In September, Donald Trump had a message for NIU: You’re not fired.

The questionably-coiffed successful businessman used his nationally-syndicated daily radio show to shower praise on NIU for offering a course based on “The Apprentice.”

“I want to hand it to Northern Illinois University’s College of Business,” he said in a 90-second spot that aired locally Sept. 20 on KISS FM 103.5. “They are just a little bit ahead of the pack. If I were 20 years old again, I’d be in that class.”

The NIU marketing department offered the course that pitted four teams of four students against each other in various business-related tasks. One such task had students designing a questionnaire that assessed perceptions of cheating. Another challenge had class participants raise money for care packages for soldiers in Iraq.

Marketing department Chairwoman Denise Schoenbachler was stunned by the unsolicited expression of approval.

“We were so excited – actually, the right word is ‘shocked,’” Schoenbachler said. “To have that type of endorsement of the class, and really NIU itself on a national forum is huge. It says that we are clearly a forward-looking and cutting-edge institution.”