Illinois State University

Illinois State University was founded on February 18, 1857, as Illinois State Normal University, making it the oldest public university in Illinois . The documents establishing the university were drafted by Abraham Lincoln, who served as attorney for the board of education and later became a university trustee . Local businessman Jesse W. Fell was instrumental in its founding . Classes began in October 1857 in downtown Bloomington with 43 students before moving to the newly completed Old Main building on the current campus in 1860 . The village surrounding the university was chartered as "Normal" in 1865, named after the institution . Originally established as a teacher-training institution, the university expanded its mission over time . On January 1, 1964, the name was changed to Illinois State University at Normal, and then again in 1967 to the current Illinois State University . In 2022, the Illinois Board of Higher Education approved the creation of a new College of Engineering, which welcomed its first students in 2025 . The university's motto, "Gladly We Learn and Teach," reflects its enduring commitment to education .