you can play Call of Duty or FIFA World Cup (which are always on in the rec lounge). It sounds like a ton, but here are some things you can do to make Wildcat Welcome Week a lot easier: Check your @u.northwestern account. Your email will become your main form of communication. Northwestern sends out a lot of information about Essential NUs, placement tests, tuition, and such at the end of summer. Join the Slivka Residential College 2010-2011 Facebook group. This is the easiest way to contact any upperclassmen, ask questions, and introduce yourself before coming here! Talk to your roommate. Its a good idea to plan out who is bringing what, so you dont end up with two fridges in one room. You can also find your suitemates on the Facebook group. Watch Somebody in a chicken suit. No, seriously. Its on YouTube. Our Master and treasurer have over half a million views. All in all, have fun and relax! Classes havent started Jen