Campus Life
Experience all Kellogg has to offer
As an exchange student at Kellogg, you’ll have a wide variety of opportunities to get involved.
Your first step in gaining access to campus offerings is to obtain your official Northwestern photo identification card, known as a Wildcard.
Named after Northwestern University’s mascot, the Wildcard can be used to gain access to University buildings, shuttles, and events; to purchase food through vending machines or the University meal plan; and much more. U.S. Bank checking account holders can also use their cards as ATM/debit cards.
Hundreds of Evanston and Chicago area businesses offer discounts, free delivery, and even free items when you show your Wildcard or NU ID Card.
You can obtain your Wildcard by applying in person at the Wildcard office, located in Norris University Center. You will need to bring your passport, your student ID number and your NetID.
Getting around campus
Northwestern University operates several shuttles for students, faculty and staff on the Evanston and Chicago campuses. A valid Wildcard is required to ride the shuttles. Please see the shuttle schedules.
The Intercampus shuttle runs regularly on weekdays between the Evanston campus and the downtown campus, and can be used to commute between the two campuses for classes. The final stop, Ward, lets students off directly in front of Wieboldt Hall, where Kellogg’s downtown classes take place.
Class sections
Kellogg full-time students are split into “sections,” or groups of approximately 60–90 students, who go through orientation together and complete their core courses together. Students get to know each other very well in these smaller groups, and each one has its own listserv, which members use to stay in touch and organize informal social activities.
To aid integration with full-time students, exchange students have all been sorted into a section, and will receive emails from that section’s listserv. You are welcome to attend their events — feel free to just show up!
Social events and student clubs
Social events
TG—an abbreviation of the longer abbreviation T.G.I.F. (a.k.a. “Thank God It’s Friday”) — is the
name of a popular weekly social event, hosted by various campus clubs throughout the year. Held in Collaboration
Plaza on the first floor of Kellogg's Global Hub, TG is an opportunity for students to wind down the week with beers and
appetizers and to interact with professors and members of Kellogg administration in an informal atmosphere. TG is held every
Friday from 5–6 p.m., and exchange students are encouraged to attend.
Student clubs
There are more than 100 full-time student clubs at Kellogg, and exchange students are eligible to join most of them. See the full list of clubs by logging in with your NetID. To sign up to receive emails from a club, check the box next to the club name and click “Join” at the bottom of the page.
Student conferences
Kellogg students organize a number of different conferences every quarter, on a variety of different topics. Past topics have included Innovating Social Change, Africa Business, Sports Business, Marketing, and Private Equity and Venture Capital.
Sports facilities
Northwestern is home to a number of different sports facilities, the largest of which is the Henry Crown Sports Pavilion, known by students as “SPAC.” Exchange students may use the facilities for the quarter they are on exchange at Kellogg, and will show their Wildcard to gain access.
Note: Although use of the facilities is free, participating in group fitness classes will require payment.
Sporting events
Northwestern is a member of the Big Ten conference, a group of twelve member institutions that compete against one another in sporting events, like American football, hockey, soccer and swimming, in the Division 1 conference. Northwestern has a number of both men’s and women’s sports teams.
Formal balls
Each quarter, there is a themed, formal ball. Exchange students are welcome to attend. Tickets tend to sell out, so pay attention to your emails and register early if you want one!
Norris Mini Courses
The Norris Mini Course program offers a wide variety of non-credit, recreational classes four times per year — October, January, April and July. Established in 1973, the program continues to offer more than 30 course options. Registration is open to the Northwestern community and the public.
Most classes take place once a week in the evening, in an attempt to provide an escape from the daily academic or work routine. These classes are a fantastic way to unwind, make new friends and learn something new, all at the same time. Most Mini Courses are held inside the Norris University Center, located on Northwestern University’s Evanston campus.