Northern Illinois University facts for kids
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Former names
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Northern Illinois State School (1895–1921) Northern Illinois State Teachers College (1921–1955) Northern Illinois State College (1955–1957) |
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| Type | Public research university |
| Established | May 22, 1895 |
| Accreditation | HLC |
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Academic affiliations
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| Endowment | $113.6 million (2024) |
| President | Lisa Freeman |
| Provost | Laurie Elish-Piper |
| Students | 15,649 (fall 2022) |
| Undergraduates | 11,429 (fall 2022) |
| Postgraduates | 4,220 (fall 2022) |
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United States
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| Campus | University town; 945.13 acres (382.5 ha) |
| Colors | Cardinal and Black |
| Nickname | Huskies |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division I — MAC |
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Northern Illinois University (NIU) is a public research university located in DeKalb, Illinois, United States. It was started in 1895 by Illinois Governor John P. Altgeld. The university's first goal was to train teachers for the state.
Besides its main campus in DeKalb, NIU also has smaller centers. These are located in cities like Chicago, Naperville, Rockford, and Oregon, Illinois. The university has seven colleges that offer many different degrees. About 16,000 students attend NIU. Its sports teams are called the Huskies. They compete in NCAA Division I as part of the Mid-American Conference (MAC).
Contents
University History
Northern Illinois University began as a "normal school" in 1895. Normal schools were special colleges that trained teachers. The school was first called the Northern Illinois State Normal School.
Over the years, the school grew and changed its name several times. In 1921, it became Northern Illinois State Teachers College. At this time, it started offering four-year degrees for teachers. Later, in 1951, it began offering master's degrees.
In 1955, the school's name changed again to Northern Illinois State College. This change meant it could offer more than just teacher training. It started offering degrees in other subjects, like arts and sciences. Finally, on July 1, 1957, the college became Northern Illinois University. This new name showed that it had grown into a full university with many different study options.
In 2008, a tragic event occurred on campus. A person caused harm to several students before taking their own life. This event brought sadness to the university community.
Campus Life
NIU's main campus in DeKalb covers 756 acres. It has 64 main buildings. There are also other campus sites, including the Lorado Taft Field Campus and locations in Rockford and Naperville.
One of the most famous buildings is Altgeld Hall. It looks like a castle and was one of the first buildings built on campus. The auditorium inside Altgeld Hall can hold up to 500 people. The NIU Art Museum is also located in Altgeld Hall.
The East Lagoon is a nice spot on campus for relaxing. The Holmes Student Center has a hotel with 78 rooms for visitors.
Student Housing
NIU has several places for students to live on campus. As of 2024, there are six student dorms and apartment complexes. Some floors are special "living-learning" communities. These include houses for students studying health, business, education, or honors programs. There are also houses for international students, science students, and fine arts students.
The Northern View Community opened in 2008. It offers apartments for older undergraduate students, graduate students, and students with families. The Fanny Ruth Patterson Complex opened in 2012. It has two buildings where students live in groups of 12.
Sports Facilities
On the west side of campus, you'll find Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium. This is where the NIU football team plays. The stadium can hold over 23,000 fans. Around the stadium are grassy areas where people gather before games.
There are also other sports fields nearby. These include Ralph McKinzie Field for baseball, Mary M. Bell Field for softball, and the Huskie Soccer Complex. There are also tennis courts called Gullikson Tennis Courts.
Near the stadium are two buildings for athletes. The Jeffrey and Kimberly Yordon Academic and Athletic Performance Center opened in 2007. The Kenneth and Ellen Chessick Indoor Practice Center is a large indoor space. It is used by the football, baseball, and softball teams for practice.
The Convocation Center is a large arena that opened in 2002. It can seat 10,000 people. This is where NIU's basketball, gymnastics, wrestling, and volleyball teams play. It also hosts concerts and other events like job fairs.
The Chick Evans Field House has activity rooms, a jogging track, and courts for basketball and volleyball. It also has a gym for cardio and strength training. Two swimming pools are located in Anderson and Gabel Halls.
Academics and Learning
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NIU has seven colleges that offer many different programs. Students can choose from over 60 undergraduate majors and 70 minors. There are also 79 graduate programs and 24 doctoral degree programs.
The colleges at NIU include:
- College of Business
- College of Education
- College of Engineering and Engineering Technology
- College of Health and Human Sciences
- College of Law
- College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- College of Visual and Performing Arts
University Rankings
NIU is recognized for its quality education. In 2021, it was ranked 97th among U.S. colleges for helping students from all backgrounds succeed. In 2024, U.S. News & World Report ranked NIU among the top national universities. It was also ranked highly for its Public Affairs programs.
Research Opportunities
NIU is known for its research. It is classified as a "Doctoral University – High research activity." This means professors and students do a lot of important research. NIU is also part of the Universities Research Association. This group helps manage federal physics labs, like Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. NIU is growing its programs in accelerator technology.
The Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) at NIU is very important. It started in 1963 and is one of only seven such centers in the U.S. It focuses on the languages and cultures of Southeast Asia. Students can study Southeast Asian languages and learn about the region.
Student Life and Activities
| Race and ethnicity | Total | ||
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| White | 48% |
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| Hispanic | 21% |
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| Black | 19% |
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| Asian | 6% |
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| Other | 4% |
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| Foreign national | 1% |
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| Economic diversity | |||
| Low-income | 52% |
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| Affluent | 48% |
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NIU has a Campus Child Care Center. It provides care for young children, from two months to five years old. It also has a summer program for kids aged 6 to 8.
The Peters Campus Life Building is a hub for student activities. It houses Career Services, the Counseling Center, and the student newspaper, Northern Star. It's also where student organizations and leadership programs are located.
Student Groups
NIU has over 400 student organizations. These groups cover many interests, from sports like lacrosse and rugby to clubs for academics, arts, and community service. There are also many fraternities and sororities.
One special event is IFC Tugs. This is a tug-of-war competition between different Greek organizations. It has a long history at NIU. A documentary called Tugs Untied was even made about NIU's unique version of the sport.
Arts and Culture
Students, teachers, and guest artists at NIU put on many art shows, music concerts, and theater performances each year. There are over 200 events, and NIU students can attend ticketed events for free.
The NIU Art Museum is in Altgeld Hall. It shows different art exhibitions throughout the year. Jack Arends Hall, where visual arts are taught, has three other gallery spaces.
The Pick Museum in Cole Hall displays items from the university's anthropology collection. It focuses on Native American collections and cultural items from Southeast Asia. NIU also has a large collection of art from Burma.
NIU has a School of Art and Design, a School of Music, and a School of Theatre and Dance. Theater performances are held in the Stevens Building. It has four different theater spaces, including the O'Connell Theatre and the flexible "Black Box" Theatre.
The Department of Communication hosts the annual Reality Bytes Film Festival. This festival started in 2002. It allows NIU students to show their films and compete.
Sports and Athletics
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The Northern Illinois Huskies are part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. They compete in the Mid-American Conference. The university has seven men's sports teams and 10 women's sports teams.
The NIU Huskies have two mascots. One is Victor E. Huskie, a person in a Siberian Husky costume. The other is Mission, a real Siberian Husky dog.
Notable People
Many famous people have attended or worked at Northern Illinois University.
See also
In Spanish: Universidad del Norte de Illinois para niños
- Northern Illinois University Press
- Northern Illinois University shooting
