Northwestern University In Evanston, Illinois

Scott Hall, Northwestern University, Evanston Campus, North Shore, Chicago

Northwestern University is located in Evanston, Illinois and was founded in 1851, by the Methodists and opened its doors in 1855. At the time the faculty consisted of two teachers and ten students. The University derives its name from the nine founders desire to serve all the citizens that occupied of the former Northwest Territory. These included Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. The original campus contained only one building, which was called "Old Hall''. The first permanent building University Hall was built in 1869, and a campus was built in Chicago in 1920, for its graduate programs of law, medicine, and business.

The Evanston College For Ladies merged with Northwestern University in 1873, and famed suffragist Frances Willard became the first dean of women. Northwestern University went co-ed in 1869, at the urging of Dean Erastus Haven, the first female student arrived in 1874. Northwestern University founding charter made it permanently paying property taxes, this continues to cause difficulties with the City Of Evanston government.

In 1892, the schools colors of black and gold were replaced with purple, because it was thought the previous colors were used by too many other universities. While the color remains as royal purple, the University has also adopted white as its de facto color. The alma mater of the University is "Hail to purple, Hail to White'', and both are listed in the guidelines.

As of 1933, Northwestern University and its rival, the University of Chicago, united. It was concluded by the Deans of both schools to be in the best interest of finances and survival. The first-ever NCAA Men's Division/Basketball Championship games were held at Northwestern University. A program of African Studies was founded by anthropologist Melville J. Herskovits in 1948, this program was the first of its kind at any American educational institution.

Northwestern University is nationally respected for its graduate programs in Law, Chemistry, Business, Education, Journalism, Music and many other areas. It was elected to the Association of American Universities in 1917. Northwestern University also boasts some very famous alumni including; Adlai Stevenson, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, Academy-award winning actor Charlton Heston, Ann-Margret, Warren Beatty, David Schwimmer. Northwestern University's School of Medill (Journalism) is one of the top journalism, integrated marketing and media school in the United States and has produced famous journalists, political activists and nine Pulitzer Prize Laureates and to this day, continues to enjoy a reputation founded on excellence.