Sports
Thanks to a community of 174,380 alumni, parents and friends from around the world, We Will. The Campaign for Northwestern brought in an awe-inspiring $6.1 billion.
The Patrick ’59, ’09 H and Shirley Ryan ’61, ’19 H Family has given the largest single gift in University history to conclude the record-breaking “We Will” Campaign. The $480 million gift will accelerate breakthroughs in biomedical, economics and business research and enable Northwestern to construct a best-in-class athletics venue for the University community.
Federico Burdisso made Northwestern history when he claimed two Olympic medals in Tokyo last July. The Italian swimmer became the first Northwestern athlete in 65 years to medal at the Olympics while enrolled at the University and the first Wildcat to medal since Matt Grevers ’09 earned two golds and a silver at the 2012 Games.
In August 2020 the Washington Football Team named the 38-year-old Jason Wright the franchise’s president, making him the first Black president in NFL history. His combination of on-the-field NFL experience and corporate boardroom chops made him an ideal candidate to guide the team’s cultural and business transformation.
After just 10 years in her sport, triathlete Hailey Danz ’13 won silver in the Paralympic Games in Tokyo last summer. Through steadfast commitment to her training and resilience in the face of challenges, Danz has cemented her position as a world leader in triathlon.
Northwestern President and Professor Morton Schapiro marks the conclusion of a historic fundraising campaign with celebration and appreciation for the University community.
We Will. The Campaign for Northwestern, which was publicly announced in 2014, set out to amplify the University’s local and global impact and to elevate its status as a leading teaching and research institution.
Chris Williams, who grew up figure skating and playing hockey in north Minneapolis, says he didn’t encounter racism on the rink until he got to high school. “Some of the guys on the hockey team were real cool, but a handful weren’t,” recalls Williams, now a pediatrician in his hometown.
Izzy Scane’s offensive dominance on the lacrosse field earned her the nickname the “Scane Train” — and for good reason. The attacker has gone full steam ahead through some of the best defenses in the country.
Veronica Burton is a leader of the women’s basketball team’s vaunted “blizzard” defense. The two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year averaged better than four steals per game this season, tops in the nation.
