The Graduate School Northern Illinois University offers graduate programs in over 70 academic majors, in more than 110 areas of study, for master's, doctoral, and other advanced degrees. Through the Graduate School, graduate courses and degrees are available from 38 departments in six colleges. Funding priorities for the Graduate School include: Endowed Scholarships to Support Graduate Students The typical scholarship support for graduate students is graduate fellowships. The availability of fellowships makes the university more competitive in recruiting from among the most talented and most promising students, and it opens the door to many who otherwise would not be able to participate in advanced higher education. Graduate fellowships provide financial support to some of our most promising graduate students. Such funding also supports the research needs of graduate students, which often include equipment, computer software, laboratory materials, travel to research sites, and travel to make presentations at professional conferences. Graduate students receiving a fellowship supported by a gift automatically receive a tuition-waiver scholarship from the Graduate School, thus enhancing the financial value of the donor's gift. Faculty Awards for Outstanding Grant Acquisitions Many faculty and staff of Northern Illinois University have brought significant funding to the university through grants and contracts obtained from federal, state, corporate, and foundation sources. Many of these grants and contracts provide students with financial support and valuable learning experiences. This funding, which last fiscal year totaled over $32 million, has increased every year for at least the last 15 years, and it is of vital importance in supporting research, public service, and instructional activities within the university. Recently, the Graduate School initiated a program to acknowledge faculty and staff who are particularly successful in attracting external grant funding to the university. This acknowledgment, in the form of a financial award, was granted to those whose grant records over time have been unusually strong for their discipline, whose external funding has materially benefited others, and whose funding successes are expected to continue to serve as models for their colleagues. Endowments to Support Teaching Interns The use of graduate students as teaching assistants is a long-standing practice in American higher education. Teaching assistantships allow graduate students to obtain experience explaining their fields of study to others, which is an excellent way to enhance learning of a subject, and many of our graduate students will become professional teachers at the university or other levels. Financial Support of Graduate Student Scholarly Activity Graduate students, particularly those engaged in thesis, dissertation, or similar independent study, often have significant financial needs, such as expenses associated with equipment, materials, or travel. Many graduate students give presentations at professional conferences much like faculty do. Named Endowments to Support Faculty Scholars Endowed or other financially supported faculty positions are a mark of a mature university, especially one with a mission that includes research and public service. Aside from enhancing the image of the institution, the availability of these positions assists greatly in the recruitment of excellent faculty, and they can play an important part in retaining top faculty who will, of course, be sought after by other institutions or by industry. Contact Us: For more information about giving opportunities in the Graduate School, contact: The NIU Development Office at (815) 753-1386 or email us. Visit the Graduate School Web Site at http://www.grad.niu.edu/.