Northwestern University

Northwestern University
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Name	Northwestern University
Established	1851
Type	Private research university
Endowment	$16.1 billion (2023)
President	Michael H. Schill
City	Evanston
State	Illinois
Country	United States
Campus	Suburban (Evanston), Urban (Chicago)
Affiliations	Association of American Universities, Big Ten Conference, Committee on Institutional Cooperation

Northwestern University is a private research university with campuses in Evanston, Illinois and Chicago. Founded in 1851 to serve the former Northwest Territory, it is a founding member of the Association of American Universities and consistently ranks among the top universities in the United States. The university is composed of twelve schools and colleges, including the renowned Kellogg School of Management, Pritzker School of Law, and Feinberg School of Medicine.

History

The university was established in 1851 by John Evans and eight other prominent Chicago businessmen, Methodist leaders, and attorneys, with its charter approved by the Illinois General Assembly. Its founding purpose was to serve the people of the Northwest Territory, an area that now includes states like Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and parts of Minnesota. The first classes were held in 1855 in a temporary building near the Chicago River. The permanent campus in Evanston, named for founder John Evans, was developed on land donated by Orrington Lunt, with the first building, Old College, opening in 1869. The 20th century saw significant expansion, including the establishment of the Chicago campus in the 1920s, the merger with the Chicago College of Dental Surgery in 1902, and the affiliation with Evanston Hospital which later formed the core of the Feinberg School of Medicine.

Academics

The university is organized into twelve degree-granting schools and colleges across its two primary campuses. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and is a member of the Association of American Universities. Highly ranked graduate and professional schools include the Kellogg School of Management, the Pritzker School of Law, the Feinberg School of Medicine, the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, and the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications. Undergraduate instruction is primarily housed in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, alongside the School of Communication and the Bienen School of Music. Notable interdisciplinary centers include the Buffett Institute for Global Affairs, the Institute for Policy Research, and the Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics.

Campus

The 240-acre main campus is located in Evanston, Illinois, along the shores of Lake Michigan, with architectural highlights including the Deering Library and the Rebecca Crown Center. The university also maintains a 25-acre campus in Streeterville, Chicago, which is home to the Feinberg School of Medicine, the Pritzker School of Law, the Kellogg School of Management's downtown campus, and part of the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications. Other facilities include the Northwestern University in Qatar campus in Education City, the Argonne-Northwestern Solar Energy Research Center, and the Dearborn Observatory. The Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art and the Shakespeare Garden are notable cultural landmarks on the Evanston campus.

Student life

Student life is characterized by over 500 student organizations, including a long tradition of student theater and performance groups like the Waa-Mu Show and The Dolphin Show. The student-run newspaper, *The Daily Northwestern*, has been published since 1881. A prominent feature of campus tradition is "Painting the Rock" on the The Rock, a large boulder serving as a constantly changing canvas for student messages. The university is home to numerous fraternities and sororities under the North American Interfraternity Conference and National Panhellenic Conference. Major annual events include Dance Marathon, one of the nation's largest student-run philanthropies, and Wildcat Welcome, the new student orientation week.

Athletics

The university's athletic teams, known as the Northwestern Wildcats, compete in the NCAA Division I Big Ten Conference. The football team plays at Ryan Field and has won multiple Big Ten Conference championships, making appearances in the Rose Bowl. The men's basketball team plays at Welsh-Ryan Arena and has participated in the NCAA tournament. Other notable programs include women's lacrosse, which has won multiple NCAA national championships, and the fencing team. The university's mascot is Willie the Wildcat, and its fight song is "Go U Northwestern."

Notable alumni and faculty

The university's alumni and faculty include numerous distinguished figures across fields. Notable alumni in public service include U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, and former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate George McGovern. In literature and media, alumni include author Saul Bellow, playwright Tony Kushner, and comedian Stephen Colbert. The entertainment industry counts actors and performers like Warren Beatty, David Schwimmer, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Faculty honors include Nobel Prize winners such as economists Dale T. Mortensen and Roger Myerson, and chemist Sir Fraser Stoddart. Other prominent faculty have included architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and literary critic Wayne C. Booth.

Category:Universities and colleges in Illinois Category:Private universities and colleges in the United States Category:1851 establishments in Illinois