As one of the original land-grant universities chartered in this country, community engagement has been at the core of our institutional identity since our 1867 founding. Our educational, research and service missions have always been anchored in an obligation to create better lives for our citizens in Illinois and beyond.
In the past year, we have excelled in delivering on that land-grant promise:
Most Diverse Class in our History
In the wake of a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision that eliminated affirmative action in college admissions, we took new strategic and tactical steps to improve diverse recruitment. As a result, in fall 2024 we welcomed the largest and one of the most diverse classes in our history.
- 1 in 5 of our first-year undergraduates identify in an underrepresented racial or ethnic demographic.
- 22% of the new members of this class are the first generation in their families to attend college.
Inclusive Course Redesign Initiative
We have expanded the Inclusive Course Redesign Initiative, which invites instructors from courses with significant drop, fail or withdrawal rate disparities across demographic categories to redesign their courses using inclusive instructional practices.
- 6 instructors have participated in the last calendar year.
- 3 more will begin in spring 2025.
Illinois Promise and Illinois Commitment
In large part because of our financial aid programs like Illinois Promise and Illinois Commitment, as well as other grants and scholarships, wecontinue to see graduates leave Illinois with debt below the national average.
- 50% or more of graduates finish with zero debt.
- For Illinois students who do leave with loans, their average remaining debt is 36% less than the national average.
National Science Foundation ADVANCE grant
Illinois won a three-year, $1 million ADVANCE grant from the NSF to mitigate barriers that impede the advancement of underrepresented STEM faculty across campus. The program is designed to support faculty in all fields of STEM research supported by NSF, including the social and behavioral sciences.
- 43 STEM departments across campus will be impacted across multiple colleges, including Liberal Arts and Sciences, Grainger Engineering, Veterinary Medicine, the iSchool and Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.
Illinois State Geological Survey
The Illinois State Geological Survey at the Prairie Research Institute recently received a $10 million award to inventory abandoned mining sites that could be reclaimed to improve community safety and the environment in Illinois. The project will also identify former coal waste and mining waste piles to both environmental and economic benefit for the state.
- 22,000 acres of former coal mining land in Illinois is identified as “problem acreage” with exposed refuse, tipple sites, toxic spoil banks and adversely affected water or land.
Togetherall
We launched Togetherall, which provides free, online peer-to-peer mental health support available 24/7. This Counseling Center initiative helps to fulfill a requirement of the Mental Health Early Action on Campus Act and provides another option for students.
- 202 students have accessed Togetherall since its launch.
Indigenous Pathways program
We continued the Indigenous Pathways Program which introduces Native American high school students to opportunities that are possible through higher education. Participants are introduced to campus life, various areas of study and the applications and admissions processes.
- 5 tribal affiliations have been represented among the participants in the first two years of the program, including the Navajo, Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek and Chippewa nations.
I-Team
We created the I-Team to help ensure expression of First Amendment rights at events on campus. Members are trained in de-escalation best practices and will intervene before a disturbance intensifies with the goal of avoiding police response.
- 12 events as of November 21, 2024, were staffed by the I-Team, none of which resulted in escalation of conflict or other behavior that warranted police intervention.
Engineering Access Alliance
Building off of the established Engineering Pathways program within The Grainger College of Engineering, we partnered with the City Colleges of Chicago to create the Engineering Access Alliance, a program to remove barriers of access and affordability for bright, talented students in Chicago and bring them to Champaign.
- 92% of students in the Engineering Pathways program complete their degree, speaking to the strength and value of opening our doors to students who may not otherwise have access.
Illinois Proof of Concept Program (IPOC)
The Illinois Proof of Concept Program continues to boost university innovations into practical products and services that benefit society. Campus has invested more than $2.7 million since 2009, and that has had an exponentially greater impact in strengthening the Illinois economy:
- 55 funded projects
- 22 start-up companies
- $300 million leveraged in venture, angel and government funding
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act office
We continued to expand repatriation and reburial efforts through the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Office, which allow us to reunite sacred objects with ancestors.
- 25% of the items in our custody have been surveyed, with work continuing through the NAGPRA Office.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee Food, Agriculture and Nutrition Innovation Center
We expanded the activities and the footprint of the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Food, Agriculture and Nutrition Innovation Center in partnership with the JJK Foundation. The goal is to provide educational and professional development programming in agriculture, STEAM, food innovation, nutrition, physical activity and entrepreneurialism to youth and community in East St. Louis and beyond.
- $32 million in labor income creation is anticipated by 2026, along with 474 new jobs and $10.7 million in new tax revenue for the state of Illinois.
Title VI office
We established a Title VI office responsible for investigating reports of discrimination and harassment based on race, color, or national origin — including actual or perceived ancestry — as well as ensuring that resources are offered to the parties impacted.
