College of Liberal Arts and SciencesB.S. Biological Sciences 1962
Professor Emeritus, Department of Biological Sciences; Dean of the NIU Graduate School and Associate Provost for Graduate Studies and Research, retired
Jerrold H. Zar has served Northern Illinois University for 34 years in a variety of capacities. After receiving his undergraduate degree from NIU, Zar went on to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to earn his master’s and doctoral degrees in biology and zoology, respectively. Upon earning his doctoral degree, he was recruited to teach and do research at NIU. Consequently, what Zar anticipated would be an excellent starting point for his professional career turned into a 34-year tenure at Northern.
Jerrold Zar joined the faculty at Northern as an assistant professor in 1968 and rose quickly through the ranks of associate and full professor to become chair of the Department of Biological Sciences in 1978. He served two terms as chair of the department and was then tapped to become vice president for graduate studies and research as well as dean of the Graduate School.
Throughout his career, Jerrold Zar has been dedicated to recruiting and retaining qualified minority students, faculty, and staff at Northern. As a founding member of the Illinois Minority Graduate Incentive Program and the Illinois Consortium for Educational Opportunities Program, he helped create and protect fellowship opportunities for minority graduate students at NIU and across the state. Zar is a member of 17 professional scientific societies, including the highly regarded American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Zar and his family have supported NIU financially as well, by establishing endowed scholarships in several colleges and supporting graduate student projects, the Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center, and other projects across campus.
Zar is a trumpeter in the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra and a member of a brass quintet. Zar is also co-president of Friends of the University Libraries and serves on the board of directors of the NIU Annuitants’ Association.