From the President

This year marks two significant milestones in our University's history. At our spring commencement, we recognized the graduation of our 100,000th alumnus. On July 5, Western is celebrating the 50th anniversary of our great institution transforming from a state college into a comprehensive university. We are beginning a yearlong celebration of this milestone. We need to remember the great contributions of those individuals who, 50 years ago, envisioned a Western Illinois University that would impact not only our local region, not only our state but also our nation and our global society. And during this year, we need to remember and recognize our outstanding alumni.

Fifty years later, we continue to build on the great legacy we are celebrating. Through our strategic plan, Higher Values in Higher Education, we are striving to become the leading public master's-granting university in the United States. We have had significant accomplishments this year that reflect on our commitment to that legacy. We received national recognition from U.S. News & World Report and the Princeton Review, added our first doctoral program in educational leadership, offered new undergraduate degree programs in telecommunications management—a program being enhanced by the corporate generosity of State Farm—and emergency management services; we are in the midst of proposing a bachelor's degree in nursing.

As a premier university, we are committed to creating a dynamic campus environment. This year we presented an outstanding array of programs supporting the campus theme of “Global Challenges and Personal Responsibility: Cultural Diversity.” Students, faculty, staff and community members had the opportunity to hear presentations by activist and actor Danny Glover, journalists Helen Thomas, Clarence Page, Pam Huey '72 and Mark Ridolfi; author Dinesh D'Souza; and Applebee's CEO Mike Scanlon.

We are also enhancing our facilities. Through the generosity of Al Boyer '72, the Leathernecks now compete in a wonderful new baseball stadium and were able to host our Mid-Con tournament. We are renovating Memorial Hall, rebuilding the student section of Hanson Field, adding on to our Student Recreation Center, and building a new multicultural center across from the University Union. This past spring, we held a press conference announcing the architects for our new Performing Arts Center, and in the Quad Cities, we are completing the architectural and engineering planning for our first building on our new Riverfront Campus. This campus will become a reality due to the generosity of a corporate donor: John Deere.

We have had an outstanding year in fundraising, which reflects the commitment of alumni and friends to our strategic goals. Our annual fund has seen significant increases and our endowment has grown to a record level. We have received remarkable major gifts this past year, including the Norm and Carmelita Teeter $20 million planned trust, and RPTA Professor Emeritus Gil Belles' establishment of our first donor-advised fund, with a commitment of $400,000. Please know how much we appreciate each and every gift at every level. Our ability to convince legislators and corporate donors to support our campus initiatives is made easier when we are able to point to the individuals—and in particular, alumni—who generously support our University.

I am extremely grateful to all of our alumni. Without you, our current accomplishments would not be possible. Your support helps us build on the vision of those who 50 years ago knew Western Illinois State College should and could be a university.

We also remain committed to reaching out to all of our alumni. We internationalized our events this spring with a tremendously successful trip to Asia, where we met with graduates in Korea, Japan and Taiwan. We also met alumni in Atlanta, Chicago, New York, Memphis, Florida, and many places in between. As president of Western, it is rewarding to meet with alumni from all over the world who express such enthusiastic interest and support for our University.

I look forward to continuing to work with all of you as WIU becomes an even more nationally recognized institution of higher learning.