Illinois State

2014 Illinois State Baseball • 3 ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY Founded in 1857, Illinois State University was the first public university in the state and one of the Midwest's oldest institutions of higher education. It is a residential university that emphasizes undergraduate study. Abraham Lincoln drew up the legal documents to establish the university. The original name of the school was Illinois State Normal University, reflective of its primary mission as a teacher training institution (at that time called a normal school). In 1964, as the institution began expanding and moving toward a full liberal arts curriculum, its name was changed, first to Illinois State University at Normal, and then by 1968 to Illinois State University. Teaching is at the root of Illinois State's heritage and that tradition grows through the efforts of the outstanding faculty in all six of Illinois State's colleges. More than 92 percent of Illinois State's classes are taught by full-time faculty, most of whom have the highest degree in their academic area. Illinois State is located in the twin-city community of Bloomington-Normal, and is centrally located 137 miles southwest of Chicago, 164 miles northeast of St. Louis and 178 miles west of Indianapolis. Interstate highways 74, 55, and 39, U.S. Route 150, and Illinois Route 9 intersect in Bloomington-Normal, creating a transportation hub. An Amtrak passenger station is just two blocks from the University, and the local airport is served by five scheduled airlines, one charter air service and three rental car agencies.

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