Northwood Institute
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Northwood_Institute".

Northwood University
Northwood logo
Established:	1959
Type:	Private
Endowment:	$29.1 million1
President:	Keith A. Pretty, J.D.
Faculty:	49
Students:	Michigan-1,987 Florida-1,000 Texas-1,500
Location:	Midland, Michigan, USA
Campus:	Urban 90 acres
Colors:	NU Dark Blue and NU Lighter Blue
Mascot:	Michigan-Timberwolf Florida-Seahawk Texas-Knight
Athletics:	Michigan-NCAA Division II Texas & Florida-NAIA
Affiliations:	NCACS, Michigan-GLIAC, Florida-FSC, Texas-RRAC
Website:	http://www.northwood.edu

Northwood University (NU) is a private university with multiple locations. The school has four residential campuses: Midland, Michigan (opened in 1961), Cedar Hill, Texas (opened in 1966), West Palm Beach, Florida (opened in 1984) and a joint program with Hotel Institute Montreux in Montreux, Switzerland began in 2001. More than 33,000 persons have graduated from the institution, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2009.²

History

Founders

Northwood Institute was founded in 1959 by Dr. Arthur E. Turner and Dr. R. Gary Stauffer. One hundred students enrolled at the new school, which was initially located in a 19th century mansion in Alma, Michigan. The founders understood that virtually all human endeavors require intelligent, ethics-driven management. Northwood Institute was moved to Midland, Michigan in 1961.³

Indiana Campus

The Jesuits operated a seminary known as West Baden College at the former West Baden Springs Hotel as 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 of their business management school under the great dome on the property from 1966 until 1983, when it was closed.⁴

Texas Campus

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.

The Northwood Idea

The vision of doctors Turner and Stauffer was a school where management was the central theme. This could be accomplished by incorporating the lessons of the American Free enterprise system into the classroom. Turner and Stauffer called this "The Northwood Idea". Over the years, the lessons have been distilled and added to a statement of the Northwood Idea:

"We believe that competitive, productive effort can overcome obstacles, solve problems, and achieve goals; that human beings can make a difference in the world in which they live; that political and economic freedom are of paramount importance in releasing creativity and productivity; that sacrifice--savings--is a necessary prerequisite to progress; that equality of opportunity based on contribution and inequality of reward using the same criteria are not only appropriate, but the necessary conditions; in a system not forced into conformity with some master plan; that it is the differences among us that make us interesting and useful to each other; in the freedom to fail. We must be free to bear the positive and negative consequences of our actions; that in a competitive system, all who participate benefit from it; we dedicate ourselves to the elimination of artificial barriers to equal opportunity for all human beings. Racial, religious and sexual barriers are anathema to us; that an understanding and appreciation of the arts and humanities is a primary source of human enrichment in the lives of productive human beings; that education is never something that one person can do to another. It is, rather, something two people do together. This means that an educational institution is, primarily, a facilitator of knowledge.
We practice a healthy skepticism of large and powerful government because we think history has clearly demonstrated that such structures move rapidly from being of the people toward being over the people, and freedom is lost in the balance. Our intolerance of monolithic power is consistent across the business, labor, and government spectrum. We suspect, furthermore, that as a society we cannot gain from the establishment of legal monopolies except in a very few and constrained circumstances."²

Midland's Church Family Administration building

Expansion

Dr. David E. Fry became president of the school in 1982. The Florida residential campus was added and the academic curricula was expanded. The school was accreditied by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. In 1993, the name was changed from Northwood Institute to Northwood University and The Richard DeVos Graduate School of Management was created. A joint program with the Hotel Institute Montreux was established in 2001 to combine the reknowned Swiss hospitality traditions with successful 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, Malaysia, People's Republic of China, Sri Lanka, and Switzerland.

Mission Statement

"The mission of Northwood University is to prepare qualified undergraduate and graduate learners of any age or station with the tools, skills, and intellectual capacities for productive leadership careers in a global economic network of free markets and private enterprise. The University emphasizes experiential learning and innovation at graduate and undergraduate levels for both traditional and non-traditional students. Through general education and focused discipline study, learners are prepared for varied management careers. Additionally, its programs emphasize:
(1) the dynamics of a free enterprise society in which management and entrepreneurial skills predominate and where individuals can take risk for individual and common good and gain,
(2) the aesthetic, creative, and spiritual elements of life and their relative importance to living in the fullest sense, and
(3) the global, diverse, and multi-cultural nature of enterprise."⁵

New President

Keith A. Pretty was named Northwood's third President and CEO in October, 2006.

Degrees

University College

The University College offers the Associate of Arts degree

Northwood University

Northwood grants the Bachelor of Business Administration degree with single, double or triple majors in: Advertising, Computer & Information Sciences, Sport & Fitness Administration/Management, Business Administration and Management, Accounting, Business/Managerial Economics, Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial studies, Banking and Financial support services, Hotel/Motel Administration/Management, International Business/Trade/Commerce, Management Information Systems, Marketing/Marketing Management, Fashion Merchandising, Vehicle and Vehicle Parts & Accessories Marketing Operations.

DeVos Graduate School of Management

The school awards the Master of Business Administration degree and utilizes case study methodology to learn management by practicing management. The MBA program offers four options:

• Full-time - Midland, Michigan
• Evening - Lansing, Midland, and Troy, Michigan
• Switzerland - Montreux, Switzerland
• Dealership Executive - various sites across the U.S.

Athletics

Florida Campus Seahawks

The Florida campus of Northwood University is a member of the NAIA, competing as the Seahawks in the Florida Sun Conference. Varsity sports sponsored by the campus include baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's golf, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's tennis, women's volleyball, and cheerleading.

The 2007 women's soccer team won the Florida Sun Conference championship and advanced to the NAIA National Championship in Olathe, Kansas. The Seahawks lost in the quarterfinals, but made history as the most successful women's soccer team ever at Northwood University.

The men's soccer team reached the quarterfinals at the NAIA National Tournament, and were the most successful sports team at Northwood during the 2006-2007 academic year.

The men's basketball team is coached by Rollie Massimino, who is best known for leading Villanova to the 1985 NCAA National Title. In their first year of competition they reached the national tournament but lost in the first round for the 2006-2007 season. In their second year of competition they reached the elite eight of the national tournament before losing.

The women's basketball team has won 2 consecutive conference champ titles (2006-2007, 2007-2008) under former head coach John Thurston. In the 2007-2008 season the Lady Seahawks made an appearance at nationals held in Sioux city, Iowa. The Lady Seahawks lost in the first round against Bethel College who was the #1 seed.

Hantz Stadium in Midland

Michigan Campus Timberwolves

The Michigan campus of Northwood University competes as the Timberwolves, and is a member of the NCAA, competing at the Division II level and is a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Varsity sports on the Michigan campus consist of American football, men's and women's tennis,men's and women's soccer, men's and women's basketball, men's baseball, women's softball, men's and women's track & field, and men's and women's cross country running. In addition, men’s club programs are offered in ice hockey,baseball and lacrosse.

Men's Ice Hockey

Northwood University Men's Ice Hockey competes in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) and is a member of the Michigan Collegiate Hockey Conference (MCHC).

• 2008 - ACHA Division III (10th in the Nation) - Bracket
• 2008 - MCHC (Regular Season Co-Champs)
• 2008 - MCHC (League Tournament Runners-up)
• 2007 - ACHA Division III (3rd in the Nation) - Bracket
• 2007 - MCHC (Regular Season Champs)
• 2007 - MCHC (League Tournament Runners-up)
• 2006 - ACHA Division III (National Runners-up)
• 2006 - MCHC (League Tournament Runners-up)

Texas Campus Knights

The Texas campus of Northwood University competes as the Knights in the NAIA, and is a member of the Red River Athletic Conference. Varsity sports offerings include baseball, men's and women's cross country running, men's and women's golf, men's and women's soccer, and softball.

Distinguished alumni

• Rob Childress, college baseball coach
• Dick DeVos, failed 2006 Michigan gubernatorial candidate, son of Amway co-founder.
• Chris Wilson, Washington Redskins defensive end.
• Jerry Pettway, American Basketball Association, Houston Mavericks guard.

References

External links

• Northwood University
• Northwood University Athletics
• Northwood University Men's Ice Hockey
• Florida Seahawks Athletics
• Texas Knights Athletics
• Michigan Timberwolves Athletics