About 26 percent of NIU’s campus is comprised of minorities. Because of campus resources like the Center for Black Studies, University Resources for Latinos and the Asian American Task Force, this percentage will rise.

“Minority applications, as well as admissions, have increased this year,” said Robert Burk, director of admissions. “The increase has been dominant in the African-American and Latino communities.”

Black applicants have increased from 2,552 in 2002, to 3,042 as of the first week of April, which is a 19.2 percent increase. The admissions rate also has increased. In terms of black students, 1,090 have been accepted this year, compared to 988 last year. The Latino applicants have increased from 971 to 1,282, which is a 32 percent increase. Admissions has increased by 27 percent with 687 Latino students accepted this year, compared to 541 last year.

“A strong reason for this increase is simply our location,” Burk said. “There is a large rise in high school seniors in the Chicagoland area, which simply means more college students in the Chicagoland area. NIU is known for its great location. It’s away from home, but not too far away.”

Counseling Help and Assistance Necessary for a College Education [CHANCE] is a program at NIU that targets academically disadvantaged students.

“CHANCE recruits, admits and counsels disadvantaged students,” said LeRoy Mitchell, director of CHANCE. “Minority students come here for the same reasons that majority students do. We have a wonderful location and a wonderful reputation.”

NIU has three priority groups when it comes to admissions. They consist of honors students, minorities and the top third of students within their class.

“We do extra things to recruit minorities to this school,” Burk said. “We have special fliers, and of course our involvement with CHANCE. We try to make the campus a comfortable place for all students. NIU is a diverse campus, we intend to keep it that way.”

The Center for Black Studies is one source of comfort and mentoring for minority students.

“We offer mentoring and homework help for students,” said Laverne Gyant, director of the Center for Black Studies. “The center is just another way to let African-American students know that they are welcomed here. If the Center for Black Studies, University Resources for Latinos, the Asian American Task Force and other organizations like us were not here, I feel minority students would not be comfortable on campus.”

Overall, undergraduate applicants have increased by 10.6 percent, while overall undergraduate admissions have increased by 8.2 percent since 2002.

“There are all different types of people, not just different races here at NIU,” Burk said. “Every student has a place on campus. That’s what makes NIU such an incredibly diverse community.”