Northwestern College Celebrates 110th Anniversary with Ribbon-Cutting in Chicago’s Jefferson Park with Senator John Mulroe!

[Rosemont, IL] On October 25^th, approximately 175 people gathered in front of Northwestern College’s Chicago-Jefferson Park Campus on Milwaukee Avenue to celebrate as a red ribbon was cut in honor of the College’s 110^thAnniversary! President Lawrence Schumacher was joined by Illinois State Senator John Mulroe (10^th District), with each holding a handle of the scissors and cutting the ribbon, marking the transition forward to the College’s next 110 years.  Senator Mulroe, on behalf of the Illinois Senate, also presented a Proclamation congratulating the College on its 110 years.

President Schumacher commemorated the College’s milestone ribbon-cutting event with his wife (the College’s Executive Vice President of Operations) Gail Schumacher and daughter Lauren (the College’s Marketing Coordinator) at his side. It was a historical event in the College’s history, with similar events being   held at the College’s other two campuses in Naperville and Bridgeview, as well as at the College’s administrative offices in Rosemont.  In addition to Senator Mulroe, State Representative Candidate Rob Martwick (19^thDistrict) participated in the event, as well as Peggy Luce, Vice President of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and Alex Perry, Vice President of Membership & Marketing of the Illinois Chamber.  Following the ribbon-cutting along Milwaukee Avenue, the students, guests, faculty and local businesses celebrated with dessert and punch inside the College’s Academic Center.

Northwestern College (formerly known as Northwestern Business College until 2008) was founded in 1902 in Chicago at 1747 N. Robey (later renamed “Damen” Avenue) just north of North Avenue. It has continued to be a family-owned institution of higher learning which began with a mission of providing men and women with specialized training necessary for successful careers in business. In 1956 the Schumacher Family bought the College when Violet Schumacher – a former student, receptionist, staff member and finally Director of the College – attained ownership. Decades later, Violet (who recently turned 98 years old!) sold the College to her two children, with her son Lawrence Schumacher taking over as President in 1978. Lawrence became the sole owner of the College in 2007 and has continued to serve as its President for the past 34 years.  

When it started in 1902, Northwestern College offered just two programs: Stenography and Accounting. But as the years passed, new programs were added to meet the needs of Chicago's rapidly growing business community; eventually new programs went beyond the College’s traditional focus of business. Over the past 110 years Northwestern College has grown to consist of three campuses including Bridgeview, Chicago-Jefferson Park and Naperville.  The College also boasts of NC Online, which allows students to obtain degrees fully online in three programs, including Criminal Justice, Health Information Technology and Business Administration. Today, Northwestern College continues to meet the needs of career-oriented students with its Schools of Commerce & Technology, Health Sciences, Legal Studies, and Nursing. With class sizes averaging 12 students per faculty member, Northwestern College offers a level of personalized instruction not found at the majority of larger institutions, with staff members providing one-on-one counseling and tutoring as needed by students.

Northwestern College is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and several programmatic agencies, and in addition is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Last March the HLC granted continuation of Northwestern College’s accreditation for the highest term available – ten years.  Students graduate from Northwestern College and are prepared to enter the workforce as, for example: nurses, massage therapists, law enforcement officers, medical assistants, medical billing specialists, medical coding specialists, radiographic technologists, paralegals, administrative assistants, business administrators, executive accountants, human resource managers, and health information technicians. 

Few businesses reach a milestone of 110 years. During that period, Northwestern College has overcome tough economies, two world wars, recessions and depressions, all while maintaining its focus of providing relevant and future-focused programs that target the nation’s fastest growing careers. Its success, though, is based on the students it has educated for over a century. Therefore, as part of its yearlong celebration, this Fall the College provided 110 tuition awards in the amount of $1,100 each to qualifying students for the 2012-13 academic year; in total, $121,000 was made available for this celebratory effort! These tuition awards further compliment the fact that the College’s Board of Directors voted against a tuition increase for the 2012-2013 academic year. Regardless of increased college costs, this decision was made based on the Board’s sensitivity to the state of the economy and the fact that so many of its students continue to struggle to make ends meet. 

“We are excited to celebrate our 110^th year and we are grateful for Senator John Mulroe and the other elected officials and chamber of commerce representatives that came out today to celebrate with us,” stated President Lawrence Schumacher. “We have thrived for 110 years in the Chicagoland area because we continue to offer a good education to the students who walk through our doors. We pledge to continue that tradition as we strive to meet the ever-changing needs of our communities, local businesses and our nation’s workforce!”

About Northwestern College:

Northwestern College (NC) is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, http://www.ncahlc.org.  The college offers focused career-oriented associate degree and certificate programs with flexible schedules and a supportive faculty. Day, evening, weekend, online classes and online programs are available with campuses in Chicago, Bridgeview, and Naperville. More information can be found at www.northwesterncollege.eduor by calling toll-free (888) 205-2283.