McKendree University, USA

Overview

History, Affiliations & Rankings

Established in 1828, McKendree is a private and the oldest college in Illinois. It was only in 2017 that McKendree officially became McKendree University offering degrees from four colleges and schools. The university has been recognised among the “Best Colleges” and is also featured in the list of “Best Online Programs” by the U. S. News & World Report 2019. In addition, McKendree is counted among America’s Top 100 College Buys and also named College of Distinction. It has a regional accreditation of the Higher Learning Commission and is approved by the Illinois Board of Higher Education, Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Illinois State Board of Education, Kentucky Approving Agency for Veterans’ Education and more.

Infrastructure, Campus & Courses

The main campus of McKendree University is spread across 100 acres in Lebanon, Illinois, located within a community of close to 4,000 people. The campus comprises two building - Old Main and Stevenson House - that blend well with both the past and the present infrastructure. It offers three different types of residence halls including traditional dorm-style, suite-style and apartment-style. With a total of 52 majors, 42 minors, seven graduate programs and two doctorate programs, the university enrols around 1,788 undergraduate and 504 graduate students every year. Along with Lebanon, the university also has active campuses at the Scott Air Force Base and Radcliff, Kentucky.

Accomplishments & Alumni

McKendree University is a community of 21,177 students from across the globe, making their marks in a number of fields. McKendree's graduates include not only pioneers in industry and business but also senators and governors and career public servants, distinguished military leaders, academicians and so on. It also has 36 intercollegiate athletic sports teams and fielding athletic teams known as the McKendree Bearcats that transitioned the university from the NAIA to NCAA Division II and the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC). McKendree also prides itself on having a traditional undergraduate profile of 52% female and 48% male students.

Student Diversity & Visiting Companies

As of now, McKendree University represents 39 countries and is dedicated to promoting a campus community that encourages and celebrates diversity and inclusion. As a student, one will be given access to a variety of career services ranging from individual career counselling, mock interviews, resume preparation, networking and more. The university’s Career Resource Room connects students with potential employers through Handshake and also lets them participate in strong internship programs. At McKendree, 98% of undergraduate and 100% of postgraduate students find employment or enter graduate school within six months of graduation.

Covid-19 Response

McKendree University is in constant touch with the Illinois Department of Public Health along with the St. Clair County Health Department to put all public health guidelines in place and provide convenient and free mobile testing on campus. Here the latest updates about the same (as of March 12, 2021):

• A recent decrease in mobile testing numbers has been noted, due to which the  Illinois Department of Public Health has put the remaining testing dates on hold for now.

• The spring 2021 semester started on January 19, 2021, and will end on May 6, 2021.

• For the Spring 2021 semester, the university has allowed students to engage in campus life and co-curricular activities within a safe and healthy environment.

• Wherever possible, meetings will be conducted in online mode through Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

• Face-to-face 16-week courses will be shifted to larger classrooms. Wherever this format would not be viable, blended learning methods will be used.

• Residence Halls and apartments along with meal services on campus have been open since January 15, 2021.

• The university will also allow all of its athletic teams to participate in competitive sports events. To ensure the safe conduct of the same, sports have been divided into high-risk, medium-risk and low-risk transmission sports.