Northwestern receives $5.6 million gift to support history center

Olivia Exstrum, Campus Editor

A Northwestern alumnus and his wife have donated $5.6 million to Northwestern as part of the “We Will” campaign, the University announced Wednesday.

The gift from Nicholas Chabraja (Weinberg ’64, Law ’67) and his wife Eleanor will support several different areas of the University, including the Judd A. and Marjorie Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences’ Nicholas D. Chabraja Center for Historical Studies.

In addition to the center, the gift supports various funds within the University, the Women’s Board and the Renee and Lester Crown Speaker Series.

“This new gift will greatly enhance the Chabraja Center’s mission while supporting other worthy areas of the University,” University President Morton Schapiro said in a news release. “We are deeply grateful for Nick and Eleanor’s generosity.”

This most recent gift will allow the historical studies center, established in 2006 and named for Nicholas Chabraja in 2010, to expand its graduate education programs and undergraduate research opportunities. The center has partnerships with many organizations, including the Chicago History Museum, Newberry Library, University Library, NU’s Center for African American History and the Holocaust Education Foundation.

“The Chabraja Center’s impact on graduate and undergraduate research is felt University-wide,” Provost Dan Linzer said. “History is one of the top-ranked and most popular departments in Weinberg, and we are committed to building a continuous pipeline of promising scholars throughout the University who take historical approaches in their work.”

“Eleanor and I really believe in the mission of the Center for Historical Studies,” Nicholas Chabraja said. “The additional fellowship support can be leveraged to recruit, retain and support exemplary students pursuing advanced graduate work.”

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