Northwestern President Mung Chiang hit the ground running as the university’s 18th president. One hundred days later, students are feeling optimistic about Chiang’s leadership and the impact he could have on the community.

The Stanford alumnus left Purdue for Northwestern after former President Michael Schill stepped down in 2025. Chiang inherited NU at a pivotal time in its history, tasked with leading the university through new openings, a board expansion, major fundraising campaigns and more.

McCormick first-year Alex Bernstein described feeling a sense of optimism toward NU’s future with Chiang at the helm. He described himself as a “Mung fan.”

“He has united us,” Bernstein said.

Weinberg first-year Arielle Karni shared Bernstein’s sentiment. She said Chiang’s leadership makes her feel inspired and hopeful for the future of the university. 

“He is awesome,” she said. “[He] feels like the embodiment of what a Northwestern student should be.” 

Here are some of the highlights of his first 100 days.

On Sept. 16, Chiang marched through the Arch alongside first-year and transfer students, proudly sporting a matching “Class of 2030” T-shirt. In a speech to the first-year class, he declared that Northwestern was his home, emphasizing the importance of community and Northwestern’s commitment to achieving excellence.

But giving speeches and welcoming classes isn’t all Chiang has been challenged to do. He also inherited the Forever Shine Campaign, which strives to raise $625 million to support scholarships and supplementary programs for undergraduate, graduate and professional students. As of Sept. 30, the campaign had raised $291 million, nearly halfway to its goal.

While Chiang is not directly responsible for the day-to-day operations of the campaign, university presidents often play a major role in institutional fundraising efforts.

Fundraising has also played a role in Northwestern’s 175th anniversary celebrations. On Sept. 16, the university announced a separate $175 million initiative, Comprehensive Excellence, dedicated to expanding endowed professorships and supporting faculty research. The university has also created a dedicated giving page for the initiative as part of its anniversary celebrations.

Chiang isn’t the only new member of Northwestern’s leadership. The Board of Trustees recently added three members, two of whom are alumni. They join the majority of the board in having a prior affiliation with the university. The new members join the board as Northwestern navigates a presidential transition and several major institutional developments, including the opening of New Ryan Field.

On Oct. 2, 93 days into Chiang’s tenure, the $870 million New Ryan Field opened, the most expensive college stadium ever built. The president not only attended the opening game but was frequently featured on the massive jumbotrons surrounded by students in the Wildcat Wall, the new stadium’s student section. Weinberg first-year Kaytlin Flaherty said this was on brand for the 18th president.

“He really immerses himself within our environment,” Flaherty said, adding that under his leadership, students feel united.

Medill first-year Gabriella Foster, a self-proclaimed “Mung superfan,” showed her love for the new president at the football game by holding her phone on her forehead with purple and white text reading “I 💜 MUNG CHIANG.” She estimates that she ended up on the jumbotron five times, including an appearance on ESPN.

Indeed, Chiang has become somewhat of a Northwestern celebrity, both on campus and on the student social media platform Fizz. Students have made hundreds of anonymous posts about Chiang on the app. Many of these posts, the vast majority of which are jokes, ask the president to make changes at school, from reforming the club application process to stopping police from shutting down parties.

Other posts thank him for improvements he’s already made, namely the addition of ice cream machines to the dining halls, which he announced at the New Student Convocation.

From marching through the Arch with first-year students to appearing on the jumbotrons at Ryan Field, Chiang’s first 100 days have brought him into the center of student life as he begins shaping the next chapter of Northwestern’s history.