Eureka College

Last updated
Eureka College
Eureka College seal.svg
MottoThe Moment of Discovery
Type Private college
EstablishedFebruary 6, 1855;168 years ago (February 6, 1855)
Religious affiliation
 Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Endowment $16.2 million
President Jamel Santa Cruze Wright
Students559 (Fall 2022) [1]
Location
Eureka, Illinois
,
U.S.

40°42′50″N89°16′05″W / 40.714°N 89.268°W / 40.714; -89.268
Campus112 acres (45 ha) rural
Colors    Maroon and gold
Nickname Red Devils
Sporting affiliations
 NCAA Division III – SLIAC
Website www.eureka.edu
Eureka College logo.svg

Eureka College is a private college in Eureka, Illinois, that is related by covenant to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). [2] Enrollment in 2022 was approximately 559 students.

Contents

Eureka College was the third college in the United States to admit men and women on an equal basis. It had a close connection with alumnus Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States. In 2010, Eureka College was designated as a national historic district by the National Park Service. [3]

History

Eureka College in 1904 EurekaCollege-EurIL.JPG
Eureka College in 1904

The college was founded in 1848 by a group of abolitionists who had left Kentucky because of their opposition to slavery and was originally named the Walnut Grove Academy. [4] [5] It was chartered in 1855. [6] When the school was founded, it was the first school in Illinois (and only the third in the United States) to educate women on an equal basis with men. Abingdon College merged with Eureka in 1885. [7]

Ronald Reagan

Eureka College is the smallest college or university in American history to graduate a future U.S. president with a bachelor's degree. Among its alumni throughout history are forty-two college and university presidents, seven governors and members of U.S. Congress, and the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Wilson Reagan, class of 1932. [8]

Ronald Reagan is the only president born, raised and educated in the state of Illinois. [9] Reagan's relationship with his alma mater began in 1928 when he entered as a freshman from Dixon, Illinois, at age 17. Following his graduation on June 10, 1932, with a joint major in economics and sociology, [10] Reagan returned for visits on twelve recorded occasions. He served on the board of trustees for three terms, stayed connected to his fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon, communicated with his football coach and mentor Ralph "Mac" McKinzie, and helped support fund-raising drives including with his own financial commitments to the college. Reagan gave three commencement addresses at Eureka College in 1957, 1982 and 1992. [11] He dedicated the Melick Library building in 1967 and the Reagan Physical Education Center in 1970. When he died in 2004, Eureka College was one of three officially designated recipients of memorial gifts by his family.

In 1982, President Reagan told the Eureka College audience, "Everything that has been good in my life began here." [12]

Eureka College has created programs related to Reagan, with a goal of enhancing the educational experience for its students:

Ronald Reagan Museum

Ronald Reagan on the Eureka College Football Team, 1929 Ronald Reagan in football uniform on field at Eureka College in Eureka, Illinois.jpg
Ronald Reagan on the Eureka College Football Team, 1929

The Ronald W. Reagan Museum, located within the Donald B. Cerf Center, contains a collection of objects and memorabilia largely donated by Reagan. The items are from his times as a student, actor, athlete, Governor of California and President of the United States. Admission is free. [25]

Campus

Eureka College Administration and Chapel
Eureka College Main Building flickr.jpg
Administration Building
USA Illinois location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location300 College Ave.
Eureka, Illinois
Coordinates 40°42′50″N89°16′09″W / 40.7139°N 89.2691°W / 40.7139; -89.2691
Area2.8 acres (1.1 ha)
Built1858
Architectural styleItalianate, Georgian, Federal
NRHP reference No. 80001426 [26]
Added to NRHPMay 31, 1980

Student demographics

About 48% of the students at Eureka are women, while about 52% are men. 0.5% of the students are Native American, 0.35% are Asian, 8.5% are African-American, and 82% are white. 1.2% of the students are international, but 93.5% of the students are from the state of Illinois. The first-time, full-time bachelor's seeking student retention rate is 62% and the graduation rate cohort as percent of total entering students is 70%. The student-to-faculty ratio is 13 to 1.

Eureka also offers one four-year, full-tuition scholarship to a student interested in pursuing ministry in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Ministry Fellows receive two on-site mentorships exploring ministry, minor in Philosophy and Religion, are expected to live on campus, maintain a 3.0 GPA, fully participate in ECMF activities, and display exceptional leadership, spiritual growth and maturity. [30]

Athletics

The Eureka athletic teams are the Red Devils. The college is a member of the Division III level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), [31] primarily competing in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) since the 2006–07 academic year. The Red Devils previously competed in the defunct Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference from about 1996–97 to 2005–06; and in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) until after the 1995–96 school year. Eureka was also a member of the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) from 1910–11 to 1941–42.

Eureka competes in 14 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer and wrestling; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, volleyball and wrestling.

Football

On September 1, 2012, Eureka College quarterback Sam Durley set an NCAA record with 736 passing yards in Eureka's 62–55 victory over Knox College. That beat the old record of 731 yards set by Menlo College quarterback Zamir Amin, who passed for 731 yards on Oct. 7, 2000. [32]

Greek life

As of 2019, 23% of male students are in social fraternities, while 26% of female students are in social sororities. Overall 24% of the student body are involved in Greek Life. In February 2020, the college's chapter of Delta Sigma Phi was kicked off of campus due to unknown allegations. [33]

Fraternities

Sororities

Notable speakers and visitors

Notable alumni

Honorary degree recipients

Notable faculty

Past

Present

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woodford County, Illinois</span> County in Illinois, United States

Woodford County is a county located in the state of Illinois. The 2020 United States Census listed its population at 38,467. Its county seat is Eureka. Woodford County is part of the Peoria, IL, Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its name comes from General William Woodford, an officer of the American Revolutionary War who served at the brutal military encampment at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eureka, Illinois</span> City in Illinois, United States

Eureka is a city and the county seat of Woodford County, Illinois. The population was 5,295 at the 2010 census. Eureka is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Temple University</span> Public university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US

Temple University is a public state-related research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1884 by the Baptist minister Russell Conwell and his congregation Grace Baptist Church of Philadelphia then called Baptist Temple. On May 12, 1888, it was renamed the Temple College of Philadelphia. By 1907, the institution revised its institutional status and was incorporated as a research university.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Austin College</span> Presbyterian college in Sherman, Texas

Austin College is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and located in Sherman, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Tennessee State University</span> Public university in Johnson City, Tennessee, US

East Tennessee State University (ETSU) is a public research university in Johnson City, Tennessee. It was historically part of the State University and Community College System of Tennessee under the Tennessee Board of Regents, but since 2016, the university has been transitioning to governance by a separate institutional Board of Trustees. As of May 2017, it is the fourth largest university in the state and has off-campus centers in nearby Kingsport, Elizabethton, and Sevierville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Edgar</span> Governor of Illinois from 1991 to 1999

James Edgar is an American politician who was the 38th governor of Illinois from 1991 to 1999. A moderate Republican, he also served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1976 to 1979 and as Illinois Secretary of State from 1981 to 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">College of DuPage</span> Public community college in Illinois

College of DuPage is a public community college with its main campus in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. The college also owns and operates satellite campuses in Addison, Carol Stream, Naperville and Westmont. With more than 20,000 students, the College of DuPage is the second largest provider of undergraduate education in Illinois, after University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The college serves students residing in Illinois' Community College District 502.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MacMurray College</span> Former private college in Jacksonville, Illinois, U.S.

MacMurray College was a private college in Jacksonville, Illinois. Its enrollment in fall 2015 was 570. Founded in 1846, the college closed in May 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Woods University</span> Private university in Fulton, Missouri, United States

William Woods University is a private university in Fulton, Missouri. Founded in 1870, the university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Expanding its mission to address the need for graduate and adult-oriented programs, the institution became known as William Woods University in 1993. It began offering graduate degrees and admitting men as well as women into all of its programs. It enrolled 1,681 students in 2021.


The Ronald Reagan Trail is a collection of highways in central Illinois that connect villages and cities that were of importance to former United States President Ronald Reagan. The trail was established on May 21 1999 by the Illinois General Assembly, five years prior to former President Reagan's death in June 2004. The trail was dedicated in a ceremony on August 25, 2000 with a motorcade marking the first trip. The Reagan Trail was the brainchild of the late mayor of Eureka, Illinois Joe Serangeli. A volunteer-run Reagan Trail Association maintained a web presence and promoted the trail for its initial years, but the board was dissolved in July 2016 and website transferred to the care of the Ronald W. Reagan Society of Eureka College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craig Shirley</span> Craig shriey

Craig Paul Shirley is a conservative American political consultant and author of four books on Ronald Reagan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack F. Matlock Jr.</span> American diplomat (born 1929)

Jack Foust Matlock Jr. is an American former ambassador, career Foreign Service Officer, a teacher, a historian, and a linguist. He was a specialist in Soviet affairs during some of the most tumultuous years of the Cold War, and served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union from 1987 to 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ralph McKinzie</span> American football, basketball, and baseball coach (1894–1990)

Ralph Clyde "Mac" McKinzie was an American football, basketball, and baseball coach.

Howard Warner McCollum was an American football coach and college athletics administrator. He was the 13th head football coach at Eureka College in Eureka, Illinois serving for 11 seasons, from 1979 to 1989, and compiling a record of 26–71–3. He also served as the college's athletic director, retiring in 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Franklin Burghardt</span>

William Franklin "Burgie" Burghardt was an American football and basketball coach and former athlete.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Schriesheim</span>

Alan Schriesheim is the Director Emeritus and the retired CEO of Argonne National Laboratory, one of the U.S. Department of Energy's largest research centers. In a January 2008 announcement issued by Penn State University upon the establishment of the Schriesheim Distinguished Graduate Fellowship, it was noted that "Schriesheim is an internationally acclaimed chemist and technology executive. With a career spanning 50 years in industry, academia, and government, Schriesheim was a pioneer in transforming large and highly complex research organizations to yield productive commercialized technology.

The Friars Senior Society of the University of Pennsylvania, commonly nicknamed Friars, is the oldest undergraduate secret society at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1899, it recognizes student leaders who have made a significant contribution to the university in all areas of campus life. The organization remains the most active secret senior society at the university with over 2,000 alumni in the United States and 24 countries throughout the world.

The 1931 Eureka Red Devis football team was an American football team that represented Eureka College in the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) during the 1931 college football season. In its 11th season under head coach Ralph McKinzie, the team compiled a 3–4–1 record, 2–4–1 against conference opponents.

References

  1. ↑ "Eureka College" . Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Eureka College | Best College | US News". Colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  3. ↑ Anonymous. "Eureka College listed to National Register of Historic Places – Peoria, IL". Woodford Times. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  4. ↑ Callary, Edward. 2009. Place Names of Illinois. Champaign: University of Illinois Press, p. 116.
  5. ↑ College, Eureka. "Blog – Articles – Campus News Archives". Eureka College. Retrieved 2023-08-19.
  6. ↑ Discover Eureka College Archived 2012-01-24 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ↑ "BACKTRACKING". www.thezephyr.com. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  8. ↑ "Education". peoriamagazines.com. Archived from the original on 2011-02-10. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  9. ↑ Dr. Brian Sajko (3 January 2011). "The Ideal Alum". peoriamagazines.com. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  10. ↑ "Famous Sociology Majors". Sociology.msu.edu. Archived from the original on 2011-08-27. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  11. ↑ "In Memoriam: Ronald W. Reagan". Mtco.com. Archived from the original on 2006-03-24. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  12. ↑ Keen, Judy (2011-01-24). "Heartland lays claim to native son Reagan". Usatoday.Com. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  13. ↑ "A Q&A with Michael Thurwanger". peoriamagazines.com. 3 November 2008. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  14. ↑ Michele Steinbacher msteinbacher@pantagraph.com (2009-03-28). "During Eureka visit, Gorbachev reflects on partnership with Reagan". Pantagraph.com. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  15. ↑ Anonymous (2009-03-31). "Eureka grants honorary degree to Nancy Reagan – Peoria, IL". pjstar.com. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  16. ↑ Anonymous. "Reagan appointment starts endowment – Peoria, IL". pjstar.com. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  17. ↑ Steinbacher, Michele (2010-09-07). "Edgar kicks off Eureka College's Reagan tribute". Pantagraph.com. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  18. ↑ McDowell, Jerry (2011-05-14). "Gingrich praises Reagan during speech at Eureka". Pantagraph.com. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  19. ↑ Steinbacher, Michele (2011-01-13). "Eureka set for 'Reagan and the Midwest' event". Pantagraph.com. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  20. ↑ "Eureka College gift to be used for Reagan Research Center". Disciples.org. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  21. ↑ EurekaCollegeMedia (17 April 2012). "Acceptance Remarks James A. Baker, III, Eureka College Honorary Reagan Fellow, March 28, 2012". Archived from the original on 2021-12-22. Retrieved 21 July 2018– via YouTube.
  22. ↑ Adams, Pam. "Eureka announces major gift from Reagan brother's estate" . Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  23. ↑ "Google". www.google.com. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  24. ↑ EurekaCollegeMedia (25 November 2014). "Secretary George P. Shultz, Honorary Reagan Fellow Ceremony, (San Francisco), November 18, 2014". Archived from the original on 2021-12-22. Retrieved 21 July 2018– via YouTube.
  25. ↑ "Eureka". The Ronald Reagan Trail. 2008-09-28. Archived from the original on 2011-06-09. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  26. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  27. ↑ "The Council of Independent Colleges: Historic Campus Architecture Project". Hcap.artstor.org. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  28. ↑ "National Register of Historical Places – Illinois, Woodford County". Nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  29. ↑ "Eureka College opens new $6.7M Sanders Hall". www.pjstar.com. 2014-08-26. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  30. ↑ "the eureka idea". Eureka.edu. 2008-06-14. Archived from the original on 2011-09-29. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  31. ↑ "Eureka College Athletics – Eureka, Illinois – Undergraduate Search". Petersons.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-18. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  32. ↑ "Division III QB sets NCAA single-game passing record". Yahoo!Sports. 1 September 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
  33. ↑ "Delta Sigma Phi fraternity kicked off campus at Eureka College | CIProud.com". 28 February 2020.
  34. ↑ "Oct 9". ww1.eureka.edu. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  35. ↑ "Dec 8". ww1.eureka.edu. Archived from the original on 4 September 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  36. ↑ "Nov 26". ww1.eureka.edu. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  37. ↑ "Freeport Journal-Standard from Freeport, Illinois on September 28, 1967 · Page 11" . Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  38. ↑ "Sept 29". ww1.eureka.edu. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  39. ↑ Wikiquote:Ray Bradbury
  40. ↑ "Sept 26". ww1.eureka.edu. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  41. ↑ "Gorbachev Visits Eureka College - CIProud". Archived from the original on 2014-09-03. Retrieved 2014-08-31.
  42. ↑ McDowell, Jerry. "Gingrich praises Reagan during speech at Eureka" . Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  43. ↑ "Edwin Meese III Remarks at Eureka College". C-SPAN.org. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  44. ↑ "Exclusive: Sarah Palin Visits Eureka College | WEEK News 25 - News, Sports, Weather - Peoria, Illinois | Political". Archived from the original on 2012-06-19. Retrieved 2014-08-31.
  45. ↑ "First woman Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor at Eureka College | WEEK News 25 - News, Sports, Weather - Peoria, Illinois | Top Stories". Archived from the original on 2014-08-31. Retrieved 2014-08-31.
  46. ↑ "Governor Scott Walker (R-WI) Remarks at Eureka College". C-SPAN.org. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  47. ↑ "Former Caterpillar CEO James Owens to discuss U.S. economy at EC presentation - Eureka College" . Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  48. ↑ "Nebraska Governor William Amos Poynter". National Governors Association. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  49. ↑ "Nebraska Legislative Year Book – 1897".
  50. ↑ "Nov 2". ww1.eureka.edu. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  51. ↑ "Jan 5". ww1.eureka.edu. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  52. ↑ Yeager 63
  53. ↑ "Dr. Emik Avakian '48 a reason to invest". Eureka College. Archived from the original on 27 May 2010. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  54. ↑ Sobota, Lenore. "Banners honor Eureka alumni achievements" . Retrieved 21 July 2018.

Bibliography

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.