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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.
SESP students, faculty, and alumni spark broad and meaningful change for individuals and systems alike. See how our people are making a difference in SESP and beyond, through their work and service.
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.
The Morton Schapiro Northwestern Academy for Chicago Public Schools enhances access and successful matriculation for 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.
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.
In 1926, the legendary U.S. Route 66 was established, A. A. Milne published his beloved children's book Winnie-the-Pooh, and Henry Ford implemented a pioneering 40-hour work week at his automobile factory.
Jack Lausch Earned the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award; Daniel Svärd, Jordan Clayton and Justin Mullins were also honored.
More than 30 percent of Northwestern’s 148 Big Ten Distinguished Scholars for the 2025-26 school year are School of Education and Social Policy students or alumni.
Uri Wilensky realized more than 40 years ago that using computers to understand how complex patterns emerge from the interactions of many simple parts should be a core literacy. It was no less important than reading, writing, or math, he argued, and with the right tools, this audacious goal would be possible
Before professor Lin Xiang discovered the modeling program NetLogo, using tech teaching tools felt to her like visiting a state or national park. “We were restricted to established trails and selected viewpoints, with no way to explore the rest of the terrain,” she said.
When advisor Cynthia Coburn thinks about Melanie Muskin's mind, she thinks of “a wire shooting off tons of sparks” — in this case, research ideas ranging from teacher sabbaticals and quitting videos on TikTok to her dissertation topic, early childhood educators' online community.