Our Learning Environment

The Allen Center hosts more than 6000 executives annually for one or more of the School's 160 executive programs.

Because learning should not be confined to the classroom, the Allen Center is designed to facilitate peer learning and informal interactions among faculty and participants. It is completely self-contained with classrooms of all shapes and sizes, fully equipped study-group rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, lounge areas, snack rooms, laundry service and an exercise room.

The Allen Center's front desk is staffed 24 hours a day and provides a wide variety of services including restaurant and event recommendations, transportation arrangements and FedEx services. At the Kellogg Knowledge Emporium, participants can purchase faculty books, other publications and an extensive assortment of Kellogg School merchandise.

Kellogg Executive Education participants also have guest privileges at Northwestern University libraries and sports facilities and quick access to the bustling cities of Evanston and Chicago.

Please note: Occasionally, demand for programs requires that participants stay at a nearby hotel. If this is necessary, arrangements (including daily transportation between the hotel and the Allen Center) will be made for you. It is expected that participants have their own health insurance that is valid in the United States. The University is not responsible for medical expenses incurred by participants during the program.

Our classrooms and study group rooms feature both wireless and wired Internet connections and power outlets for laptops. The instructional space includes eight classrooms with varying capacities. The smallest accommodates 50 people and the largest — the centrally located Tribune Auditorium — seats 220.

The Kellogg culture encourages collaboration, but for collaborative work on case studies and other projects, we recommend meeting your fellow participants in one of the Allen Center’s 36 study-group rooms. You’ll find large flat-panel monitors, smart conference tables, computers, printers and presentation supplies. Wireless internet is available throughout the entire building.

Students have 24-hour access to two participant resource areas with computers, printers, copiers and office supplies, and our classrooms and study group rooms feature both wireless and wired Internet connections and power outlets for laptops. All 150 bedrooms are equipped with Internet connections and voice mail.

Although learning drives life at the Allen Center, our commitment to excellence extends beyond the classroom. We take service very seriously.

During your stay, you will enjoy a private bedroom and bathroom with views of Northwestern University’s campus or the lakefront. Bedding, bath towels, an iron and a hairdryer are provided for you, and daily housekeeping service ensures a clean and comfortable environment throughout your stay. All 150 of our bedrooms come with Ethernet connections and telephones with voicemail that can be accessed from phones in the building. Best of all, your commute each morning is only a brief elevator ride or quick walk downstairs from your room.

As you walk the halls, you may wish to explore the Allen Center’s Inuit art collection, one of the most extensive of its kind in the United States. From the early days of the Allen Center, our planners have emphasized the importance of art in common areas. Three major contemporary works have been commissioned and installed: “Sound Sculpture” by Harry Bertoia, “Windover” by Richard Hunt and a large-scale fiber structure by Dorothy Hughes. Thanks to the generosity of donors, the collection has grown over the years, and it now contains more than 300 pieces of art, carefully curated and mounted throughout the building.

Self-service snack rooms are open around the clock, and large-screen, cable televisions are located in several of the lounges spread throughout the building. A washing machine and dryer are available as well.

We are happy to provide handicapped-accessible rooms upon request.

Many past Executive Education participants have been amused to find that life at the Allen Center seems to revolve around food, and they appreciate the expertise our staff bring to the table. An espresso café and stations for omelets, sandwiches, and salads add character to elaborate breakfast and lunch buffets. Our head chef works hard to delight your palate, creating sumptuous dinners with international flavor. Mid-morning and mid-afternoon breaks, a cocktail hour, and well-stocked pantries for late-night snacks ensure that you will never go hungry.

Three large dining rooms and several smaller ones offer a dining experience for every occasion. Enjoy our glass-enclosed atrium and garden dining rooms, or take in the lakefront scenery from the S.C. Johnson Wax dining room. Private dining rooms accommodate small group meetings and study groups. Centrally located lounge areas have televisions and beverage service capabilities for coffee and social hours, while large outdoor decks are perfect for informal gatherings.

You can maintain your workout schedule — or begin a new one — in the Allen Center’s Bally Fitness Room, where you’ll find treadmills, an elliptical machine, a stationary bicycle, weight-training equipment and resistance machines. A few moments in the adjacent sauna can be both relaxing and refreshing.

Our guests may also enjoy complimentary use of the Olympic-sized pool, 1/8-mile track, tennis, squash and basketball courts located inside Northwestern University’s 95,000-square-foot Henry Crown Sports Pavilion and Aquatic Complex — just a short walk from the Allen Center. In addition, the campus offers picturesque lakeside paths for walking, jogging or bicycling.