Illinois College

John M. Ellis, a Presbyterian 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 students at Yale College , 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 who left his position at the Park Street Church in Boston and firmly imbued the new college with New England traditions and academic foundations. His sister, Harriet Beecher Stowe , was later the author of the influential anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin and a visitor to the campus. His brother, Henry Ward Beecher , 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. Beecher Hall in 1934 The first two college graduates in the state of Illinois, Richard Yates and Jonathan E. Spilman , received their degrees from Illinois College in 1835. Yates became the Civil War 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 ’ poem “Flow Gently, Sweet Afton .” William Jennings Bryan , a member of the class of 1881, is one of the most prominent alumni of Illinois College. He was a United States Congressman from Nebraska, the US Secretary of State , 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 , Amos Bronson Alcott , Mark Twain , Horace Greeley , Oscar Wilde and Wendell Phillips . 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 and outspoken campus leaders such as President Edward Beecher and Professor Jonathan Baldwin Turner . 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 certification as a “National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom” site. [ 7 ] 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 Phi Beta Kappa society established a chapter at Illinois College, and it remains one of only 11 chapters in the state. [ 8 ] [ 9 ]

Illinois College is a liberal arts college with an enrollment of 1,029 (2022) students. [ 10 ] Over 80 different programs and majors are offered at the college, 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 by the Higher Learning Commission or its predecessor since 1913. [ 11 ] The college's Epsilon chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa national honor society is one of only eleven in the state; it was established in 1932. [ 12 ] 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. 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 , which had a nursing program. [ 13 ] 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.

The Whipple Hall on the college campus houses the Paul Findley Congressional Office Museum , dedicated to former congressman and alumnus, Paul Findley . 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. [ 14 ] 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. [ 15 ] The museum is open to tours and visits by appointment. [ 16 ] It was renovated in 2007 thanks to a donation by Mohammed Al Habtoor. [ 17 ] The college is also home to the Khalaf Al Habtoor Archives which is located in Schewe Library. [ 18 ] [ 19 ] [ 20 ] The collection is home to many documents and artifacts associated with Illinois College and its long history. This includes items attributed to Abraham Lincoln who had direct and indirect ties to the school. Both of the archives were largely funded by the Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Foundation . [ 17 ] [ 21 ] Khalaf Al Habtoor was first introduced to Illinois College by Paul Findley. [ 18 ]