Western Illinois University

Established in 1899, Western Illinois Normal and Training School opened its doors September 23, 1902 to 229 students. Throughout the years, Western Illinois grew and its name changed from Western Illinois State College to Western Illinois University on July 5, 1957. Today, Western Illinois University offers a variety of bachelor's and master's degree programs, pre-professional programs, two doctoral degrees, and certificate programs to more than 11,000 students.