Support What Matters Most with a Gift to the Annual Fund
An unrestricted gift to the NLU Annual Fund is one of the most powerful ways you can make a difference. These flexible dollars allow us to meet urgent needs, seize new opportunities and support top priorities across the university for our students.
Fuel Dreams. Transform Lives.
When you give to scholarships at National Louis University, you do more than ease a financial burden - you open doors to opportunity. Your gift empowers hardworking, determined students to pursue their passions, complete their degrees, and launch meaningful careers.
These future leaders, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college, go on to inspire others, uplift communities, and drive lasting change.
Invest in a student’s future today - and help shape a better tomorrow.
Accelerate U: Rapid Pathways to Careers and Degrees
Accelerate U is reimagining higher education by providing learners with affordable, short-term training that leads directly to full-time jobs. In just 6–8 months, students earn an industry-recognized credential, gain up to 30 college credits, and complete hands-on externships with employer partners - all while building durable skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.
With your support, Accelerate U can expand to serve more learners, build new career pathways, and strengthen the workforce of tomorrow - while transforming the lives of students and their families today.
Advance Mental Health. Empower Lives.
As the global demand for compassionate mental health care continues to rise, NLU’s College of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences is preparing the next generation of professionals to lead in the fields of psychology, counseling, and behavioral sciences.
Our graduate programs are designed for those called to help others- combining rigorous academic training with real-world clinical experience. At NLU, students gain the skills, confidence, and heart to make an immediate impact in the lives of individuals, families, and communities.
Now more than ever, the world needs helpers. Be the one who makes a difference.
Help NLU Students Thrive—Beyond the Classroom
For many National Louis University students, the path to a college degree is about more than academics - it is about overcoming the everyday challenges of food insecurity and financial hardship.
Through our expanded on-campus food and hygiene pantry, comprehensive resource hub, and dedicated staff and student leaders, NLU connects students with critical community-based supports. Our goal is simple and urgent: eliminate basic needs as a barrier to student success.
Your gift today helps ensure that every NLU student not only persists - but thrives.
Developing Purpose-Driven Leaders for a Changing World
The Graduate School of Business and Leadership is committed to providing aspiring leaders with high-quality, inclusive, and culturally-relevant education in business, leadership and management. Through hands-on learning, real-world experiences, and personalized mentorship, our students graduate with the confidence and capabilities to lead in today’s dynamic global economy.
As the world of business evolves, so must the leaders who shape it. Your support helps prepare tomorrow’s changemakers, equipped not just to succeed, but also to lead with purpose.
World-Class Culinary and Hospitality Education in the Heart of Chicago
At NLU's Kendall College, students do not just learn the art of hospitality, they live it. Located in one of the world’s most vibrant hospitality cities, Kendall offers immersive, career-focused programs in culinary arts, baking and pastry, hospitality management, and tourism that prepare students to lead in this dynamic industry.
With state-of-the-art facilities, including commercial-grade kitchens, and a curriculum rooted in real-world experience, Kendall is Chicago’s premier destination for passionate, driven individuals ready to elevate their craft and shape the future of global hospitality.
Support the next generation of chefs, hoteliers, and experience-makers - where excellence meets opportunity.
Invest in Innovation: Learn and Earn in Three (LE3)
National Louis University’s LE3 program is transforming higher education by giving students the chance to earn a bachelor’s degree in just three years while working full-time. This groundbreaking model allows students to complete 25% of coursework on the job, while receiving AI-powered personalized instruction, career coaching and peer support in a cohort model.
By investing in LE3, you are helping NLU reimagine what higher education can be: student-centered, future-focused, and debt-free.
Empowering Discovery. Fueling Academic Success
The NLU Libraries empower students, educators, and researchers by providing access to high-quality resources and fostering a culture of critical inquiry, engaged learning, and scholarly growth.
Our libraries are a partner in every learner’s journey. Through expertly curated print and digital collections, personalized support, and dynamic instruction, our library faculty equip the NLU community with the research skills, critical thinking, and information literacy essential for academic, professional and personal success.
Support the library and help open the door to knowledge for every NLU student.
Shaping the Future of Early Childhood Education
The McCormick Institute for Early Childhood is elevating the field of early childhood education through innovative and responsive programming that is informed by practice, applied research, and community and policy engagement.
When you support the McCormick Institute, you share in our belief that every child deserves access to outstanding early childhood professionals.
For 16 years, Dr. Nivine Megahed led National Louis University with a bold vision for expanding educational access, fostering innovation, and ensuring student success. Under her leadership, NLU grew into a nationally recognized institution serving more than 13,000 students annually while launching groundbreaking programs that prepare graduates for meaningful careers and lives of purpose.
To honor her extraordinary legacy, the NLU Board of Trustees established the Nivine Megahed Endowed Fund for Innovation. With a goal of building a $5 million endowment, this fund will provide permanent support for transformative initiatives that reimagine higher education, expand access for underserved students, improve student outcomes, and advance NLU's mission for generations to come.
Your investment in the Nivine Megahed Endowed Fund for Innovation will ensure that Dr. Megahed's vision continues to inspire bold ideas, remove barriers to opportunity, and empower future generations of students to achieve their full potential.
Leading the Future of Education - One Educator at a Time
At the National College of Education (NCE), we are transforming lives through learning. For 140 years, NCE has been at the forefront of teacher preparation, educator advancement, and leadership development, continually evolving to meet the needs of today’s students and schools.
Our graduates do not just teach - they inspire, lead, and drive change in classrooms and communities across the nation.
Empowering Independence. Building Bright Futures.
Path to Academics, Community, and Employment (P.A.C.E.) at NLU is a transformative three-year, post-secondary certificate program designed specifically for young adults with intellectual, learning, and developmental disabilities.
Through inclusive education, experiential learning, and personalized support, P.A.C.E. empowers students to live fuller, more independent lives.
Support P.A.C.E. and help open doors for students who are ready to shine.
NLU opens doors for students to answer the call to make a lasting difference in the healthcare field. Backed by 140 years of educational excellence, NLU’s School of Nursing is committed to preparing the next generation of nurses with the skills, knowledge, and empathy to lead in patient care and drive positive health outcomes.
Support the future of healthcare by investing in future nurses who will heal, lead, and serve.
A Lifeline When It’s Needed Most
For many NLU students, unexpected financial hardships can mean the difference between staying in school and stopping just short of graduation. That’s why NLU created the Student Emergency Fund, a vital source of support that helps students navigate life’s toughest moments and continue their journey toward a degree.
Originally launched in response to the COVID-19 crisis, the fund provided immediate relief for students facing job loss, medical bills, and housing or food insecurity. But the need hasn’t gone away. Today, the Student Emergency Fund has become a long-term safety net, helping students persist, rejoin their classmates, and cross the finish line to graduation.
Without this critical support, many students, especially those from historically underserved backgrounds, may be forced to put their dreams on hold.
Your gift to the Student Emergency Fund ensures that NLU students facing hardship don’t face it alone. Help them move forward: stronger, supported, and ready to succeed.
Serving more than 4,000 first-time and transfer students annually, the Undergraduate College at NLU prepares learners of all ages and backgrounds to succeed as professionals and engaged citizens - driving opportunity and positive impact in their communities.
The college offers a uniquely supportive and flexible learning experience, with small class sizes, hands-on instruction, dedicated career coaches, and wraparound student services. With majors ranging from business and education to computer science and social sciences, NLU ensures that students graduate on time, with minimal debt - and career-ready.
Invest in the future - support NLU undergraduates today.
Serving Those Who Served
NLU proudly supports student veterans, active-duty service members, and military-connected families through our Veterans Resource Center. Using a holistic, wraparound approach, we help military-affiliated students transition successfully from service to classroom and beyond.
Recognized as a Military Friendly School, NLU is committed to providing an exceptional, supportive educational experience for those who have served.
Support our veterans and help them thrive in their next mission.
