Approximately 11,000 graduate and undergraduate students live on and around the Evanston campus. Their varied ages, interests, and goals give campus life breadth and vitality and support a wide range of events and activities within the University community. Recreational programs of all kinds, lecture series and concerts, art exhibitions, dance performances, nationally renowned theater, and film series crowd the academic calendar.
The School of Speech sponsors classical, contemporary, and experimental theater performances year-round at the Theatre and Interpretation Center, located on the Arts Circle. The Mary and Leigh Block Gallery presents a wide range of special exhibitions as well as lectures, films, and workshops with visiting artists. The gallery's outdoor Sculpture Garden is open for browsing any time.
The Evanston campus stretches for a mile along the shore of Lake Michigan past intramural playing fields, sandy beaches, boat launches, and bike and jogging paths. The lake itself provides limitless opportunities for recreation.
The University's north beach, minutes from the Mathematics Department Offices in Lunt Hall, is popular with swimmers and volleyball enthusiasts. The University Sailing Center on the south beach maintains launching facilities and a fleet of sailboats and windsurfers, drawing both experienced and novice sailors.
Pick-Staiger Concert Hall hosts distinguished international artists, student performers, orchestral concerts, and chamber music festivals which are open to the public.
Several campus music groups, such as the University Chorus and the University Symphony, are open to graduate students.
Northwestern's membership in the Big Ten Conference and the National Collegiate Athletic Association brings exciting intercollegiate athletic events to campus.
Admission to most of these events and many other campus activities is free to full-time students.
