Michael Schill will step down from his role as president of Evanston, Ill.-based Northwestern University following a three-year tenure.
Mr. Schill, who became the university’s 17th president in September 2022, said he reached the decision in consultation with the board of trustees, according to a Sept. 4 Northwestern news release. He will remain in his position until an interim leader is named and will assist with the transition and ongoing efforts to restore the university’s frozen federal research funding.
“As I reflect on the progress we have made and what lies ahead, I believe now is the right time for new leadership to guide Northwestern into its next chapter,” Mr. Schill said in a message to community members.
Under his leadership, Northwestern secured the second- and third-highest fundraising years on record in fiscal 2024 and 2025. The university raised nearly $2.5 billion during his tenure.
Mr. Schill also helped establish several academic and research initiatives and oversaw major capital projects across the university’s campuses. After stepping down, he will take a sabbatical before returning to teach and conduct research at the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law.
Chicago-based Northwestern Medicine includes the research, teaching and patient care operations of its academic medical center. It operates more than 200 patient care sites.
