In 1903, the recently formed American colonial government of the Philippine Islands sent 100 young men to California to prepare for study at the college level. They lived with families there, attending local high schools for a year to improve their English and prepare them for post-secondary study.

Thirty of those students chose to enter the teaching profession. The director of the program consulted with NISNS President Cook (who was considered a national authority on normal schools), and based on his recommendations, six were sent to Northern.

By all reports, the Filipino students were popular on campus, entertaining their peers with yo-yo’s, spinning tops and bamboo flutes. They were competitive athletes as well, organizing themselves into a baseball team (and later a basketball team) they called the Fierce Filipinos.

When they returned to the Philippines, most were placed in supervisory positions in order to upgrade the quality of the colonial educational system (the Philippines would remain an American colony until 1946).

Since then, NIU has developed a strong reputation as a welcoming and supportive university for international students. About 1,000 current NIU students represent 70 foreign countries, with the largest numbers coming from China, India and Saudi Arabia.

Currently, NIU’s most popular majors for international students are Computer Information Systems; Industrial, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering; Music; Accounting; and Business Administration.

Since 1963, NIU’s Center for Southeast Asian Studies has attracted cohorts of students from Southeast Asian countries, many of whom who have since forged influential careers as officials, diplomats, and academicians in their home countries.

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