NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

Updates for Community College Partners

Greetings,

With spring upon us and hopefully longer, sun-filled days, it’s a great time to plan college visits.

We invite your students to join us at these upcoming events, some designed for prospective students, others for admitted students:

In addition, we offer more exclusive events just for transfer students, including Virtual Transfers Get Information Friday and in-person Transfers Get Information Friday presentations.

All events are designed to give students the chance to explore opportunities, engage with the community and see themselves at NIU — experiencing the magic that makes our campus a home away from home.

Keep in mind it’s free to apply at NIU, and there’s still time for your students to apply for fall 2026 admission!

Students with an associate degree from a participating community college could be guaranteed admission to NIU. We’ve also partnered with several community colleges to provide a seamless transfer experience for students in certain majors.

The first in her family to attend college, Cindy Carbajal transferred to NIU from McHenry County College through one of our many community college agreements. Pursuing a degree in public health, she plans to attend medical school and become a doctor.

Like Carbajal, more than half of our undergraduate students are the first in their families to attend college. We offer numerous resources and services to help them make the most of their college experience, and we’re proud to call them Huskies.

We’re also beyond proud of Carbajal. Enjoy her story: From MCC to NIU: Cindy’s Transfer Student Success Story.

Thank you to those who joined us for NIU’s 2026 Community College Articulation Conference on March 6. Hosted in partnership with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, this annual event welcomed community college advisors and faculty from across Illinois. We provided information on articulation updates, transfer planning and campus resources to support Huskies at every stage of their transfer journey.

If you couldn’t make it, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Christine Lagatolla, assistant director, at clagattolla@niu.edu. We are happy to provide a copy of the recording along with the materials that were shared with attendees.

NIU’s College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (CEET) recently hosted two “Engineering the Future” events in partnership with community colleges.  

A Feb. 24 event at Rock Valley College brought together professional engineers and about 100 students from Rockford-area high schools. Collaboration between NIU and RVC has strong historical roots. In 2016, the NIU Engineering at Rock Valley College program began as a partnership between NIU, Rock Valley College and regional industry to build and nurture local engineering talent. Read more about the partnership and the recent event.

On March 3 at the College of DuPage, students from Neuqua Valley High School, Metea Valley High School and Waubonsie Valley High School explored the evolving landscape of engineering careers — and the accessible, affordable pathways available through COD and NIU's CEET.

We’re hosting several events this month in honor of Women’s History Month, themed “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future.” Events include a student leadership panel, a presentation by the founders of DeKalb-based Willrett’s Flower Company, artist talks, a program highlighting the Period Project at NIU and more.

These free events provide opportunities to learn, create and celebrate. For a complete event listing, visit go.niu.edu/womenshistory.

For questions or if your student needs help applying, contact us at transfercenter@niu.edu or schedule a virtual appointment.

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With transfer-specific resources, we’ll meet your students wherever they’re at on their educational journeys and provide personal attention, flexibility and support tailored to their unique needs. 

Do you know other community college partners who would like to receive this information? Share our subscription form.