Northwestern University School of Professional Studies

05/28/2026

Congratulations to National Champions Northwestern Lacrosse! The team secured their ninth NCAA Championship at home, with Sports Administration graduate student goalkeeper Jenika Cuocco holding North Carolina scoreless for the game's final 17 minutes, 24 seconds. Go 'Cats!

05/22/2026

Northwestern's online Bachelor of Science in Enterprise Leadership major, HR concentration, has recently been recognized as an academically aligned program by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), providing a direct pathway for students to pursue industry credentials alongside their degree.

The alignment places Northwestern among more than 700 programs worldwide that have earned SHRM's acknowledgment for meeting its recommended HR education standards. https://sps.northwestern.edu/stories/news-stories/undergraduate-enterprise-leadership-hr-shrm-alignment.html

04/02/2026

How do you stay active during Chicago’s long winters and gloomy springs? For Northwestern SPS alums Armi and Nathan Cachila, the answer was simple: build something of their own.

When the husband-and-wife duo couldn’t play their favorite sport year-round, they decided to open Pickledilly Skokie, an indoor pickleball facility. While Armi was earning her degree in organizational behavior and both were working full-time, they teamed up with two friends to launch the business—proof that sometimes the best motivation is simply making space to have a little fun.

03/27/2026

When Alex Ramnarine '22 decided to pursue her MS in Data Science, she didn’t realize yet how profoundly AI would reshape society and industry. Graduating in 2022 when OpenAI released ChatGPT, she leveraged her degree to step into AI and strategy leadership roles across industries.

Today, she’s positioned at the forefront of that transformation—while still honoring her creative roots.

"The program helped me gain specific in-demand AI and data science skills, and the confidence to close the gap and become a data strategist and creative technologist,” she says.

Read the full story: http://spr.ly/6183B69DdH

03/06/2026

Three cheers for the three Northwestern players invited to the 2026 NFL Combine in Indianapolis: Aidan Hubbard, Evan Beerntsen, and Caleb Tiernan.

They are the first Wildcats to receive Combine invitations since 2023.

Tiernan is a student in the MA in Sports Administration program. Beerntsen and Hubbard earned a Specialized Studies post-bacc at Northwestern SPS. http://spr.ly/6188hhABo

03/05/2026

Congratulations to Seletta Goodall, who received Northwestern’s Jean Shedd University Citizenship Award. "I always try to approach my work from a place of service," she says.

Goodall, the head of administration for the Northwestern University Department of Medical Social Sciences, is earning her MS in Healthcare Administration at Northwestern SPS. http://spr.ly/6188hCaJn

02/24/2026

What inspires a novel, and how do writers sustain their craft?

Award-winning author and Northwestern faculty member Naeem Murr discusses his new novel Every Exit Brings You Home (W.W. Norton, February 2026) and his work with students in Northwestern University's MA in Writing & MFA in Prose and Poetry Programs.

In this interview, Murr reflects on the origins of the novel and the rewards of mentoring emerging writers.

Read the interview: https://sps.northwestern.edu/stories/news-stories/mfa-creative-writing-naeem-murr-every-exit-brings-you-home.html

02/06/2026

For Ryan Rivera '25, returning to writing meant investing in himself. Through Northwestern University's MA in Writing & MFA in Prose and Poetry Programs, he developed his voice and made space for what mattered most. Discover how a part-time MFA can support long-term creative growth:

What is it really like to pursue a part-time MFA while working full time?Northwestern University MFA in Prose and Poetry alum Ryan Rivera reflects on returni...

01/16/2026

As we look ahead in 2026, Brice Clinton, faculty director of Northwestern’s MA in Sports Administration, reflects on insights from the inaugural TEDSports conference last fall and how emerging sports industry trends—from the growth of women’s sports to AI-driven innovation in fan engagement and the evolution of college athletics—are shaping the program’s cutting-edge curriculum.

As Clinton notes, the program prepares students for the “workplace of sports,” emphasizing innovation, adaptability, and leadership in a rapidly evolving industry.

Read the full interview to learn how the Northwestern MSA program stays ahead of change and prepares graduates to lead across the modern sports ecosystem: https://sps.northwestern.edu/stories/news-stories/sports-administration-brice-clinton-tedsports-2025.html

01/16/2026

This year's Northwestern celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will pay tribute to "Beloved Community," with programming kicking off this Sunday at the MLK Candlelight Vigil. 🕯️

The 2026 MLK Commemoration keynote event will be held on Tuesday, January 20, and feature a panel of experts who will explore how our current moment relates to King's vision.

For the full lineup of 2026 programming and livestream links to hybrid events, visit northwestern.edu/mlk.