Today’s world urgently needs critical thinkers, clear communicators and bold leaders. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences prepares students to meet that need.
We change lives by helping students discover their voice and passion through opportunities beyond the classroom. From exploring new ideas and interests through our general education courses to finding role models and mentors in our faculty and contributing to research, service and scholarship projects, students develop into well-rounded, engaged citizens and tomorrow’s leaders.
Our students build understanding across various disciplines, learn how to make discoveries where these disciplines intersect, and leave NIU equipped for life-long learning.
Project Democracy helps students and communities understand their role in protecting democratic institutions. Donor support will fuel the Rebuilding Democracy Lecture Series, experiential learning and scholarship opportunities that help students expand their knowledge and perspective and enable them to become active, engaged citizens.
With a broad range of STEM disciplines, strong partnerships with Argonne and Fermilab and leading research activity, CLAS is a major source of science and technology talent for northern Illinois and beyond. Donor support helps modernize labs, create endowed faculty positions and advance STEM-focused teaching and research that open doors for students.
Across the street and worldwide, NIU students and faculty work with community organizations and practice the liberal arts in the real world—engaging in multidimensional, cross-disciplinary inquiry that yields deeper insights and transformative solutions. Donor support expands this impact through named faculty positions, student scholarships, faculty research grants and community-based initiatives.
CLAS is driving NIU’s push toward carbon neutrality by equipping students with the skills they need to transform society’s environmental trajectory. Donor support funds sustainability projects, scholarships and research through centers like the Northern Illinois Center for Community Sustainability (NICCS), the Institute for the Study of the Environment, Sustainability and Energy and the Department of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment.
We educate a high percentage of students who are the first in their families to attend college, hail from underrepresented communities, work hard to afford their education and qualify for the very highest levels of financial aid. Donor support makes education possible, helping students stay on course and earn their degree.
In a dynamic college like CLAS, needs and opportunities constantly evolve. Gifts to the CLAS Excellence Fund provide crucial flexibility to meet these needs, allowing the College to take advantage of emerging opportunities, bridge gaps and confidently plan for the future.
Making a lasting difference
