Founded in 1867, Northeastern has a rich tradition of educational innovation and prides itself on preparing teachers and administrators who make a difference in Chicago. That tradition continues to this day and has expanded to include an array of academic disciplines, allowing the University to embrace fully the community in which it resides. Northeastern is regarded as the most diverse public comprehensive university in the Midwest and is designated by the United States Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Diversity is an important factor in the character of Northeastern and in the social fabric of its student body. Located on 67 acres in an attractive residential area on the Northwest Side of Chicago, the University offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate programs in the arts, sciences, education, and business. The University has additional locations in the metropolitan area: The Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies, El Centro, and the Center for College Access and Success. Northeastern is also a founding member of the University Center of Lake County consortium campus in suburban Lake County. Newsweek magazine named Northeastern Illinois University the sixth ñBest Investmentî in the United States and number one in Illinois. Northeastern shares the top-ten spot with Harvard, Stanford, Princeton and MIT. In U.S. News & World ReportÍs ñBest Collegesî publication Northeastern is ranked the most ethnically diverse public regional university in the Midwest. Diverse: Issues in Higher EducationÍs annual ñTop Degree Producersî demonstrates that Northeastern is a leader among American universities for the number of bachelorÍs and masterÍs degrees earned by students of diverse ethnic backgrounds.