Northwestern University Special Olympics is the oldest and largest collegiate Special Olympics chapter founded in 1976. Our mission is to integrate individuals with developmental disabilities into our community through inclusive programming and educational events to raise awareness.

In the 1950s, Eunice Kennedy Shriver created a summer camp where individuals with intellectual disabilities could learn what they could achieve in sports and not dwell on what they could not do. Over the years, Camp Shriver grew into a global movement called Special Olympics. The first Special Olympics Summer Games was held at Chicago’s Soldier Field in 1968 with 1,000 athletes from the U.S, France and Canada competed in participation. Today, more than 4.2 million individuals with intellectual disabilities in 170 countries experience the power of sports through Special Olympics programming.

The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for all children and adults with developmental disabilities, giving them continued opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. Special Olympics emphasizes people’s abilities, not their disabilities, focusing on achievements, rather than limitations.

Learn more about Special Olympics here.

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Illinois is divided into 18 areas that operate year round Special Olympics programs. Northwestern University Special Olympics co-organizes Area 18.

Learn more about Special Olympics Illinois here.

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