Northwood University (NU) is a

private university Private universities and private colleges are institutions of higher education, not operated, owned, or institutionally funded by governments. They may (and often do) receive from governments tax breaks, public student loans, and grants. Dep ...

focused on business education with its main campus in Midland, Michigan. Opened in 1959, more than 33,000 people have graduated from the institution.Northwood University: About Us-History
/ref>

History

Northwood University opened as Northwood Institute in 1959 by Arthur E. Turner and R. Gary Stauffer. One hundred students enrolled at the new school, which was initially located in a 19th-century mansion in

Alma, Michigan Alma is the largest city in Gratiot County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 9,383 at the 2010 census. It was incorporated as the Village of Alma in 1872 and became a city in 1905. Alma hosts the annual Highland Festival on Memori ...

. Northwood Institute moved to Midland, Michigan, in 1961.Peterson's Four-Year Coilleges by Thomson Peterson, page 2101-2104, Northwood University
/ref> The

Jesuits , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders = ...

operated a

seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy ...

known as ''West Baden College'' at the former

West Baden Springs Hotel The West Baden Springs Hotel, formerly known as the West Baden Inn, is part of the French Lick Resort and is a national historic landmark hotel in West Baden Springs, Orange County, Indiana. It is known for the dome covering its atrium. Prior ...

, in Orange County, Indiana, from 1934 until June 1964, when declining enrollment forced the closure of the facility. They sold the property to a Michigan couple, who in turn donated it to Northwood Institute, which operated a

satellite campus A satellite campus or branch campus or regional campus is a campus of a university or college that is physically at a distance from the original university or college area. This branch campus may be located in a different city, state, or coun ...

of their business management school under the great dome on the property from 1966 until 1983, when it was closed.French Lick Resort website: History-West Baden Springs Hotel
/ref> During the same time frame during which the Indiana campus was opened, a Northwood facility was also established in Texas, which continues to serve students in the Southwest United States. NorthwoodAdmin

In 1982, David E. Fry became president of the school. The Florida residential campus was added and the academic curricula was expanded. The school was accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.Higher Learning Commission
/ref> In 1993, the name was changed from ''Northwood Institute'' to Northwood University and The DeVos Graduate School of Management was created. A joint program with the Hotel Institute Montreux was established in 2001 to combine Swiss hospitality traditions with American management practices. The school, located in Montreux, Switzerland was Northwood University's first international venture. University College program centers were expanded for a total of 40 locations in eight states and program centers were begun in

Bahrain Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ...

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

, Sri Lanka, and Switzerland. In October 2007, Keith A. Pretty was named Northwood's third President and CEO. Kent MacDonald became president in 2019. In 2014, Northwood announced that it would close its residential operations at its Texas location, while continuing to expand its adult degree program and graduate program there. A year later in 2015, the university sold its Florida location to Keiser University.Keiser University to take over Northwood University's West Palm Beach campus
/ref>

Athletics

Current campuses

Michigan Timberwolves

The athletic teams of Northwood University's Michigan (main) campus are called the Timberwolves. The campus is a member of the

NCAA Division II NCAA Division II (D-II) is an intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It offers an alternative to both the larger and better-funded Division I and to the scholarship-free environmen ...

ranks, primarily competing in the

Great Midwest Athletic Conference The Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level. It was named the 24th (at the time) NCAA Division II conference and oper ...

(G-MAC) since the 2022–23 academic year. The Timberwolves previously competed in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) from 1972–73 to 1986–87, and again from 1992–93 to 2021–22. Northwood competes in 16 varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, tennis, and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field, and volleyball. Club sports include men's ice hockey. On April 29, 2021, Northwood announced that it will leave the GLIAC to join the G-MAC in July 2022.

Former campuses

Texas Knights

The athletic teams of Northwood University's Texas campus were called the Knights. The campus was a member of the

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its st ...

(NAIA); primarily competing in the

Sooner Athletic Conference The Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Originally developed as a five-team conference of Oklahoma-based schools, the SAC now boasts 12 s ...

(SAC) for the 2013–14 academic year. They also competed in the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) from 1998–99 to 2012–13. Northwood–Texas competed in 12 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports included baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, and track & field; while women's sports included basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, and track & field.

Florida Seahawks

The athletic teams of Northwood University's Florida campus were called the Seahawks. The campus was a member of the

(NAIA); primarily competing in the Sun Conference (formerly known as the Florida Sun Conference (FSC) until after the 2007–08 school year) from 1994–95 to 2014–15. Northwood–Florida competed in 12 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports included baseball, basketball, golf, soccer, and tennis; while women's sports included basketball, cheerleading, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, and volleyball.

Notable alumni

Jeffrey Ajluni Jeffrey Ajluni is the senior vice president, corporate partnerships, for the Major League Soccer club D.C. United in Washington, D.C., having joined the team in September 2021. Ajluni leads all partnership development and partner activation and se ...

, businessman * Robb Brent, NASCAR/ARCA driver * Julie Calley, politician and former Second lady from Michigan * Rob Childress, college baseball coach * Dick DeVos, 2006 Michigan GOP gubernatorial candidate, son of

Amway Amway (short for "American Way") is an American multi-level marketing (MLM) company that sells health, beauty, and home care products. The company was founded in 1959 by Jay Van Andel and Richard DeVos and is based in Ada, Michigan. Amway and it ...

co-founder * Dan DeVos, American businessman and sports executive * Carole Gist,

Miss USA 1990 Miss USA 1990 was the 39th Miss USA pageant, televised live from the Century II Convention Center in Wichita, Kansas on March 2, 1990. At the conclusion of the final competition, Carole Gist of Michigan was crowned by outgoing titleholder Gretc ...

* Rina Mohd Harun, Malaysian politician. * Charleston Hughes,

Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...

All-Star defensive linemen and Grey Cup champion * Maurice Jones, NBL Canada player, 2017 NBL Canada Rookie of the Year * Jose Jono Jumamoy, Former Municipal Mayor of Inabanga, Bohol,

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

* Blake Koch, NASCAR driver * Lisa McClain, Representative of

Michigan's 10th congressional district Michigan's 10th congressional district is a United States congressional district in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, covering a region known as the Thumb. It consists of all of Huron, Lapeer, St. Clair, and Sanilac Counties; as well as most ...

Jermaine Middleton Jermaine "Stretch" Middleton (born January 15, 1984) was an American basketball player for the Harlem Globetrotters. Biography The 7'4" Middleton was born in Los Angeles and started playing basketball as a Crenshaw High School junior. His frien ...

, former basketball player for the Harlem Globetrotters * Candice Miller, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives * Jerry Pettway, American Basketball Association, Houston Mavericks guard * Deborah Renshaw, NASCAR driver * Jim Stamas, businessman and politician * Chris Wilson,

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...

defensive end * Ernie Zeigler,

college basketball In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...

coach

References

External links

Official website

Official athletics website
{{Coord, 43, 37, 50, N, 84, 16, 43, W, region:US-MI_type:edu, display=title Educational institutions established in 1959 Midland, Michigan Private universities and colleges in Michigan Education in Midland County, Michigan Buildings and structures in Midland County, Michigan 1959 establishments in Michigan Private universities and colleges in Texas