Illinois State University is a public university in Normal, Illinois and is the oldest public institution of higher
education in the state. Most commonly referred to as ISU, the school was
originally named Illinois State Normal University, and was founded in 1857 by Jesse W. Fell (1808-1887); Abraham Lincoln drew up the legal documents to establish the university. Normal schools were schools specifically designated for the education of teachers. In 1964, as the institution began expanding and moving toward a full liberal arts curriculum, its name was changed to
Illinois State University at Normal, and by 1968 to Illinois State University. Today, ISU remains
the most productive teaching school in Illinois.
ISU is recognized in the prestigious US News rankings as a "National
University", that is, a university which grants a variety of doctoral degrees and strongly emphasizes research. US News ranks ISU in the "third tier", meaning that it is currently in the third quartile of schools
within the National University category.[1] Among public
universities in Illinois, only the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign ranks higher.
The ISU athletic teams compete in the Missouri Valley Conference and the Gateway
Football Conference, and are known as the "Redbirds," in reference to the state bird, the cardinal.
Illinois State is also home to the world's tallest residence hall, Watterson Towers,
which houses 2,200 students. The building, which consists of a pair of towers, was completed in 1967.
The school's Alma Mater song is "Glory Hast Thou," written to the tune of Haydn's "Austrian Hymn," better known as the tune used for "Das Lied der
Deutschen," the German national anthem.
The Town of Normal, originally named North Bloomington, took its name from the school. It is located in McLean County, in the central part of the state.
Illinois State University quadrangle, Felmley Hall of Science
Illinois State University, Performing Arts Center
Illinois State University, Fell Hall
A Teaching School
ISU is recognized is one of the top ten largest producers of teachers in the US according to the American Association of
Colleges of Teacher Education [2].
In accordance with its mission, the school's motto was originally "and gladly wold he lerne and gladly teche," in the Middle
English spelling of its author, Geoffrey Chaucer. By the 1960s, the motto was spelled
in the modern style, "and gladly would he learn and gladly teach." Despite the apparently gender-specific "he" in this motto,
until the 1970s there were significantly more women than men attending the university. The motto has since been updated to the
gender-neutral form "Gladly we Learn and Teach."
Academics and Organizations
Though originally a teachers' college, ISU has grown into a university offering a range of programs at the bachelor, master,
and doctoral levels.
The university owns public radio station WGLT ("News, Blues and All That Jazz"), which
broadcasts on 89.1 in Normal, 103.5 in Peoria, and by streaming audio from http://www.wglt.org/. The call letters are from keywords of the
school's motto: "Gladly-Learn-Teach".
ISU is also home of the Gamma Phi Circus, the oldest collegiate circus in the United States. The Gamma Phi Circus, founded in 1929, is one
of 2 collegiate circuses in the US, the other is run by Florida State
University.
The English Department, the largest department in ISU, is unique in its interdisciplinary focus named "English Studies," which includes various literature in
English, writing/composition theories, cultural studies,
K-12 English education, linguistics, TESOL, and so forth. The Department is also leading the field of
children's literature in the United States.[citation needed] ISU's History Education
program,[3] housed in the
History Department, is frequently cited as one of the leaders in that field.[2] Premised on the philosophy that future history teachers should learn their craft from historians,
immersing themselves not just in content knowledge but in historical method too, the
History Education program has served as a model for similar programs at other universities. ISU also has a respected nursing
school, the Mennonite College Of Nursing, and its Speech Pathology and Audiology programs and Special Education programs are
among the best in the United States and the Midwest.[citation needed] The current president of Illinois State University, Doctor Clarence Alvin
Bowman, Ph.D., is the former chairman and head of the Speech Pathology and Audiology Department. It operates the Eckelmann-Taylor
Speech and Hearing Clinic and a program that works with Metcalf Laboratory School and other area schools to train some of the
future therapists in providing services to schoolchildren at the graduate and postgraduate level.
TV-10, a part of the School of Communication, provides the only live local television newscast produced entirely in
Bloomington-Normal.
The school publishes two newspapers - The Daily Vidette and the The Indy, an
alternative, weekly publication.
The visual art education program has been a thriving presence in the related professional field. The National Art Education
Association (NAEA) Student Chapter was the recipient of the national award for Outstanding Student Chapter in 2002. The chapter
received the award again in 2003 and 2007--the only school to receive this award multiple times. Many students have held the
national position of NAEA Student Chapter President, as well as faculty holding national board positions. The program has an
extremely high job placement percentage.
Demographics
- The fall enrollment in 2006 was 20,265. Out of the enrollment number there were 17,827 undergraduates, 2,438 graduates,
11,788 (58%) women, and 8,477 (42%) men.
- Eleven percent of all students were from minority groups, including 1,212 African-Americans, 340 Asians or Pacific Islanders,
624 Hispanics, 53 Native Americans or Alaskans, and 438 international students from 88 countries.
- More than 83 percent of freshmen were in the top half of their high school graduating class.
- The average ACT score range of students at Illinois State is 22-26.
- 92% of undergraduates were between 17 and 24 years old
The Quad
The Illinois State University campus quad is structured in a way that tries to make the campus feel smaller and more relaxed
than many other large university campuses. Most of the buildings are close together, centralized around a rectangular student
quad in the center. The quad itself is host to many student activities and is used as a site to get information to the
students.
On campus student organizations will “chalk the quad” to let students know of events or meetings that are taking place around
campus, and they tape down fliers on the sidewalks and on light poles. Student organizations also utilize this space to hand out
fliers on nice days. In the beginning of the semester the Quad is host to Festival ISU, where all of the campus organizations set
up tables with games, prizes, and information about themselves to network their organizations.
Many activities take place on the quad as well, such as movies on the quad, picnics with President Bowman, and concerts on the
quad. Benches and shady trees serve as spots for students to relax with their friends, to get in some studying before classes, or
for taking a quick nap. The open grass areas invite games of football, soccer, and capture the flag, among others.
This map of Illinois State University shows how many of the buildings are centralized around the student quad.
Milner Library
Milner Library was constructed in 1976, and named after Angeline “Ange” Vernon Milner, the first full time librarian of
Illinois State Normal University. Milner is credited with systematically organizing over 40,000 books. In 2007, the library
received the John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Award, an award given to only seven libraries nationwide.
University Residence Halls
Illinois State University currently has thirteen residence halls: Atkin, Barton, Colby, Dunn, Hamilton, Haynie, Hewett,
Manchester, Walker, Watterson, Whitten, Wilkins, and Wright.
Dunn, Barton and Walker Hall are located in Central Campus. Dunn-Barton was built in 1951, and Walker was built
in 1955. The three halls are contained in two large brick buildings. Dunn and Barton are connected, and Walker is its own
building. Dunn-Barton is a coed building, the rooms do not have air conditioning, and it generally houses transfer students and
upper classmen. Walker is an all female dorm, and also has no air-conditioning, and generally houses transfer students.
Dunn Hall was named after Richard Dunn, long time legal counsel to the Teacher’s College board; Barton Hall was named after Olive
Lillian Barton, Illinois State Normal University Dean of women from 1911-1940; and Walker Hall was named after Lewis Walker,
President of the Teacher’s College Board from 1946-1960.
These residence halls are scheduled for demolition in the Spring of 2008. [3]
Hamilton and Whitten Hall were constructed in 1960, and are located across the street from Dunn, Barton, and
Walker on South Campus. Hamilton and Whitten are connected to each other, and lifestyle floors such as Upper-class and Graduate,
Student Nursing, and Speech Pathology and Audiology. They also offer nine-month housing, which allows students to move in three
days before other students, and remain in the dorms during all University breaks, including Thanksgiving, semester, and spring
break.
Hamilton Hall was named after Alma H. Hamilton, the first recipient of an Illinois State Normal University bachelor degree; and
Whitten Hall was named after Jennie Whitten, the former head of the Foreign Language Department.
Atkin and Colby Hall are also located on South Campus, and are connected to Hamilton-Whitten through the Feeney
Center. They were built in 1962. Atkin-Colby has special life style floors such as Foreign Language, History, Political Science,
Honors House, and International House. They also offer nine month housing.
Atkin Hall was named after Edith Irene Aitkin, Illinois State Normal University mathematics professor from 1909-1940; and Colby
Hall was named after June Rose Colby, English professor from 1892-1932.
Haynie, Wilkins, and Wright Hall were constructed in 1962, and are referred to as the ‘‘’Tri towers’’’. They are
located on West campus, very close to Redbird Arena and Hancock Stadium. The Tri towers offer rooms for special lifestyles such
as ROTC, Service and Leadership for freshman, Business, Social Justice, Wellness, Substance-Free, and Quiet. A majority of
athletes live in these dorms, because it is so close to their practice areas. It also contains three basketball courts, and a
large grassy area for volleyball, softball, and soccer. The Tri towers are the farthest away from campus.
Haynie Hall was named after Martha D.L. Haynie, the first female Illinois State Normal University professor; Wilkins Hall was
named after Daniel Wilkins, principal of the Female School Institute of Bloomington in the 1850’s; and Wright Hall was named
after Simeon Wright, one of the University’s founding fathers.
Hewett and Manchester Hall were constructed in 1966; they are connected, and are located on East Campus. Hewett
Hall is a female only dorm, and Manchester is coed with a number of different lifestyle floors including Art, Business,
Communication, Co-Sciences, Curriculum and Instruction, Geo-Environmental, Information Technology, Math, Music, Service and
Leadership, Substance-Free, and Quiet. Each building contains 17 floors.
Hewett Hall was named after Edwin C. Hewett, the third University president; and Manchester Hall was named after Orson L.
Manchester, Illinois State Normal University dean from 1911-1928.
The last residence hall constructed is named Watterson Towers. It was built from 1968-1970, and is the tallest student
residence hall in the world. It is set up in a suite style, with six uni-sex rooms sharing one bathroom (two sinks, two toilets,
two showers). There are two towers, North and South, and each tower contains five houses, with five floors each. The elevators
stop on the third floor of each house, and then the residents take stairs to get to their floor. The lifestyles in Watterson
include Wellness, Quiet, Substance-Free, and Restricted Visitation. It generally houses students that are sophomores or older,
but is available for everyone.
Watterson Towers was named after Arthur W. Watterson, a geography faculty member and
chair.
Greek life at Illinois State University
The ISU Greek community was established in 1967. Over 10% of the population participates in Greek life. Greek organizations
provide students with a wide range of academic, social, and leadership opportunities available on campus.
Nationally ranked teams
The university's School of Communication has one of the most successful forensics
individual events teams in the country. In 1995, 1999,[4] and 2000 it won the
National Forensic Association team championship and in 2005 its team won
the American Forensic Association team championship. [5]
The Illinois state co-ed cheerleading team has competed at both NCA and UCA nationals in co-ed Division 1.In 2002 they placed
2nd in the nation in co-ed Division 1 at UCA nationals in Orlando, FL. In 2001 they placed 3rd in the nation in co-ed division 1
at UCA nationals in Orlando, FL. They have appeared on ESPN and in American Cheerleader Magazine.
Notable alumni
Sports
Entertainment
Politics
Past University Presidents
- Charles E. Hovey (1857-1862)
- Richard Edwards (1862-1876)
- Edwin C. Hewett (1876-1890)
- John W. Cook (1890-1899)
- Arnold Tompkins (1899-1900)
- David Felmley (1900-1930)
- Harry A. Brown (1930-1933)
- Raymond W. Fairchild (1933-1955)
- Robert G. Bone (1956-1967)
- Samuel J. Braden (1967-1970)
- David K Berlo (1971-1973)
- Gene A. Budig (1973-1977)
- Lloyd Watkins (1977-1988)
- Thomas Wallace (1988-1995)
- David Strand (1995-1999)
- Victor Boschini Jr. (1999-2003)
Points of interest
References
External links
Student Organizations
see All
Student Organizations
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