Illinois public universities to honor, recruit top area students

October 08, 2018

 

DeKALB, Ill. -- Northern Illinois University will participate in the Salute to Illinois Scholars college fair and luncheon, Tuesday, Oct. 9, at Giovanni's Convention Center in Rockford. About 200 high-performing students and their families have been invited to the event where they will be recognized for their academic achievements and learn about the excellent and affordable education provided by NIU and five other state universities.

"I am excited to meet these outstanding students from our region to share and engage with them about the amazing opportunities and benefits of a high-quality, affordable and enriched education in Illinois and specifically at NIU," said NIU President Dr. Lisa C. Freeman. "NIU provides students with a comprehensive educational experience specific to their goals and interests, in a hands-on learning environment with options to do research as freshman, intern on campus with cutting-edge employers and meaningfully connect with alumni throughout out state."

Presidents from all six participating schools (NIU, Western Illinois, Governor's State and the U of I System campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield) will be on hand to encourage participating students to submit applications to all six universities. All six schools have waived application fees for students invited to the event.

The ultimate goal is to slow the trend of college eligible students leaving the state to attend college. Currently, Illinois has one of the highest rates of high school and community college students choosing to study out of state. Because college graduates tend to stay in the state where they studied, that out-migration is a loss for Illinois and its economy.

"This event demonstrates what a wealth of brilliant and intelligent students we have in our region, and we sincerely believe that they, and the state as a whole, benefit tremendously by studying at public universities in Illinois," said Freeman." At NIU alone, we have seven degree granting colleges, focusing on cutting-edge career opportunities, to meet the needs of just about any student in Rockford who wishes to earn a degree. Our innovative partnership with Rock Valley College even allows students to earn an NIU engineering degree without leaving Rockford. The opportunities that such programs provide to connect top students with leading companies across the region help those students find excellent careers close to home and help our state thrive." Media interested in attending this event are encouraged to contact Joe King at 815-762-7425.

Northern Illinois University is a student-centered, nationally recognized public research university, with expertise that benefits its region and spans the globe in a wide variety of fields, including the sciences, humanities, arts, business, engineering, education, health and law. Through its main campus in DeKalb, Illinois, and education centers for students and working professionals in Chicago, Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Oregon and Rockford, NIU offers more than 100 courses of study while serving a diverse and international student body. For more information, visit www.niu.edu.

Media Contact: Joe King
Phone: 815-762-4725

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