Northwestern again named among most adoption-friendly workplaces

For the 13th year, Northwestern College has been named to the Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces list compiled by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. Northwestern was recognized as an adoption advocate and ranked fourth in the education industry for 2025—behind only Baylor University (first), the University of Notre Dame (second), and Emory University (third). 

“We are always pleased to have Northwestern College recognized as an adoption-friendly workplace,” says Mindy Stichka, Northwestern’s director of human resources. “This is an affirmation of Northwestern’s commitment to support employees and their families, no matter how they are formed. Providing financial assistance and time-off benefits is truly a reflection of our mission to pursue God’s redeeming work in the world.”

Northwestern offers financial assistance of up to $2,000 per adoptee to faculty and staff, with an additional reimbursement of up to $1,000 for the adoption of someone with special needs. The funds can be used for home studies, agency and placement fees, legal expenses and court costs, medical expenses, and transportation and lodging. Adoptive parents can also take advantage of Northwestern’s parental leave benefit, which offers six weeks of paid leave to full-time and three-quarter-time employees after 12 months of employment. Additionally, Northwestern employees who adopt are eligible for up to seven days paid leave beyond the six-week parental leave benefit.

The Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces List rankings are determined by surveying employers across the United States, scoring participants on the amount of financial reimbursement and paid leave given to families who adopt, as well as on the percentage of employees eligible for those benefits. In addition to ranking the top 100, the foundation also ranked employers by size, industry, paid leave, foster care benefits and impact.

More than 140,000 children in the U.S. foster care system are waiting to be adopted. The Dave Thomas Foundation uses the release of the annual Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces List to help increase foster care adoption awareness while celebrating those organizations that support adoptive families. Find more information at davethomasfoundation.org.