The School of Family, Consumer, and Nutrition Sciences is housed in Gabel Hall, Wirtz Hall, and Adams Hall.
The School operates a food-science laboratory, a visual merchandising laboratory, nutrition research laboratories, as well as, clothing and textiles research and development laboratories. It is also the home to the Family Center of NIU, the Child Development Laboratory and the Chandelier Room dining facility.
The School of Family, Consumer, and Nutrition Sciences also provides several services to the community.
The Family Center of NIU provides therapeutic assistance for people experiencing a wide range of life difficulties. Many of these difficulties have to do with very ordinary things--handling problems with a spouse, children, parents, siblings, an elderly family member, roommates, or other relationships; juggling responsibilities; or making decisions about marriage, friendships, school, or career.
The Child Development Laboratory (CDL) is a teaching and research facility for child development and early childhood professionals. Accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the laboratory provides inclusive, full-day, mixed-age child care in a nurturing and supportive environment. The CDL is high quality by implementing developmentally-appropriate curriculum and by having teacher-child ratios exceed Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) licensing standards. There are 2 classrooms and a playground for the mixed ages of infants, toddlers, and twos. There is one preschool classroom and a separate playground for the mixed ages of 3- to 7-year-old children. Miked observation booths are available for parents, students, and faculty to observe and/or conduct research. Three nutritionally balanced meals are provided each day for the children and staff. All families are welcome!
Students in our Nutrition, Dietetics and Hospitality Administration program plan, prepare and serve meals at Ellington's, a restaurant that is also student laboratory operated as a joint venture of the School of Family, Consumer and Nutrition Sciences and the Holmes Student Center. As part of the required curriculum, our students complete a semester of foodservice laboratory experience.
The Chandelier Dining Room is our catering laboratory. Students enrolled in the catering practicum are provided hands-on experience in planning, managing, staffing, and presenting catered events, including receptions, luncheons, open houses, and holiday parties.