The Chicago Bears paid tribute to the late Mike Ditka with a stadium-wide memorial during their 30-24 victory over the New England Patriots at Soldier Field, the team’s first home game since the Hall of Famer’s death on Oct. 9. Fans, players and staff honored the legendary coach with commemorative patches, memorabilia displays and a moment of silence.
The Chicago-based American Bar Association announced that Barrier Breakers and the HNBA/VIA Intellectual Property Law Institute will receive its 2027 Alexander Awards, which honor organizations that expand legal career pathways for underrepresented students. The awards will be presented at the Titans for Change Gala in Chicago on Jan. 30, 2027.
The Illinois Institute of Technology spotlighted two campus physicists whose research connects to the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics, awarded for contributions to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the South Pole. The prize recognized the discovery of high-energy neutrinos from distant astrophysical sources, opening a new window into studying the universe.
The Chicago Bears expressed confidence in rookie tight end Sam Roush to step up after veteran Cole Kmet was placed on injured reserve with a season-ending knee injury. Roush, a third-round pick from Stanford, will see an expanded role as the only reserve tight end behind starter Colston Loveland on the 5-2 Bears roster.
Cubs catching prospect Miguel Useche delivered a two-hit, four-RBI game with his first Arizona Fall League home run for the Mesa Solar Sox, continuing a breakout campaign after an unconventional path through independent ball. Through 10 AFL games, the former undrafted free agent has posted a 50 percent hard-hit rate and is building versatility for next season.
Evanston Township senior Brielle Rosemond was named the Chicago Bears’ Week 7 Girls Flag Football Player of the Week after catching seven passes for 103 yards and a touchdown while recording an interception during her team’s run to the IHSA State Tournament quarterfinals. Rosemond, who plans to play in college and has Olympic aspirations, helped lead Evanston to a regional championship.
The Chicago-based Alzheimer’s Association opened its fifth annual State Dementia Services Coordinator Summit in Washington, D.C., drawing officials from 26 states to align strategies for addressing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. The two-day gathering highlights five years of progress since the program first convened state coordinators in 2022, with more than 7 million Americans currently living with Alzheimer’s.
Saint Xavier University will host a public Veterans Day event on Nov. 11 honoring campus Chief of Police Dan Murphy, a former Air Force sergeant who served at Ramstein Air Base in Germany and supported Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The Student Veterans Alliance and the McCarthy Brigade are organizing the event, set for 1 to 2 p.m. in the Butler Reception Room.
Saint Xavier University psychology students gained real-world experience with infants, toddlers and families through a structured field study with the university’s Birth to Three program, connecting classroom theory to child development practice. The collaboration between professor LaTreese Hall and program director Lori Winkler drew strong positive feedback from both students and participating families.
Illinois Tech sophomore Tvesa Vathulya scored three goals and added two assists to power the Scarlet Hawks women’s soccer team to a 6-0 NACC victory over Concordia Wisconsin, earning her the conference’s Student-Athlete of the Week honor. Vathulya leads the NACC in both goals and assists and is tied for first in NCAA Division III in assists on the season.