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| Staff Newsletter | November 2025 |
Dear colleagues,
One of the benefits of working at a world-class University is that we are surrounded by unique opportunities to learn, take in culture and have fun. Usually, it’s our Admissions team touting these perks, but I hope they don’t mind if I borrow from their script because I do firmly believe that Northwestern has something for everyone.
To that end, every month, in this newsletter, we share some of the programs and activities created by our brilliant colleagues specifically to enhance our collective Northwestern experience, whether it’s Buffett First Friday lunches, exhibits at The Block Museum, or the Office of Community Enrichment's workshops and asynchronous modules, such as 30 Days of Indigenous. (Find specific featured events in the Calendar section below.)
Part of building a great university is creating physical space for our people to grow as individuals and make connections—both with one another and Northwestern as an institution. An example of this is the Deering Library, an iconic building that has stood the test of time and linked generations of alumni, faculty and staff. I encourage you to stop by the new and improved Deering Library, which opened its doors earlier this fall, and if you have time, check out the exhibit Grand & Gothic: The History of Deering Library.
Another exciting capital improvement project is the transformation taking place at Norris University Center, including the Cohen Lawn, the Kahn Pavilion and the much-anticipated Luna’s Pub & Grill, which will have a soft opening in December (see details below).
I think we all can agree that a job in higher education, especially at a school like Northwestern, is fulfilling because of the important work we do. But I also have a feeling that many of us were attracted to Northwestern because of the special work environment it provides. If you can find the time, I encourage you to take advantage of the possibilities to expand your horizons just steps away.
As we approach Thanksgiving, I want to say thank you for all that you do for the Office of the Provost and the entire University. Have a lovely holiday break.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Hagerty |
All about the staff |
Meet Ben Yost After more than a decade of working at various institutions of higher education, Ben Yost joined Northwestern in 2024 as Director of Enrollment Analytics. He leads a team that develops data-driven enrollment strategies and provides critical analysis to inform both division- and institution-wide goals.
As someone who analyzes data, what are the most exciting types of discoveries you make—what moments make you go, "Aha"? My "aha" moments often happen before the formal analysis even starts. I really enjoy digging into the raw data tables, understanding their structure and cleaning and preparing everything. That process gives me a much clearer sense of how the information is collected and where the limitations might be, and sometimes even how we could start collecting the things we wish we had. As patterns and quirks emerge, they spark new questions I might not have known to ask and ultimately make the final insights more thoughtful and useful.
What attracted you to higher education as a field for applying your skills, and what was the educational path that led you here? I didn’t plan on working in higher education. In fact, I was not even sure I would finish college. But once I returned to the College of DuPage and started working there, I found myself drawn in. I kept seeing decisions stall because the right data wasn’t available — an issue that affects many institutions — so I decided to learn how to access and analyze it myself. After completing my undergraduate degree, I went on to do graduate work in political science. At that time, I began moving from descriptive statistics into modeling and inferential methods. That blend of hands-on higher ed experience and academic training naturally led me to where I am now.
What is something fun or interesting about you that people may not know? A fun fact about me is that I do improv. I take classes and hop into performances when I can. I’m also a lifelong learner and am almost always enrolled in a class at my local community college, from residential wiring to plant taxonomy to computer science.
Staff who joined or started new roles in Office of the Provost units in October
Office of International Student and Scholar Services
Office of the Provost
Undergraduate Admissions
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News, notes and need to know |
Performance Excellence (PEx) Northwestern’s Performance Excellence (PEx) program is a year-round process led collaboratively by staff and supervisors. Its goal is to support individual growth, strengthen team performance, and enhance the effectiveness of departments and the University. Below is the timeline for the Office of the Provost 2025-26 PEx cycle.
2025-26 Timeline:
Updates from Human Resources
Soft opening of Luna's Pub & Grill at Norris In preparation for the official grand opening of Luna’s Pub & Grill on Jan. 5, 2026, there will be a soft opening in December for staff, which will include special thank-you offer for diners who fill out a survey about their experience. The hours for the soft opening will be Dec. 15-19, 11 a.m.-11 p.m., and Dec. 20-21, 5 -11 p.m. The full menu of lunch and dinner options will be available for purchase, along with craft drinks and mocktails.
In case you missed it
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Mark your calendar |
Events
Key dates
More resources Help us build future newsletters! If your unit is working on a project that is relevant to the entire Office of the Provost, or if you have awards, honors or accomplishments to share, send an email to officeoftheprovost@northwestern.edu. |
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Learn more about the Office of the Provost |
