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| 1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION | ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, It is highly fitting that the members of the | ||||||
| 3 | Illinois House of Representatives pay honor and respect to | ||||||
| 4 | those institutions of higher learning that have demonstrated | ||||||
| 5 | an unwavering commitment to educational excellence and social | ||||||
| 6 | mobility for the citizens of the State of Illinois; and | ||||||
| 7 | WHEREAS, National Louis University (NLU) is celebrating | ||||||
| 8 | its 140th anniversary in 2026, marking nearly a century and a | ||||||
| 9 | half of innovative and professional education that builds | ||||||
| 10 | careers, cultivates leaders, and strengthens communities; and | ||||||
| 11 | WHEREAS, Founded by urban education pioneer Elizabeth | ||||||
| 12 | Harrison as Miss Harrison's Training School in 1886, the | ||||||
| 13 | institution now known as NLU began as a radical initiative to | ||||||
| 14 | train women as kindergarten teachers, eventually becoming a | ||||||
| 15 | cornerstone of the modern American kindergarten movement and | ||||||
| 16 | the birthplace of the National Parent Teacher Association | ||||||
| 17 | (PTA); and | ||||||
| 18 | WHEREAS, NLU has evolved into a comprehensive, private, | ||||||
| 19 | nonprofit university serving approximately 13,000 students | ||||||
| 20 | annually across campuses in downtown Chicago, Lisle, and | ||||||
| 21 | Wheeling, as well as Tampa, Florida, and through robust online | ||||||
| 22 | platforms; and | ||||||
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| 1 | WHEREAS, NLU remains a leader in teacher preparation, with | ||||||
| 2 | its National College of Education (NCE) being recognized for | ||||||
| 3 | top-tier programs in Early Childhood Education, Curriculum & | ||||||
| 4 | Instruction, and Secondary Education; and | ||||||
| 5 | WHEREAS, NLU's commitment to college access is reflected | ||||||
| 6 | in its student body, with 60% of students identifying as | ||||||
| 7 | BIPOC, 59% being eligible for Pell Grants, and many being | ||||||
| 8 | first-generation college students pursuing degrees while | ||||||
| 9 | managing personal and professional goals; and | ||||||
| 10 | WHEREAS, NLU continues to drive innovation through a | ||||||
| 11 | number of unique initiatives, including Accelerate U, which | ||||||
| 12 | provides rapid pathways to employment, and the Work Integrated | ||||||
| 13 | Pathways program, which allows students to earn academic | ||||||
| 14 | credit while employed; and | ||||||
| 15 | WHEREAS, NLU has been recognized by Washington Monthly | ||||||
| 16 | magazine as the #30 best national university, ranking it #1 | ||||||
| 17 | for "Best Bang for the Buck" in the Midwest; and | ||||||
| 18 | WHEREAS, NLU continues to redefine excellence by removing | ||||||
| 19 | obstacles to postsecondary success and preparing the diverse | ||||||
| 20 | workforce of tomorrow; therefore, be it | ||||||
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| 1 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
| 2 | HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
| 3 | we congratulate National Louis University (NLU) on the | ||||||
| 4 | occasion of its 140th anniversary and its enduring legacy and | ||||||
| 5 | impact, and we commend the faculty, staff, students, and | ||||||
| 6 | 100,000 living alumni of NLU for their contributions to the | ||||||
| 7 | prosperity and well-being of the State of Illinois; and be it | ||||||
| 8 | further | ||||||
| 9 | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | ||||||
| 10 | presented to NLU President Nivine Megahed, Ph.D., NLU Provost | ||||||
| 11 | and Senior Vice President Eddie Phillips, Ed.D., and the NLU | ||||||
| 12 | Board of Trustees as an expression of our esteem and respect. | ||||||