Student photography showcased at CHESS Gallery

The CHESS Art Gallery hosted a collection of photographs taken by students during the Communication and Creative Arts Department’s study abroad trip to Paris last Maymester. The show took place Feb. 24 and showcased the work of 11 PNW students and two instructors who participated in last summer’s trip to the city of lights. The showing was free and open to the public.

Black History poetry slam

PNW’s Building Community Through the Arts (BCTA) program hosted its annual black history month poetry slam at the university’s CHESS Art Gallery on Feb. 13. Fourteen students performed original poems in the theme, “There is no better than adversity.” This year’s winners were Andrianna Johnson (1st place), Jade Rios (2nd place) and AJ Saleh (3rd place). They were awarded cash prizes up to $150.

Valentine’s fundraiser fights domestic violence

To raise awareness about domestic violence, Theta Kappa Pi sorority sold cotton candy and carnations on Feb. 12-13. fundraiser Proceeds from the annual Valentine’s Day fundraiser were donated to a local women’s shelter.  

New Regional Health Systems clinic opens on Hammond campus

Regional Health Systems will open its third Hammond location in the Riley building south of the Fitness and Recreation Center. The clinic is open to students, faculty, staff and the local w. The clinic will provide multiple services such as primary care, physicals, sick visits and immunizations. According to Amy Lopez, vice president of health services, most insurance plans are accepted at the new clinic. 

For those who do not have health insurance, the clinic offers a discount based on family size and income. Regional Health Systems also provides a health insurance navigator that can assist individuals in finding insurance for their health care needs.  

The Riley building location opened Feb. 24. The new location marks the fifth in northwest Indiana for Regional Health Systems.

Police probe off-campus shooting of PNW student

Hammond and PNW police are investigating the shooting of a PNW student as he walked approximately a mile from the Hammond campus early on Feb. 14.

Four PNW baseball players, leaving a party early Friday morning, were waiting for a ride-share when the shooting took place. 

One student was shot in the leg as he walked on the 6600 block of Marshall Avenue. Five shots were fired from a passing car before the students took shelter in a store on the corner of 169th Street and Kennedy Avenue. The student was taken to a hospital and is in stable condition.

Personal information about the student including their name, class status and the hospital to which they were taken is unavailable due to federal law protecting student privacy, according to Kristen Falzone, associate vice chancellor of PNW’s Marketing and Communications Department.

The university’s Director of Public Safety, Brian Miller, said that the shooting is believed to have been a “completely random incident”. Police are looking for a male in his 20s wearing light-colored hoodie and sweatpants and driving a large, dark SUV, possibly a GMC Yukon.

Police ask that anyone with information on the crime contact Hammond Police Detective Sgt. Mark Ferry at 219-852-2991.

Spanish Club raises funs for Puerto Rico relief

On Feb. 3-4, the Spanish Club raised over $300 for the victims of a 6.4 magnitude earthquake that hit Puerto Rico on Jan. 7. The proceeds were donated to the Unidos Disaster Relief and Recovery Program. During the past 30 days, Puerto Rico has experienced more than 1,500 earthquakes, most of them imperceptible.