Illinois College

Infobox University
name = Illinois College


caption= Beecher Hall c.1934
established = 1829
president = Dr. Axel D. Steuer
type = Private
city = Jacksonville
state = Illinois
country = United States
students = 898
affiliations = United Church of Christ and Presbyterian Church (USA)
mascot = Blueboys and Lady Blues
colors = Blue and White
website = [http://www.ic.edu/ www.ic.edu]

Illinois College is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the United Church of Christ and the Presbyterian Church (USA); it is located in Jacksonville, Illinois. It is the second oldest [ [http://www.ic.edu/aboutus/historic.asp Illinois College - About Us - Historic Years ] ] college in Illinois, founded in 1829 (and the first to grant a degree, in 1835) by one of the famous Yale Bands—students from Yale University that traveled westward to found new colleges. It briefly served as the state's first medical school from 1843–1848, and became co-educational in 1903.

Beecher Hall, the first college building erected in Illinois, is named after its first president, Edward Beecher, sibling to Henry Ward Beecher and Harriet Beecher Stowe. The first floor of Beecher Hall is the home of Phi Alpha Literary Society. The second floor is the home to Sigma Pi Literary Society.

Illinois College has a Phi Beta Kappa chapter, one of only eleven in the state.

Illinois College has recently developed "The Illinois College Academic Honor Code". [ [http://www.ic.edu/academics/academichonesty.asp Illinois College - Academic Honesty ] ]

The college participates in an Intercultural Exchange program with Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan. Each spring 25 Japanese students come to Illinois College to live and study for five 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 dorm rooms for the remainder of their stay.

Illinois College was a member of the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from 1910-1937.

Notable alumni

*John Wesley Powell, explorer, scientist, politician, 2nd director of U.S. Geological Survey
*William Jennings Bryan, orator and United States statesman
*William Jayne, first Governor of Dakota Territory
*Richard Yates, Illinois politician and governor
*Richard Yates, his son, also an Illinois politician
*Ralph Tyler Smith, Illinois politician

Literary Societies

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, which are practices in oratory skill; intramural sports teams; service events; social gatherings; and alcohol consumption. There are seven literary societies at Illinois College. The men's societies are: Phi Alpha, Sigma Pi, Pi Pi Rho and Gamma Nu. The women's societies are Sigma Phi Epsilon, Gamma Delta and Chi Beta. Phi Alpha and Sigma Pi are both located in Historic 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 due to the closing and upcoming renovation of Whipple Hall. All three female societies are housed in Historic Smith House.

Notes

External links and references

* [http://www.ic.edu Official website]
* [http://www.ic.edu/academics Academics]
* [http://www.ic.edu/admissions/ Admissions]
* [http://www.ic.edu/alumni/ Alumni]
* [http://www.ic.edu/studentlife/ Student Life]
* [http://www.ic.edu/aboutus/ About Us Page]
* [http://webcam2.ic.edu/view/view.shtml New Residence Hall Web Cam] - View of the lower campus, facing north from Bruner Fitness Center. Visible across the street is the New Residence Hall.
* [http://www.ic.edu/athletics Official athletics website]
* [http://www.ic.edu/admissions/icmap.pdf Campus map]
* [http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hhh.il0033 Survey number HABS IL-25-11] - Illinois College, Beecher Hall, Jacksonville, Morgan County, IL