On March 23, 1959, two young men with an idea, a goal, and a pragmatic philosophy to embrace it all left their typical academic careers to launch a new educational approach. Northwood University was founded in 1959 by Arthur E. Turner and R. Gary Stauffer as Northwood Institute. The new school, which was initially housed in a 19th-century mansion in Alma, Michigan, accepted a total of one hundred children. In 1961, Northwood Institute relocated to Midland, MI. The world was changing when Northwood was constructed. Sputnik had been launched by the Russians, and the American would shortly follow suit. The race to space was being observed by Stauffer and Turner. They envisioned a new form of university, one that prioritized management education. While the mysteries of space were being revealed, Stauffer and Turner recognized that all enterprises – technological, manufacturing, marketing, retail, and any other form of business – required cutting-edge, ethical management.
In 2001, a cooperative curriculum was formed with the Hotel Institute Montreux to integrate Swiss hospitality traditions with American management practices. Northwood University’s first foreign attempt was a school in Montreux, Switzerland. Northwood University is energized on all campuses and in all divisions, and it is actively pursuing dynamic programming and increasing influence. Northwood University, also extending its presence in national and international settings, with a clear objective to develop the future leaders of a global, free-enterprise society. University College program centers were opened in Bahrain, the People’s Republic of China, Sri Lanka, and Switzerland, for a total of 40 locations in eight states. Professors are participating in economic and policy discussions, and students are winning regional and national intellectual prizes. Managers and entrepreneurs — highly competent and ethical leaders – are educated at Northwood University. The Northwood Idea is alive and well, with over 57,000 alumni and a bright future ahead.
4000 Whiting Drive, Midland, MI 48640, United States of America.
- Northwood is an excellent school that focuses on the quality of education and sets a solid foundation for students to launch into their careers.
- The school is very diverse in terms of students, with a large portion of international students, while also offering a multitude of studying abroad opportunities.
- Northwood utilizes real world experience, hiring professors with career experience in the field they are teaching, offering students an opportunity to learn in and out of the classroom.
- Students are taught the expectations of the real world and how to capitalize on each opportunity presented to them.
- Northwood University has been named one of Michigan’s best value colleges, ranked as a top choice for students from Sweden, ranked among the highest paid graduates in Michigan, and ranked among the top study abroad programs for short and mid-length programs at special focus institutions.
