Illinois State University

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{{Infobox_University |name = Illinois State University |image = Image:IllinoisStateUniersitySeal.gif |motto = Gladly we Learn and Teach |established = 1857 |type = Public |president = Al Bowman |city = Normal |state = Illinois |country = USA |undergrad = 17,878 |postgrad = 2,879 |staff= 3,211 |mascot = Reggie Redbird |campus = Urban |free_label = colors |free = red and white |website= www.IllinoisState.edu }}

Illinois State University (usually abbreviated as 'ISU' or 'ILSTU'), originally named Illinois State Normal University, was founded in 1857 by Jesse W. Fell (1808-1887), and was the first public institution of higher education in the state. Normal schools were schools specifically designated for the education of teachers. In 1964, as the institution began expanding and moving toward a full liberal arts curriculum, its name was changed to Illinois State University at Normal, and by 1968 to Illinois State University.

ISU is located in Normal, Illinois, a town in McLean County in the central part of the state. The town of Normal took its name from the school. Its original name had been North Bloomington. It remains a top teaching school in Illinois. Its athletic teams compete in the Missouri Valley Conference and the Gateway Football Conference, and are known as the "Redbirds" in reference to the state bird, the cardinal.

Illinois State is also home to the world's tallest (but not largest) dormitory, Watterson Towers, which houses 2,200 students. The pair of buildings was completed in 1967.

The school's motto was originally "and gladly wold he lerne and gladly teche", in the Middle English spelling of its author, Geoffrey Chaucer. By the 1960s, the motto was spelled in the modern style, "and gladly would he learn and gladly teach". Despite the apparently gender-specific "he" in this motto, until the 1970s there were significantly more women than men attending the university. The motto has since been updated to the gender-neutral form "Gladly we Learn and Teach".

The school's Alma Mater song is "Glory Hast Thou", written to the tune of Haydn's "Austrian Hymn", better known as the tune used for "Deutschland Uber Alles".

1 Academics and Organizations
2 Notable alumni
3 Points of interest
4 External links
5 Student Organizations

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Academics and Organizations

ISU, originally a teachers' college, has matured to a university offering a range of programs at the bachelor, master, and doctoral levels.

The university owns public radio station WGLT ("News, Blues and All That Jazz"), which broadcasts on 89.1 in Normal, 103.5 in Peoria, and by streaming audio from http://www.wglt.org/.

ISU is also home of the Gamma Phi Circus, the oldest collegiate circus in the United States. The Gamma Phi Circus, founded in 1929, is one of 2 collegiate circuses in the US, the other is run by Florida State University.

The university has one of the most successful forensics individual events teams in the country. In 1995, 1999, and 2000 it won the National Forensic Association team championship and in 2005 its team won the American Forensic Association team championship. Template:Citation needed

The English Department, the largest department in ISU, is unique in its interdisciplinary focus named "English Studies," which includes various literature in English, writing/composition theories, cultural studies, K-12 English education, linguistics, TESOL, and so forth. The Department is also leading the field of children's literature in the United States.

TV-10, a part of the School of Communication, provides the only live local television newscast produced entirely in Bloomington-Normal.

Image:IMG 0535.JPG Image:IMG 0574.JPG Image:Performing Arts Center.jpg Image:Fell Hall.jpg

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