Our Story 

 

National Automobile Dealers Association (N.A.D.A.) Automotive Education Center and The Ford Courtyard Alden B. Dow, architect. Groundbreaking October 16, 1971; dedicated May 18, 1973; Ford Courtyard dedicated October 4, 1996; Commons dedicated October 20, 2004.

Constructed through the contributions of members of the National Automobile Dealers Association, with whom Northwood has shared a unique and long partnership, "N.A.D.A." houses an on-campus hotel, classrooms, faculty and staff offices, a kitchen, dining facilities and is one of the key public meeting spaces utilized by campus and community.

The striking building features a floor to ceiling window in its main meeting hall and is the backdrop to frequent campus gatherings. Northwood's campus catering service also is headquartered at N.A.D.A., as are faculty offices for the automotive areas of the university.

Class and meeting rooms at N.A.D.A. have been named to honor individuals and groups who led in the building efforts: (Karl) Story Board Room, the Weise classroom and rooms named for Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Detroit dealer groups.

In 1996 an addition was made to the building, dedicated and named for Northwood co-founder R. Gary Stauffer. The addition of the Stauffer wing created an interior courtyard for the N.A.D.A. building which has been strikingly landscaped through a gift from The Ford Motor Company.

The Ford Courtyard is the scene of many campus celebrations. In October 2004 the lower lobby function area at N.A.D.A. was renamed the (Dr.) Jack F. Sanders Trustee Commons and dedicated to this founding Northwood trustee from Alma, Michigan.

 
 

About Northwood University

 

Our mission is to develop the future leaders of a global, free-enterprise society by upholding the Northwood Idea, by bringing the lessons of the American free-enterprise society into the college classroom.

We view a Northwood University education as an investment in your future. Any person who devotes time to a Northwood education gives up the opportunity to devote that time to all the other pursuits he or she might engage in during that time.