Otto Graham Society

Celebrating 11 Years

Otto Graham Society

The Otto Graham Society is a prestigious and distinguished group that represents the highest level of annual giving dedicated to supporting student-athletes at Northwestern University. Named after the legendary quarterback Otto Graham, who achieved remarkable success both on and off the field, this society embodies a commitment to excellence, leadership, and the holistic development of student-athletes.

Otto Graham Mission

The primary mission of the Otto Graham Society is to serve as a driving force behind leadership annual giving initiatives that empower Northwestern's student-athletes to excel not only in their respective sports but also in all facets of their lives. It stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of Otto Graham himself and the belief that through collective support and investment, student-athletes can achieve greatness in their athletic pursuits while developing the skills and character traits needed to succeed in life.

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Membership Levels & Benefits

$150,000 Benefits

Includes all previous Wildcat Fund benefits
Welcome package with exclusive Otto Graham Society Northwestern gear
Annual OGS on-campus experience
Invite to Bi-Annual OGS Trip
Invite to Spring/Summer FB, MBB and WBB practice
Annual virtual engagement opportunity with Athletics leadership
Travel with a team at least once during membership
Pre-game sideline access upon request as available
Exclusive Post-season gear
Periodic VIP and OGS gear
Exclusive OGS access to select regional events

At least $15,000 (or $30,000 for second tier) of the contribution will be allocated to Seating-Athletics Fund and/or the Wildcat Fund, while the remaining commitment may be designated to a sport enhancement fund (s). Memberships are paid over 5 years.

Impact

In the 11 years since launching, the Otto Graham Society and its members have contributed to enriching the lives of 1,500+ student athletes.

AREAS OGS SUPPORTS

Consists of 5 academic advisors and 1 learning strategist/ study skills coordinator
Provide access to about 60 tutors specializing in a wide variety of subject areas
45% of our student-athletes met with at least one tutor during the 22-23 academic year
Advising staff meets weekly with all first-year students to assist in college readiness and acclimation
Spring 2023 was our best academic performance on record, with an athletic department GPA of 3.484

3 full-time sports dietitians and 1 Nutrition Operations Coordinator, 3 part-time dietitians, and 1 performance dietitian position within Levy
Conduct 600 formal nutrition assessments and 175 dietary supplement reviews each year
Create a monthly educational newsletter for our student-athletes
In collaboration with Levy, performance nutrition conducts monthly cooking classes and demonstrations for our student-athletes

4 sport psychologists, 1 psychiatrist, 1 mental performance consultant, 1 postdoctoral fellow, and 1 program assistant
All 19 varsity teams work with a sport psychologist
50% of our student-athletes access individual sport psychology services each year
Staff train student-athletes and staff annually in mental health and suicide prevention

7 Olympic Sports Performance Coaches including an Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Performance and a Director for Olympic Sports Performance
In 2022-23, 612 student-athletes were trained by our staff
Olympic Sports Performance staff uses technology to enhance and monitor the training and recovery for each Northwestern Student-Athlete. Some pieces of technology include: Force Plates, GPS units, Heart Rate units, Velocity Based Training devices, Athlete management systems
Olympic Sports Performance staff have been a part of multiple National and Big Ten Championships. They have also been instrumental in the development of multiple athletes who have gone on to compete professionally in the NBA, WNBA, MLB, NFL, and MLS among others