On the morning of Saturday, October 26, Indiana University Northwest hosted its annual Fall Open House event. Over 150 students and their family members came from all over the Region to learn about the vast number of educational opportunities available at Indiana University Northwest. The Fall Open House featured a resource fair, campus tours, and a financial aid seminar. Indiana University Northwest’s mascot Rufus the RedHawk posed for pictures with the attendees and even joined students in the 360 photo booth. Fresh popcorn and water were available for everyone to enjoy.
Erin Zak, director of admissions at Indiana University Northwest, ascended to her current position about six months ago. She is pleased with how well her first time coordinating the Fall Open House has gone.
“I don't think many people recognize just how much of an advantage it is to have an Indiana University campus right in their own backyard,” Zak said. “An Indiana University degree carries a lot of weight throughout the country and the world. The fact that local students can earn IU degrees right here in Northwest Indiana is truly awesome. As our interim chancellor, Dr. Vicki Román-Lagunas, said earlier today, we’re the Region's best kept secret, and we don't want to be a secret anymore. We want the community to know about us and we’d love to have people come visit IU Northwest. We invite them to look at our programs, talk to our professors, and talk to our staff members. Everybody here is kind and loving and we're 100% invested in our students’ futures.”
Representatives from over 30 Indiana University Northwest departments and external organizations set up tables in the Moraine Student Center’s game room, ready to answer questions from students and distribute informational materials. Among the vendors were representatives from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., the Chicago/Indianapolis battalion of the U.S. Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), RedHawk Athletics, and the Indiana University Northwest English, Fine Arts, Geoscience, and Social Work departments. Representatives from Indiana University Northwest student organizations like the Black Student Union and the Pre-Law Club were also present.
Pascha Campbell, a graduating senior at Merrillville High School, toured Indiana University Northwest this past July and was later accepted as a student, alongside several of her friends. She looks forward to being part of the Indiana University Northwest family as she pursues a degree in communications.
“IU Northwest is all my friends and I have been talking about,” Campbell said. “We’re so excited to be here. When I came for the tour in July, everyone I met was so epic. I felt right at home. The environment is so friendly and it’s clear that the professors and staff love their jobs and that they are committed to supporting the students. Graduating from high school and going to college is a huge step and it’s been a very important one for me. I want to be comfortable at college, and I can see that I definitely will be at IU Northwest. They accept you for you and make you feel like you’re wanted here. That’s one of the things I love most about IU Northwest. Apply to IUN, because that’s where the magic begins!”
The guided campus tours were led by student ambassadors who shared their personal Indiana University Northwest experiences with attendees. Some of the campus locations spotlighted in the tours were the Dunes Medical/Professional Building’s radiology lab and dental clinic, the Moraine Student Center’s game room, and the College of Arts and Sciences in Hawthorn Hall. When they weren’t on a tour or visiting the resource fair, students and their families learned about the financial support that Indiana University Northwest offers at the financial aid seminar.
Zak appreciates the opportunity to meet and interact with so many of the Region’s young scholars and their families.
“It’s been super exciting to have everyone here today,” Zak said. “I hope they leave here thinking, ‘Wow, I had no idea so many opportunities are available at IU Northwest.’ Hopefully, they have also enjoyed experiencing the wonderful, positive energy that everybody who works here gives off. I hope that the students go home wanting to put IU Northwest right at the top of their list of potential colleges. For everyone who couldn’t make it to the Fall Open House, feel free to schedule a tour on our website, make an appointment with one of our admissions counselors, or drop by the university for a visit. We’d love for you to come take a gander at everything IU Northwest has to offer.”
Please visit northwest.iu.edu for enrollment information and to stay up-to-date on Indiana University Northwest’s announcements and upcoming events.
