President Obama comes home for farewell address

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Reporter: Fallon Gallagher

CHICAGO – President Barack Obama returned to Chicago Tuesday night to deliver his farewell address. He emphasized the importance of unity and civic engagement, especially during the transition.

The president broke tradition by coming home to deliver his address from the McCormick Place Convention Center. The roaring crowd – many of whom had supported the president since the beginning – was enthused by his homecoming.

“It was on these streets where I witnessed the power of faith and the quiet dignity of working people in the face of struggle and loss,” the president said.

Marca Bristo, an original supporter, said she felt proud President Obama delivered the address in Chicago and couldn’t imagine it happening anywhere else.

That enthusiasm remained throughout and after the speech as well. The crowd enthusiastically greeted the president with the chant, “four more years!”

This legacy speech that cited victories such as the Affordable Care Act and marriage equality also called the public to action.

“We didn’t write it with an eye to legacy, we wrote it with an eye to the future,” President Obama’s Director of Speechwriting Cody Keenan (Weinberg ’02) said.

The president encouraged citizens to become guardians of democracy, urging them to take action for the changes they would like to see in this society.

Nine years ago he campaigned on a platform of change. At the end of his second term, President Obama told the people it’s their turn to be the change, telling them yes you can.

For more on the president’s final address, tune in to the Northwestern News Report Tuesday.

Death of Northwestern Basketball Player Ruled Suicide

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NU Student Jordan Hankins (Courtesy NU Sports)

Death of Northwestern Basketball Player Ruled Suicide

By: Eric Miller

EVANSTON – After a short investigation, the Cook County Medical Examiner released a report Tuesday ruling the death of Northwestern Women’s Basketball player Jordan Hankins a suicide.

Hankins was found Monday afternoon in her dorm room at the Foster Walker complex.

Hankins played for the Northwestern women’s basketball team as a guard, and had just become a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.

According to her Facebook page, Hankins was a native of Indianapolis, Indiana and a pre-med student at Northwestern.

In a statement released Tuesday evening, Vice President of Student Affairs Patricia Telles-Irvin  said “we mourn her loss and remember the gift of her presence in our midst.”

Vice President Telles-Irvin urges any students who feels they need assistance at this time to reach out to Counseling and Psychological Services, the Dean of Students Office, the Chaplain’s staff, or Residential Life staff.

Follow with Northwestern News Network as this story develops.