Pioneer on Campus: Northwestern University

Northwestern University, founded in 1851 and based in Evanston, Illinois, is known for stewarding the education of a prodigious number of mankind’s greatest achievers, including 42 Pulitzer winners, 22 Nobel Laureates, 10 living billionaires, and 24 Olympic medalists. If that’s not impressive enough, Northwestern also admitted 43 Pioneer Scholars in 2020 and 2021.

Several Pioneer alumni who are now attending the university recently got together on Northwestern’s campus to connect. Event organizer David, Pioneer alumnus and current Northwestern student, said that he loved meeting up with a diverse group of fellow scholars for conversation and snacks. He also found the connection created through a shared Pioneer experience of great interest. “It was fun to connect with other Pioneer Scholars because they all had very different backgrounds and passions.” he said. “It was interesting to see someone who researched biology and someone who reserved businesses come together and recognize they both did very different research in the same program and be able to bond over it.”

When asked about what he appreciated most about a school like Northwestern, he pointed to how different college was from anything he had previously experienced. “What I enjoy most about being a student at Northwestern University is the change in environment in every setting. The diversity in students, the flexibility in taking a lot of different classes, the different ways of learning in class, the opportunities to explore different interests through clubs, and being able to experience a true winter.”

As for Pioneer? David attributes his confidence inside and outside the classroom to his time in the Pioneer Research Program. “Pioneer helped me transition into college by giving me a glimpse into the expectations and rigor of college” he said. “The program also broke down any anxiety towards talking with a professor, which allowed me to go to office hours and develop connections with my professors here at college.”

Stay tuned for future Pioneer on Campus events at other universities. To learn more about Pioneer and our alumni network, check out our official Instagram @Pioneer_Academics, our student-run Instagram page @scholarsofpioneer, or our LinkedIn page.