Illinois State University, Normal, USA

Overview

History, Affiliations, and Rankings

Illinois State University (ISU) is a state-funded university in Normal, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1857 as Illinois State Normal University and is the oldest public university in Illinois. Illinois State University is accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE). The teacher preparation programmes are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and certified by the Illinois State Board of Education. At ISU, 22 other programmes hold accreditation from various accreditation bodies. As per the U.S. News & World Report 2020, Illinois State University is ranked 197 as ‘national universities’ in the USA and 98 among 133 public ‘national universities’ in the United States. 

Infrastructure, Campus, and Courses

The campus of Illinois State University is compact as compared with other large universities in the United States. The various buildings at ISU are spaced closely together around a rectangular center lawn. The Milner Library at ISU boasts its collection of more than 1.5 million volumes and an ever-increasing number of electronic materials accessible to students and faculty.

Illinois State University's campus is in Normal near the geographic center of the state, 220 km southwest of Chicago and 250 km northeast of St. Louis. Illinois State is ranked fourth in the nation for the most headquarters of Fortune 500 companies located in the region. Since Illinois is close to Chicago it offers students access to one of the largest cities in the US and various job opportunities.

Accomplishments & Alumni 

As many as 97% of faculty hold the highest degree possible, which means students are learning from professors who have achieved some of the highest honours in their respective fields. Important alumni include Founder of Red Frog Events Joe Reynolds, CFO of US News & World Report Neil Maheshwari, Major League Baseball relief pitcher Neal Cotts and former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Donald McHenry. 

Student Diversity & Visiting Companies

It is a large institution with an enrollment of 17,165 undergraduate students. With a 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio, you receive personalised education from professors who are devoted to teaching and passionate about your learning.

Illinois State University has an acceptance rate of 89%. It is a school tolerant of all religions and LGBTQ students. Moreover, there are various organisations for students interested in learning about different religions and studying them, as well as for the LGBTQ students. 

Over the last several years, the total international population of students at Illinois State University has grown at an average rate of 16.5%. India is the main contributor to this growth, with an estimated total of 103 students. Top organizations that hire from Illinois State University are Caterpillar, Inc., Circle Logistics, Chestnut Health Systems, and Enterprise Holdings.