Many PNW students never discover the hidden gems the university offers.

Purdue Northwest dispenses aid to those who know where to look.

Trying to stretch your budget?

A PNW ID card will get you discounts at retail stores across the Region, like Sweet Lou’s Restaurant in Westville and theatres in Schererville, Hobart, Portage and Valparaiso. Savings are also available from companies like HULU and Spotify, which offer up to 50% off subscriptions for students.

If you have a big job interview coming up, both the College of Humanities, Education, and Social Sciences and the College of Business operate Career Closets.

“The closet operates on a grant from Legacy Foundation in Merrillville, and we receive donations of new and lightly used clothing,” said Rachel Pollack, CHESS’s Web and Events coordinator. CHESS’s closet offers professional clothing, shoes and accessories. The CHESS closet is available to students and community residents who need business attire for career fairs, interviews and workplace.

The business closet is similar, but not identical.

“We also offer professional clothing like suits, shoes, ties and sometimes purses,” said COB’s Assistant Director of Career Management, Joelynn Stephen.

Both colleges open their closets to students only through certain times throughout the semester. Students must make appointments to get fitted into clothes and pick up their outfits.

Students wrestling with technology problems can get help at the school’s libraries, which offer laptop rentals. The rentals are for PNW students only and are designed to help those who do not have access to any computer away from campus. Students can rent laptops for an entire semester and return them during the week of finals.

Finally, when the stress of classes gets overwhelming, PNW offers quiet spaces where students can collect their thoughts. For example, on the Westville campus, nestled behind the Howes Memorial Chapel, students can reflect in the Shakespeare Garden. The cobblestone path that divides the garden in half is lined with poetry, flowers and a quiet environment. And, beyond the tree line, students have access to miles of trails waiting for the next wondering wanderer.