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Meet Our Next President p. 11 … Best Eats Around the World p. 13 … “Black women are the bedrock of
Engineering a Dinosaur Card Game p. 18 … ‘We Will’ Celebrate p. 20 … their communities, and everyone
All in a Good Night’s Rest p. 34 … Debt-Free Gratitude p. 44 benefits when they are well.” p. 7
WINTER 202 2
The
Wright
Move
Former Wildcat Jason Wright
goes from running back to
running the Washington
Football Team. p. 28
MOMENT
A Fond Farewell
Parents watch
a group of new
Wildcats head
out on campus
following the March
Through the Arch
ceremony during
Wildcat Welcome
in September. After
a year of COVID-19
restrictions, Wildcat
Welcome introduced
the Class of 2025
to the foundational
elements of
Northwestern, while
members of the
Class of 2024, who
missed out on face-
to-face experiences
last year, took
part in a modified
program known as
Wildcat Welcome
Back.
PHOTO: SHANE COLLINS
MOMENT
Collective Craft
Last October, for
the first time in
perhaps 180 years,
a traditional Native
American birch-
bark canoe was
launched into Lake
Michigan from the
shoreline along the
Evanston campus.
During the course
of three weeks last
fall, Mino Giizhig
Wayne Valliere,
artist-in-residence
at Northwestern’s
Center for Native
American and
Indigenous
Research, shared
the Native American
craft of canoe
building with
students. A member
of the Ojibwe tribe,
Valliere (bottom
row, third from
left) is one of only
a few builders of
traditional birch-
bark canoes in the
U.S. The canoe,
launched briefly
during a sunrise
ceremony, will
be on display at
Northwestern.
PHOTO: SHANE COLLINS
4 5
Contents
40
WINTER 2022
Vol. 24 Issue 2
FRONT
34 Home Away
1 Moment
6 Talk Back
Rhythm & Snooze from Home
We know good sleep Dwight White II ’16,
VOICES
promotes good health (and ’17 MS creates
new art for the 7 Inger Burnett-Zeigler
vice versa). Now, researchers Prioritizing Black
from across Northwestern’s new Black House. women’s mental health
schools and disciplines are 8 Sound Off Our
bringing together sleep beautiful campus
science, circadian biology and 9 Chad Mirkin
technology to help us better Doubling down on
understand the importance nanotechnology
of a good night’s rest — and 10 What I Love Juliet
Litman on pop culture
get more of it.
By Clare Milliken
NEWS
11 Our 17th President
Meet President-elect
Rebecca Blank
44 13 Global Yum The best
Widening the Arch eats around the world
Increased financial aid 16 The Science of Art
AI helps discover
has made a Northwestern
career “hot streaks”
education more accessible
18 Dino Might
and fueled a transformation Professor invents
of the student population. dinosaur card game
By Sean Hargadon
“WE WILL” UPDATE
20 Celebration! The
end of a remarkable
campaign
FEATURES
28 A New Game Plan
Jason Wright leads the
Washington Football
Team
52 ROBINSON (FINANCIAL AID): SHANE COLLINS; ILLUSTRATION:
WHITE: SHANE COLLINS; BABY: LINDA MEEKER; BURDISSO:
ALUMNI
55 Good Reads New
books by alumni
← “We can invigorate
YIFAN WU; LIEBERMAN: TRAVIS EMERY HACKET T
56 Class Notes
57 Nedda Jefferson
traditional forms of theater Simon Sheltering
survivors since 1983
by inviting the audience 58 Michael Paul
Williams Pulitzer
into a totally different winner moves
N ORTHWESTERN ATHLETICS
monuments
relationship with the work. 68 Hailey Danz Triathlete
I like to say that I make 19 14 wins Paralympic silver
72 In Memoriam
boring things sexy.” Better Books for Kids
Alumni entrepreneurs
Swim Like a Butterfly
Italian swimmer and Northwestern junior Federico Burdisso THE OTHER COVER
— Mara Lieberman ’98 MA, right, director of Voyeur: help diversify children’s flies through the pool on his way to two Olympic medals in
76 Small Science
The Windows of Toulouse-Lautrec literature. Tokyo.
Cover: Jason Wright. © Scott Taetsch — USA Today Sports
NORTHWESTERN WINTER 2022 WINTER 2022 NORTHWESTERN
6 TALK BACK VOICES 7
Talk Back
Northwestern IDENTIFYING Though Osaka and Biles are premier
Magazine CONCUSSIONS athletes with wide-reaching platforms,
VICE PRESIDENT, OFFICE OF in many ways they are no different from
GLOBAL MARKETING AND
COMMUNICATIONS If Rosina Samadani’s EyeBOX the Black women I see in my outpatient
Jeri Ward ’01 MEM, MBA (“Identifying Concussions,” psychotherapy practice at Northwestern
ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT, BATTLING GLIOBLASTOMA would need to be created with page 57, fall 2021) can Medicine. I work with women who are
CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER
private industry to build the be delivered in a small, struggling with the residue of unresolved
Andy Madorsky ’86 MS
Great article (“Outsmarting the hardware to sustain life in economical, user-friendly way, MENTAL HEALTH discrimination and trauma. The COVID-19 trauma related to sexual abuse, poverty,
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Deadliest Brain Cancer,” fall space and on Mars? There is and with a bare minimum of pandemic, combined with the civil unrest chronic instability and exposure to
The Other Side
Sean Hargadon
ART DIRECTOR
2021)! Great science writing, no reason to expend resources false positives and negatives, in response to highly visible police killings violence. This trauma shows up in their
in plain English, without to take people to Mars. Our every high school, college, of Black people, piled onto that extant daily lives as persistent fear, worry,
of the Strong
Christina Senese
SENIOR WRITER & PRODUCER “science-y” jargon at the destiny is on this planet, where emergency room and stress and exacerbated mental health feelings of insecurity and shame.
Clare Milliken expense of clarity, and with we evolved. We should take ambulance should have one! challenges. Many Black women I work with are
EDITOR & WRITER
Diana Babineau
thoughtful commentary on
the human toll of this disease.
better care of our only home.
Robert Jacobsen ’77
Jon von Gunten
Tujunga, Calif.
Black Woman Black women have traditionally
coped with their stress and trauma by
additionally burdened by being “the
first” or “the only” in white spaces. These
CLASS NOTES EDITORS Clare Milliken seems to have Los Angeles wearing their “strong Black woman” cape, women sense that they don’t belong
Lena Elmeligy ’18,
understood the topic. Kudos. THE FUTURE OF MEDILL which empowers us with the resilience and describe feeling the pressure to be
Paulina Freedman
T
And condolences to Ned Thanks for this informative By Inger Burnett-Zeigler necessary to do what we need to do, day perfect, so that they set a good example
DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE
PRODUCTION Smith’s family. What a brave article about the physical and I wish I could share Dean by day, to simply make it in the world. and don’t let down those who depend
Martin Wilson ’10 MS man to share his experience in psychological challenges of Charles Whitaker’s optimism his past summer, women’s However, these capes veil the detrimental on and are looking up to them. They are
PUBLICATIONS DIRECTOR the face of such a devastating long-distance space travel. (“Medill Poised to Lead a tennis star Naomi Osaka and effects that stress and trauma can have in constantly self-monitoring, making sure
Anne Egger disease. As an informal educator at Changing Media World,” Olympic gymnast Simone our lives. not to inadvertently validate a negative
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Heather Collins ’91 MBA a science museum where page 7, fall 2021), but my Biles launched a movement Both Osaka and Biles courageously stereotype about Black women.
Lindsay Beller, Deborah
Cassell ’00 MS, Nancy Liskar,
Evanston we engage guests to discuss cynicism is influenced by how in Black women’s mental defied this strong Black woman mandate, In my recent book, Nobody Knows the
Roseann Mark, Jeff Strayer the challenges of living on journalists are perceived by health by choosing not to compete in which requires all-enduring strength, Trouble I’ve Seen: The Emotional Lives of
DESIGN CONTRIBUTORS Editor’s Note: We are honored another planet, I found this our fractured society. order to care for their mental health. self-sacrifice and the denial of emotions Black Women, I show the other side of
Sarina Benoit, Henry McGill, that Ned Smith was willing article especially helpful! But there is hope. One of For far too long the emotional pain such as depression and anxiety. Instead, what strong Black women display to the
Mark Meyer, Leslie-Anne to share his story with us. Chris Rademacher ’96 MBA my memorable Medill classes of Black women has been ignored. they provided an example of how to outside world — our vulnerabilities and
Mock
Unfortunately, Smith’s tumor Chicago was Jake Scher’s newspaper Compared with other race and gender pay attention to our feelings, prioritize the common humanity embedded in our
MULTIMEDIA CONTRIBUTORS
Jude Appleby, Shane Collins
recurred last summer, and he history course. Professor groups, Black women experience more our needs and set boundaries in service suffering. I share rarely told stories of
transitioned to hospice care THEATER FOR YOUNG Scher recognized the need to stress when it comes to work, finances, of mental wellness, even if it is an stress and trauma that I’ve heard from
EDITORIAL INTERNS
April Li ’24, Samantha Pyo ’23 in September. He died on AUDIENCES establish what Dean Whitaker family responsibilities, racism, sexism, inconvenience to others. friends and family and women I have
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
Sept. 25, 2021. The magazine calls “new media outlets for worked with in therapy and clinical
Krishnan Anantharaman ’91, extends its deepest sympathies I was excited to see your recent specific communities.” It’s research, as well as my personal struggle
chair; David Beard ’81; Emily to his family, friends, article “Saved by the Stage” how newspapers started at with anxiety and depression. When held
Chow ’12; Alex Freund ’17,
’20 JD; Alex Garcia ’89;
colleagues and everyone who (fall 2021) but disappointed the dawn of the print age. in silence, these experiences can feel
Adrienne S amuels Gibbs ’99; knew and loved him. Please that you did not include the It’s how we can recapture the burdensome and isolating. By giving
Ryan Haggerty ’07, ’16 MS; see his obituary on page 75. incredible Northwestern public’s trust. voice to our pain, we liberate ourselves
Jerry Lai ’04; Robert Leighton alum Nina Meehan ’00. In George A. Baum ’55, ’56 MS from the necessity of wearing a cape of
’82; Mike McGee ’10; Cate
Plys ’84; Gita Pullapilly MISSION TO MARS an industry where artistic Naples, Fla. superficial strength. Instead, we hold
’00 MS; Christina Rosales ’11; leadership positions are still space for our pain and embrace all
Joshua Rosenblat ’17; William This is an impressive and largely held by men, she has aspects of ourselves with compassion and
Weinbaum ’82, ’83 MS; Steph
informative article that successfully built the award- grace, knowing that we are worthy and
Digital
Yiu ’08; Cat Zakrzewski ’15
addresses some of the winning Bay Area Children’s valuable human beings just as we are.
© 2022 Northwestern University. challenges of a manned Theatre from the ground up The tide is turning. COVID-19 has
Northwestern Magazine is published
in fall, winter and spring. All
mission to Mars (“So Far Yet as CEO. Nina’s theatrical work Watch original video and read made flexible work arrangements more
rights reserved. Produced by the So Close,” fall 2021). However, for young people has reached more stories at alummag.nu common. The discussions continue about
Office of Global Marketing and
Communications, 1603 Orrington
it leaves unanswered the more than 1 million kids and the effects of racism and trauma on
Ave., Suite 200, Evanston, IL 60201. question that I have come to adults, and the theater group The Divided States of COVID with mental health. There is a new opportunity
JENNA BRAUNSTEIN PHOTOGRAPHY
Telephone: 847-491-5000
regard as the quintessential has toured nationally and Professor James Druckman ’93 for Black women to radically realign their
Website: alummag.nu
understanding about this internationally. lives in a way that supports their mental
Views expressed in Northwestern WATCH: Financial Aid Recipients
Magazine do not necessarily reflect project — why? She also serves as the board wellness. Let’s face it: Black women
Describe Their Journeys
the opinions of the editors or the
University.
Why would we want to president for TYA/USA and is are the bedrock of their families and
spend possibly as much as a renowned creativity expert Tananarive Due ’87 Reveals the communities, and everyone benefits when
ADDRESS CHANGES
Mail to: Alumni News Editor
$2 trillion to visit a planet that who has shared her wealth of Black History of Horror Movies they are mentally and physically well.
Northwestern Magazine is deadly in so many ways and knowledge with Northwestern
1603 Orrington Ave., Suite 200
has nothing of value on it? students and alums. WATCH: President-Elect Blank Inger Burnett-Zeigler ’09 PhD is an associate
Evanston, IL 60201
Email: address-change Is the answer to “why” to Kate Mitchum ’00 on Coming Home to Northwestern professor of psychiatry and behavioral
@northwestern.edu
Web: magazine.northwestern.edu
be found in the contracts that Lexington, Ky. ↑ Inger Burnett-Zeigler sciences at the Feinberg School of Medicine.
/change-your-address
NORTHWESTERN WINTER 2022 WINTER 2022 NORTHWESTERN
8 VOICES VOICES 9
SOUND OFF and have just eaten dinner at SOCIAL FEEDS By Chad Mirkin SNAs can actively enter cells, cross
Elder Hall. You and a few biological barriers and serve as the
Our Beautiful friends grab a drink, head
over to the rocks and sit
As Northwestern welcomed
the Class of 2025, alumni
Director of the
International
basis for new genetic medicines.
The inspiration for SNAs came
Campus along the lake with your
legs hanging over the
chimed in to cheer them on
and reminisce about their
Institute for
Nanotechnology
and the George B.
to me during a conversation
with chemistry professor Joe
favorite times on campus.
What place at Northwestern edge. There’s a warm, Rathmann Hupp. We’d heard a talk about
brings you joy? onshore breeze washing Professor of trying to make colloidal crystals
Chemistry
over you. The gulls above “Still have the from nanoparticles, using small
are squawking, some dogs at molecules to bond the particles
winter coat I was
the nearby frat houses are barking, and together. In nature, colloidal
your stress melts away. On a warm spring wearing when I crystals control the color of
Michael Weidemann ’74 day, before the alewives washed ashore, painted the Rock butterfly wings, for example. In
that spot was heaven. in 2000. I got paint the lab, they can be used to create
Alice Millar Chapel! The on my sleeve and I a wide variety of optical devices.
stained-glass windows That got me thinking: DNA has
are awe-inspiring, and Jacob Munoz ’21 smile every time I the highest information content
the organ and choir see it.” of any polymer, so we could use
provide an amazing Whether it was painting on large rocks it as a programmable bond. Our
accompaniment along the shore, partying to thundering Claire Adams Wang ’03 research group began to repurpose
during services. I Dillo Day concerts or just gathering with the “blueprint of life” to make new
was part of a group friends, many of my great memories on materials that can be programmed
of students, faculty, campus took place on for use in diagnostics, therapeutics
alumni and townspeople the Lakefill. Even on and drug delivery, giving us new
who formed the Church in the the most crowded tools to study, track and treat
Chapel, an interdenominational Christian summer days, the disease, including deadly cancers.
community that worshipped and studied area has a true Back in the 1990s people
together and tried to live out our faith in serenity to it. thought nanotechnology was a
the world. My wife and I were married There’s nothing MY NORTHWESTERN DIRECTION gimmick. But I saw it as a once-in-
in the adjoining Jeanne Vail Chapel, and quite as special a-lifetime opportunity. East Coast
our daughter was baptized there. What a
wonderful place to nourish one’s soul!
as listening to
crashing waves while “ My son J. Imani is in
Using Small Science schools had a head start in many
disciplines due to their ages. But
viewing the Chicago that N! I am a proud alumna
and mom. Go ’Cats!” to Solve Big Problems East Coast
schools
with an emerging field like nano,
S
skyline or watching the dark blue horizon everyone was starting at the same
Gaye Miyasaki ’78 give way to a bright orange sunrise. had a time. Northwestern had a chance to
Seretha D. Williams ’92
everal fortunate twists When I arrived on campus, I had be the best. President Henry Bienen
Northwestern had one of fate led me to the freedom to try new things. The head start ’09 H understood that and made
of the most beautiful Catherine Scholl ’86 “[My favorite class Northwestern. As a high materials science and engineering in many the financial investment we needed
campuses when was] a graduate- school student in rural department had a scanning disciplines to launch this effort, and President
I attended. One No place on campus is more special to Pennsylvania, I was probe microscope, a tool used to due to their Morton Schapiro doubled down.
of my favorite me than the old Music Administration level class called interested in math and science. But determine the topology of surfaces Now the International Institute
spots was the Building. Everything from the creaking Excitable Cells while my brothers had pursued at the atomic scale. I had never even
ages. But for Nanotechnology (founded at
Shakespeare floors that gave way as you walked and Synapses, physics, medicine and geology, I seen one before, but I taught myself with an Northwestern in 2001) has raised
Garden. I loved on them, to the smell of oil carefully team-taught by wanted to chart my own course. At how to use it. Before long we had emerging more than $1 billion for research
reading books in applied to ease the bones of the century- Dickinson College, I chose to study built one of the largest scanning field like and educational initiatives. We’ve
the garden, which old wood banisters, to the cavernous neuroscience chemistry. probe operations in the world, competed for — and won — some
was near my dorm, rehearsal rooms that connected to others faculty from both I landed at Northwestern in which enabled the rapid growth of
nano, of the largest grants in science, and
McCulloch Hall. It was a like a cave system — it all made me feel the Evanston and 1991 thanks to persistence and nanotechnology at Northwestern everyone we have attracted some of the best
beautiful, serene place in the fall and the like the artist I was becoming. Often I Chicago campuses. a bit of luck. I reached out to the and led to the invention of was start- students and faculty in the world
spring. I recently looked up the garden would just close my eyes and “feel” the chemistry department several techniques that have revolutionized ing at the to Evanston. Indeed, Northwestern
online and was pleased to see that it has building through a cacophony
My husband and I times until, finally, professor Jim aspects of materials discovery. has become a world leader in
been refurbished. It looks wonderful and of piano, flute, clarinet and met in this class in Ibers said there was an unexpected The collaborative nature of
same time. nanoscience and nanomedicine.
is definitely still a gem! other instruments, all September 1990, opening. He invited me in the next research here has made all the North In the end, my story isn’t really
performing beautiful and we got married week, and it was the best interview difference too. One case in point western about twists of fate. It’s about a
concerts of their own. I ever had. The vibe, environment is the development of spherical had a community where ambitious work
Robert Lilienfeld ’75, ’76 MBA It brought me vitality
in May 1994 at and faculty were perfect for what I nucleic acids (SNAs), which are can be done. It’s about a university
and peace, and it’s Millar Chapel.” wanted to do: build a world-class nanoparticle structures modified
chance committed to solving big problems.
It’s an early evening on a Friday in spring. etched in my memory laboratory that would push the with bits of DNA or RNA. Due to to be the With those values in place, great
Joanne McAndrews
You’re finished with classes for the week and heart forever. ’94 PhD
frontiers of inorganic chemistry. their unique size and structure, best.” opportunities naturally arise.
NORTHWESTERN WINTER 2022 Illustration by Bruce Morser WINTER 2022 NORTHWESTERN
10 VOICES CAMPUS NEWS / STUDENT LIFE / SPORTS 11
WHAT I LOVE Olympian Diversifying
Federico children’s
Pop Culture Curator Burdisso
makes history
p. 14
books p. 19
The Ringer’s Juliet Litman dishes on pro sports,
rom-coms and binge-worthy shows. The secret
behind
artists’ hot
Juliet Litman ’08 always figured she’d be an English professor, streaks p. 16
not a pop culture authority. But thanks to a nudge from her
adviser, former Northwestern professor Brian T. Edwards, the
American studies major took a job in media and, within a few
years, landed at The Ringer.
Litman is head of production and a creative force in the
making of pop culture and sports content and commentary
that goes well beyond fandom. She manages the more than 50
shows in the company’s vast podcast network. She hosts a few
herself, including Bachelor Party, Jam Session and, occasionally,
The Rewatchables, a roundtable of Ringer regulars who break
LEADERSHIP
down the movies we all watch again and again.
Some of her all-time favorites are the romantic comedies of
Nora Ephron. An insomniac, Litman has fallen asleep hundreds
of times to When Harry Met Sally, You’ve Got Mail or Sleepless in Our Next
Seattle — all good “middle-of-the-night movies.”
President
Here are four more things Litman loves:
Rebecca Blank,
• New York City’s Upper West Side, where she grew up: “It’s like a who will become
small town in a big city.”
• The theatrics of pro sports: “After all, my parents named me after Northwestern’s
basketball star Julius Erving.” 17th president, is a
• Kobe Bryant: “When he took Brandy to his high school prom, it renowned economist,
was a sensational collision of basketball and pop culture.”
• An ER binge watch on Hulu: “The show and young George researcher and public
Clooney still hold up. And it has that nice Chicago connection!” servant.
↑ Juliet Litman in New York City
ebecca M. Blank,
IN THE NEWS “Over the course of
billions of years, nature
“[Workers are] trying
to recover some
“We know added stress
can negatively impact
“If I did not see it for
myself I would not
R chancellor of
the University of
Talking has designed seeds
with very sophisticated
sort of protections
and rights in the
our overall health and
well-being, but for
have believed it. ...
It’s almost crazy in
Wisconsin–Madison, was
named the 17th president of
Points aerodynamics. We
borrowed those design
workplace, where they
have virtually none.
women and people
who menstruate,
my mind.”
Rui Yi, the Paul E.
Northwestern University by
the Board of Trustees last
Northwestern faculty concepts, adapted Once you realize the stress can also disrupt Steiner Research October.
discuss recent them and applied them extent of the problem, normal menstrual cycle Professor of Pathology Blank is an internationally
breakthroughs in to electronic circuit it’s hard to look away.” patterns and overall and professor of renowned economist and
research, innovation platforms.” Daniel J. Galvin, reproductive health.” pathology and researcher on poverty and
and social insights, John Rogers, the associate professor Nicole Woitowich, dermatology at the the low-income labor market.
AMANDA WESTCOT T / AK COLLECTIVE
from the world’s tiniest Louis A. Simpson of political science, to research assistant Feinberg School of She has also served as an
flying microchip to the and Kimberly NBCNews regarding professor at the Medicine, to The New economics expert in three
pandemic’s effect on Querrey Professor research that shows Feinberg School of York Times about his presidential administrations.
reproductive of Materials Science Latino and Black Medicine, to Forbes surprising discovery Her appointment marks a
health. and Engineering, workers are much about a Northwestern that hair loss is return to Northwestern, where
Biomedical more likely to be paid study that showed caused by stem cells she served on the economics
Engineering and below minimum wage 54% of respondents escaping from hair department faculty from 1989
SHANE COLLINS
Neurological Surgery, than white workers. had experienced follicles. to 1999.
to Smithsonian changes in their When she begins her
Magazine about his menstrual cycle since appointment this summer,
microfliers (left). the pandemic began. Blank will make history as
NORTHWESTERN WINTER 2022 WINTER 2022 NORTHWESTERN
12 NEWS NEWS 13
Northwestern’s first woman advanced the institution’s toward greater eminence and GLOBAL
president. She will succeed mission of research and impact.”
Morton O. Schapiro, who has
served as president since 2009.
innovation, emphasizing the
university’s role in nurturing
A member of the
American Academy of Arts What food do you miss BAOZI
China
“Northwestern is a school
that I have known and
admired for years,” Blank
entrepreneurship and driving
economic development. She
also oversees a research
and Sciences for almost
two decades, Blank was
named a 2021 Distinguished
most from home? I miss everything my grandparents
cook, especially baozi (steamed
buns filled with carrots and
says. “Its reputation as a portfolio that brought in Fellow of the American
International students dish about their favorites. lamb, tofu, beans and pork, or
other meats and vegetables)
top-rated educational and $1.5 billion in sponsored Economic Association in and xiaolongbao (soupy buns). I
research institution has research funds this past year. recognition of her lifetime only remember us making baozi
NYAMA CHOMA
grown each decade. It will Blank has championed research contributions. Her together when my extended family
PASTEL DE NATA Kenya
be my mission to make sure expanded access to higher research has focused on the Portugal
— grandparents, cousins, aunts
the institution’s reputation education during her time interactions between labor The food I miss the most and uncles — were all there. While
There is so much food is nyama choma (roasted meat playing with my cousins, I would
and quality continue to at UW–Madison, notably markets, individual behavior, run to the big table and watch my
that I miss from Portugal, in Kiswahili). It is usually goat
accelerate.” through Bucky’s Tuition government policy and the but my ultimate favorite or beef. This popular dish can grandma teach everyone how to
“The Presidential Search Promise, an initiative that macroeconomy. — the thing that I buy first be found throughout Kenya, make them. As a little girl, I would
Committee met with an guarantees four years of Blank is also a leader in at the airport cafe as soon from roadside shacks to ask the adults to teach me — but I
incredibly competitive pool of free tuition to Wisconsin Division I athletics, serving as I land — is the pastel fine-dining restaurants, and would make something that looked
de nata (Portuguese is often paired with local beer nothing like a baozi. Sometimes
candidates and unanimously resident students whose on the NCAA Board of my grandma would help me fix it.
custard tart). This is not and side dishes such as ugali
recommended Rebecca Blank household adjusted gross Governors. She is chair of the to be mistaken for other (cornmeal or cassava flour Other times, she would cook it just
to the Board for election as income is $60,000 or less. Big Ten Conference Council of versions that exist in porridge) and sukuma wiki the way it was and then proudly
our 17th president,” says Under Blank’s leadership, Presidents and Chancellors. some Asian countries. (collard greens and spices). proclaim it “the special one.” Every
Peter Barris ’74, chair of UW–Madison’s student body Blank served as acting Pastel de nata is filled Nyama choma reminds me of time I see baozi, it reminds me of
with a sugary egg paste. It traveling to the countryside my big family.
the Presidential Search became more diverse across secretary of commerce
is best eaten warm, with a with my extended family over
Committee and a vice chair multiple demographics. and deputy secretary of bit of cinnamon. Everyone Christmas break and enjoying
Sherry Xue, School of
of the Board of Trustees. “As “She is a distinguished commerce under President Communication senior
who travels to Portugal a meal together.
part of our process, we heard scholar and visionary Barack Obama ’06 H. She should try it.
Adala Makhulo, School of
from all segments of the leader,” says J. Landis Martin also was a member of the Communication junior
Diogo Costa, McCormick
University community, and ’68, ’73 JD, chairman of Council of Economic Advisers School of Engineering
I believe Chancellor Blank’s Northwestern’s Board of under President Bill Clinton, junior
deep experience and talents Trustees. “Her bold vision a senior staff economist on
will support our current for the University’s role in the council under President
needs and position us for a the world and her proven George H.W. Bush, and a
BOEREWORS DDUKBOKKI
promising future.” ability to lead a collaborative Robert S. Kerr Senior Fellow
Eswatini, formerly Swaziland South Korea
As UW–Madison academic research enterprise at the Brookings Institution.
chancellor, Blank has will guide our institution Blank, who received I really miss boerewors (South A popular street food, ddukbokki
a bachelor’s degree in African sausage). It is literally the is made with rice cakes and
best food on Earth. We usually gochujang (red pepper paste)
economics from the and often has add-ins like
have boerewors with pap (soft
University of Minnesota and Vienna sausages, cabbage or fish
“Northwestern is a school I a doctorate in economics
porridge made from cornmeal) and
chakalaka (spiced vegetable relish), cakes. It’s always a treat to huddle
have known and admired for from the Massachusetts a killer combination. When we have around a food cart with friends on
MAP FOODS: GET T Y IMAGES
Institute of Technology, our braais (barbecues), there are a cold night and eat ddukbokki.
years. … It will be my mission always stacks of boerewors on the My mom makes really good ones
TICKER ILLUSTRATIONS:
is married to Hanns (recipes online are always too
grill. My dad is usually in charge of
to make sure the institution’s
LESLIE-ANNE MOCK;
Kuttner, a senior fellow the grill during the braai. Boerewors sweet), and I’ve developed my own
at the Hudson Institute. reminds me of home and summer, just recipe while at Northwestern!
reputation and quality continue They have one daughter, good vibes while being surrounded by
Allison Rhee, Medill School of
to accelerate.” Emily, who graduated from family and playing great music.
Journalism, Media, Integrated
Northwestern in 2018. Vuyiswa Mngometulu, McCormick Marketing Communications junior
— Rebecca Blank School of Engineering junior
The ● Amy Heimberger, the Jean Malnati Miller
Professor of Brain Tumor Research at the
● Northwestern received a
record $893.4 million in
● Last July, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker ’93 JD
signed four criminal justice reform bills into
● The Bienen School of Music launched a
three-part Black Composer Showcase including
Ticker Feinberg School of Medicine, was named by
President Joe Biden to the National Cancer
annual sponsored research
funds for the 2021 fiscal year.
law at the Northwestern Pritzker School
of Law. One of the laws prohibits police
performances and musical analyses by faculty,
students and guest presenters. One of the goals
Advisory Board,
Board, which helps guide the director Since 2011, the University’s from using coercive tactics against children of the series is to educate the community about
of the National Cancer Institute and the national research funding has during interrogations, a culmination of the composers of color and their major contributions
cancer research program. increased by more than 74%. law school’s reform efforts.
efforts. to classical music.
NORTHWESTERN WINTER 2022 WINTER 2022 NORTHWESTERN
14 NEWS NEWS 15
SPORTS ’CAT TALES
Turn Up
Testing His Medal the Radio
Northwestern junior and Olympic medalist ←
Northwestern’s student-
Federico
Federico Burdisso leads Italy’s swimming surge. Burdisso is the run radio station,
first student- WNUR 89.3, turns 72
athlete in this year. In spring
ederico Burdisso international competition, 65 years to 1950 the station began
F
medal at the
made Northwestern I wonder, ‘Why am I racing Olympics while
broadcasting using a
history when he with the best swimmers?’ But enrolled at 10-watt transmitter with
claimed two Olympic medals when you’re in the water, you Northwestern. a range of 5 to 7 miles
in Tokyo last July. don’t really think about that beyond Northwestern’s
The Italian swimmer anymore. You just give your campus. By 1975 WNUR
became the first Northwestern best.” had acquired a 7,200-
athlete in 65 years to medal at Burdisso, a junior statistics watt transmitter,
the Olympics while enrolled major in the Weinberg College extending its reach to
at the University and the first of Arts and Sciences, swam a wider Chicago-area
Wildcat to medal since Matt for the Wildcats in 2019–20, audience.
Grevers ’09 earned two golds when he set school records In the early 1970s
and a silver at the 2012 Games. in the 200-meter butterfly WNUR introduced
Burdisso, of Pavia, Italy, and 200-meter freestyle in groundbreaking
placed third in the 200-meter addition to claiming 18 first- programming through
butterfly in Tokyo. He and his place finishes. He stayed in “Fillet of Soul” and
teammates also took bronze in Italy for the 2020–21 season “BlackNUss,” shows
the 400-meter medley relay. due to COVID-19 protocols that celebrated Black
Italy had won just 20 and Olympic training. culture and provided
Benjamin Mwangi
swimming medals in its He’s hoping his Olympic outlets for discussion.
Olympic history before Tokyo. performance will carry over In 1972 the station
“We’re going in the right to the Northwestern pool. hosted a discussion
direction,” says Burdisso, the “Federico is a world- on race relations
Italian record holder for the class student-athlete at Northwestern;
GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
200-meter butterfly. “We were who has proven himself jazz and funk music
probably the youngest team at the highest level of shows, such as “Love
there, and we still got six
medals.”
our sport,” says Katie
Robinson, Northwestern’s
from the Sun”; and
news and information A Long-Distance Internship
The 20-year-old says he’s director of swimming programs, such as
Benjamin Mwangi, a Northwestern University in Qatar junior, helps
used to being one of the and diving. “His Olympic “Third World Report.”
youngest swimmers in the medals are a testament that Today the station promote the life-changing work of an alum’s Chicago-area nonprofit.
pool, and going up against you can find success at the serves as a forum for
the world’s greats doesn’t top in both athletics and underrepresented music
faze him. “Every time I do an academics at Northwestern.” and ideas while offering hen Kim Weisensee infographics and video for to work with this student
students the chance to W Brown ’08, ’09 MS Brown’s website and social who’s a global citizen and
hone their broadcasting needed content media channels. Brown’s an incredible video producer
’CAT TALES: COURTESY OF UNIVERSIT Y ARCHIVES
skills. creation help for her nonprofit, Centrally Human, to tell the story of how we’re
Chicago-based nonprofit, teaches equity and inclusion helping high school students
REPARATIONS STUDY she turned to Northwestern techniques to high school be more inclusive.”
BURDISSO: NORTHWESTERN ATHLETICS;
to find an intern. To her students nationally to help Mwangi and Brown will
In 2021 the city of Evanston became the effects of the reparations program on surprise, she found the them reach their career and likely meet in person for the
first U.S. municipality to approve a plan to Black students’ education in real time. perfect fit more than 7,000 leadership potential. first time when he travels
miles away: Benjamin Mwangi appreciates the to the U.S. as part of the
pay reparations to Black residents affected “In recognizing the debt owed to its Black Mwangi, a junior at opportunity to help empower Evanston Communication
by discriminatory housing policies and residents and pledging actual dollars toward Northwestern University teens. “I’m here on the other Exchange Program, which
practices. African American studies repairing centuries of educational inequities, in Qatar. side of the world and hopefully invites Northwestern Qatar
assistant professor kihana miraya ross Evanston is in unchartered waters,” says Mwangi, who is from I’m able to make a difference communication students
Nairobi, Kenya, completed in someone else’s life,” he says. to study on the Evanston
has received $250,000 from the Spencer ross. “The world will be watching.” The a remote internship last “As an alum,” Brown campus during the winter
Foundation to study and document the project will inform ross’ second book. ↑ A WNUR DJ in 1969 summer, developing says, “it’s so cool that I get and spring quarters.
NORTHWESTERN WINTER 2022 WINTER 2022 NORTHWESTERN
16 DISCOVERY 17
MEDICINE
To Your Health
If you’re concerned
1 about a skin lesion,
ask your dermatologist to
check your entire body —
THE SCIENCE OF ART
not just that one spot. A
Northwestern Medicine
The Secret study found doctors are
more than twice as likely
to Creating a to find skin cancer when
performing a full-body
Masterpiece exam. In a medical record
review of more than 1,000
patients, more than
Researchers discover that periods of boundary- half of the skin cancers
pushing exploration followed by spans of discovered were not where
intense focus lead to artistic and scientific the patient thought they
breakthroughs. were, according to Murad
Alam ’06 MS, ’15 MBA,
vice chair of dermatology
efore developing discovered this pattern is at the Feinberg School
B his famed “drip
technique,” abstract
not uncommon and in fact
results from an extraordinary
of Medicine. “If the
dermatologist did not
artist Jackson Pollock dabbled formula. Hot streaks, they check the patient’s entire
in drawing, printmaking found, directly result from body, these skin cancers
and surrealist paintings of years of exploration (studying would have been missed,”
humans, animals and nature. diverse styles or topics) says Alam, who led the
According to a new immediately followed by years Van Gogh: The study. About 5 million
Northwestern study, this of exploitation (focusing on a Immersive Experience, people a year are
period of exploration narrow area to develop deep a virtual reality diagnosed with skin
art exhibit, uses
followed by a period of expertise). cancer.
light projections to
intense focus on his new drip “Although exploration is showcase Van Gogh’s
technique set Pollock up for considered a risk because it artwork. About 20% of people
a “hot streak,” or a burst of might not lead anywhere, it
2 in the U.S. with
high-impact works in close increases the likelihood of diabetes do not know they
succession. Pollock’s hot stumbling upon a great idea,” have the disease. But if
streak lasted from 1947 to says Dashun Wang, professor the disease can be
1950, during which he created of management and it might stifle creativity. But, an artistic breakthrough In the new study, Wang’s before and after a hot streak, With this new identified early on, diet
all his drippy, splattered organizations at the Kellogg interestingly, exploration from 1888 to 1890, during team developed computational the researchers examined understanding about and exercise interventions
masterpieces for which he is School of Management, who followed by exploitation which he painted his most methods using deep-learning how each individual’s work what triggers a hot streak, can help. Sadiya Khan ’05,
best known. led the study. “By contrast, appears to show consistent famous works, including The algorithms and network changed around the beginning institutions can intentionally ’09 MD, ’12 GME, ’16 GME,
By using artificial exploitation is typically associations with the onset of Starry Night, Sunflowers and science to examine large-scale of a hot streak. create environments to help an assistant professor of
intelligence to mine big viewed as a conservative hot streaks,” he says. Bedroom in Arles. Before that, datasets of 800,000 visual The team found that when their members thrive. medicine at Feinberg, says
data related to artists, film strategy. If you exploit the In 2018 Wang and his however, his work was less arts images, 79,000 films and exploration was not followed “This knowledge can it’s important to screen
directors and scientists, same type of work over and colleagues published a paper impressionistic and more 20,000 scientists. by exploitation, the chance for help individuals and for diabetes with a
Northwestern researchers over for a long period of time, in Nature that identified hot realistic. He also tended to Wang and his collaborators a hot streak was significantly organizations understand common blood test
streaks in individual careers use somber earth tones rather quantified a hot streak within reduced. Similarly, exploitation the different types of known as a hemoglobin
KIRST Y O’CONNOR/PA IMAGES
of artists, film directors and than the bright colors he each career based on the alone — that was not preceded activities to engage in,” says A1C (HbA1C) test.
scientists. After establishing favored later. impact of works produced, by exploration — did not Jillian Chown, co-author of “Physicians are always
With this new understanding that hot streaks do occur on “If you look at his measured by auction price, guarantee a hot streak. But the study and an associate telling people to ‘know
about what triggers a hot streak, an individual basis, Wang
was motivated to discover
production before 1888,
it was all over the place,”
film ratings and academic
paper citations. Then they
when exploration was closely
followed by exploitation,
professor of management
and organizations at
your numbers,’ which has
historically been about
institutions can intentionally what triggers them. He found says Wang, who is director correlated the timing of hot the researchers noted the Kellogg, “and the optimal blood pressure and
create environments to help a clue while visiting the Van
Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.
of Northwestern’s Center
for Science of Science and
streaks with the creative
trajectories of each individual.
probability of a hot streak
consistently and significantly
sequence to use in order to
achieve the most significant
cholesterol, but it should
[also] include HbA1C,”
their members thrive. Van Gogh experienced Innovation. Looking at careers four years increased. impact.” Khan says.
NORTHWESTERN WINTER 2022 WINTER 2022 NORTHWESTERN18 INNOVATION 19
INVENTION
The Equal Opportunity
Book Box
EDUCATION Jacob Jordan ’20, ’21 MS was an avid reader as either white people or animals,” Jordan says.
a child and grew up loving books. So when he That inspired Jordan to launch the Equal
Can You Dig It? took Education and the Inheritance of Social
Inequality at Northwestern, Jordan was shocked
Opportunity Book Box (EOBB), a monthly
subscription service that delivers picture
Mechanical engineering professor Kevin Lynch to learn that two-thirds of low-income children books featuring characters of color, LGBTQIA
partners with the Field Museum on Fossil in the U.S. don’t own any books. What’s more, characters, and/or characters with disabilities.
Canyon, a dinosaur-themed educational card children’s literature severely lacks diversity: The New York Times recommended EOBB in its
game for families. “In 2018 77% of all children’s books featured 2020 Holiday Gift Guide for Kids.
fter his young son, Patrick, began playing
A twins had endured
months of remote
a paleontology video game,
it sparked an idea. In June
SHARING THE STORIES
Every month, subscribers receive a box of
learning due to the pandemic, 2020, Lynch made a game three picture books featuring characters
from underrepresented communities. For
Kevin Lynch noticed the prototype out of an old deck of
every book sold, EOBB donates a book to a
kindergartners, Erin and playing cards with text about child in need through Bernie’s Book Bank,
Patrick, were having trouble dinosaurs taped onto the which provides books to underserved
staying interested in their cards. It was the first iteration twins felt sad having to give Akiko Shinya, the museum’s children in Chicago.
educational activities. of what would become Fossil up a favorite fossil card during chief preparator of fossil
Lynch, professor of Canyon, a card game in which an “exchange” phase of the vertebrates, who serves as the
SUPPORT FROM THE START
mechanical engineering and players collect dinosaur fossils game, for example, the family project’s science adviser.
director of Northwestern’s for their own museums. decided to make the game “a After a successful Jordan, Stephanie Shin ’21 and senior
Center for Robotics and Lynch’s children were bit friendlier,” he says. Kickstarter campaign, the Anthony Cruz launched EOBB with
the help of Northwestern’s student
Biosystems, and his wife, Yuko, instantly hooked. “They really To take it to the next level, team brought Fossil Canyon
entrepreneurship hub, The Garage. “The
began brainstorming ways loved the ‘digging’ aspect Lynch contacted Nathan to life, allowing families to support that they’ve offered has been
to help their children engage of it,” he says, referring to Martel, a graphic designer with have fun together while the immeasurably important,” Jordan says. In
with science lessons. To study how players choose cards whom he had worked before. children — and adults — learn 2021 EOBB won first place in the social
outer space, for example, the at random from a “dig site” Martel created cards with something along the way. impact and nonprofit industry track of The
Garage’s VentureCat startup competition.
family made scale models of of scattered fossil cards. It drawings of each skeleton, “It’s really been amazing —
planets and learned about became clear the idea could realistic images of the my kids know so much about
gravity and orbits by swinging grow beyond the Lynch family. dinosaurs, essential factoids dinosaurs and geology now,” TELLING IT HOW IT IS
weights around on a string. “The kids were more than and even a pronunciation Lynch says. “Paleobiology is
“One of my favorite pieces of feedback is
Next up? Dinosaurs. The just play-testers,” says Lynch. guide. The Lynches then struck not my specialty, but anything
from a mom in Utah,” Jordan says. “She
family read books together on “They enjoyed being part of up a partnership with the Field that gets kids excited about was upset with the school district because
the topic, but when Lynch’s the creative process.” When the Museum and worked with science works for me.” they were trying to sugarcoat some topics
in the curriculum. She really appreciated
that our books were realistic and honest
about the diversity that exists in the
world but also the racism, sexism and
NATURAL DISASTER RELIEF homophobia that exist too.”
FOSSIL CANYON: NATHAN MARTEL
With wildfires becoming ever more frequent and dangerous, Kevin
THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX
Kaspar, a sophomore manufacturing and design engineering major,
EOBB offers books for children ages 0–2
and his team developed InfernoGuard, a first-of-its-kind wildfire and 3–7 and is expanding to ages 8–12.
detection system. The device attaches to a tree and measures air
@SHELVESOFCOLOR
“Down the road, we’re hoping to publish
our own books written by people with
quality, temperature and other environmental data to determine nontraditional life experiences,” says
whether a wildfire is present. The team tested the device in Jordan, “such as incarcerated people and
refugees and teenagers, to bring other
Yosemite National Park in July 2021 and will test it again in a perspectives into the picture-book space.”
prescribed burn setting at Yosemite this winter.
NORTHWESTERN WINTER 2022 WINTER 2022 NORTHWESTERN21
NORTHWESTERN RAISED MORE
THAN $6 BILLION THROUGH
ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL
CAMPAIGNS IN THE HISTORY
OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
We did it.
WE WILL.
Thanks to a community of alumni, parents and
friends from around the world — 174,380 to be
CELEBRATE!
exact — We Will. The Campaign for Northwestern
brought in an awe-inspiring $6.1 billion. Donors
gave a total of 626,796 gifts of all sizes to areas
across the University through the ambitious
fundraising initiative, proving that every gift
really does matter.
WINTER 2022 NORTHWESTERN22 “We Will” Update 23
excellence, which we will do by leading
the charge toward a more equitable and
just society, expanding opportunities
for our students to learn and thrive in a We are extremely grateful to our
rapidly changing world and accelerating community of generous and dedicated
breakthrough research and innovations
that serve society,” he adds. supporters who invested in Northwestern
through the Campaign and helped the
Broad Support University achieve new heights.”
Donors from 116 countries made gifts — Paula Pretlow, Campaign co-chair
during the Campaign. Each year, more
than 10,000 alumni, parents and
friends participated in the Campaign as
members of the Northwestern University
Leadership Circle, which recognizes
donors who make cumulative annual
gifts of $1,000 or more.
Over the course of the Campaign,
76,092 donors also were members of
NU Loyal, a giving society that recognizes
donors who support the University
year after year. Those donors included
Dorothy Ruby Saxe ’46, who has given
to Northwestern in each of the last 76
years — the most of any donor on record.
“As an immature, 16-year-old
freshman, I learned about and grew to
appreciate art, music and literature at
Northwestern. It’s where I made lifelong
friends and grew up,” Saxe says. “It
never occurred to me that one did not
support one’s alma mater, so I started
and never stopped. I’m proud to see what
a world-class university NU has become.”
Volunteers were critical to the
University’s success, helping to raise
Campaign Giving Committed to Excellence funds and hold 62 Campaign events in
“We are extremely grateful to our community of generous and 30 cities — 14 cities within the United
dedicated supporters who invested in Northwestern through States and 16 abroad — engaging
Endowed
the Campaign and helped the University achieve new heights,” 4,943 unique attendees.
$1.6B
says University Trustee Paula B. Pretlow ’77, ’78 MBA, “We Will”
Available for
Current Use Campaign co-chair. “Our collective support will continue to
$3.5B propel our students, faculty and staff forward and shape the → Students take research samples from
Northwestern University of tomorrow.” the mummy that was featured in The Block
The Campaign also was highlighted by a series of PAGE 22: JUSTIN BARBIN ’11; PAGE 23: ESSI RONKKO Museum exhibition Paint the Eyes Softer:
27% Mummy Portraits from Roman Egypt.
transformative gifts. In 2015 the University received its first gift
of more than $100 million, from Roberta Buffett Elliott ’54,
57% followed by landmark commitments from Louis A. Simpson ’58
and Kimberly K. Querrey, the Patrick G. ’59, ’09 H and Shirley W.
16%
Ryan ’61, ’19 H Family, and the Pritzker Foundation.
Additionally, the University announced in September 2021 Every Gift Matters
a $480 million gift from the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan
84% 58% 97,421
Family — the largest in Northwestern’s history. (See “Ryan
Family Caps Off Campaign with Extraordinary Gift,” page 24.)
Facilities “The ‘We Will’ Campaign has, without a doubt, elevated
$990.5M Northwestern’s standing among the world’s preeminent research
universities,” says University Trustee T. Bondurant “Bon” of all Campaign gifts of all Campaign gifts donors made their first
French ’75, ’76 MBA, co-chair of the “We Will” Campaign. were contributions of were contributions of gift to the University during
“Now is the time to continue our remarkable progress toward $1,000 or less $100 or less the Campaign
NORTHWESTERN WINTER 2022 WINTER 2022 NORTHWESTERN24 “We Will” Update
Significant Impact
Ryan Family Caps Off Campaign Gifts raised during the “We Will” Campaign
with Extraordinary Gift are providing vast opportunities for
Northwestern students and advancing
programs across the University.
A total of 37,825 donors gave
T
he Patrick G. ’59, ’09 H parents in employing sensor $436.3 million toward financial aid,
and Shirley W. Ryan ’61, programs for measuring including $235.3 million for
’19 H Family has given neuromotor performance in undergraduate scholarships, and
the largest single gift in infants as well as support the created 534 endowed scholarships
University history to conclude curation of a sustainable and and fellowships that will support
the record-breaking accessible library of diverse generations of students. Northwestern
“We Will” Campaign. The and unique health datasets. has significantly increased financial
$480 million gift will The gift also will create aid for its undergraduate students —
accelerate breakthroughs in a new institute that will from $106 million in the 2010–11
biomedical, economics and dramatically advance academic year to $209 million in
business research and enable Northwestern’s distinctive 2020–21 — and eliminated loans for
Northwestern to construct scholarship in the field of undergraduate students.
a best-in-class athletics venue neuroscience. Additionally, Graduate student stipends also were
for the University community. the Ryan Family Catalyst increased to enhance the quality of life
“Our family has long been Fund will facilitate promising tremendous potential to surrounding community. for graduate students. The University
committed to supporting medical research by scholars advance treatments and tools An important goal of Fellowship rate rose from $20,928
areas of strategic importance who have the potential to that can improve the lives the project is to exceed in 2010–11 to $33,504 in 2020–21, and
to Northwestern — from the make an important impact of people in the U.S. and Americans with Disabilities the Graduate Assistantship rate rose
arts, humanities and sciences on human disease. globally,” Shirley Ryan says. Act requirements and make from $21,576 in 2010–11 to $33,504
to basic research and clinical Further, the Ryans’ gift In addition to supporting the stadium exceptionally in 2020–21.
care,” Pat Ryan says. “Our will endow the existing human health, the Ryans’ accessible and welcoming International student scholarships
philanthropy also has focused Institute for Global Health, gift will endow a Center for to all attendees. “Shirley expanded during the Campaign too.
on helping our undergraduate, to be renamed the Robert J. Applied Microeconomics, and I believe in the power Nineteen new endowed scholarships
graduate and professional Havey, MD Institute for Global solidifying Northwestern’s of sports to develop the for international undergraduate A total of 90 endowed professorships ↑ Brian Hannah ’20 participated in
school students to reach their Health in honor of Robert J. leadership position in whole person — mind, body students were created as part of were created as well, helping the the Weinberg College of Arts and
Sciences’ Posner Research Program,
full potential regardless of Havey ’80 MD, ’83 GME, economics while fueling and soul for all students,” the Buffett Matching Challenge for University to attract and retain top faculty which was endowed during the
their financial circumstances.” ’84 GME — the institute’s research with the capacity Pat Ryan says. International Student Scholarships, across a wide range of disciplines — from Campaign.
The new gift will support deputy director and clinical for significant social and The Ryans were already a matching gift challenge supported screen- and stage-writing to biomedical
several areas of the Feinberg professor of general internal policy impact. The gift will the largest benefactors in by Roberta Buffett Elliott ’54. engineering.
School of Medicine, including medicine and geriatrics at benefit the Kellogg School Northwestern’s history before
the creation of the Ryan Feinberg — and establish of Management as well. this new gift. They have made
Family Digital Health Fund, the Ryan Family Center for The Ryans’ gift also broad and deep philanthropic
which will focus on digital
medicine technologies to
Global Primary Care within
that institute.
includes the lead gift for
the redevelopment of
investments across the
University, supporting Supporting Students
improve human health. “Northwestern’s world- Ryan Field to create an academic programs, students,
The fund will facilitate the class scientists and innovative enhanced game-day research and teaching, and
development of an interactive and interdisciplinary experience for students, facilities. In addition to
digital application to assist approach to research have alumni, fans and the Ryan Field, they have made
possible campus athletics
landmarks such as Ryan
SIGP: JIM PRISCHING; COVID: JONATHAN GIBBY
IMPACT OF RYAN FAMILY PROGRAMS Fieldhouse and Welsh-Ryan
Arena. They also have
272 212 25
created prominent academic
facilities, including Patrick G.
COURTESY OF THE RYAN FAMILY
and Shirley W. Ryan Hall,
2,807 $7.1M $96.5M
undergraduate students graduate students new endowed the home of the International
have participated in the across disciplines have professorships were Institute for Nanotechnology;
Ryan Family Scholars benefited from the created during the lab and research space within
Program, which has Ryan Family Fellowship Campaign through the the Robert H. Lurie Medical
provided financial support in Nanotechnology Ryan Family Chair Research Center (Chicago students received funds raised for COVID-19-related raised in support of 184 initiatives
as well as community since 2007 Challenge, advancing campus); and the Patrick G. from the Summer Internship initiatives, such as emergency focused on diversity, equity and
building since 2007 research and teaching and Shirley W. Ryan Center Grant Program student assistance, community inclusion (DEI)
for the Musical Arts. initiatives and research
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