A Brief History
Nearly 140 years ago, National Louis University was founded on the principle that a quality education can transform lives, careers, and communities. In 1886, urban education pioneer and community activist Elizabeth Harrison had the then-revolutionary idea to create a school to train women to teach very young children with the aim of improving prospects for families and neighborhoods. From its beginnings as Miss Harrison’s Training School, the institution became the home of the modern American kindergarten movement and the National Congress of Mothers, later known as the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA). In 1930, after three other name changes, the school became the National College of Education (NCE) and introduced the first four-year teacher-training course in the state of Illinois.
In 1986, Michael W. Louis provided a historic $30 million gift – among the largest ever granted to a college or university in Illinois. This contribution enabled the institution to greatly expand its programs. The university was renamed National Louis University in 1990 in honor of the Louis family gift.
In 2015, NLU launched a new undergraduate experience designed to reimagine higher education, with the goal of driving equity in bachelor’s degree attainment and employment for students historically marginalized in college and the workforce, and to do so by knocking down the most common barriers to postsecondary success.
In 2018, NLU acquired Kendall College, adding culinary and hospitality management programs. And in 2020, NLU formed two dynamic new colleges, the Graduate School of Business and Leadership and the College of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, as well as Accelerate U, an innovative program offering a rapid pathway to a full-time job that also builds toward a full bachelor's degree.
In 2023, NLU launched the School of Nursing to help address the national shortage of nurses and provide opportunities for students interested in healthcare careers. Also, in 2023, Washington Monthly, which ranks colleges based on their contribution to the public good, ranked National Louis University at number 30 overall nationally, 4th in the nation for social mobility, and number 1 in the Midwest for “best bang for the buck.”
Today, NLU is the outcome of and testament to the vision of our founders. A university that excels in creating learning communities where theory complements practice, NLU sustains a tradition of access to higher education for first-generation and urban university students who want to make a lasting impact in their lives and communities.
The University serves approximately 12,000 students annually at locations in Illinois, Florida, and online everywhere and is proud of the 100,000 living alumni using their NLU education to serve others. Nivine Megahed, Ph.D. is the institution's eleventh president. For more information visit www.nl.edu.