Before the first classes were even begun at NISNS, students organized the first student newspaper, dubbed the Northern Illinois (the name was changed to the Northern Star in fall of 1954). They produced 1,500 copies of an inaugural issue for the opening of the school in September, and began regular, monthly editions the following month.
The first editor was a student named Alice Crosby; her assistant editor was W.R. Lloyd.
Popular Professor Fred Charles was the faculty advisor. The Northern Illinois was headquartered in Altgeld Hall, where newspaper staff solicited ideas from students via a “news box” on one of their work tables. Content included student fiction, poetry, and jokes, as well as gossipy news items about faculty and news from the local town. Single copies cost 10 cents, while a yearly subscription was 50 cents.
The newspaper became a biweekly publication in 1923. It published its first printed photograph in March of 1931. During World War Two, The Northern Illinois was sent at no charge to all former students in the service. It changed its name to the Northern Star in 1954, and became a daily in 1968. Its online version launched in 1995.
The Northern Star has its own “fraternity,” Tri-Swine Omega, humorously chartered on November 25, 1963.
The Northern Star has received hundreds of awards in its 120+-year history, including the nation’s top collegiate newspaper award (the Pacemaker Award) in 1974 and again in 2008 from the Associated Collegiate Press; and the National Online Pacemaker Award in 2001, 2002 and 2004.
Among the many respected journalists, political writers and PR people who began their careers at the Star are Pulitzer Prize-winner Deborah Nelson and Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas.
Northern Star Hall of Fame
Rusty Anglin
Ted Bacino
Rick Baert
Chuck Berman
Caron Weil Blitz
Larry Bolles
Candace Perkins Brown
Mark Brown
Mike Burke
Matt Bute
Mary Butler
Lonny Cain
Roy G. Campbell
Rick Cerrone
Kevin Craver
Alice Crosby
Henry De Fiebre
Mary Dieter
Gerald DiPego
Joe Distelheim
Shelley Epstein
Al Erisman
Jeff Farren
Kathy Farren
Ray Gibson
Bruce Gill
Don Grubb
Hallie Hamilton
Bill Hetland
Jerry Huston
Carol Jouzaitis
Phil Jurik
Jim Killam
Mike Korcek
John Kringas
Maria Krull
Bruce Ladd
Jon Lawrence
Phil Luciano
Claudia Luther
Maria McCarthy
Kathy Orr McDonald
Tom McNamee
Linda Klein Means
Diane Mermigas
Ed Murnane
Markos Moulitsas
Jim Murphy
Gene Mustain
Bud Nangle
Deborah Nelson
Richard Nelson
Eileen Norris
Mike O’Connor
Tim O’Malley
David Oliveira
Lori Olszewski
Bob Palermini
Keith Peterson
Jim Price
Phil Radner
Rick Ridnour
Mark Ridolfi
Linda Ringstrand
Greg Rivara
Barry Rozner
Tim Sassone
Jason Schaumburg
Denise Schoenbachler
Rich Schovanec
Barry Schrader
Lois Self
Kevin Sheldon
Chuck Shriver
Jim Slonoff
Jerry Smith
Cary Spivak
Barry Stark
Gary Stein
Paul Street
Jerry Thompson
Jan Touney
Ed Underhill
Gary Watson
Dean White
Tom Woodstrup
Allan Zullo
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