NLU Information
- Official University Address:
National-Louis University
122 S. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60603 - Federal Employer I.D. Number (F.E.I.N.): 36-216-7804
- DUNS Number – 021165118
- Congressional Districts:
- Chicago Campus: U.S. Congressional District 7
- Administrative Official Whose Signature Must Accompany the Application:
- Richard J. Pappas, President, National-Louis University
- Administrative Official to be Notified of Award
- Jennifer Harris, Executive Director, Institutional Giving
- NLU Mission
NLU provides access to quality higher education and nurtures opportunity for students through innovative teaching and scholarship, community engagement, and service excellence. - NLU Values
Excellence. NLU is committed to providing the highest quality educational and administrative service to its students. We strive to be the best, and to continually improve our processes and outcomes.
Respect. The foundation of the National-Louis University community and its educational environment is high regard for the cultures, backgrounds, experiences and dignity of everyone.
Access. From its founding, NLU has provided opportunity for all students, including who have historically encountered barriers to higher education.
Collaboration. As part of the dynamic creation of ideas and sharing of knowledge, NLU encourages collaboration between teacher and student, among faculty and staff, and between the university and the communities.
Relevance. Theory, innovative thinking, and commitments to social justice are integrated with real-world environments as students and faculty work to make a difference.
Passion. NLU cares deeply about the fundamental dignity of all and the importance of its work. Education has the power to transform individual lives, organizations, and communities.
Diversity. NLU embraces and builds upon the strength that comes from a diverse student body, faculty, and staff.
Innovation. NLU is continually seeking to understand and address educational challenges in a diverse and dynamic global era.
Engagement. NLU actively reaches out to students, schools and communities, working hand in hand to achieve mutual goals and nurture vibrant and healthy communities
- NLU History
"No great thing was ever accomplished without faith in its greatness."
This statement was made more than a century ago by Elizabeth Harrison, founder of National-Louis University (NLU). The faith of one woman led her to champion the concept of kindergarten teaching and create one of the first teacher colleges in the country to offer a four-year education degree. She also was instrumental in the founding of the Parent-Teacher Association and played a major role in the launching of the national Head Start Program.
Harrison's leadership culminated in the formation of one of the finest education colleges in the country—the National College of Education (NCE). Academic programs in allied health, applied behavioral sciences, and human services that had been offered over the years to give teachers a broader knowledge base, were organized into the College of Arts and Sciences in 1982. Business programs were combined into the College of Management and Business in 1989.
A significant philanthropic gift from trustee and benefactor Michael W. Louis spearheaded the transition of the institution from one centered on NCE in 1990 to a university offering degrees in business, arts and sciences, and education. Today's students can choose from more than 60 academic programs—and can earn undergraduate and graduate degrees, including the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership.
For more than a century, NLU faculty and staff have been committed to access, innovation and excellence in education—particularly for adults with families and work responsibilities and those who are not native speakers of English. It is a commitment that will continue to guide its actions in the century to come.