History, Affiliations and Rankings

Illinois State University, established in 1857, is Illinois’ first public university that was founded as a normal school for training teachers. It received its present status as Illinois State University in 1968. A small college atmosphere offering opportunities like that of a large University, Illinois State is a first-choice institution that educates a large, high-achieving student body of 20,000+. According to the American Association of College of Teachers Education, the University has been acclaimed as one of the 10 largest producers of teachers in the US for its commitment to teaching and interactive learning. Taught by highly qualified Professors, courses at Illinois State are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The US News and World Report places Illinois State at #202 in the National Universities rankings, while according to the Times Higher Education US College Rankings, the University falls in the bracket #401-500 for the year 2022. 

Infrastructure, Campuses and Courses

Located in one of the best College towns of America, Bloomington-Normal -  about 130 miles southwest of Chicago - the Illinois State University campus consists of closely clustered buildings, surrounded by tree-lined walkways and expansive, green grounds. The Milner Library on the ISU campus houses 1.4 million + volumes along with individual and peer-group study spaces within the library premises. The University is academically structured into 6 Colleges, namely, Applied Science and Technology, Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts and the Mennonite College of Nursing. Over 200 degree options spanning a number of academic disciplines are offered by the University at the Bachelor’s, Master’s and the Doctoral levels along with pre-professional pathways, certificates, graduate diplomas and so on. .

Accomplishments and Alumni

As the first public University in the State of Illinois, ISU has the highest graduate retention rate in the nation, with 83.2% of the students completing their degree programs within the stipulated duration. Recently, the University acquired a record fund of $25.1 million in private support, out of which 3000+ scholarships were awarded and 75 new scholarship awards were announced. Further, according to Washington Monthly, Illinois State features among the Best Bang for the Buck Colleges in the Midwest, making it one of the best American values. Illinois State University is committed to the welfare of the community and has been recognized with the Elective Classification for Community Engagement, being awarded the Excellence and Innovation Award for Civic Learning and Community Engagement. The University is also one of the 50 US universities to be named a Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement Leadership Institution. Notable names of the likes of Jane Lynch (American Actress, Comedian and Author), Doug Collins (American Basketball Player), Sean Hayes (American Actor best known for playing Jack McFarland in NBC sitcom “Will and Grace”), Craig Robinson (American Actor and Musician) among others, call Illinois State their alma mater. 

Student Diversity and Visiting Companies

Illinois State University has a student population of 20,000+ comprising 17,700+ undergraduates and 2500+ graduates. Students are typically known as “Redbirds.” There are 1000+ international students at ISU who represent 47 States and 74 countries on the campus, while 57.8% of the student body constitutes female students. Further, 1 out of 4 students at Illinois State come from underrepresented backgrounds. Diversity and inclusion are at the heart of culture and student life at Illinois State. The University has more than 50 cultural organizations and a state-of-the-art Multicultural Center, where a number of social and cultural events are organized annually. There are 400+ ways to get involved at Illinois State in a number of fraternities, sororities, student organizations and more. Top multinational employers recruit graduates from Illinois State University. Some of them are - Accenture, Boeing, HSBC, IBM, KPMG, Bank of America, City of Chicago, Deloitte, JP Morgan and Chase, Wamart and more.