- For students arriving on campus at NIU, the first days can feel both exciting and uncertain. New faces, unfamiliar spaces and the weight of possibility all converge at once.
To Clint-Michael Reneau, NIU’s vice president for Student Affairs, what transforms a student’s uncertainty into confidence, and a campus into a home, is community.
“Community is the difference between a student attending a university and becoming part of something larger than themselves,” he said. “It’s the moment a campus stops feeling like a place and starts feeling like home.”
Across campus, that transformation doesn’t happen by chance. It’s built, intentionally and thoughtfully, through programs, relationships and shared experiences that help students feel seen, valued and connected.
Building the First Connections
From the earliest moments of a student’s arrival, connection is a priority. Week of Welcome events, residence hall move-in, student organization fairs and peer-led programs all serve as entry points. But as Reneau explained, access alone isn’t enough.
“What matters most is not just access—it’s invitation,” he said. “Belonging doesn’t happen by accident—we design it, we invite it and we sustain it.”
That philosophy shows up in small but powerful ways: a student leader reaching out to someone standing alone, a community advisor checking in after a long week or a mentor creating space for honest conversation, Reneau explained. These moments, often quiet and personal, are the foundation of something much larger.
“Students don’t persist in isolation,” Reneau said. “They persist in connection. They succeed when they feel seen and when they believe that who they are belongs in the spaces they’re entering.”
Finding Community Through Shared Experience
One of the most immediate ways for students to connect is through involvement—whether during a planned event or through student organizations, leadership programs or fraternity and sorority life.
“Getting involved in a variety of organizations allowed me to grow both personally and professionally while connecting with many incredible people across campus,” said recent graduate Abby Byer, ’26.
Sladjana Grbic, NIU’s director of Student Activities, said they specifically design events and activities for interaction, not just attendance.
“That might look like smaller group elements within large events, structured ways for students to talk to each other, or student leaders who actively pull people in rather than just run the program,” she said.
Along the way, students are welcome to give feedback and insight on the programs and events to ensure that there are a variety of options.
“We recognize that no single program will meet the needs or interests of all students,” Grbic said. “Our approach is to provide a diverse range of opportunities informed by student feedback, emerging trends and the insights of our student leaders, who play a critical role in shaping programming that feels relevant and inclusive.”
As director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, Vicki Gerentes oversees NIU’s Greek Life community, which includes more than 35 organizations and more than 1,000 NIU students.
“Fraternities and sororities at NIU offer a sense of siblinghood that creates community for our students,” Gerentes said. “Joining can make a large university feel smaller and easier to navigate.”
Within these organizations, students build networks that extend beyond their individual chapters to councils, alumni and national communities. But the impact goes deeper than social connection.
“Students have opportunities to lead, plan events and support philanthropic causes,” Gerentes said. “They begin to discover who they want to be and gain confidence through the support of their peers.”
Those experiences often become defining moments in a student’s journey, helping them develop skills, explore their strengths and build relationships rooted in shared purpose.
Across campus, that same commitment is reflected in advising, mentorship and mental health support systems designed to meet students where they are.
“Belonging is reinforced when students know that support is not something they have to earn—it’s something they can expect,” Reneau said.
Whether through counseling services, mentorship or simply a staff member checking in, students are consistently reminded: You matter here.
Bonds That Last Beyond Graduation
While many connections begin during an NIU student’s first year, their impact often lasts far longer.
In residence halls, classrooms and student organizations, relationships are built over time through shared experiences, challenges and growth. In fraternity and sorority life, traditions play a powerful role in sustaining those bonds across generations.
“Traditions give us shared experiences that binds generations together,” Gerentes said, pointing to long-standing events like step shows and campus traditions such as the annual Tugs tournament. “Alumni and current students can connect through those shared experiences.”
Even after graduation, those connections endure. Alumni affinity groups provide a sense of familiarity and belonging, no matter where life takes them.
“What we’re really doing is creating the conditions for trust, accountability and shared purpose,” Reneau said. “The relationships students build here don’t end at graduation—they become part of who they carry into the world.”