Thousands Strong 2021

A generous and long-time NIU donor wants to encourage the Huskie family to come together during Thousands Strong. When 2,000 total gifts are made during Thousands Strong, a $100,000 gift to support innovation and strategic initiatives will be unlocked into our totals.

College of Education Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus, Dr. Jerry L. Johns, and College of Education alumna Annette L. Johns, M.S.Ed. ’77, want to inspire giving toward the College of Education’s Project Graduate. They will personally match all donations to Project Graduate, dollar-for-dollar, during Thousands Strong.

The NIU Foundation Board of Directors are encouraging Huskies to support one the NIU Foundation's most powerful sources of philanthropy, the Northern Fund. When 200 gifts are made to the Northern Fund, their collective gift of $34,000 will be unlocked into the Thousands Strong totals.

NIU alumna Dr. Mary Wirth ’74 and Dr. Dennis Evans want to inspire gifts to the Department of History during Thousands Strong. When 100 gifts are made, their $50,000 gift to the William P. Wirth Memorial Fund in History will be added to the Day of Giving totals. This fund honors one of the department’s proud alumni and supports the needs of today’s History students.

When 20 gifts are made to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences' Project Finish Line, $25,000 from Mark and Donna Lamb will be added to the Thousand Strong totals.

NIU Computer Science alumnus Jordan Webb ’02, M.S. ’09 and his wife Tuesday Webb want to inspire gifts to the Computer Science department. When 25 gifts are made to Computer Science, a gift of $20,000 to create a scholarship of in honor of Dr. Robert Rannie will be unlocked in the Thousands Strong totals.

The Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, Paul Kassel, wants to inspire giving toward the college. When CVPA receives 25 total gifts during Thousands Strong, his gift of $6,000 will unlock in the college totals.

A generous donor wants to inspire gifts to the College of Visual and Performing Arts during Thousands Strong. When 50 gifts are made to any area within the college, a gift of $10,000 will unlock and support the School of Art and Design.

NIU's Black Alumni Council is encouraging gifts to the Center for Black Studies during Thousands Strong. When 30 gifts are made to the Center for Black Studies, their gift of $1,000 to the Fanny Ruth Patterson Scholarship will be unlocked into the Thousands Strong totals.

A generous donor has established the Leonard and Stacey Mandell Endowed Scholarship Fund in memory of former Associate Dean Lenny Mandell. When 50 gifts are made, a gift of $20,000 will be unlocked in order to help provide scholarship support to incoming and/or current law school students!

The CHHS leadership team wants to see a strong kick-off to our giving day! When 30 gifts total are made to any area in the college, it will unlock a gift of $2,650.

An anonymous donor is offering a challenge to encourage gifts to CHHS! When 60 gifts total are made to any area in the college, it will unlock a gift of $6,000.

An anonymous donor wants to help CHHS set a new giving day record! When 100 gifts are made to any area in the college, it will unlock a gift of $15,000.

Our friends at Comcast are eager to support Public Administration's mission “to improve the quality of life for all in local communities by strengthening professional and ethical public and nonprofit management through our teaching, scholarship and community engagement.” When 50 gifts are made to any area within Public Administration, their $5,000 gift will be added to the Day of Giving totals for the department.

NIU Retiree and College of Education friend Alberta Solfisburg wants to start the Day of Giving off right. When COE receives its first 5 gifts from our donors, she will gift $500 to Project Graduate.

Double College of Education alumni Dennis Gurney, M.S. Ed, '69 and Pat Gurney, B.S.Ed. ’68, M.S.Ed. ’74, want to inspire giving toward the College of Education. When COE receives 25 total gifts, they will gift $2,000 to Project Graduate.

The Dean of the College of Education, Dr. Laurie Elish-Piper, wants to inspire giving toward the College of Education. When COE receives 50 total gifts, she will increase the impact by gifting $2,500 to College Strategic Priorities Fund.

College of Education alumna Denise A. Bunning, M.S. Ed, '89 wants to inspire more people to make a positive impact on the lives of COE students. When 100 total gifts are received, her family foundation, Sunshine Charitable Foundation, will gift $10,000 into our Strategic Priorities Fund.

When 25 gifts are made to the Leona S. Green Diversity Initiatives Fund, a gift of $3,000 will be unlocked by an anonymous donor to support all diversity initiatives including student scholarships and programming!

When 25 gifts are made to the Daniel S. Reynolds Scholarship Fund, a gift of $2,500 will be unlocked by Victoria Young and Mark Cordes!

The Eickhoff family has created a special challenge to increase the impact of their scholarship for veterans. When 20 gifts are made to the Eickhoff Family Veterans Scholarship, a gift of $3,000 will be unlocked into the totals.

When 20 gifts are made to the College of Law's Clinics, a gift of $1,000 will be unlocked by Dean Cassandra L. Hill.

When 20 gifts are made to the NIU Law Business Innovation Legal Clinic, a gift of $3,975 will be unlocked by the College of Law's Board of Visitors.

When 20 gifts are made to the College of Law Dean’s Strategic Initiatives Fund, a gift of $1050 will be unlocked by the Law Alumni Council!

The Dean of NIU Libraries, Fred Barnhart, is encouraging gifts to support the digitization of the Northern Star. When $500 is raised toward this initiative, his gift of $500 will unlock into the Thousands Strong totals.

The Dean of NIU Libraries, Fred Barnhart, is encouraging gifts to support the Katherine Walker Library Endowment. When $500 is raised toward the endowment, his gift of $500 will unlock into the Thousands Strong totals.