Northwest Nazarene University

Northwest Nazarene University’s Office of Academic Affairs is proud to announce that 320 undergraduate students and 215 graduate students have been named to the Dean’s List and 144 undergraduate students were named to the President’s List for the 2025 spring semester.

Check out our news page to see all of the students who were named to the Dean's and President's list: https://nnu.edu/deans-list-and-presidents-list-announced-for-the-spring-2025-semester/

We invite the NNU community and all who knew Serena Bennett to join us for a Celebration of Life service on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. in Swayne Auditorium.

As a tribute to Serena, her family will be wearing blue—her favorite color. Guests are welcome to do the same.

The service will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person: https://vimeo.com/event/5174232/90ff4bced9

Please join us as we celebrate Serena’s life, grieve her loss and support one another in community.

NNU student Lily Walsh has been named one of the top novice debaters in the country by the International Public Debate Association (IPDA), earning the Fifth Place Season Long Speaker Award in the Novice Division for the 2024–2025 season.

Congratulations Lily!

Visit https://nnu.edu/nnu-debater-lily-walsh-earns-national-speaker-award/ to read the full article!

Thank you to everyone involved in the Rob Roberts Training Facility groundbreaking that occurred yesterday! 🦺🚜

NNU breaks ground for the future state-of-the-art facility The new 22,000 square foot facility will provide a space for Northwest Nazarene University athletes to sharpen their skills.

NNU is excited to announce the groundbreaking of the Rob Roberts Training Facility, a major new addition to campus that will enhance the student-athlete and student life experience. The ceremony will take place on Wednesday, June 11, 2:00 p.m., at 313 E. Dewey Ave, behind the Johnson Sports Center (JSC). All are invited to attend so we hope to see you there! 🦺

Recently NNU sent eleven students and three faculty members to study in Ecuador, South America. We have learned that a heartbreaking event occurred on Sunday, May 18. It is with deep sadness that we share the news that one of our NNU students, Serena Bennett, lost her life while on this trip. Serena Bennett was a Wildlife Biology and Ecology major, with a minor in Photography and was a recent 2025 Cum Laude Graduate of NNU.

The incident occurred on a dive trip off the coast of Ecuador with multiple students and faculty members taking part in the dive. All students and faculty who were SCUBA diving had completed the necessary training and were certified divers prior to leaving for Ecuador. As the situation unfolded, faculty, dive team members and medical professionals responded.

The University is working to provide assistance and support to Serena’s family, along with the students and faculty members who were on the trip. Please join us in lifting Serena’s family and friends in your prayers during this difficult time. As a community, we grieve with them and stand alongside them in their sorrow. In addition, please join us in praying for the students, staff and faculty members who are in Ecuador as they prepare to either continue their trip or return to the United States.

It is important to not only lift Serena’s family but to also make sure we are taking care of each other as we work through our grief. While there are no easy answers, we do know that the One we serve, Jesus, walks with us during times of heartache, sorrow and loss. Let us find comfort in knowing that God works through us in our expressions of compassion and love throughout our community.

The NNU community gathered together today to pray specifically for Serena’s family and loved ones. To honor her, we welcome shared memories and condolences in the comments.

Let’s pack the Vail for some NCAA Tournament Baseball!

Ticket information is available at NNUsports.com