2023 WIU Main Viewbook

What the heck is a Leatherneck?

In 1927, WIU Athletic Director Ray “Rock” Hanson was granted permission by the U.S. Navy, based on his status as a Marine hero, to use a Marine term for his team.

Western Illinois University holds the distinction of being the only non-military institution to officially have its nickname derived from an armed forces unit.

We are The Fighting Leathernecks!

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Leathernecks always stand together and stand up for what matters. Together, we’ll conquer what is possible.

On your journey to becoming a Leatherneck, we encourage you to ask:

• Where do my talents lie?

• What are my passions?

• How can my passions and talents contribute to the world?

Things you should know

17 - AVERAGE CLASS SIZE

7,500+ TOTAL ENROLLMENT

MILLIONS AWARDED IN SCHOLARSHIPS - ANNUALLY

94% OF CLASSES TAUGHT BY FULL-TIME FACULTY INVESTED IN YOUR SUCCESS

19 YEARS AS A BEST MIDWESTERN COLLEGE — PRINCETON REVIEW

MACOMB, QUAD CITIES, & ONLINE

What’s up with the bulldogs?

FIND ALL 80+ BULLDOGS

You may notice when visiting our Macomb campus and community that we REALLY love dogs. Rocky on Parade invites area artists, including WIU students and faculty, to submit design proposals for these larger-than-life bulldogs. Proceeds support student scholarships.

Visitors to Macomb may follow a Rocky on Parade map through the community and campus.

Here you’ll find state parks, novel retail, outdoor adventuring, exciting recreation, awesome amusements, and uncommon historic landmarks. Macomb’s downtown is a historic district that showcases a Courthouse and Square that date back to the mid-1800s and feature a unique collection of shopping and dining experiences.

Lifting Up ‘Necks ��

• Casa Latina Cultural Center

• Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center

• LGBT*QA Resource Center

• Women’s Center

The Multicultural Center (MCC) celebrates diversity, equity, and inclusion through cultural programming, events, panels, and conversations. The MCC recognizes and invites all backgrounds to build community together!

QUAD CITIES CAMPUS

Experience state-of-the-art facilities in a large metropolitan area at our non-residential campus in the heart of the Quad Cities, along the banks of the Mississippi River.

Never a dull moment!

THIS ISN’T A GLITCH. WIU’S �� �� DIGITAL REC CENTER IS ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE MIDWEST!

FRATERNITIES & SORORITIES

225+ ways to be involved

CAMPUS EVENTS ��

WEST FEST, CALLE MURRAY, BLOCK PARTIES, FAMILY BBQ DAY, UGC - YARD SHOW, DANCE MARATHON, FIRST WEDNESDAYS, BINGO NIGHT, AND MUCH MORE ALL FOR FREE!

ARMANI WHITE @ WEST FEST 2023

PREVIOUS LINEUPS HAVE INCLUDED JESSIE MURPH, DYLAN SCOTT, WAKA FLACKA FLAME, & JESSE McCARTNEY

Let’s taco’bout snacks!

When you are on the Macomb campus, you are steps away from class, the Library, coffee, and even Chick-Fil-A and Qdoba. We have so many different dining and recreation options to choose from.

Did we mention the chicken nuggets? ��

STUDENTS WHO LIVE ON CAMPUS:

• Are more likely to have higher GPAs

• Earn more credit hours per semester

• Find a place where they belong

Time to ‘Neck Up & Show Up!

LEATHERNECK & 2x SUPER BOWL CHAMPION ��

“I always give Western that credit of getting me to this level, offering me because they had faith in me and allowed me to chase my dreams of playing Division I football. My advice is to accept the opportunity—that’s the biggest message of my life, NFL, college, high school; everything is an opportunity.

Now, forever, I’ll represent the purple and gold. I shout it out to everyone; I get a chance to wear it in the Super Bowl; they’re part of what got me here in the first place.

Being able to represent my school is a great feeling.”

Khalen Saunders

‘18 BA

You’re the ‘Necks Big Thing!

Accountancy •∞ Agriculture

• Agricultural Business

• Agricultural Science

• Agriculture Teacher Education (6-12) * Anthropology ∞ Art

• Art Studio

• Art Teacher Education (K-12) *

• Graphic Design Biology

• Botany

• Environmental Biology

• Medical Sciences (Pre-Health Professionals)

• Microbiology

• Science/Biology Teacher Education *

• Zoology

Broadcasting & Journalism

• Advertising and Public Relations

• Broadcast Production

• Multimedia Journalism

• Sports Broadcasting

Business Analytics ∞ Chemistry

• Biochemistry

• Chemistry

• Pharmacy

• Science/Chemistry Teacher Education *

Civil Engineering ²

Clinical Laboratory Science

Communication •∞

Computer Science

Construction & Facilities Management

Cybersecurity Economics ∞

Educational Studies

Electrical Engineering ²

Elementary Education

• Early Childhood Education (Birth-2) • *

• Elementary Education (1-6) • *

• English as a Second Language Education (9-12) • *

• Multilingual Education • * Emergency Management ∞ Engineering ² Engineering Technology

• English

• Creative Writing

• English Teacher Education *

• Literature and Language

• Data Science and Statistics

• Mathematics

•

• Professional Writing

• Exercise Science

Finance ∞

Fire Protection Services

• Fire Administration ∞

• Fire Medic

• Fire Science

Foreign Languages & Cultures

• French

• French Teacher Education (K-12) *

• Spanish

• Spanish Teacher Education (K-12) * Forensic Chemistry

General Studies •∞

Geographic Information Science

• Geoenvironment & Planning ∞

• Geospatial Science ∞

Geology

• Environmental Geology

• Geology

• Paleontology

Health Services Management History

• History ∞

• History - Teacher Education (9-12) *

• Pre-Law

• Applied Meteorology

•

• Applied Music

• Music Business

• Music Teacher Education (K-12)

• Music Therapy

Musical Theatre

• Engineering Physics

• Materials Science

•

• Standard Physics

• American Government

• International Relations/Comparative Politics

•

• Pre-Law

•

Public Health •

Recreation, Park & Tourism Administration

• Adapted Recreation and Inclusion

•

• Community Organizations

• Outdoor Recreation

• Recreation, Park & Tourism

•

Administration

• Tourism, Hospitality and Event

Management

Social Work

Sociology ∞

Special Education (K-12) *

Speech Pathology & Audiology

Supply Chain Management •∞

Theatre

• Performance

• Production/Design

What will you major in? Feel like everyone is asking you that now? We believe some students know exactly what they want to do, but others learn along the way and discover their passions while at Western.

INTEGRATED 5-YEAR DEGREES

Master’s Degree

Complete your bachelor’s and master’s degrees in 5 years.

Accountancy

Applied Statistics & Decision Analytics

Business Administration (MBA)

Chemistry

Communication

Computer Science

Educational Studies

GIScience and Geoenvironment

History

Instructional Design & Technology

Liberal Arts & Sciences

Mathematics

Museum Studies

Physics

Political Science

Public Safety Administration

Quantitative Economics

Recreation, Park & Tourism Administration

Sociology

Sport Management

PRE-PROFESSIONAL PREP

Pre-Engineering

Pre-Forestry

Pre-Health (Pre-Medicine)

Pre-Law (History)

Pre-Law (Political Science)

Pre-Veterinary Medicine

UNDERGRADUATE MINORS

Interested in possible minors that complement your major? Scan below to discover!

Graduate with Honors!

“Being in the Honors College benefited me greatly, because of the classes that were outside of my major and minor, allowing me to broaden my horizons, and gain experience outside of the things I was regularly scheduled for.”

Thaila Mercado BA ‘22 in Political Science, Lincoln Laureate, & Honors Scholar

CENTENNIAL HONORS COLLEGE

Want to boost your resume?

Earn exclusive scholarships? Learn more at wiu.edu/honors

“The thing I like most about WIU is that it is a very inclusive and diverse school. There is something here for everyone to be a part of.”

Naysa Nunekpeku, Social Work Major

Academic Spotlights

NURSING ��

PASS RATE ON THE NURSING LICENSURE EXAM (NCLEX) EXCEEDS STATE AND NATIONAL AVERAGES

PSYCHOLOGY ��

STUDENTS RECEIVE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES LIKE HOTLINE, WIU’S STUDENT-RUN CRISIS INTERVENTION TELEPHONE SERVICE.

CHEMISTRY ⚗

PARTICIPATE IN GROUND BREAKING RESEARCH LIKE USING PHAGE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY TO FIND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO CANCER DIAGNOSES AND TREATMENT.

BROADCASTING & JOURNALISM ��

PRODUCE PROGRAMMING FOR ESPN AND WIUTV3 USING STATE-OF-THEART, HIGH-DEFINITION TELEVISION FACILITIES AND OPERATE AN FM BROADCAST STATION, WIUS.

These spotlights represent our 60+ high-quality programs. See them all at wiu.edu/academics

Academic Spotlights

AGRICULTURE ��

400+ ACRES OF FARMLAND IS LOCATED STEPS FROM CAMPUS. BIOLOGY

STUDY WITH EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO THE 1,689-ACRE NATURAL AREA ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE ��

JOIN AN INTERNATIONALLYRECOGNIZED PROGRAM THAT IS RANKED THE #1 CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAM IN ILLINOIS.

ACCOUNTING AND BUSINESS DEGREES ARE ACCREDITED BY AACSB INTERNATIONAL, A DISTINCTION GIVEN TO LESS THAN 2% OF BUSINESS SCHOOLS WORLDWIDE.

These spotlights represent our 60+ high-quality programs. See them all at wiu.edu/academics

CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS

COMING SOON! THE 100,000-SQUARE-FOOT BUILDING WILL INCLUDE CLASSROOMS, OFFICES, PRACTICE ROOMS, STUDIOS, AND PERFORMANCE SPACES. CONSTRUCTION HAS BEGUN!

MUSICAL THEATRE ��

“OFTENTIMES, PEOPLE TALK ABOUT COOKIE-CUTTER PROGRAMS WITH OTHER COLLEGES, WHERE ALL OF THE STUDENTS ARE BASICALLY TAUGHT TO FIT INTO A MOLD TO FIND SUCCESS IN THIS INDUSTRY. LUCKILY, WIU DOESN’T FOLLOW THAT METHOD, AS EACH STUDENT’S PROGRESS IS INDIVIDUALLY TAILORED FOR THEIR SUCCESS.”

DANIEL HOLLANDER, BFA ‘22 IN MUSICAL THEATRE

Check out the places WIU alumni are working, changing the world, and living out their dreams!

Paying for your degree

FILE THE FAFSA AT STUDENTAID.GOV

USE OUR FAFSA CODE: 001780

$19,001 IS THE AVERAGE FINANCIAL AID AWARD STUDENTS RECEIVED LAST YEAR

Types of Aid:

Grants don’t need to be paid back and are awarded based on financial need. Scholarships don’t have to be paid back and are awarded based on academic or talent merit, and can sometimes be awarded based on financial need.

Loans have to be paid back with interest.

Work study provides on-campus work experience and a paycheck to use toward tuition or other expenses of your education. To see if you qualify, mark work study consideration on your FAFSA.

Learn more at wiu.edu/financialaid

NO out-of-state tuition

All U.S. students pay the same rate.

Visit wiu.edu/scholarships to apply for scholarships and find additional opportunities.

Tuition Increase 4-year Tuition Guarantee freezes your tuition costs in place

How much does it cost to attend WIU?

Making college accessible and affordable is at the core of WIU. We hold some of the same accreditations as top universities at a fraction of the cost.*

Housing & Dining $10,920

$23,768

☃

I chose Western because of its affordability & locked-in tuition.

Derek Johnson BS ‘22 in Law Enforcement & Justice Administration

Your ‘Necks Steps

1. How do I apply?

• Complete an online application at wiu.edu/apply

• Pay the $30 application fee or send fee waiver

• Freshman Admission Requirements

2.75+ GPA on a 4.0 scale

3.44+ GPA on a 5.0 scale

• Transfer Admission Requirements

2.0+ cumulative college GPA

• Send us your unofficial or official transcripts

2. When is the deadline?

• There is no application deadline for freshmen and transfer students.

3. Have previous college credit?

Send documents to:

Undergraduate Admissions

Western Illinois University 1 University Circle Macomb, IL 61455

admissions@wiu.edu

• WIU reviews credit from regionally accredited institutions all over the country. Students with an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science from any regionally accredited college in the United States will enter Western with their University General education requirements met and be guaranteed admission. WIU reviews credits completed through military training, dual credit, Advanced Placement College-Level Equivalency, and International Baccalaureate programs.

4. Official vs. unofficial transcripts?

• WIU accepts unofficial and official transcripts to make an admission decision. Official transcripts are sent directly from each previous school to WIU. Students must have official transcripts to register for classes and final, official transcripts on file with WIU prior to the term in which they intend to start classes.

5. What if I want to transfer to WIU?

• See which courses to take at your community college at wiu.edu/transferguides

• See how individual courses transfer at transferology.com

Military Friendly ��

• Special tuition rate for active military

• Application fee waiver available for Veterans

• Military training will be reviewed for college credit

• After you apply, Submit DD - 214 or certificate of basic training

Learn more about military benefits at wiu.edu/vrc

CAMPUS VISITS

DISCOVER WESTERN PREVIEW DAYS

SATURDAY SHOWCASE

ROCKY’S TRANSFER PREVIEW DAY

QUAD CITIES WELCOME

WEDNESDAYS