Dear Reader,

Here’s what the Maroon has been covering this week. 

News

Fourth-year student Joyce Qi passed away on Sunday due to injuries sustained in a car accident. Qi was 21 years old. 

According to an email shared by Dean of the College Melina Hale and Dean of Students in the College Philip Venticinque, Qi was studying economics and data science. She was admitted to the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law last month. 

The Maroon hopes to follow the above article with an obituary memorializing Joyce’s life and her time as a member of the University community. We ask anyone who has memories they want to share about Joyce to please contact us at editor@chicagomaroon.com.

Grey City

Last week was Kuvia, an annual tradition in which students wake up at the crack of dawn and exercise together. It ended, as always, with a Friday plunge in Lake Michigan. 

The future of small departments and language programs is uncertain as the Division of the Arts & Humanities prepares to reorganize. “This feels like a step backwards—having to justify your [department’s] existence,” Nisha Kommattam, associate instructional professor in comparative literature, told the Maroon.

Arts and Culture

This past New Year was Chicago’s first time hosting its own segment of the iconic Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve broadcast. Several Chicago-area artists, including Chance the Rapper and DJ Mike Dunn, performed. The performances and countdown to midnight were followed by fireworks set off from bridges along the river. 

The Maroon sat down with Ken Nakagaki, director of the AxLab, to discuss how his work blends technology and art. 

Crossword

Solve the Maroon’s latest full-size crossword here. 

Design and submit a mini crossword, get published and earn prizes! Learn more here. 

Podcast

The Maroon Weekly is back! Listen to the latest episode here.