Student Experience

Realizing a strong, engaged, and healthy community

At Northwestern, rigorous academics and countless opportunities to explore one’s passions can make for some of the most exhilarating experiences in a student’s life.

The Division of Student Affairs, together with the Office of the Provost, offers a range of services and programs that maximize student potential, remove barriers to learning, and sustain a healthy and engaged community.

Gifts to the following student experience funds are part of the Forever Shine Campaign, a first-of-its-kind fundraising effort at the University to support financial aid and enrichment programs ensuring the most promising students can access all Northwestern has to offer:

• The Beacon Scholars Program provides individualized guidance, as well as opportunities for community and connection, to students most likely to face obstacles in navigating life at Northwestern. Investing in this program helps advance access and academic success by supporting resources and services that empower first‑generation and/or lower‑income students to thrive.
• The Summer Internship Grant Program (SIGP) enables students to pursue unpaid or low‑paid summer internships that shape their academic and professional paths. Philanthropic support for SIGP helps expand experiential learning by making hands‑on opportunities such as internships more accessible to all students.

Gifts to the following student life priorities will support and strengthen a vibrant campus community:

• The Cohen Lawn Endowed Programmatic Fund activates Cohen Lawn as a dynamic, year‑round hub for student life. Supporting this fund will help enhance our welcoming spaces that foster connection, collaboration, and a sense of belonging.
• The Student Life Gift Fund provides the vice president for student affairs with resources to seed new initiatives and sustain ongoing services and opportunities for students.