Since 1886 NLU (National-Louis University) has been a leader in the field of education. Elizabeth Harrison, our University's first president, had a radical idea for her time—to create a college to train women to teach kindergarten. It was an uphill battle, however, to get the concept off the ground in the city of Chicago. In 1886, how and what young children were taught was of little concern to parents and society. The fact that today kindergarten is a universally accepted component of public school education in the U.S. is a testament to her tenacity—and a reflection of the significant impact our university has had on American education and society. Today NLU encompasses three colleges: National College of Education, College of Arts and Sciences, and the College of Management and Business.
