History

Chicago's third oldest private university

Founded in 1886.

National-Louis University is Chicago's third oldest private university and was founded in 1886 by the visionary social reformer Elizabeth Harrison, a pioneer of early childhood education who collaborated with contemporaries John Dewey and Jane Addams.

For 80 years NLU specialized in education, developing into one of the finest education colleges in the country-National College of Education. In the late 1970s NLU diversified, as it introduced academic programs in allied health, applied behavioral sciences and human services-which were organized into the College of Arts and Sciences in 1982. Another rapid growth area, business programs, resulted in the formation of the College of Management and Business in 1989. During this period of growth, National College of Education also began opening campuses across the nation and in Europe.

In 1990, NLU united the respected name of National College of Education with that of trustee and benefactor Michael W. Louis, whose gift spearheaded the transition from college to university.

NLU has always served the principle that great teaching helps to address important social issues. Miss Harrison set out on that road in 1886 when she took the idea of quality early childhood education for all children and built around it one of the first four-year colleges for teachers.

Today, we as educational leaders must continue to act on some of the most urgent problems of our time and our city, including:

  • Adequate funding for education.
  • Teacher training for urban school districts.
  • Access to higher education.

Learn more about NLU's history and our founder, Elizabeth Harrison. 

Institution Names

  • Miss Harrison's Training School:1886
  • Chicago Kindergarten Training School: 1887
  • Chicago Kindergarten College:1893
  • National Kindergarten and Elementary College:1912
  • National College of Education:1930
  • National-Louis University: 1990

Presidents

  • Elizabeth Harrison:1886-1920
  • Edna Dean Baker:1920-1949
  • Dr. K. Richard Johnson:1949-1972
  • Dr. Oscar Chute (Interim):1972
  • Dr. Calvin E. Gross:1972-1977
  • Dr. Orley R. Herron:1977-1997
  • Dr. Edward A. Risinger (Acting): 1997-1998
  • Dr. Curtis L. McCray:1998-2005
  • Dr. Richard J. Pappas: 2005-2009
  • Dr. George Litman (Interim): Present