NU Loyal Members Support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives at Northwestern

Posted on Thursday, March 18, 2021

Conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion are front and center in our nation, and at Northwestern. NU Loyal members have played a big part in helping to ensure racial and social justice initiatives receive needed support.

One of those efforts is the renovation of the Black House, a space dedicated to serving Black students within the Northwestern community. The project is being led by Multicultural Student Affairs and Campus Inclusion and Community, which strive to make Northwestern a place where students are safe and feel a sense of belonging. Construction began in summer 2019, and is expected to conclude this spring.

While the University funded the renovation, donor gifts will enhance and care for the space. Bronze-level NU Loyal donors Alma Cates ’78 and Michael Sutton ’75, are alumni who made a gift to the Black House. “The support and counsel I received from the Black House administration inspired me to work hard and strengthened my resolve to complete my degree under sometimes very trying circumstances,” says Sutton, who graduated from the McCormick School of Engineering. Sutton continues, “The camaraderie and meetings at the Black House with other Black students provided meaningful social interaction and intellectual stimulation.”

Another area receiving philanthropic support is Social Justice Education, which is part of Campus Inclusion and Community, and creates co-curricular opportunities that foster self-exploration, facilitate conversations, and strengthen actions that create social change.

Read more about additional areas that have received recent gifts.