Every student comes to Northern Illinois University with some sort of dream or aspiration. Maybe it’s to be an accountant. Maybe it’s to be a teacher. Or a psychologist. Or perhaps a nurse. Whatever the aspiration may be, students come to Northern with a hope to realize their dreams.

The educational opportunities that are provided through Annual Fund gifts help to enhance the Northern experience, bringing many students closer to the realization of the dreams they come to college with. The generosity of Annual Fund donors allows students to attend conferences, become exposed to cutting-edge technology, gain real-world experience, among other important initiatives. These educational opportunities enrich students’ experience at NIU and provide the margin of excellence that helps to ensure that students are transformed into professionals who are superbly prepared to make a difference in society.

You can click on one of the image-bubbles below to learn more about some of the initiatives that benefit from Annual Fund support.

Click on “Make a Gift” to get involved in this year’s Annual Fund campaign and help realize a student’s dream today. Also, to learn about the Annual Fund’s progress toward its FY06 goal, you can click on one of the links to your right.

The Annual Fund is a comprehensive program for soliciting ongoing financial support for Northern's programs and students. The Annual Fund's Huskie Telefund and direct mail solicitations combine department, college, and other annual appeals into one simple and direct program that is more convenient and flexible for its donors. These gifts enable the university to better serve students by providing scholarships and by developing and sustaining the quality of its faculty, facilities, resources, and academic programs.

When you give through the Annual Fund, you may restrict your Annual Fund gifts to any department, college, or to any of the university's many other special programs. Or you may choose to designate your gifts as unrestricted, enabling the university to place the Annual Fund contributions where the most critical need exists.

Once you make a gift to the Annual Fund, whether by check, credit card or pledge, you will be mailed a note of thanks and a receipt. Remember that your gift is tax-deductible. Northern Illinois University's fiscal year operates from July 1 to June 30. Since Northern's needs are ongoing and ever-changing, you will be contacted each year to request your renewed support.

For more information
Please contact Shad Hanselman, Director of Annual Fund, (815) 753-2115 or shanselman@niu.edu.