NAPERVILLE, Ill. (WBBM Newsradio) – North Central College will become North Central University Naperville on July 1, 2027, following a vote by its board of trustees Thursday.
School leaders say the new name reflects the institution’s growing academic offerings and highlights its location.
“The decision to change the institution’s name to North Central University Naperville is not a decision to change who we are,” President Abiódún Gòkè-Paríolá said in a statement. “It is a decision to fully express the institution we have become.”
The announcement follows three consecutive years of record total enrollment, according to the college. North Central offers more than 90 undergraduate majors and 22 graduate degree programs. Its graduate enrollment has grown as the school added programs in nursing, physical therapy and other health care fields.
The board said its decision followed discussions with students, faculty, staff, alumni and other stakeholders about the school’s identity and future.
The change will be the third in the institution’s 165-year history. Founded as Plainfield College in 1861, it became North-Western College in 1864 and adopted the North Central College name in 1926.
Although the new name takes effect next July, the transition will unfold over several years. The school will prioritize updates to its website, exterior signs and marketing materials, with a new logo also planned.
