Northwood University

ABOUT UNIVERSITY

Northwood University (NU) is a private institution specializing in business education, with its main campus located in Midland, Michigan. Established in 1959 as Northwood Institute by Arthur E. Turner and R. Gary Stauffer, the school originally operated from a mansion in Alma, Michigan, before relocating to Midland in 1961. Over the decades, Northwood expanded both its physical presence and academic offerings. A satellite campus was established in West Baden Springs, Indiana, from 1966 to 1983, located in a former Jesuit seminary. Around the same time, Northwood also launched operations in Texas. In 1982, David E. Fry became president, and under his leadership, the university added a Florida residential campus and broadened its academic programs. In 1993, the institution changed its name to Northwood University and launched The DeVos Graduate School of Management. International expansion followed in 2001 with a partnership with the Hotel Institute Montreux in Switzerland, combining American management with Swiss hospitality education. Northwood also established program centers in Bahrain, China, Sri Lanka, and Switzerland, and expanded its domestic outreach to 40 locations across eight U.S. states. Keith A. Pretty became president in 2007, followed by Kent MacDonald in 2019. In 2014, the university closed its Texas residential campus, and in 2015, it sold its Florida location to Keiser University, although adult and graduate programs continued in those regions. Academically, Northwood remains focused on business, with top undergraduate majors in Business Administration and Management, Accounting, Marketing, Finance, and specialized programs such as Vehicle Parts Marketing and Sport Management. As of 2021, it had produced over 33,000 graduates. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Northwood University continues to maintain its mission of preparing future leaders through a focused and practical business education.