History and Academics

Illinois Wesleyan is an independent undergraduate university located in Bloomington, Illinois. IWU was founded in 1850 by 30 civic and Methodist Church leaders with the goal of establishing "an Institution of learning of Collegiate grade". The central portion of the present campus was acquired in 1854, with the first building constructed in the same year. The University taught solely preparatory classes from 1850 until 1919; college classes started the following year.

IWU is categorized by the Carnegie Commission as one of America's 162 liberal arts colleges.

Athletics

Illinois Wesleyan University participates in the NCAA's Divison III and in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW); major programs include basketball, football, and baseball. The IWU basketball team has two recent CCIW championships in the 2002-3 and 2003-4 seasons.

Academic Programs

Bachelor's Degree programs in three Colleges:

• College of Liberal Arts (17 departments and 7 interdisciplinary programs, organized in 1906)
• College of Fine Arts (schools of art, music, and theater arts organized in 1929, 1946, 1947 respectively)
• School of Nursing (established in 1959)

Notable Graduates

• U.S. Senator Scott Lucas of Illinois
• Governor H. Clarence Baldridge of Idaho
• Governor Lester Hunt of Wyoming
• 7 Time NBA All-Star Jack Sikma

See Also

• Illinois State University (also in Bloomington-Normal)