National Louis University: A Legacy of Educational Innovation Since 1886

National Louis University (NLU) stands as one of the most distinctive private universities in the American Midwest, tracing its origins to a radical idea that emerged in late nineteenth-century Chicago. Founded in 1886 by Elizabeth Harrison, the institution began as Miss Harrison‘s Training School with a daring mission for its time: to train women as kindergarten teachers. Harrison believed that the future prosperity of a community began with the education of its youngest children and that teaching was a profession demanding a college degree.

This founding conviction sparked a movement. The Chicago Kindergarten College, as it became known, launched the first convocations connecting mothers with their children’s teachers, leading directly to the founding of the National College of Mothers in 1897—which would later be renamed the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA). In 1930, the institution became the National College of Education and introduced the first four-year teacher-training program in Illinois, cementing its reputation as a pioneering force in American education. Buy fake USA diploma online.

The modern era of NLU began in the 1980s. In 1986, philanthropist Michael W. Louis made a historic $30 million donation to the college, among the largest gifts ever made to any educational institution in Illinois at the time. This extraordinary generosity enabled the expansion of academic offerings beyond education into the arts and sciences, management, psychology, and business administration. In 1990, the institution was renamed National Louis University in recognition of the Louis family’s transformative support. Today, NLU is a comprehensive university composed of the National College of Education, the College of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, the Graduate School of Business and Leadership, the Undergraduate College, and the acclaimed Kendall College, which includes a nationally ranked culinary school and hospitality management program.

Academically, NLU offers a robust portfolio of programs: 12 certificate programs, 2 associate degrees, 22 bachelor’s degrees, 28 master’s degrees, 9 postgraduate Education Specialist (Ed.S.) programs, and 8 doctoral programs, many of which are available fully online. The university enrolls approximately 8,270 students across all campuses, with 50% at the undergraduate level and 50% in graduate programs. The student body is highly diverse: 77% of students identify as female, 60% as BIPOC, and the same proportion receive Pell Grants. Remarkably, nearly 55% of students enroll exclusively online, a reflection of NLU’s long history of adapting to where and how students need to learn.

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NLU’s physical footprint extends far beyond Chicago. Its downtown flagship campus occupies the historic Peoples Gas Building on Michigan Avenue, directly across from Grant Park. Suburban campuses in Wheeling and Lisle serve students throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. Since 1988, a Florida regional campus in Tampa has served students from 13 counties across Central Florida. The university also operates the Florida School of Professional Psychology (FSPP), one of only two American Psychological Association-approved PsyD programs in the state of Florida.

The institution has earned significant recognition. NLU has been ranked as the #30 best national university and the #1 Best Bang for the Buck in the Midwest by Washington Monthly. The National College of Education has produced more Golden Apple award-winning teachers than any other school of education in Illinois, a testament to the quality of its teacher preparation programs. In 2025, Niche ranked NLU’s National College of Education #21 among the best colleges for education in America and #22 among the best online colleges nationally.

The university draws strength from its diverse alumni. Children’s author Andrew Clements, whose novel *Frindle* became a beloved classic in American schools, graduated from NLU. Illinois State Senator Linda Holmes has served in the state’s General Assembly for nearly two decades. Jake Braun, a cybersecurity expert, served as the Acting Principal Deputy National Cyber Director in the White House, appointed to that role during the Biden administration. Over eighty Golden Apple honorees have emerged from NLU’s teacher education programs, and numerous alumni have earned James Beard awards through Kendall College’s renowned culinary programs.

As NLU approaches its 140th anniversary, it remains guided by the same conviction that animated Elizabeth Harrison in 1886: that access to quality education can transform lives, careers, and communities. Through its physical campuses in Illinois and Florida and its robust online presence across the United States and beyond, National Louis University continues to bridge the gap between academic aspiration and professional achievement, making it a distinctive and enduring institution in American higher education.