McKendree College
Encyclopedia
McKendree University, formerly known as McKendree College, is a private
liberal arts college
located in Lebanon, Illinois
. The area is a part of the Metro-East
region of Greater St. Louis. Founded in 1828 as the Lebanon Seminary, it is the oldest college in Illinois
. McKendree enrolls approximately 2,000 undergraduates and nearly 1,000 graduate students and remains affiliated with the United Methodist Church
. The school changed its name to McKendree University beginning with the 2007-08 academic year. McKendree University comprises McKendree College, a School of Business, a School of Health Professions and a School of Education.
Fielding athletic teams known as the McKendree Bearcats, the university is in the process of transitioning athletics from the NAIA
and member of the American Midwest Conference
to NCAA Division II, at which time it will join the Great Lakes Valley Conference
.
. First called Lebanon Seminary, the school opened in two rented sheds for 72 students in 1828 under Edward Raymond Ames
. In 1830, Bishop William McKendree
, the first American-born bishop of the Methodist church, permitted the Board of Trustees to change the institution's name to McKendree College. Later Bishop McKendree deeded 480 acres (194.2 ha) of land in Shiloh, Illinois
to endow the college. Reverend Peter Akers, in 1833, was the first president of the newly named college. He was president of McKendree College three times and received its first degree, an honorary Doctorate of Divinity. In 1835, the College received one of the first charters granted to independent church colleges by the Illinois legislature. The institution still operates under the provisions of a second, more liberal charter obtained in 1839.
McKendree has struggled throughout its history to be financially viable and only since the late 90s has it achieved a measure of economic stability. In 2001, the College embarked on a capital campaign which raised more than $20 million for the campus including the creation of a Performing Arts Center.
.
For 2011, McKendree was ranked 20th in Regional Midwest Colleges by U.S. News & World Report
and is deemed a Tier I university. In addition, McKendree has full accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
. McKendree has been fully accredited by the North Central Association of the Higher Learning Commission since 1915 and received its ten-year renewal in 2003-2004. McKendree’s School of Education is fully accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
(NCATE). McKendree's School of Nursing and Health Professionals is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
(CCNE).
The university offers associate degrees, bachelor's degree
s and master's degree
s through its four schools:
More than 50% of the classes have fewer than 15 students. McKendree's student-to-faculty ratio is 15 to 1.
.
The campus is laid out in roughly a rectangle boarded by Stanton Street and College Hill Cemetery to the west and Monroe St. to the east. North Alton St. and Summerfield St. bisect the campus and are the main roads for vehicular traffic on campus.
The university opened the Russel E. and Fern M. Hettenhausen Center for the Arts (the Hett) in September 2006. The state-of-the-art the $10 million, 34400 square feet (3,195.9 m²) theater includes practice and storage space for the McKendree University band, choral department and faculty offices. The Hett includes a full-size stage with a 500-seat auditorium.
The Marion K. Piper Academic Center (Piper Academic Center or PAC for short) is the student union, which is the center of the campus, with the library located directly to the north of it. All academic buildings are located in the southwestern sections of the campus.
The suite style and apartment style halls are predominantly upperclassmen, freshmen are not allowed to live in McKendree West Apartments. Suite style residence halls are located in a 70-student complex on the eastern edge of campus called The Suites. The suites are co-ed by suite and include three bedrooms, one bathroom, and a common area. McKendree West Apartments are the university owned apartment style residence housing option. McKendree West houses approximately 330 students and is co-ed by apartment. They are located a half mile from the main campus. The university offers a shuttle service to transport residents to and from McKendree West, called the Bogey Bus named after McKendree's mascot, Bogey the Bearcat.
On October 23, 2010 the university held a groundbreaking ceremony for two new state-of-the-art residence halls. The new 75000 square feet (6,967.7 m²) residence halls’ are designed in a modern glass-and-brick style of architecture to blend with other modern buildings on campus as well as the many historic brick buildings. Each new hall is a three-story structure connected by a two-floor glass bridge. The project is currently in the construction phase on the northwest side of campus and are expected to open in August 2011.
and Radcliff, Kentucky
, classes at Scott Air Force Base
, and nursing bachelors and masters programs at several locations in Southern Illinois.:
located in Louisville
and Radcliff, Kentucky
. Programs at these locations are structured to provide convenience for working adults who want to pursue undergraduate degree's in: Business Administration, Marketing, Accounting, Management, Human Resources Management, Computer Information Systems, Information Technology, and Nursing; or Master Degrees in Business Administration or Nursing.
Division II from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
(NAIA). The university will compete independent during the 2011-12 academic year before becoming a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference
(GLVC) for the 2012-13 academic year. McKendree also fields a men's ice hockey as a member of the ACHA Division III
in the Mid-American Collegiate Hockey Association
. McKendree University was a member of the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
from 1912 to 1938. They were in the NAIA as members of the American Midwest Conference
(with the exception of football where they played in the Midwest League of the Mid-States Football Association
) through the 2010-2011 season.
On October 6, 2010 it was announced that McKendree University received and accepted an invitation to the GLVC
. The Bearcats will become the 17th member of the GLVC. McKendree will be eligible for GLVC league championships for the certain sports in 2012-13: football, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field, men’s and women’s cross country, and women’s golf and eligible for all league championships in 2013-14 after attaining full membership into the NCAA.
The Bearcats participate at the intercollegiate level in 11 men's sports and 9 women's sports:
'60, currently holds the all-time record for wins at a four-year institution. His 1,022 wins during his 44 seasons at McKendree are unmatched by any other men's basketball coach at a 4-year college or university in the United States.
Private university
Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...
liberal arts college
Liberal arts college
A liberal arts college is one with a primary emphasis on undergraduate study in the liberal arts and sciences.Students in the liberal arts generally major in a particular discipline while receiving exposure to a wide range of academic subjects, including sciences as well as the traditional...
located in Lebanon, Illinois
Lebanon, Illinois
Lebanon is a city in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,523 at the 2000 census. Like many other places in "Little Egypt" or Southern Illinois, Lebanon was named after the Middle Eastern country of the same name. It is a part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St...
. The area is a part of the Metro-East
Metro-East
Metro East is a region in Illinois that comprises the eastern suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri, United States. It encompasses five Southern Illinois counties in the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area. The region's most populated city is Belleville at 45,000 residents...
region of Greater St. Louis. Founded in 1828 as the Lebanon Seminary, it is the oldest college in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. McKendree enrolls approximately 2,000 undergraduates and nearly 1,000 graduate students and remains affiliated with the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
. The school changed its name to McKendree University beginning with the 2007-08 academic year. McKendree University comprises McKendree College, a School of Business, a School of Health Professions and a School of Education.
Fielding athletic teams known as the McKendree Bearcats, the university is in the process of transitioning athletics from the NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
and member of the American Midwest Conference
American Midwest Conference
The American Midwest Conference is a NAIA college athletic conference with nine member institutions located in Arkansas, Illinois, and Missouri in the United States.-Members:Notes:...
to NCAA Division II, at which time it will join the Great Lakes Valley Conference
Great Lakes Valley Conference
The Great Lakes Valley Conference is an intercollegiate athletic conference which competes at the NCAA's Division II level. Member institutions are located in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and Wisconsin....
.
History
Established by pioneer Methodists, McKendree is the oldest university in the state and continues to have ties to the United Methodist ChurchUnited Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
. First called Lebanon Seminary, the school opened in two rented sheds for 72 students in 1828 under Edward Raymond Ames
Edward Raymond Ames
Edward Raymond Ames was an American Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, elected in 1852.-Birth and family:...
. In 1830, Bishop William McKendree
William McKendree
William McKendree was the fourth Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the first Methodist bishop born in the United States. He was elected in 1808.-Early years:...
, the first American-born bishop of the Methodist church, permitted the Board of Trustees to change the institution's name to McKendree College. Later Bishop McKendree deeded 480 acres (194.2 ha) of land in Shiloh, Illinois
Shiloh, Illinois
Shiloh is a village in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. A 2005 census recorded a population of 11,000.-Geography:Shiloh is located at ....
to endow the college. Reverend Peter Akers, in 1833, was the first president of the newly named college. He was president of McKendree College three times and received its first degree, an honorary Doctorate of Divinity. In 1835, the College received one of the first charters granted to independent church colleges by the Illinois legislature. The institution still operates under the provisions of a second, more liberal charter obtained in 1839.
McKendree has struggled throughout its history to be financially viable and only since the late 90s has it achieved a measure of economic stability. In 2001, the College embarked on a capital campaign which raised more than $20 million for the campus including the creation of a Performing Arts Center.
Academics
McKendree University confers degrees from four colleges and schools and offers over 40 undergraduate majors, 38 minors, and master's degrees in four areas: business administration, education, nursing, and professional counseling. McKendree also grants several professional programs. The university is classified as Master’s Colleges and Universities (Master’s/L) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher EducationCarnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education
The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education is a framework for classifying, or grouping, colleges and universities in the United States. The primary purpose of the framework is for educational research and analysis, where it is often important to identify groups of roughly...
.
For 2011, McKendree was ranked 20th in Regional Midwest Colleges by U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
and is deemed a Tier I university. In addition, McKendree has full accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools , also known as the North Central Association, is a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states, that is engaged in educational accreditation...
. McKendree has been fully accredited by the North Central Association of the Higher Learning Commission since 1915 and received its ten-year renewal in 2003-2004. McKendree’s School of Education is fully accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education was founded in 1954 to accredit teacher certification programs at U.S. colleges and universities. NCATE is a council of educators created to ensure and raise the quality of preparation for their profession. NCATE is recognized by the U.S....
(NCATE). McKendree's School of Nursing and Health Professionals is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education is an autonomous nursing education accrediting agency that contributes to the improvement of the public's health. The CCNE is recognized by the U.S...
(CCNE).
The university offers associate degrees, bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
s and master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
s through its four schools:
- College of Arts and Sciences
- School of Business
- School of Nursing and Health Professions
- School of Education
More than 50% of the classes have fewer than 15 students. McKendree's student-to-faculty ratio is 15 to 1.
Main campus
McKendree University's main campus is located on a wooded 100 acres (40.5 ha) in Lebanon, Illinois, about 25 minutes from downtown St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
.
The campus is laid out in roughly a rectangle boarded by Stanton Street and College Hill Cemetery to the west and Monroe St. to the east. North Alton St. and Summerfield St. bisect the campus and are the main roads for vehicular traffic on campus.
The university opened the Russel E. and Fern M. Hettenhausen Center for the Arts (the Hett) in September 2006. The state-of-the-art the $10 million, 34400 square feet (3,195.9 m²) theater includes practice and storage space for the McKendree University band, choral department and faculty offices. The Hett includes a full-size stage with a 500-seat auditorium.
The Marion K. Piper Academic Center (Piper Academic Center or PAC for short) is the student union, which is the center of the campus, with the library located directly to the north of it. All academic buildings are located in the southwestern sections of the campus.
Residence halls
Student housing is provided along the north-central and northeastern areas of the campus. McKendree offers three different types of residence halls- traditional dorm style, suite style, and apartment style. Traditional style halls are predominantly freshmen and are co-ed by floor. The residence halls are served by the Ames Dining Hall, located between Baker Hall and Walton Hall. Traditional dorms include:- Baker Hall
- Barnett Hall
- Walton Hall
The suite style and apartment style halls are predominantly upperclassmen, freshmen are not allowed to live in McKendree West Apartments. Suite style residence halls are located in a 70-student complex on the eastern edge of campus called The Suites. The suites are co-ed by suite and include three bedrooms, one bathroom, and a common area. McKendree West Apartments are the university owned apartment style residence housing option. McKendree West houses approximately 330 students and is co-ed by apartment. They are located a half mile from the main campus. The university offers a shuttle service to transport residents to and from McKendree West, called the Bogey Bus named after McKendree's mascot, Bogey the Bearcat.
On October 23, 2010 the university held a groundbreaking ceremony for two new state-of-the-art residence halls. The new 75000 square feet (6,967.7 m²) residence halls’ are designed in a modern glass-and-brick style of architecture to blend with other modern buildings on campus as well as the many historic brick buildings. Each new hall is a three-story structure connected by a two-floor glass bridge. The project is currently in the construction phase on the northwest side of campus and are expected to open in August 2011.
Regional campuses
McKendree University also has campuses in LouisvilleLouisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
and Radcliff, Kentucky
Radcliff, Kentucky
Radcliff is a city in Hardin County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 21,961 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Elizabethtown, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, classes at Scott Air Force Base
Scott Air Force Base
Scott Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force in St. Clair County, Illinois, near Belleville.-Overview:The base is named after Corporal Frank S. Scott, the first enlisted person to be killed in an aviation crash...
, and nursing bachelors and masters programs at several locations in Southern Illinois.:
The Center at Scott Air Force Base
The Center at Scott Air Force Base is offered on-base for military personnel. Students can pursue an undergraduate degree while taking one-month classes to meet the busy and changing schedule for the service men and women.Kentucky Campuses
McKendree University also has two campuses in KentuckyKentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
located in Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
and Radcliff, Kentucky
Radcliff, Kentucky
Radcliff is a city in Hardin County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 21,961 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Elizabethtown, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. Programs at these locations are structured to provide convenience for working adults who want to pursue undergraduate degree's in: Business Administration, Marketing, Accounting, Management, Human Resources Management, Computer Information Systems, Information Technology, and Nursing; or Master Degrees in Business Administration or Nursing.
Annual all-Campus events
- April: Spring Fling
- September: Tailgate partyTailgate partyIn the United States, a tailgate party is a social event held on and around the open tailgate of a vehicle. Tailgating often involves consuming alcoholic beverages and grilling food. Tailgate parties usually occur in the parking lots at stadiums and arenas, before and occasionally after games and...
— picnic, fest, and game kicks off the footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
season - October: HomecomingHomecomingHomecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America...
— parade, fest, and footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
game - December: Christmas treeChristmas treeThe Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century...
lighting — eggnog, Christmas carolChristmas carolA Christmas carol is a carol whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas or the winter season in general and which are traditionally sung in the period before Christmas.-History:...
s, and Christmas tree illumination
Athletics
McKendree University athletic teams are called the Bearcats. The university is currently in the process of transitioning to the NCAANational Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division II from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
(NAIA). The university will compete independent during the 2011-12 academic year before becoming a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference
Great Lakes Valley Conference
The Great Lakes Valley Conference is an intercollegiate athletic conference which competes at the NCAA's Division II level. Member institutions are located in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and Wisconsin....
(GLVC) for the 2012-13 academic year. McKendree also fields a men's ice hockey as a member of the ACHA Division III
Acha
Acha is a HINDI word for OK.Acha is also an Ewokese word for OK. Ewokese is a language used in the Star Wars Ewok Adventures: Caravan Of Courage / The Battle For Endor* Acha, Argyll and Bute, Scotland...
in the Mid-American Collegiate Hockey Association
Mid-American Collegiate Hockey Association
The Mid-American Collegiate Hockey Association is a ACHA club hockey league comprising colleges and universities in the Midwestern USA. The Gold Division comprises ACHA Division II club hockey programs. The Silver Division comprises smaller colleges and universities at the ACHA D-II and D-III levels...
. McKendree University was a member of the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference was a college athletic conference that existed from 1908 to 1970 in the United States.-History:...
from 1912 to 1938. They were in the NAIA as members of the American Midwest Conference
American Midwest Conference
The American Midwest Conference is a NAIA college athletic conference with nine member institutions located in Arkansas, Illinois, and Missouri in the United States.-Members:Notes:...
(with the exception of football where they played in the Midwest League of the Mid-States Football Association
Mid-States Football Association
The Mid-States Football Association is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NAIA. Member institutions are located in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Ohio. The MSFA was organized in 1993, and on-field competition began in 1994...
) through the 2010-2011 season.
Move to the NCAA
On July 12, 2010 the university was informed by the NCAA Division II Membership Committee that it was accepted into the NCAA Division II. McKendree will continue to play in the NAIA during the two-year candidacy period. In the 2012-2013 academic year the school would be a provisional member of the NCAA. The fourth academic year, 2013–2014, the NCAA would vote to make McKendree an active member of NCAA DII.On October 6, 2010 it was announced that McKendree University received and accepted an invitation to the GLVC
Great Lakes Valley Conference
The Great Lakes Valley Conference is an intercollegiate athletic conference which competes at the NCAA's Division II level. Member institutions are located in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and Wisconsin....
. The Bearcats will become the 17th member of the GLVC. McKendree will be eligible for GLVC league championships for the certain sports in 2012-13: football, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field, men’s and women’s cross country, and women’s golf and eligible for all league championships in 2013-14 after attaining full membership into the NCAA.
The Bearcats participate at the intercollegiate level in 11 men's sports and 9 women's sports:
Men's sports
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Bowling
- Cross Country
- Football
- Golf
- Ice Hockey (ACHA DIIIAchaAcha is a HINDI word for OK.Acha is also an Ewokese word for OK. Ewokese is a language used in the Star Wars Ewok Adventures: Caravan Of Courage / The Battle For Endor* Acha, Argyll and Bute, Scotland...
) - Soccer
- Tennis
- Track and Field
- Wrestling
Women's sports
- Basketball
- Bowling
- Cross Country
- Golf
- Soccer
- Softball
- Tennis
- Track and Field
- Volleyball
Men's Basketball
McKendree's men's basketball coach, Harry StathamHarry Statham
Harry Statham is an American basketball coach. He is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Basketball Hall of Fame. His 1,043 wins during his 45 seasons at McKendree University of Lebanon, Illinois, are unmatched by any other men's basketball coach at a 4-year college...
'60, currently holds the all-time record for wins at a four-year institution. His 1,022 wins during his 44 seasons at McKendree are unmatched by any other men's basketball coach at a 4-year college or university in the United States.
External links
- McKendree University
- McKendree University Athletics
- The McKendree Review - Student-run Campus Newspaper