Limited-time store closes June 7 to ensure local delivery before Independence Day.
Northwood University is giving alumni, students, families, employees, and friends a new way to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary — just in time for July 4.
A limited-edition Freedom Lights the Future apparel line will be available through a special online store opening Monday, May 25. The store will close at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, June 7, to ensure orders arrive before Independence Day.
Designed by Gloria Heye, Northwood’s brand and visual communications manager, the apparel line was created as part of Northwood University’s Freedom Lights the Future initiative to celebrate the adoption of the U.S. Declaration of Independence.
Freedom Lights the Future launched this spring with a March 20 festival featuring historical reenactments, student projects and contests, faculty-led discussions, and a free community concert. The apparel line extends that celebration into the summer, giving the Northwood community a visible way to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary and show its connection to America’s Free Enterprise University at Independence Day gatherings, summer events, campus celebrations, and other America 250 commemorations throughout 2026.
“Freedom Lights the Future is about more than looking back at a historic milestone,” said Dr. Lisa Fairbairn, assistant vice president and dean of the DeVos Graduate School of Management and co-chair of the Freedom Lights the Future initiative. “It is about celebrating the principles of liberty, responsibility, innovation, and enterprise that continue to shape America’s future. This apparel line gives our extended Northwood family a tangible way to celebrate and reflect the values at the heart of America’s 250th anniversary.”
Heye said the collection was inspired by a simple idea: Freedom is worth celebrating.
“This collection was designed to feel simple, patriotic, and timeless,” Heye added. “We created pieces that people can wear throughout this historic anniversary year and beyond as a meaningful expression of freedom, pride, and connection to Northwood.”
Orders must be placed by June 7. The store will be open for a limited time only, with deliveries expected before July 4. To receive items before Independence Day, orders should be shipped directly to campus. Campus pickup will be available from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 29, 30, and July 1. Orders shipped elsewhere may not arrive before July 4. For questions about picking up orders on campus, email Laura Rhodes at .
To shop the limited-edition Freedom Lights the Future collection, visit nufreedomlightsthefuture250.itemorder.com/shop/home/.
To learn more about Northwood University’s Freedom Lights the Future initiative, visit northwood.edu/freedom-lights-the-future.
