Illinois College is a private liberal arts college in

Jacksonville, Illinois Jacksonville is a city in Morgan County, Illinois, Morgan County, Illinois, United States. The population was 19,446 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Morgan County. It is home to Illinois College, Illinois School for the Deaf, and the ...

. It is affiliated with the

United Church of Christ The United Church of Christ (UCC) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination based in the United States, with historical and confessional roots in the Congregational, Calvinist, Lutheran, and Anabaptist traditions, and with approximately 4 ...

and the

Presbyterian Church (USA) The Presbyterian Church (USA), abbreviated PC(USA), is a mainline Protestant denomination in the United States. It is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the US, and known for its liberal stance on doctrine and its ordaining of women and ...

. It was the second college founded in Illinois, but the first to grant a degree (in 1835). It was founded in 1829 by the Yale Band, students from Yale College who traveled westward to found new colleges. It briefly served as the state's first medical school, from 1843 to 1848.

History

The Rev. John M. Ellis, a

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

missionary in the East, saw the need for a “seminary of learning” in the new state of Illinois. His plans drew the attention of

Congregational Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...

students at

Yale College Yale College is the undergraduate college of Yale University. Founded in 1701, it is the original school of the university. Although other Yale schools were founded as early as 1810, all of Yale was officially known as Yale College until 1887, ...

, and seven of them, in one of the famous “Yale Bands,” came westward to help found the college. The first president of Illinois College was

Edward Beecher Edward Beecher D.D. (August 27, 1803 – July 28, 1895) was an American theologian, the son of Lyman Beecher and the brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe and Henry Ward Beecher. Biography Beecher was born August 27, 1803, in East Hampton (town), New ...

who left his position at the

Park Street Church Park Street Church, founded in 1804, is a historic and active evangelical congregational megachurch in Downtown Boston, Massachusetts. The Park Street Church is a member of the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference. Typical attendance a ...

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

and firmly imbued the new college with

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...

traditions and academic foundations. His sister,

Harriet Beecher Stowe Harriet Elisabeth Beecher Stowe (; June 14, 1811 – July 1, 1896) was an American author and abolitionist. She came from the religious Beecher family and became best known for her novel ''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' (1852), which depicts the harsh ...

, was later the author of the influential anti-slavery novel ''

Uncle Tom’s Cabin ''Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly'' is an anti-slavery novel by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Published in two volumes in 1852, the novel had a profound effect on attitudes toward African Americans and slavery in the U.S. ...

'' and a visitor to the campus. His brother,

Henry Ward Beecher Henry Ward Beecher (June 24, 1813 – March 8, 1887) was an American Congregationalist clergyman, social reformer, and speaker, known for his support of the Abolitionism, abolition of slavery, his emphasis on God's love, and his 1875 adultery ...

, preached and lectured at the college as well. Beecher Hall, named in honor of president Beecher, was the first building constructed on the Illinois College campus, and remains the oldest college building in the state of Illinois. The first two college graduates in the state of Illinois, Richard Yates and

Jonathan E. Spilman Jonathan Edwards Spilman (15 April 1812 – 23 May 1896) was a Kentucky lawyer, minister, and composer. Jonathan Spilman was born in Greenville, Kentucky to Benjamin Spilman and Nancy (Rice) Spilman, and graduated from Illinois College in 1835. W ...

, received their degrees from Illinois College in 1835. Yates became the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

governor of Illinois and later a U.S. senator. A program at Illinois College for first generation college students was named The Yates Fellowship Program in his honor. Jonathan Edwards Spilman composed the familiar music to

Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...

’ poem “Flow Gently,

Sweet Afton "Sweet Afton" is a lyrical poem describing the Afton Water in Ayrshire, Scotland. It was written by Robert Burns in 1791 and set to music by Jonathan E. Spilman in 1837, under the title ''Flow gently, sweet Afton''. This poem was originally publ ...

.”

William Jennings Bryan William Jennings Bryan (March 19, 1860 – July 26, 1925) was an American lawyer, orator and politician. Beginning in 1896, he emerged as a dominant force in the History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, running ...

, a member of the class of 1881, is one of the most prominent alumni of Illinois College. He was a

United States Congressman The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from Nebraska, the

US Secretary of State The United States secretary of state is a member of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States and the head of the U.S. Department of State. The office holder is one of the highest ranking members of the president's Ca ...

, and the Democratic Party's presidential nominee in 1896, 1900, and 1908. Many Illinois College graduates have gone on to have influential careers in public service. Two graduates became U.S. senators, 20 became congressmen, six were state governors and two currently serve as federal judges. Among the visitors and lecturers on campus during the early years were

Ralph Waldo Emerson Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803April 27, 1882), who went by his middle name Waldo, was an American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, abolitionist, and poet who led the transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. He was seen as a champ ...

Amos Bronson Alcott Amos Bronson Alcott (; November 29, 1799 – March 4, 1888) was an American teacher, writer, philosopher, and reformer. As an educator, Alcott pioneered new ways of interacting with young students, focusing on a conversational style, and av ...

Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has p ...

Horace Greeley Horace Greeley (February 3, 1811 – November 29, 1872) was an American newspaper editor and publisher who was the founder and newspaper editor, editor of the ''New-York Tribune''. Long active in politics, he served briefly as a congressm ...

Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is ...

and

Wendell Phillips Wendell Phillips (November 29, 1811 – February 2, 1884) was an American abolitionist, advocate for Native Americans, orator, and attorney. According to George Lewis Ruffin, a Black attorney, Phillips was seen by many Blacks as "the one whi ...

. Many speakers, including Abraham Lincoln, were sponsored by the college’s literary societies which still exist today. Illinois College was a center of the abolitionist movement due to its Northern location near the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

and outspoken campus leaders such as President Edward Beecher and Professor

Jonathan Baldwin Turner Jonathan Baldwin Turner (December 7, 1805 – January 10, 1899) was a classical scholar, botanist, and political activist. He was heavily involved in the social movement of the 1850s that produced the land grant universities, pioneering pub ...

. In the mid 1800s, a group of students at the college were indicted by a grand jury for harboring runaway slaves. Two campus buildings also have ties to the abolitionist movement; Beecher Hall is believed to have been part of the Underground Railroad, and a campus house, the Gillett House, has attained the prestigious

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...

certification as a “National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom” site. The college became co-educational in 1903 by incorporating the Jacksonville Female Academy (founded 1830), and in 1906 IC awarded degrees to its first four female graduates. Illinois Conservatory of Music (founded 1871) was also absorbed in 1903. In 1932 the

Phi Beta Kappa Society The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal ar ...

established a chapter at Illinois College, and it remains one of only 11 chapters in the state.

Academics

Illinois College is a nationally ranked

liberal arts Liberal arts education (from Latin "free" and "art or principled practice") is the traditional academic course in Western higher education. ''Liberal arts'' takes the term ''art'' in the sense of a learned skill rather than specifically the ...

college with an enrollment of 1,150 (2020) students. Over 80 different programs and majors are offered at the school, including Combined Degree Programs in Biology with Medical Technology, Biology with Occupational Therapy, Nursing (Leading to Master’s), and Physics with Engineering. The most popular programs among students tend to be education, science, or business related. The student to faculty ratio is often around 13:1, with a current average class size of 16 (2013) students. Illinois College has been

accredited Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...

The Higher Learning Commission The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an institutional accreditor in the United States. It has historically accredited post-secondary education institutions in the central United States: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa ...

since 1913. The college’s Epsilon Chapter of the

Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal a ...

national honor society is one of only eleven in the state, and was established in 1932. All degrees awarded by Illinois College are undergraduate bachelor's degrees with the exception of a newer Master of Arts in education. The

M.A.Ed. The Master of Education (MEd or M.Ed. or Ed.M.; Latin ''Magister Educationis'' or ''Educationis Magister'') is a master's degree awarded by university, universities in many countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: ...

is a 32 credit hour on-campus degree program which was designed to specifically accommodate the professional development needs of in-service teachers It established a nursing program after the closure of

MacMurray College MacMurray College was a private college in Jacksonville, Illinois. Its enrollment in fall 2015 was 570. Founded in 1846, the college closed in May 2020. History Although founded in 1846 by a group of Methodist clergymen as the Illinois Confer ...

, which had a nursing program.

Starhill Forest Arboretum

Starhill Forest Arboretum is located 45 miles northeast of the Illinois College campus in the town of Petersburg. In 2008, Illinois College officially entered into a partnership with the arboretum. Since the partnership, Starhill has been a location for Illinois College students to visit, study, and participate in internships.

Congressional Museum and Archives

The Whipple Hall on the college campus houses the Paul Findley Congressional Office Museum, dedicated to former congressman and alumnus,

Paul Findley Paul Augustus Findley (June 23, 1921 – August 9, 2019) was an American writer and politician. He served as United States Representative from Illinois, representing its 20th District. A Republican, he was first elected in 1960. A moderate Repu ...

. Findley graduated from Illinois College in 1943 and served as a member of the House of Representatives from 1961 to 1983. It contains artifacts related to Findley's political career, his interest in Abraham Lincoln, and his involvement in human rights and Middle East issues. Items currently on display include Lincoln's 1837 law office sofa, Findley's congressional desk, WWI and campaign memorabilia, and gifts from seven U.S. presidents and international leaders. The museum is open to tours and visits by appointment. It was renovated in 2007 thanks to a donation by Mohammed Al Habtoor. The college is also home to the Khalaf Al Habtoor Archives which is located in Schewe Library. The collection is home to many documents and artifacts associated with Illinois College and its long history. This includes items attributed to

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

who had direct and indirect ties to the school. Both of the archives were largely funded by the Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Foundation. Khalaf Al Habtoor was first introduced to Illinois College by Paul Findley.

Study abroad

Students at Illinois College are encouraged to study abroad if possible during their four years at the school. Study abroad typically lasts one semester or one academic year. There are many approved study abroad programs which have been established with other institutions in the U.S. and other countries around the world. In addition, arrangements may be made if a student wishes to study at a country or institution where a study abroad program has not yet been established. Popular study destinations include: Spain, Japan, Ecuador, Germany, Ireland, England, France, and Australia.

BreakAways

BreakAways are another opportunity for IC students to travel. They are group trips which take place when classes are not in session. Each trip has a specific focus or theme and can last from ten days to three weeks. There are often four BreakAways each academic year. Past BreakAway destinations have included: Washington D.C., Greece, Mexico, Morocco, Switzerland, Taiwan, Peru, and Turkey.

Intercultural exchange program

The college participates in an Intercultural Exchange program with

Ritsumeikan University is a private university in Kyoto, Japan, that traces its origin to 1869. With the Kinugasa Campus (KIC) in Kyoto, and Kyoto Prefecture, the university also has a satellite called Biwako-Kusatsu Campus (BKC) and Osaka-Ibaraki Campus (OIC). Tod ...

Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...

, Japan. Each spring 25 Japanese students come to Illinois College to live and study for four weeks. During this time, students live with families in the Jacksonville community for part of the time and with current IC students on campus in residence halls for the remainder of their stay.

Clinton Global Initiative University Network

Illinois College joined the Clinton Global Initiative University Network in 2014. The network was launched in 2007 by President Bill Clinton and is closely modeled after the

Clinton Global Initiative The Clinton Foundation (founded in 2001 as the William J. Clinton Presidential Foundation, and renamed in 2013 as the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation) is a nonprofit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code. It was es ...

. The network helps support the work of leaders on college campuses around the world. As a member of the network, Illinois College pledges a minimum of $10,000 in funding to students of the campus who become Clinton Global Initiative University student commitment-makers. As of 2015, Illinois College is one of only 70 schools to be a member of the CGI University Network.

Accolades

In 2013, Illinois College was ranked by Washington Monthly as one of the top 25 liberal arts colleges in the nation. In 2012 and 2013, Illinois College received recognition for its commitment to community service and was included on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. In 2012, Washington Monthly ranked Illinois College third amongst liberal arts colleges for number of staff participating in and supporting community service, and fifth for community service by students and hours served. Illinois College has been recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree Campus USA four times: 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012. In fall 2006 Illinois College opened Abraham Lincoln Residence Hall with a

LEED certification Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a green building certification program used worldwide. Developed by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), it includes a set of rating systems for the design, construction ...

for energy efficiency.

Athletics

Illinois College's men's athletic teams are known as the Blueboys which is a reference to the uniforms worn by

Union soldiers During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. The women's athletic teams are known as the Lady Blues. They have been members of the

Midwest Conference The Midwest Conference (MWC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. Member institutions are located in the Midwestern United States in the states of Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin. The Midwest Conference was c ...

since 1982. They were members of the

College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) is a college athletic conference which competes in the Division III level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). CCIW schools have accounted for 50 national championships i ...

from 1946-1953. Illinois College was a member of the

Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference The Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) was a college athletic conference that existed from 1908 to 1970 in the United States. At one time the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, or IIAC, was a robust league that clai ...

from 1910-1937. Twenty varsity sports are offered for men and women. Soccer, basketball, volleyball, baseball, Softball, indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Cross Country. Swimming, Tennis, Football, and golf. In addition to the varsity teams, there are two non-competitive spirit squads. Illinois College student Missy Norville won nine NCAA Division III National Champion titles for indoor/outdoor Track and Field while at the school. In 2010, student Dillon Binkley became the High Jump National Champion for NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field. Before Binkley, Illinois College student J.R. Dugan also became the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field National High Jump Champion in 1989. From 2003 to 2008, the Illinois College women's golf team won six consecutive Midwest Conference Championship titles.

Bruner Fitness and Recreation Center

The Bruner Fitness Center was constructed in 2003 and is the primary location for athletic events at Illinois College. The building also houses the college swimming center and the Sherman Gymnasium which has seating for 1,600 spectators. The fieldhouse section of the building includes a 200-meter indoor track and four multipurpose courts for basketball, volleyball, and tennis. The exterior of Bruner provides the foundation for England Stadium which holds 3,000 spectators.

Campus

The Illinois College campus consists of 80 acres of land located centrally within the town of Jacksonville. The land the campus occupies is higher in elevation than many of the other areas in Jacksonville, and IC is therefore sometimes referred to as “On the Hilltop”, or “The Hilltop”. The primary section of campus is divided into two areas commonly called the upper and lower quads. The upper quad is on the northern part of the campus, and is higher in elevation than the lower quad which is located on the southern part of the campus. The upper quad is the location of many of the academic buildings. This includes the notable Sturtevant Hall which is often featured in pictures because of its unique towers and windows which are currently found in the college logo. Other buildings on the Upper Quad include Crampton Residence Hall, which was once the oldest continuously used dormitory in the state. It was closed as a residence hall in May 2006, and re-opened in August 2011 after renovations had been made. Whipple Hall, which was once a preparatory school, underwent renovations, and is now the home to the Al Habtoor Leadership Center, Congressman Paul Findley's Congressional Office, and the Communication and Rhetorical Studies department.

carved his initials into a Whipple Hall banister while he was a student, and the initials can still be found on the building along with a commemorative plaque. Tanner Hall, built for the college's centennial, once housed the library. It now houses administrative offices including the Academic Dean’s Office, the Business Office, the Office of Business Affairs, and the Enrollment Offices. Beecher Hall, the first college building erected in Illinois, is named after the college's first president,

, sibling to

and

. The first floor of Beecher Hall is the home of

Phi Alpha Literary Society Phi Alpha () is a men's Literary Society founded in 1845 at Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois. It conducts business meetings, literary productions, and other activities in Beecher Hall, the oldest college building in the state of Illi ...

. The second floor is the home to Sigma Pi Literary Society. It was named to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

. The lower quad is the newer section of campus where many of the residence halls are located along with the Caine Student Center. Just south of the lower quad is the Bruner Fitness Center as well as the athletic fields for football, soccer, baseball, softball, and tennis. The upper and lower quads are separated by the Steuer Walkway. Originally, a section of Mound Avenue ran through the campus and provided the separation between the upper and lower quads. Eventually, the section of Mound Avenue running through campus was closed off and the Steuer Walkway was constructed to unify the campus and eliminate traffic concerns for students walking between the quads.

Residential life

Eight residential halls are located on the Illinois College campus: Ellis Hall, Pixley Hall, Gardner Hall, Lincoln Hall, Turner Hall, Mundinger Hall, Crampton Hall, and Greene Hall. In addition to the residence halls, Illinois College owns and maintains an apartment building close to campus which serves as housing for upperclassmen.

Activities

There are over 80 different clubs and organizations established at Illinois College. Of those, there are three main organizations which help provide campus wide programming and governing: Student Activities Board (SAB): Consists of six student-run committees dedicated to providing programming to the Illinois College community. SAB sponsored events include comedians, bands, community service projects, trips, lectures, dances, and more. Homecoming Committee: Homecoming has been a long-standing tradition at Illinois College. Each year, the Homecoming Committee helps plan the pep rally, Powder Puff Football games, parade, formal dance, and an event called Follies which features the talents of students. Class games are often held during Homecoming Week as well. Student Senate: Student Senate is the student governing body at Illinois College. The organization’s goal is to act as a representative for the student body and promote the best interests of the students.

Greek Organizations

Illinois College is home to a number of Greek organizations. Along with the many academically affiliated Greek organizations, Illinois College also houses a number of national recognized Greek organizations such as

Alpha Phi Omega Alpha Phi Omega (), commonly known as APO, but also A-Phi-O and A-Phi-Q, is a coeducational service fraternity. It is the largest collegiate fraternity in the United States, with chapters at over 350 campuses, an active membership of over 25,0 ...

; the co-ed service fraternity that is the largest collegiate fraternity in the United States. Illinois College is one of the few campuses in the United States that still supports literary societies. These are Greek organizations whose purposes vary from society to society. Activities include but are not limited to: Literary Productions, intramural sports teams, service events, and social gatherings. There are four men’s literary societies at Illinois College. They are:

Sigma Pi Sigma Pi () is a collegiate fraternity with 233 chapters at American universities. As of 2021, the fraternity had more than 5,000 undergraduate members and over 110,000 alumni. Sigma Pi headquarters are in Nashville, Tennessee. The fraternity ...

, Phi Alpha, Gamma Nu, and Pi Pi Rho. Phi Alpha and Sigma Pi are both located in Beecher Hall (Phi Alpha on the first level and Sigma Pi on the second). Gamma Nu is located in lower Baxter Hall and Pi Pi Rho is currently in a temporary house. There are three women's societies at Illinois College. They are: Gamma Delta,

Sigma Phi Epsilon Sigma Phi Epsilon (), commonly known as SigEp, is a social college fraternity for male college students in the United States. It was founded on November 1, 1901, at Richmond College (now the University of Richmond), and its national headquarte ...

, and Chi Beta. All three female societies are housed in the historic Smith House. Society pledging was suspended during 2012 after three "serious incidents” including what college officials described as "dangerous practices". One society pledge was sent to a hospital after receiving life-threatening injuries.

Abraham Lincoln connection

The Illinois College campus and alumni shared many connections with Abraham Lincoln during his life. While Lincoln never received a formal college education, it is documented that he was tutored by William and Lynn Greene who were brothers and students at Illinois College. The brothers would share with Lincoln, through books and notes, what they had learned from Illinois College professor

. Lincoln later practiced law in

Springfield, Illinois Springfield is the capital of the U.S. state of Illinois and the county seat and largest city of Sangamon County. The city's population was 114,394 at the 2020 census, which makes it the state's seventh most-populous city, the second largest o ...

where he was the partner and mentor of Illinois College alumnus William Herndon. The law office they shared together can still be seen in the

Central Springfield Historic District The Central Springfield Historic District is a historic district in downtown Springfield, Illinois, Springfield. The district encompasses Springfield's oldest commercial district and is centered on the Old State Capitol State Historic Site (Ill ...

of the city. In 2009, a statue of Abraham Lincoln was dedicated on the Illinois College campus, and he was posthumously awarded a

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...

degree from the school.

Notable alumni

Greg Baise Gregory W. Baise (born April 13, 1952) is an American politician. He previously served as the longtime President and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association. Before that, Baise served in many political and governmental roles, including as ...

, former head of the

Illinois Manufacturers' Association The Illinois Manufacturers' Association (IMA) is a trade association for manufacturing companies in Illinois. It bills itself as "the oldest and largest statewide manufacturing trade association in the United States." Based in Oak Brook, Illinois ...

and Director of the

Illinois Department of Transportation The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is a state agency in charge of state-maintained public roadways of the U.S. state of Illinois. In addition, IDOT provides funding for rail, public transit and airport projects and administers fuel ...

* Florence Eugene Baldwin, former member of the Minnesota State Senate * Charles W. Bryan, 20th and 23rd

Governor of Nebraska The governor of Nebraska is the head of government of the U.S. state of Nebraska as provided by the fourth article of the Constitution of Nebraska. The officeholder is elected to a four-year term, with elections held two years after presidential e ...

, famous orator, three-time Democratic Party candidate for president, United States Secretary of State from 1913 to 1915. * John G. Clark (1825-1917), Justice of the

Oklahoma Territory Supreme Court Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...

(1890-1903) * John Davis, U.S. Representative from Kansas * Henry Smith Van Eaton, former US Representative from the state of Mississippi *

Nancy Farmer Nancy Farmer is an American author of children's and young adult books and science fiction. She has written three Newbery Honor Books and won the U.S. National Book Award for Young People's Literature for ''The House of the Scorpion'', published ...

, former Missouri State Treasurer *

, Illinois politician, former US House member *

M.F.K. Fisher Mary Frances Kennedy Fisher (July 3, 1908 – June 22, 1992) was an American food writer. She was a founder of the Napa Valley Wine Library. Over her lifetime she wrote 27 books, including a translation of ''The Physiology of Taste'' by Brillat-S ...

, author, food writer, and translator, attended Illinois College for one semester * Jim Garbowski, lead negotiator of the Palos Heights Used Honda and Saturn Dealership and Overall Straight Shooter Skeet Shooting National Champion 1983 * William Herndon, law partner and biographer of Abraham Lincoln * Fred Hoskins, first co-president of United Church of Christ *

William Jayne William A. Jayne (October 8, 1826March 20, 1916) was an American politician and physician. He served as Governor of the Dakota Territory and as the territory's delegate to the United States House of Representatives during the American Civil War. ...

, first Governor of Dakota Territory * Edward E. Johnston, High Commissioner of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands *

Everett Dean Martin Everett Dean Martin (July 5, 1880 – May 10, 1941) was an American minister, writer, journalist, instructor, lecturer, social psychologist, social philosopher, and an advocate of adult education. He was an instructor and lecturer at The New Sc ...

, Writer, lecturer, social psychologist, and an advocate of

adult education Adult education, distinct from child education, is a practice in which adults engage in systematic and sustained self-educating activities in order to gain new forms of knowledge, skills, attitudes, or values. Merriam, Sharan B. & Brockett, Ralp ...

. Final Director of the People's Institute of

Cooper Union The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (Cooper Union) is a private college at Cooper Square in New York City. Peter Cooper founded the institution in 1859 after learning about the government-supported École Polytechnique in ...

in New York City from 1922 to 1934. * John C. Martin, member of the US House of Representatives from Illinois *

William Henry Milburn William Henry Milburn (September 26, 1823 – April 11, 1903) was a blind Methodist clergyman. A friend of notables including Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, he was Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives in 1845 and Chaplain of ...

, Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives in 1845 and Chaplain of the Senate 1893-1903 *

Richard Henry Mills Richard Henry Mills (July 19, 1929 – July 16, 2023) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois. Education and career Born in Beardstown, Illinois, Mills received a Bachelor of A ...

, United States federal judge * James O. Monroe, Illinois state legislator and newspaper editor *

Theodore Nevin Morrison Theodore Nevin Morrison (February 18, 1850 – December 27, 1929) was a 20th-century bishop in the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. He was Bishop of Iowa from 1898 to 1929. Biography Early life & ministry Theodor ...

, 20th century bishop in the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America *

Floyd Newkirk Floyd Elmo Newkirk (July 16, 1908 – April 15, 1976) nicknamed "Three-Fingers" was a Major League Baseball pitcher. Newkirk played for the New York Yankees in . In one career game, he had a 0–0 record, with a 0.00 ERA, pitching in only 1 in ...

, pitcher for the New York Yankees *

Marshall M. Parks Marshall Miller Parks (July 6, 1918 – July 25, 2005) was an American ophthalmologist known to many as "the father of pediatric ophthalmology".Joe Holley"D.C. Physician Illuminated The Ailments of Young Eyes."''Washington Post''. Sunday, August ...

, ophthalmologist known as “the father of pediatric ophthalmology” *

John Wesley Powell John Wesley Powell (March 24, 1834 – September 23, 1902) was an American geologist, U.S. Army soldier, explorer of the American West, professor at Illinois Wesleyan University, and director of major scientific and cultural institutions. He ...

, explorer, scientist, politician, second director of U.S. Geological Survey *

Charlotte Thompson Reid Charlotte Thompson Reid (September 27, 1913 – January 25, 2007) served in the Congress of the United States, U.S. Congress as a United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for Illinois from 1963 to 1971. She was a member of th ...

, radio personality, politician, former US House member * John I. Rinaker, U.S. Representative from Illinois and a brigade commander in the Union Army during the American Civil War * Bob Schillerstrom, DuPage County, Illinois Board Chairman *

Ralph Tyler Smith Ralph Tyler Smith (October 6, 1915 – August 13, 1972) was an American lawyer and politician from Illinois, who served as a United States Senator from Illinois between 1969 until 1970. A member of the Republican Party, Smith previously served ...

, Illinois politician, former US Senator *

, a Kentucky lawyer, minister, and composer *Ryan Tanner, a

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...

-winning producer. *

William McKendree Springer William McKendree Springer (May 30, 1836 – December 4, 1903) was a United States Representative from Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan ...

, former US representative and chief justice of the United States Court of Appeals of Indian Territory * William E. Williams, U.S. Representative from Illinois * Richard Yates (1815–1873), Illinois politician and governor * Richard Yates (1860–1936), his son, also an Illinois politician

Notable faculty and staff

, first president of Illinois College *

Marion Elizabeth Blake Marion Elizabeth Blake (March 23, 1892 – September 11, 1961) was a classical languages professor who is known for her work in researching the technology of Roman construction. Blake died in Rome, Italy, in 1961. Early life and education Mario ...

, classical languages professor who is known for her work in researching the technology of Roman construction * Theodore M. Brantley, longest-serving Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court, taught Ancient Languages *

Reuben Gaylord Reuben Gaylord (April 28, 1812 – January 10, 1880) was the recognized leader of the missionary pioneers in the Nebraska Territory, and has been called the "father of Congregationalism in Nebraska."Punchard, G. (1865) "Congregationalism in Nebras ...

, taught and studied theology * Kay Mills, journalist and author, lectured at Illinois College * George R. Throop, Chancellor of Washington University in St. Louis from 1927 until 1944 *

, 1833–1847, botanist, abolitionist, Christian missionary

References

External links

Official websiteOfficial athletics website
* {{authority control Education in Morgan County, Illinois Liberal arts colleges in Illinois Universities and colleges affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) Universities and colleges affiliated with the United Church of Christ Educational institutions established in 1829 Buildings and structures in Morgan County, Illinois United Church of Christ in Illinois Tourist attractions in Morgan County, Illinois Private universities and colleges in Illinois Jacksonville, Illinois