President’s Message

Fall 2022 NULC Newsletter

Published December 4, 2022

This fall has been an exciting time at Northwestern. I was fortunate to begin my tenure as the University’s 17th president just in time to welcome our new and returning students to campus. I have enjoyed participating in many wonderful Northwestern traditions, meeting people across the University, and exploring the Evanston campus with my dog, Max.

One of the things that drew me here to Northwestern was the extraordinary ambition to make this already world-class institution even greater. Many efforts to build further on our academic excellence are made possible by the annual support of Northwestern University Leadership Circle (NULC) members like you. Your generosity allows us to push the limits of what a university can do for its region, its nation, and the world.

I am also encouraged by Northwestern’s commitment to access. We have seen significant increases in recent years in students who qualify for federal Pell Grants. We have also made progress in bringing together a more diverse set of students from all over the globe.

NULC member Zenaida Otero Gephardt ’77, whom you will meet in this issue of Inside the Circle, is an ardent supporter of college access. Gephardt came to the United States as a Cuban refugee at age 9, and it was through a strong financial aid package that she was able to study chemical engineering at Northwestern. The support she received as an undergraduate allowed her to excel in graduate school and go on to a distinguished career in higher education. Now she generously supports Northwestern through unrestricted gifts, which provide flexibility for the University to address its most important areas of need.

This issue also includes an interview with Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach, director of Northwestern’s Institute for Policy Research. The interview shines a light on the importance of the research being done here on our campuses, and how it can have a big influence on national and global conversations about poverty, racial inequality, and health disparities.

It has been a pleasure for me to encounter so many passionate and brilliant people who make Northwestern a special place. I am honored to be a part of such a community and look forward to partnering with donors like you to make our university ever better.

Sincerely,

Michael H. Schill

President and Professor of Law