Remembering NIU’s Barbara Peters during Women’s History Month

Editor’s note: The following was first published March 6, 2025, by NIU Today. The story is being republished in full by Shaw Local News Network with permission from Northern Illinois University.

DeKALB – Barbara Peters not only documented women’s history at Northern Illinois University, she became a beloved part of it.

From the moment she and her husband, former NIU President John Peters, set foot on campus, she felt an instant connection.

“She just grew to love it more and more every day,” said John Peters, who served as president from 2000 until his retirement in 2013.

It was Barbara who encouraged him to accept the presidency.

“She said, ‘NIU fits us,’ ” he remembered. “Boy, that really worked out. It was the best time of our lives.”

John and Barbara Peters had been married almost 57 years when Barbara died this past November. In celebration of Women’s History Month, he and others reflected on her legacy at NIU.

She was more than just the “first lady of NIU.” She was a scholar, a historian, a collector, a philanthropist and, above all, a devoted member of the NIU community.

“She was such a gracious individual first and foremost, and that always permeated at the university with faculty, staff, students and parents,” remembered Cherilyn Murer, an NIU College of Law alum, former NIU Board of Trustees chair and current NIU Foundation board member. “Barbara was just a marvelous representative of everything that was good at the university. She’s someone who was able to support her husband in a very public role, but also retain her own personal identity, objectives and goals.”

Preserving women’s history at NIU

One of Barbara’s most significant contributions to NIU was her devotion to documenting the history of women. She spent years researching for her book series project, “Women at Northern.”

Archival letters and articles she compiled told the stories of the earliest years, when NIU was a teaching college known as Northern Illinois State Normal School.

“She called them ‘her girls,’ ” John Peters recalled. “She was such a hard worker. I used to get up around 6 a.m., come downstairs and have coffee. She would already be up and waiting for me to excitedly tell me about another incredible woman she had discovered in NIU’s history.”

Her research unearthed numerous details, including the fact that the first athletic team at NIU was a women’s basketball team and that NIU women had raised funds for an ambulance during World War I to aid wounded soldiers.

Barbara’s narratives ensured that the contributions of women to NIU would not be forgotten.

“I didn’t know a tenth of the material she uncovered,” said Mike Malone, former NIU Foundation president. “Even for someone who’d been out telling NIU’s stories to alumni and donors for a decade or more, I learned a lot about NIU’s roots through Barbara because that became her passion.”

A cultural and philanthropic force

Malone and other NIU Foundation members knew immediately when Barbara arrived on campus that she’d be an asset in fundraising and cultivating donors. She was authentically and honestly interested in the lives of others, Malone said.

“She was just the sort of person people wanted to be around, and that certainly made our jobs easier,” he said.

At fundraising events, everyone wanted to sit by her.

“She was like the prom queen. She was so gracious, and she had that smile,” Malone said. “I think that’s how many donors judged how much Northern appreciated them, in a way, was their access to Barbara.”

The Peters hosted countless events, many at the president’s residence. Barbara always made everyone feel special with her beautiful style, grace and kindness, said Stacey Barsema, an NIU Foundation board member and longtime philanthropist.

“Barbara always represented NIU with dignity, intelligence and compassion,” Barsema said. “She not only served as a role model for women, she helped emphasize the important role women played in the development of NIU. She was an invaluable asset to NIU in the cultivation of alumni leaders and donors.”

Barbara became an avid supporter of the arts at NIU.

Jo Burke, director of the NIU Art Museum, worked closely with Barbara on several exhibitions featuring her extensive vintage fashion collection. Her shows were not just about the clothing. They wove together social history, fashion trends and cultural shifts.

“She always presented her collections in a way that connected them to broader historical contexts,” Burke said. “She had exquisite taste and an incredible attention to detail.”

Barbara’s commitment to the arts extended beyond her own exhibitions. In 2017, she made a $25,000 gift to the NIU Art Museum to support meaningful, educational and uplifting exhibitions.

This funding helped bring impactful projects to life, including a children’s literature exhibition, a collaboration with local libraries and a campus beautification project.

“She was just very generous with her time and her passions,” Burke said. “She was a joy.”

A role model and comforting presence

Barbara was not only a scholar and philanthropist but also a source of warmth and reassurance for the NIU community.

During the aftermath of the 2008 Valentine’s Day shooting, she played a crucial role.

“I was on the phone with a colleague from Virginia Tech, who had been through a similar tragedy,” Malone recalled. “He said, ‘You need a mother figure on campus –someone who can be the emotional rock for the community.’ I looked up and saw Barbara standing next to John, speaking with such grace and dignity. I knew we already had that mother figure.”

At that point, her husband said, she became the “first mother of the university.”

NIU Chief of Staff Matt Streb, who came to know Barbara well during the 18-month period he served as associate to the president, remembered her immense pride in NIU.

“Barbara was part of so many wonderful celebrations and a rock for the university during our greatest tragedy,” he said. “When I think of Barb, I immediately think of the words grace and poise. She also had such a great sense of humor and a wonderful laugh. And I always learned something from my conversations with her, whether it was about politics, history, parenthood and even women’s fashion.”

Even after leaving NIU, Barbara remained engaged, ensuring that her contributions would continue to benefit the university for years to come. Among numerous initiatives, the Peters established a scholarship fund for students pursuing careers in government and public service.

“When I interviewed for the NIU presidency in 2000, I was asked what my strongest asset was. Without hesitation, I said, ‘Barbara Peters,’ ” John Peters remembered. “She was my best asset, my greatest partner.”