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Learning and Leading with Purpose

Our students, faculty, and community are committed to improving lives and transforming society.

SESP students become

We value interdisciplinary training and hands-on experiences.

Join us and explore all you can do.

Programs

Get to Know Us

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Since 1926, our school has been a close-knit community of students, faculty, and staff committed to improving lives. See what makes us special.

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Ranked Education School, U.S. News & World Report
Faculty members elected to the National Academy of Education
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Undergraduates employed or completing graduate school or fellowships after graduation
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Service hours provided to local communities through the Civic Education Project

Making an Impact

At SESP, we partner with the community to maximize the impact of our research findings. These collaborations allow us to test new ideas, develop better practices, and share discoveries to benefit as many people as possible.

Student walking in Chicago by train

Morton Schapiro Northwestern Academy for Chicago Public Schools

The Morton Schapiro Northwestern Academy for Chicago Public Schools enhances access and successful matriculation for underrepresented, academically motivated students. Thanks to the Academy, these talented individuals are on track to attend top-tier colleges and universities. To date, graduates have enrolled in more than 115 institutions, including Northwestern, Harvard, Yale, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Marcello Worsley working with high school student

Black Kids Predict

Black Kids Predict engages students in data science to revitalize the talent pipeline. The curriculum transforms 6th-12th graders' perception of data and computer science from a boring desk job to a superpower. Led by college students from diverse backgrounds, the program emphasizes the practical applications of STEM education and encourages students to view data in new ways.


 

Nichole Pinkard working with student

STEAMbassadors

STEAMbassadors trains college-bound 18 to 24-year-olds from under-resourced communities to work with youth in neighborhoods lacking learning opportunities and role models in computer science, engineering, and the arts. They are assigned to local organizations partnering with the Chicago Department of Family Support Services in parks, libraries, and schools to create an out-of-school learning ecosystem across the city.

Evanston Township High School Partnership Office

Northwestern-Evanston Township High School (ETHS) Partnership Office

The Northwestern/ETHS Partnership Office is part of the Good Neighbor, Great University Initiative, supported by Neighborhood and Community Relations and the Office of Community Education Partnerships in the School of Education and Social Policy. Northwestern has more than 100 significant partnerships with Evanston Township High School. This relationship spans disciplines, encompassing academics, athletics, health and wellness, identity and social consciousness, college and career education, cultural events, mentoring, the arts, and community engagement.

News and Events

SESP, Medill Offer Fellowships to Journalists

October 10, 2024 4:38 PM

The application period is open for the SESP/Medill Education Journalism Collaborative, which pairs three working journalists with master’s students on education projects.

Emma Adam

How Stress Shapes the Mind and Body

October 10, 2024 4:28 PM

Northwestern University professor Emma Adam emphasized the fundamental importance of inclusion and belonging for young people’s emotional well-being and long-term health in an interview with Susan Corwith, director of the School of Education and Social Policy’s Center for Talent Development.

Adrija Bhattacharjee

Shining a Light on Bangladeshi Student Protests

October 1, 2024 2:56 PM

The violence in Bangladesh during student-led anti-government protests in August deeply affected Adrija Bhattacharjee, a graduate student at Northwestern University's School of Education and Social Policy.

Aimee Resnick

Resnick Wins Women’s Transportation Award

September 30, 2024 11:11 AM

Aimee Resnick received the 2024 Future Industry Spotlight Award from the American Road & Transportation Builders Association for her leadership as an intern with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).

Events

Oct
15
2024

One Book Keynote with Louise Erdrich

5:00 PM Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 50 Arts Circle Drive
Please join us for the One Book keynote with author Louise Erdrich, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for her novel The Night...
Oct
17
2024

Equitable Access to High-Quality Instructional Materials

12:00 PM
Equitable access to high-quality instructional materials is essential for creating inclusive learning environments for a...
Oct
17
2024

“The Night Watchman:” One Book One Northwestern Online Collection Talk

12:30 PM
One Book One Northwestern (OBON) is a university‐wide reading program that aims to engage the campus in a common convers...
Oct
17
2024

Family Action Network (FAN) - Leaders as Futurists: Cultivating Civic Imagination for a Dynamic World

7:00 PM
Join a FAN special session on harnessing the power of “futures thinking” and civic imagination with Lisa Kay Solomon, Fu...
Oct
18
2024

Family Action Network (FAN) - Twenty-Four Seconds from Now: An Evening with Jason Reynolds

7:00 PM , 1600 Dodge Ave.
FAN is thrilled to host #1 New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds in celebration of his first YA romance, Twen...
Oct
21
2024

Family Action Network (FAN) - Polostan: An Evening with Neal Stephenson

7:00 PM , 811 Elm St.
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of thirteen previous critically acclaimed works of fiction, including Terminati...