It may not be as large as the main campus, but NIU Naperville, one of NIU’s three outreach centers, is a dynamic facility.

Opened in September 2000, NIU Naperville, 1120 E. Diehl Road, became DuPage County’s first permanent public university site. It gives the surrounding community not only a way to earn degrees at night, but also a site for businesses to hold conferences during the day.

“The students seem very pleased with their classes here and we get compliments on the food being served at conferences,” said Shirley Napora, catering supervisor for NIU Naperville.

During the 2000 Fall semester, the $20-million facility offered 40 evening courses for about 500 students, most of whom were pursuing masters degrees. NIU Naperville will offer 68 courses next semester in areas such as education and business.

Additional courses in health and human sciences, engineering and liberal arts and sciences are offered at the graduate level at NIU Naperville. A bachelor’s of general studies and certificates in professional development and management information systems are also offered through the extension site.

There are also six non-degree programs to choose from that include management accounting and human resources education.

“Designed for effective learning, the outreach centers bring the vast resources of Northern Illinois University to those who need them, where they need them,” said John Lewis, associate vice president of NIU Outreach. “These are education centers with no dormitories or student life.”

Napora said she believes NIU Naperville is distinctively different from NIU’s main campus in DeKalb because it is both a learning resource for commuting students and a business resource for companies.

“There is schooling at night and conferencing by day,” Napora said.

Maribel Valle, an assistant professor of allied health who has taught at NIU for two years, enjoys the teaching atmosphere more at NIU Naperville.

“There are smaller classes that allow me more time with students,” Valle said. “It’s a great opportunity that benefits the school and the students.”

Even though students interested in attending classes at NIU Naperville will follow most of the procedures to enroll for classes as students living on campus, they will see an off-campus delivery fee charged to their Bursar’s account.

The 113,000-square foot, two-story facility also serves as headquarters for the NIU Business and Industry Services (BIS), providing training and consulting services, and the Learning Points Associates, which helps teachers and students.

NIU Naperville has 12 classrooms, two computer labs and a 4,500-square-foot multi-purpose area for conferences.

“During the last five years our services have really grown and are still growing,” Napora said.