Bienen School Student Well-being

The safety and well-being of Bienen School of Music students is among the school’s top priorities.

Bienen undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to contact their degree advisors with any questions or concerns they may have. In addition to providing academic guidance, Bienen advisors are certified in Mental Health First Aid and can refer students to campus resources to address issues they may be facing.

Contact Bienen advisors via the links below:

Undergraduate Advising Graduate Advising

 

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Crisis Response

For life-threatening emergencies, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

CAPS: Call 847-491-2151 to speak with an on-call counselor. Outside of business hours, press “0” at the prompt and you’ll be connected to the after-hours service.

TimelyCare: TalkNow provides 24/7 on-demand access to a mental health practitioner, including evenings and weekends.

Administrator on Call: For counsel and guidance in crisis situations, call 847-491-8430 during business hours. After hours, call 847-467-3022.

Counseling and Support Resources

Mental Health Resources

NUhelp is your guide to navigating Northwestern's wellness, safety and crisis resources, whenever you may need them.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) serves as the primary mental health service at Northwestern and provides various services, including individual and group therapy, psychiatric services, and education workshops. A counselor is available via phone 24 hours a day, year-round at 847-491-2151.

TimelyCare provides 24/7 access to free virtual mental health support. Students have access to scheduled counseling, on-demand counseling (TalkNow), health coaching, and groups sessions.

The Administrator on Call (AOC) helps students who need counsel and guidance, especially in crises. The AOC ensures that students in distress receive timely, appropriate support to stabilize a crisis until longer-term mechanisms for support and referrals can be made.

Physical Health Resources

Northwestern Medicine Student Health Service on the Evanston Campus offers full outpatient medical care to Northwestern students eligible for services. There is no charge for an office visit with a clinician for students who meet the eligibility requirements.

Posture Screenings for Musicians, hosted by a licensed occupational therapist from Athletico, are held at the Bienen School periodically throughout the year. These screenings provide tips for setting up with your instrument and exercises to prevent injury. If you are interested in attending a future session, email musicstudentaffairs@northwestern.edu.

Accessibility Resources

AccessibleNU is committed to providing a supportive environment for all students with disabilities. To start the process for an accommodation request, visit the AccessibleNU website. 

A Roadmap to NU's Mental Health & Wellness Resources

Finding the right resource may seem overwhelming. Via the roadmap link below, explore details on Northwestern's key resources for students.

Access the NUhelp Roadmap

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Programming and Community Building

Below are highlights of the many areas across Northwestern offering programming and resources to enhance the student experience, create communities, and/or enrich student life.

Campus Inclusion & Community

The Office of Campus Inclusion & Community works collaboratively with the university community to cultivate inclusive learning environments through the intentional engagement with difference.  

The Office encompasses several departments: 

  • Multicultural Student Affairs enriches the cultural experience of Northwestern through leadership and education programming; providing opportunities for community engagement and identity expression; and assisting students in navigating the University. Its locations include the Multicultural Center and the Black House.

  • Student Enrichment Services works with low-income and/or first-generation students to enhance their academic success, personal development, and professional growth. 

  • Social Justice Education creates co-curricular educational opportunities in partnership with our student community that foster self-exploration, facilitate conversations across difference and support actions that create social change on campus. 

  • The Gender and Sexuality Resource Center works toward personal and collective queer liberation and advancement by co-facilitating community events, educational initiatives, community space and institutional advocacy in partnership with Northwestern’s queer students, community organizations, and partner offices. 

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Health Promotion and Wellness

Health Promotion and Wellness (HPaW) is the primary provider of health education, prevention, and harm reduction services related to wellness, alcohol, and other drug issues for Northwestern students. 

  • Staff provide services including wellness coaching, screenings, and individual consultations on alcohol and other drug concerns.
  • HPaW encourages and supports Northwestern students in taking action on all eight interconnected dimensions of wellness in order to build everyday habits, which improve quality of life.
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NU Recreation

NU Recreation provides a variety of recreation, fitness, and sport activities designed to foster individual development, enrich university life, and engage the university community in positive lifestyle choices.

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Religious and Spiritual Life

Religious and Spiritual Life provides programs, staff, and spaces to help students explore meaning and purpose, grow in their religious or spiritual traditions, practice social justice, and create community. 

  • RSL hosts drop-in meditation, mindful yoga sessions, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) courses, and many other weekly programs and events.
  • The Alice Millar Chapel Choir provides music for special events throughout the year, such as HymnFest, Lessons & Carols, the Alice Millar Birthday Celebration, and the Spring Festival Concert. Conducted by Bienen faculty member Stephen Alltop, the Chapel Choir is open to students from any Northwestern school.
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Student Music Organizations

  • The Bienen School Student Advisory Board is a student organization concerned with creating a community within the Bienen School of Music by promoting communication between students, between students and faculty, and between students and administration. This organization is composed of students at any degree level. If you are interested in joining, contact musicstudentaffairs@northwestern.edu.
  • Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is the men's music fraternity, open to any male or non-binary identifying student. Sinfonians assist in the fulfillment of the fraternity’s ideals either by adopting music as a profession or by working to advance the cause of music in America.
  • Sigma Alpha Iota is an international music fraternity for women. SAI is inclusive to women, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming individuals, and is open to both undergraduate and graduate students. It offers performance opportunities, music related philanthropies, and social events.
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Women’s Center

The Northwestern Women’s Center is committed to gender equity and inclusion at Northwestern. 

  • The Women's Center engages the Northwestern community through programming on contemporary and historical feminist, gender, and social justice issues. 

  • The Center’s website also includes links to various campus and community resources such as gender responsive health resources, parenting resources, and more. 

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Student Affairs

Nearly 30 departments dealing with all aspects of the student experience make up Northwestern’s Division of Student Affairs.

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Campus Safety

Safety is a priority at Northwestern. In the event of emergency, the Campus Emergency Website is used to update the community on timely information and provide instructions.

Safety Resources

  • Safe Ride is a safe and free alternative to walking alone after dark on or near the Evanston campus.
  • Safety Escorts provide safe passage to community members on the Evanston and Chicago campuses. Request an escort at 847-491-3456 in Evanston or 312-503-3456 in Chicago. 
  • Campus Shuttles are free shuttles between the Evanston and Chicago campuses that run late into the night. 
  • NUGuardian is a free peer-to-peer mobile app for students to turn their phone into a personal safety device. The app allows students to designate smartphone contacts to act as “guardians” and virtually walk with them on or off campus in Evanston.
  • University Police: Consider adding the Northwestern Police telephone number, 847-491-3456, to your cell phone’s contacts to reach University Police quickly to report suspicious activity.
  • Review this Ridesharing Safety Guide

Bienen Building Access

  • Bienen School practice rooms are available 7 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week. Access to all practice rooms requires a registered HID-enabled Wildcard, and student cards are programmed with different access to certain rooms depending on a student’s area of study.  
  • Building users are liable for their personal access only and should not provide access to any other person. 
  • Questions about Wildcard access should be directed to Music Facilities staff at musicfacilities@northwestern.edu. 
  • For more information, visit Practice Spaces & Venue Access.

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Addressing Conflicts and Issues

The Office of the Ombudsperson serves the entire Northwestern community and provides confidential and informal assistance for resolving University-related concerns. 

The Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance (formerly named the Office of Equity) upholds Northwestern's commitment to fostering an environment free from discrimination, harassment and sexual misconduct.  

The mission of the Center for Awareness, Response & Education (CARE) is to create a culture of healthy sexuality at Northwestern where sexual violence, relationship violence, and stalking are not tolerated.  

  • Appointments can be scheduled online for confidential advocacy and response services. 

  • Various support groups are also available. 

The Northwestern School of Law Bluhm Legal Clinic provides free legal support to community members 

Report a Concern

This Northwestern website allows you to report a variety of concerns, including discrimination and sexual misconduct, violation of policy, or safety and security concerns. The site is not for reporting emergency situations.

Report a Concern

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Avoiding Burnout

Stepping away from the practice room to rest and recuperate is an important step in avoiding burnout as a music student.

Consider the following on-campus and off-campus opportunities for your next scheduled break.

 

On-Campus Opportunities

Events

PawPrint is a weekly newsletter (sent twice monthly during the summer) from the Division of Student Affairs that features resources and events specifically for Northwestern students. Check out the PawPrint Calendar to find events featured in the newsletter.

The Arts Circle calendar includes all Northwestern events related to film, humanities, literary arts, music, theatre and dance, and visual arts.

Activities

Take advantage of the myriad opportunities available to you at Northwestern. Click the tiles below to explore a few on-campus activities.

Visit an NU Recreation Facility
Attend an NU Athletic Event
Join a Student Organization
Try a Norris Mini Course
Explore Arts & Recreation at Norris
Visit the Block Museum

Off-Campus Opportunities

Students are encouraged to take advantage of campus shuttles to explore nearby Evanston and Chicago.

Music Activities with Student Discounts

Non-Music Activities 

  • Northwestern students are entitled to free general and special exhibition admission to the Art Institute of Chicago by showing a valid student ID at the ticket counter.

  • Several Chicago museums offer free days throughout the year.

  • The Chicago Botanic Garden offers 385 acres of nature, beauty, and respite to discover. Free admission days are held throughout the year.

  • Volunteer: from dog walking to tutoring to serving as English conversation partner, there are countless ways to give back to the local communities.

  • Explore the many offerings of Downtown Evanston, directly adjacent to Northwestern’s campus. 

  • Find endless things to do in Chicago.

Explore more Northwestern resources related to student wellness

Wellness at Northwestern

Questions?

If you have any questions, suggestions, or changes for this page, please contact bsmweb@northwestern.edu.