Elmhurst University

In 1871, Jennie and Thomas Barbour Bryan gave land in Elmhurst to the German Evangelical Synod of the Northwest. This land was given for the purpose of establishing a school to prepare young men for the theological seminary and to train teachers for parochial schools, and was named the Elmhurst Proseminary.{{cite web|title=A Spartan Beginning At Elmhurst College |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1997/10/19/a-spartan-beginning-at-elmhurst-college/|access-date=2015-08-08}} The first students, who were all male, studied Latin, Greek, English, German, music, history, geography, mathematics, science, and religion. All classes were taught in German. It wasn't until 1917 that the catalog was published in English. In 1919, the name was changed to the Elmhurst Academy and Junior College,{{cite web|title=Souvenir of the golden jubilee. June 5, 1921 |url=https://archive.org/stream/souvenirofgolden00elmh#page/n0/mode/2up |website=archive.org|access-date=2015-08-21}}{{cite web|title=Elmhurst College |url=http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1425.html |access-date=2015-08-08}} and the expanded curriculum included courses in public speaking, physical education, economics, psychology, and the history of education. In 1924, the school was renamed Elmhurst College{{Cite web|url=http://elmhurstpubliclibrary.org/lib/wp-content/uploads/Elmhurst-Centennial-Program.pdf|title=100 Years of Elmhurst News, page 39|access-date=Aug 23, 2019}}{{cite web|title=Theology Schools: Elmhurst College|url=http://www.theology-schools.com/theology_schools/elmhurst-college/|website=theology-schools.com|access-date=2015-08-08|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151125065843/http://www.theology-schools.com/theology_schools/elmhurst-college/|archive-date=2015-11-25}} and became a four-year college for men. The college seal was designed in the 1920s by Robert Leonhardt,{{Cite web|url=https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll10|title=CONTENTdm|website=digital.la84.org|access-date=Aug 23, 2019}} first registrar of the college, who also served as coach of the football team. Women first enrolled in 1930, and four years later, the college was accredited.{{cite web|title=CHEA Database of Institutions Accredited By Recognized U.S. Accrediting Organizations|url=http://www.chea.org/search/actionInst.asp?CheaID=203758|website=chea.org|access-date=2015-08-20|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923202517/http://www.chea.org/search/actionInst.asp?CheaID=203758|archive-date=2015-09-23}} The college began its graduate programs in 1998, and in 2012 the School for Professional Studies (SPS) was established{{cite web|title=Elmhurst College Will Launch School for Professional Studies July 1|date=4 April 2012 |url=http://patch.com/illinois/elmhurst/elmhurst-college-will-launch-school-for-professional-9c9e9227c5|access-date=2015-08-09}}{{cite web|title=Suburban leaders learn about Elmhurst College's School for Professional Studies – The Business Ledger |url=http://dhbusinessledger.com/Content/Social/Social/Article/Suburban-leaders-learn-about-Elmhurst-College-s-School-for-Professional-Studies/-2/-2/6232 |website=dhbusinessledger.com |access-date=2015-08-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151125122952/http://dhbusinessledger.com/Content/Social/Social/Article/Suburban-leaders-learn-about-Elmhurst-College-s-School-for-Professional-Studies/-2/-2/6232 |archive-date=2015-11-25 }} to offer a wide range of online programs, including undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees and certificate programs.{{cite web|url=http://www.elmhurst.edu/admission/school_for_professional_studies|title=Elmhurst College: SPS|access-date=7 June 2016}} On June 15, 2019, the Elmhurst College Board of Trustees approved a name change to Elmhurst University, which took place July 1, 2020.{{Cite web|title=As Colleges Close, Elmhurst College Grows And Rebrands As A University |date=3 July 2019 |url=https://www.wbez.org/stories/as-colleges-close-elmhurst-college-grows-and-rebrands-as-a-university/52efb24b-a1a9-4708-bba5-9456e79a5abb|language=en|access-date=1 July 2020}}

File:ElmhurstOldMain.JPG

The campus is {{convert|48|acre|ha|1}} in Elmhurst, Illinois, a Chicago suburb. It is a certified Level 2 Arboretum{{cite web|title=Arbnet {{!}} Elmhurst College Arboretum |url=http://www.arbnet.org/morton-register/elmhurst-college-arboretum|website=www.arbnet.org|access-date=2015-08-20}} and a member of Tree Campus USA,{{cite web|title=Tree Campus USA Schools|url=http://www.arborday.org/programs/treecampususa/campuses.cfm|website=www.arborday.org|access-date=2015-08-09}} with more than 950 different species from around the globe.{{cite web|url=http://www.elmhurst.edu/collections/arboretum|title=Elmhurst College: The Elmhurst College Arboretum|access-date=7 June 2016}}

• The Frick Center houses lounges, a dining hall, E.C. Grille, Frick Center Café, the Game Room, the Spirit Shop (where university apparel and memorabilia is sold), the Central Printing and Mail Room, conference rooms, the university radio station WRSE-FM (88.7mHz) as well as The Niebuhr Center for Engagement and Reflection, whose stated mission is to provide engaging experiences and meaningful reflection for the community to cultivate a sense of purpose in life. The offices of the Student Government Association, Union Board, the Elms Yearbook, Student Affairs and Student Activities are also in the Frick Center.{{cite web|url=http://www.elmhurst.edu/academics/1265687.html|title=Elmhurst College: Learning Center|access-date=7 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427052934/http://www.elmhurst.edu/academics/1265687.html|archive-date=2015-04-27|url-status=dead}} Built in 1964 and formerly known as the College Union Building, it was renamed in 1994 to honor the university's eleventh president, Dr. Ivan E. Frick{{cite web |title=Elmhurst College To Lose President To Retirement|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1993/04/28/elmhurst-college-to-lose-president-to-retirement/|access-date=2015-08-10}} and his wife Ruth Hudson Frick.{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/chicagotribune/obituary.aspx?pid=174721929|title=Ruth Frick Obituary|website=Legacy.com |access-date=30 September 2016}} The Frick Center also houses the Blume Board Room, named in honor of former board of trustees member and graduate Allen C. Blume{{cite web |title=The Rev Dr. Allen C. Blume's Obituary on|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/rgj/obituary.aspx?n=allen-c-blume&pid=143625953|website=Reno Gazette-Journal|access-date=2015-09-08}} (1955) and his wife Phyllis,{{cite web|url=http://www.elmhurst.edu/home/news/1967452.html|title=Elmhurst College: $1 Million Gift to Elmhurst College|access-date=7 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160812130503/http://www.elmhurst.edu/home/news/1967452.html|archive-date=2016-08-12|url-status=dead}} as well as the Brune Patio, named in honor of graduate and benefactor Joan Brune (1951) as a gift to the university from her husband, graduate and benefactor Lester H. Brune (1948).{{cite web|url=http://www.elmhurst.edu/alumni/publications/fyi/stories/262009131.html|title=Elmhurst College: FYI Magazine - Spring 2014 - History Lessons|access-date=7 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304202714/http://www.elmhurst.edu/alumni/publications/fyi/stories/262009131.html|archive-date=2016-03-04|url-status=dead}}
• The Barbara A. Kieft Accelerator ArtSpace houses a 750,000-volt Cockcroft-Walton{{Cite web|url=https://history.aip.org/history/exhibits/lawrence/epa.htm|title=Early Particle Accelerators - Ernest Lawrence and the Cyclotron: AIP History Center Web Exhibit|website=history.aip.org|access-date=Aug 23, 2019}} particle accelerator. Originally built by Dr. Sam Allison, professor of physics at University of Chicago, it was moved to Elmhurst in the late 1960s and became operational in 1973. The accelerator was deactivated when the building began its new life as an art exhibition space in 2004.{{cite web|url=http://www.elmhurst.edu/news/4395246.html|title=Elmhurst College: The 'Barbara A. Kieft Accelerator ArtSpace'|access-date=7 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304195137/http://www.elmhurst.edu/news/4395246.html|archive-date=2016-03-04|url-status=dead}}
• The A.C. Buehler Library,{{cite web|title=A.C. Buehler Library – Elmhurst College|url=http://librarytechnology.org/libraries/library.pl?id=3182|website=librarytechnology.org |access-date=2015-08-08}}{{Cite web|url=http://libras.org/?q=news/congratulations-elmhurst-college|title=LIBRAS – Supporting libraries since 1965|access-date=Aug 23, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=http://chicagotribune.newspapers.com/|title=Chicago Tribune - Historical Newspapers|website=Chicago Tribune|access-date=Aug 23, 2019}} named in honor of the former president of the Victor Comptometer Corporation{{cite web|title=John Wolff's Web Museum – The Victor Adding Machine Company |url=http://www.johnwolff.id.au/calculators/Victor/Victor.htm|website=www.johnwolff.id.au|access-date=2015-08-10}} and board of trustees member, is home to over 237,000 volumes and a highly regarded collection of Chicago Imagists art.{{cite web|title=The Elmhurst College Art Collection – Chicago Imagist & Abstract Art|url=http://elmhurstcollegeartcollection.com/ |website=elmhurstcollegeartcollection.com|access-date=2015-08-07}}{{cite web|title=Paschke back home in Elmhurst collection|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2010/06/10/paschke-back-home-in-elmhurst-collection/|access-date=2015-08-12}} It opened in 1971 and was renovated in 1993 and again in 2002, due to a donation from the estate of graduate Gladys (1940) and Ray Robinson. The library now has almost a hundred computers for general use and thousands of audio-visual materials. The library is also home for the Learning Center (tutoring and study skills assistance for students), the Center for Professional Excellence,{{cite web|title=Elmhurst College CPE Mentoring Program Receives Accreditation|url=http://elmhurstchamber.org/index.php/community-news3/952-elmhurst-college-cpe-mentoring-program-receives-accreditation|website=elmhurstchamber.org|access-date=2015-08-15|first=John|last=Quigley|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304084729/http://elmhurstchamber.org/index.php/community-news3/952-elmhurst-college-cpe-mentoring-program-receives-accreditation|archive-date=2016-03-04}} which provides career guidance, resume assistance, internships, networking, mentoring and job shadowing opportunities for all students, as well as the Rudolf G. Schade Archives and Special Collections{{cite web|title=Rev. Rudolf Schade, 92, Elmhurst Professor|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2000/12/07/rev-rudolf-schade-92-elmhurst-professor/|access-date=2015-08-12}} and the Honors Program student lounge.{{cite web|url=http://www.elmhurst.edu/honors|title=Elmhurst College: Honors Program|access-date=7 June 2016}}
• Daniels Hall, renamed in 2008 in honor of former Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives and current Elmhurst University faculty member Lee A. Daniels, is home to the computer laboratories, the departments of Mathematics, Computer Science and Information Systems, World Languages, Literatures & Cultures, Intercultural Studies, and Geography and Geosciences.{{cite web|url=http://www.elmhurst.edu/geography|title=Elmhurst College: Geography & Geosciences|access-date=7 June 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://prev.dailyherald.com/story/?id=113061 |title=College to name building after Lee Daniels -- Daily Herald |access-date=7 June 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625122638/http://prev.dailyherald.com/story/?id=113061 |archive-date=25 June 2016 }} It opened in 1988 as the Computer Science and Technology Center. Daniels Hall is also home to the Graduate Admission office, as well as general classrooms, the Gretsch{{cite web |title=Official blog of The Gretsch Company featuring updates and news from the music industry relating to all things Gretsch. » Elmhurst College |url=http://blog.gretsch.com/tag/elmhurst-college/ |website=blog.gretsch.com |access-date=2015-08-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120514122542/http://blog.gretsch.com/tag/elmhurst-college/ |archive-date=2012-05-14 |url-status=dead }} Recording Studio.
• Constructed in 1911 as a dormitory and named for the fourth president, Daniel Irion,{{cite web|title=DR. DANIEL IRION DIES; ELMHURST COLLEGE LEADER (October 27, 1935) |url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1935/10/27/page/20/article/dr-daniel-irion-dies-elmhurst-college-leader|access-date=2015-08-12}} Irion Hall now houses the Music department.{{cite web|url=http://www.elmhurst.edu/music|title=Elmhurst College: Music Department|access-date=7 June 2016}} The building's 120-seat Buik Recital Hall (named in honor of The Buik family, including former board of trustees member Donald W. Buik{{cite web |title=Donald Buik's Obituary on|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/chicagotribune/obituary.aspx?n=donald-buik&pid=175801420|website=ChicagoTribune.com|access-date=2015-09-11}} and his wife Betty,{{cite web|title=Betty Buik's Obituary on|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/chicagotribune/obituary.aspx?n=betty-buik&pid=168134660&fhid=2016 |website=ChicagoTribune.com|access-date=2015-09-11}} as well as the John J. Roche family) is used for concerts, recitals and lectures. Buik was renovated in 2013 due to a donation from graduate and benefactor Lori Julian (2008). Irion Hall housed the college's first official library from 1912 to 1922. The building was fully renovated in 1979 and has its own recording studio as well as a choir room,{{cite web|title=Elmhurst Choral Union – Inspired singers. Moving music.|url=http://elmhurstchoralunion.org/|website=elmhurstchoralunion.org|access-date=2015-08-12}} rehearsal hall,{{cite web|title=Strings at Elmhurst|url=http://jmay7954.wix.com/strings-at-elmhurst|access-date=2016-09-28}} percussion room, listening room, two music classrooms, extensive music libraries and individual practice rooms.{{cite web|title=One of Elmhurst College's Oldest Buildings Turns 100; Come Join the Party Sept. 29|date=20 September 2012 |url=http://patch.com/illinois/elmhurst/one-of-elmhurst-college-s-oldest-buildings-turns-100-d208c08ba2|access-date=2015-08-08}}
• Kranz Forum is the site of a statue of Reinhold Niebuhr, a preeminent 20th-century theologian and 1910 graduate of the Elmhurst Proseminary, and the former site of Kranz Hall,{{cite web |title=Photograph, Elmhurst College; Robert Kross; 1981; M93.22.66 – Elmhurst Historical Museum on eHive|url=https://ehive.com/account/3898/object/188439/Photograph_Elmhurst_College |website=eHive|access-date=2015-08-13}} constructed in 1873 and the first building on campus. The Niebuhr statue{{cite web|title=Reinhold Niebuhr Statue - Elmhurst College, Elmhurst, IL - Statues of Historic Figures on Waymarking.com|url=http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM3QXE_Reinhold_Niebuhr_Statue_Elmhurst_College_Elmhurst_IL |website=www.waymarking.com|access-date=2015-08-20}} was sculpted by Robert Berks and has Niebuhr's Serenity Prayer etched on it in two places.{{Cite web |title=Reinhold Niebuhr Historical Marker |url=https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=256924 |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=www.hmdb.org |language=en}} Kranz Hall was razed in 1981,{{cite web|title=November 1970 |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/elmhurst/chi-classic-photos-elmhurst-college-20140512-001-photo.html|access-date=2015-08-21|first=Chicago|last=Tribune|website=Chicago Tribune }} and Kranz Forum dedicated in 1982. The plaque noting the location of Kranz Hall is mounted on a base built with stone blocks salvaged from the original building.
• Memorial Hall houses the Deicke Center for Nursing Education. Formerly Memorial Library, the building was named in honor of the 900 young men of the Evangelical Synod who lost their lives in World War I. The original dedication plaques for those lost are still located in the main lobby, which remains as it was when the building opened in 1922. Memorial Library was renovated for its current use and renamed Memorial Hall when Buehler Library opened in 1971. In 2014, the Nursing Simulation Laboratory moved out of Memorial Hall and into its new facility at Elmhurst Memorial Hospital in a collaboration between the two institutions.{{cite web|title=Elmhurst College to Build Simulation Labs in Elmhurst Memorial Hospital |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/chi-ugc-article-elmhurst-college-to-build-simulation-labs-in-2-2013-09-10-story.html|access-date=2015-08-12|first=Chicago Tribune|last=UGC|website=Chicago Tribune }}{{cite web|url=http://www.elmhurst.edu/news/archive/278686551.html|title=Elmhurst College: Simulation Center Officially Opens|access-date=7 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923235732/http://www.elmhurst.edu/news/archive/278686551.html|archive-date=2015-09-23|url-status=dead}}
• Built in 1878 as a dormitory, Old Main (also known as Hauptgebaude) is the oldest building on campus. It houses the departments of Art, Urban Studies, History, Religious Studies, Sociology & Criminal Justice, and Political Science, as well as art studios (including individual spaces for student artists) and general classrooms. Old Main is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.{{cite web|title=AssetDetail|url=http://focus.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/76002162|website=focus.nps.gov|access-date=2015-09-09}} It was renovated in 1920 after a major fire, and again in 1976 and 1995.{{cite web|title=The Council of Independent Colleges: Historic Campus Architecture Project |url=http://puka.cs.waikato.ac.nz/cgi-bin/cic/library?a=d&d=p581 |website=puka.cs.waikato.ac.nz |access-date=2015-08-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151125010319/http://puka.cs.waikato.ac.nz/cgi-bin/cic/library?a=d&d=p581 |archive-date=2015-11-25 }} At one time or another, Old Main housed the science labs, the college cafeteria, a pipe organ, and a Fumatorium (smoking room) where students in the early 1900s smoked, talked and played chess. Along with Irion Hall, Old Main even served as the university library (in an unofficial capacity) before Memorial Library was built.{{cite web|title=Classic photos: Elmhurst College – Chicago Tribune|url=http://galleries.apps.chicagotribune.com/chi-classic-photos-elmhurst-college-20140512/|access-date=2015-08-08}}
• Mill Theater was acquired by the university in the early 1960s. Before becoming the primary theatrical space for the college, the single story building functioned as the molding mill for the Hammerschmidt lumber operations. (Legend has it that David Payne, Theater Technical Director who died in an accident in 1968, haunts the theater and Scene Shop.{{cite web|title=Haunted Mill Theater and Scene Shop – Elmhurst, Illinois|url=http://www.hauntdetective.com/hauntings-legends-folklore/suburban-chicago/west-suburban/63-mill-theater |website=www.hauntdetective.com|access-date=2015-08-08|first=Ray|last=Johnson}}) The theater itself is a thrust space with seating for 180. With the donations from alumni, improvements were made in 2010 which included a new lighting system, sound system, ventilation, and stage.{{cite web|title=September 24 News & Notes|url=http://www.elmhurstchamber.org/index.php/news/576-september-24-news-notes|website=www.elmhurstchamber.org|access-date=2015-08-24|first=John|last=Quigley|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151125072650/http://www.elmhurstchamber.org/index.php/news/576-september-24-news-notes|archive-date=2015-11-25}} The summer of 2012 saw a renovation of the lobby, doubling its size, and included the addition of a new box office, public restrooms and renovated theater seating, due to alumna Meredith Wallenberg Morrison's (1972) donation through The Wollenberg Foundation.{{cite web|title=Elmhurst College's Mill Theatre to get upgrade after alumna's gift |url=http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120519/submitted/705199925/|access-date=2015-08-24 |first=Elmhurst College|last=submission|date=19 May 2012 }}{{cite web|title=Mill Theatre at Elmhurst College upgraded|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-11-07/news/ct-tl-elmhurst-mill-20121031_1_box-office-public-bathrooms-lobby|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108152646/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-11-07/news/ct-tl-elmhurst-mill-20121031_1_box-office-public-bathrooms-lobby|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 8, 2012|access-date=2015-08-07}} A "black box" style theater like those found in many cities and towns, Mill Theater gives students hands-on experience with all aspects of theater operations, including the opportunity to direct as well as have their own original stage plays workshopped and possibly premiered.{{cite web|url=http://www.elmhurst.edu/communication/1279832.html|title=Elmhurst College: The Mill Theatre|access-date=7 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906005300/http://www.elmhurst.edu/communication/1279832.html|archive-date=2015-09-06|url-status=dead}}
• The Science Center, dedicated in 1966 and renamed the Arthur J. Schaible Science Center in 1994 in honor of an accomplished graduate (1929) and benefactor,{{Cite web|url=http://archive.org/details/everwideningcirc00cutr|title=An ever-widening circle : the Elmhurst College years|first=Melitta J.|last=Cutright|date=Aug 23, 1995|publisher=Elmhurst, Ill. : Elmhurst College Press|access-date=Aug 23, 2019|via=Internet Archive}} houses the Biology, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Psychology, and Physics departments, as well as general classrooms and 120-seat lecture room Illinois Hall. It also houses the Bates Observatory, which has a 14" computer-controlled Schmidt–Cassegrain telescope and is named in honor of benefactors Alben F. Bates,{{cite web|title=Alben F Bates And Clara G Bates Foundation in Elmhurst, Illinois (IL) |url=http://www.faqs.org/tax-exempt/IL/Alben-F-Bates-And-Clara-G-Bates-Foundation.html|website=www.faqs.org|access-date=2015-08-08}} an Elmhurst attorney, and board of trustees member Joy P. Rasin. Renovation was completed on the physics labs in 2014, the two main biology labs were renovated in 2015, and in 2016, two chemistry labs were renovated.{{cite web|title=Governor Quinn Awards $1.8 Million Grant to Elmhurst College|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/elmhurst/community/chi-ugc-article-governor-quinn-awards-18-million-grant-to-e-2014-10-29-story.html|access-date=2015-08-12 |first=Chicago Tribune|last=UGC|website=Chicago Tribune }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20101116/BLOGS03/311169998/dennis-patterson-wellspring-founder-who-came-from-humble-beginnings-pledges-2-million-to-elmhurst-college|title=Dennis Patterson, Wellspring founder who came from humble beginnings, pledges $2 million to Elmhurst College|date=Nov 16, 2010|website=Crain's Chicago Business|access-date=Aug 23, 2019}}
• Goebel Hall, which opened in 1928 as the university gymnasium, was renovated in 1978 and again in 1989, when it was converted into an administration building and renamed in honor of the university's third president, Peter Goebel.{{Cite web|url=http://archive.org/details/firstonehundredy43elmh|title=The First one hundred years|date=Aug 23, 1900|publisher=Elmhurst, Ill. : Elmhurst College|access-date=Aug 23, 2019|via=Internet Archive}} Offices for Academic Affairs, Advising, Student Financial Services, and Registration and Records can be found there. The lower-level houses the Football locker rooms and offices.
• The Physical Education Center opened in 1983, and was renamed R.A. Faganel Hall in 2000 in honor of graduate Robert A. Faganel (1952).{{cite web|title=College Gym Renamed For Donor |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2000/03/03/college-gym-renamed-for-donor/|access-date=2015-08-20}}{{cite web|title=Faganel Builders, LLC – About Us, Why Faganel Builders?|url=http://www.faganelhomes.com/About/history.html|website=www.faganelhomes.com|access-date=2015-08-22|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305120823/http://www.faganelhomes.com/About/history.html|archive-date=2016-03-05}} Faganel Hall houses the Kinesiology Department, athletic coaching offices, two basketball courts (competition and practice), two racquetball courts, a dance studio, training rooms, equipment rooms and team locker rooms. The Tyrrell Fitness Center was added on the west side of the building in 2001 and provides weight training and physical fitness facilities for students, faculty and staff. The center is named in honor of former board of trustees chairperson and graduate Tom Tyrrell (1967) and his wife Diane Tyrrell, who donated the funds for its construction. File:Chapel Steeple.jpg
• Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel, dedicated in 1959 and named in honor of benefactor Louis Hammerschmidt and family, serves as both a place of worship and for public lectures, musical events and other assemblies. The building served as a temporary library in 1993 when the A.C. Buehler library was being renovated, then underwent its own renovation and reopened 1994.{{cite web|title=Elmhurst College Chapel Will Reopen With Musical Fanfare |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1994/02/20/elmhurst-college-chapel-will-reopen-with-musical-fanfare/|access-date=2015-08-20}} It houses the English and Philosophy departments as well as general classrooms. The chapel has two pipe organs, a Moller Opus on the stage in the main auditorium{{cite web|title=OHS Database: Instrument Details |url=http://database.organsociety.org/SingleOrganDetails.php?OrganID=37592|website=database.organsociety.org|access-date=2015-08-08}} and a smaller pipe organ in the Prayer Chapel. The main auditorium seats about 1,000.
• Lehmann Hall opened in 1951 as a senior men's dormitory, and is named after the university's seventh president, Timothy Lehmann.{{cite web|title=Elmhurst Head Hails Ideals of Small Colleges |url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1938/06/05/page/18/article/elmhurst-head-hails-ideals-of-small-colleges|access-date=2015-08-12}} In 1982, it was remodeled and houses the Office of the President as well as Communication and Public Affairs, Development and Alumni Relations, Office of Campus Security, and academic departments Communication Arts and Sciences, Economics, and Business.
• Jean Koplin Memorial Hall (formerly Circle Hall, dedicated in 2004) houses the Admission Office, as well as the Speech Clinic, the Communication Sciences & Disorders department, the Education department, and general classrooms.
• The Lester Brune Tennis Courts,{{cite web|title=Lester Brune Tennis Courts|url=http://www.elmhurstbluejays.com/sports/2009/8/7/GEN_0807092326.aspx|website=Elmhurst College |access-date=2015-09-08}} built in 2003, are named in honor of graduate and benefactor Lester H. Brune (1948) as a gift to the university from his wife, graduate and benefactor Joan Brune (1951).

In 1943–44, Elmhurst University admitted four new students from California—American citizens of Japanese descent, or Nisei—at a time when more than 110,000 people of Japanese descent had been sent to 10 government "relocation centers" in desolate regions of the American West. Elmhurst was one of a number of colleges and universities that attempted to right the wrong of the relocation camps by opening its doors to Japanese-American students during World War II. (The U.S. government agreed that the Nisei could enroll in participating schools, provided that they passed an FBI background check.){{cite web|title=National Japanese American Student Relocation Council|url=http://www.lib.washington.edu/exhibits/harmony/UW-new/Admin/njasrc.html|access-date=2016-09-23}} The Student Refugee Committee, a new campus organization, and President Timothy Lehmann paved the way for the students to enroll—over the vocal opposition of a small group of local residents, including members of the American Legion. The Elmhurst Press ran a front-page editorial with the headline, "No Room For Jap Students in this Town". However, support for the Nisei on campus was "practically 100 percent", President Lehmann noted at the time.{{cite web|url=http://www.elmhurst.edu/magazine/indepth/136028648.html|title=Elmhurst College: Prospect Winter 2012 - A Long Way Home - Article|access-date=7 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150822100122/http://www.elmhurst.edu/magazine/indepth/136028648.html|archive-date=2015-08-22|url-status=dead}}

In the summer of 1966, the university brought Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to the podium of Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel during Dr. King's historic, yearlong effort to racially desegregate city and suburban neighborhoods in the Chicago area.{{cite web|title=NCUR |url=https://ncurdb.cur.org/ncur2014/archive/Display_NCUR.aspx?id=51764 |website=ncurdb.cur.org |access-date=2015-08-20 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The university later established an annual Martin Luther King Jr. Guestship,{{cite web|title=Angelou: When life clouds, look for the rainbows |date=28 May 2014 |url=http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20140528/news/140528326/|access-date=2015-08-20}} which examines issues and ideas related to Dr. King's work.

The university has fourteen Social Action and Service Groups for students to join, among them Habitat for Humanity,{{Cite web|url=http://echabitat.yolasite.com/|title=Habitat for Humanity - Elmhurst College|website=echabitat.yolasite.com|access-date=Aug 23, 2019}} Best Buddies,{{Cite web|url=http://bestbuddieselmhurst.wix.com/bestbuddieselmhurstcollege|title=Wix.com BestBuddiesElmhurstCollege created by BESTBUDDIESELMHURST based on my-gallery | Wix.com|website=Wix.com BestBuddiesElmhurstCollege created by BESTBUDDIESELMHURST based on my-gallery|access-date=Aug 23, 2019}} Active Minds,{{cite web|title=Congratulations 5-Star and 4-Star Chapters! {{!}} Active Minds Blog|url=http://activemindsblog.org/congratulations-5-star-and-4-star-chapters/ |website=activemindsblog.org |access-date=2015-08-20}} the Global Poverty Club,{{cite web|url=http://www.triblocal.com/elmhurst/community/stories/2009/10/elmhurst-college-student-group-launches-poverty-week/ |title=Elmhurst College Student Group Launches Poverty Week |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304122732/http://www.triblocal.com/elmhurst/community/stories/2009/10/elmhurst-college-student-group-launches-poverty-week/ |archive-date=2016-03-04 }} Relay For Life,{{Cite web|url=http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLCY20NCR?pg=entry&fr_id=95325&s_locale=en_US|title=Relay For Life | Cancer Walk | Cancer Fundraising Events|website=main.acsevents.org|access-date=Aug 23, 2019}} Autism Speaks,{{cite web|url=http://events.autismspeaks.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=nuLTJ6MPKrH&b=8008283&ct=11752955|title=New EC Organization Sheds Light on Autism Awareness}} Students Assisting Animal Shelters,{{Cite web|url=https://ecsaas.webs.com/|title=Students Assisting Animal Shelters|website=Students Assisting Animal Shelters|access-date=Aug 23, 2019}} the Greenjays{{cite web|url=http://www.greenjays.webs.com/ |title=Home – EC Greenjay |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130814213005/http://greenjays.webs.com/ |archive-date=2013-08-14 }} (sustainability club), Alpha Phi Omega and others.

In 2011, the university decided to include an optional question about prospective students’ sexual orientation and gender identity in its admission application in order to better serve all Elmhurst University students.{{Cite news|title=More College Applications Ask About Sexual Identity|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/04/education/edlife/more-college-applications-ask-about-sexual-identity.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=2013-07-30|access-date=2015-08-08|issn=0362-4331|first=Samantha|last=Stainburn}}

Elmhurst University offers bachelor's degrees and master's degrees. Approximately 3,350 full-time and part-time students are enrolled in its 26 undergraduate academic departments,{{cite web|url=http://www.elmhurst.edu/academics/departments|title=Elmhurst College: Departments & Programs|access-date=7 June 2016}} 15 certificate programs, and 17 master's programs,{{cite web|url=http://www.elmhurst.edu/admission/graduate|title=Elmhurst College: Graduate Programs|access-date=7 June 2016}} including an MBA.{{cite web|title=The online MBA: Advantages, disadvantages in growing trend|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/bluesky/series/mba/ct-mba-online-programs-bsi-20150810-story.html |access-date=2015-08-12 |first=Blue|last=Sky|website=Chicago Tribune }} There are also 15 preprofessional programs,{{cite web|title=The John Marshall Law School, Elmhurst College Team Up to Offer Joint Programs in Law and Business|url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/the_john_marshall_law_school_elmhurst_college_team_up_to_offer_joint_programs_in_law_and_business/prweb12397590.htm|access-date=2015-08-20}} and accelerated Degree Completion Programs designed primarily for working adults. The college offers 63 majors and allows students the flexibility to create their own.{{cite web|url=http://www.elmhurst.edu/academics/majors|title=Elmhurst College: Majors|access-date=7 June 2016}} The Elmhurst University Integrated Curriculum (EUIC) requires each student to take several courses from the Areas of Knowledge curriculum and the Skill and Value Development subjects, but there is a wide variety of classes that can be used to fulfill these requirements. The average class has 17 students, although lower class sizes exist primarily in courses tailored to fine arts majors. Traditional general educational classes range between 25 and 35 students per class. The student to faculty ratio is 13 to 1.{{cite web |title=Elmhurst College {{!}} Academic Life {{!}} Best College {{!}} US News|url=http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/elmhurst-college-1676/academics |website=US News |access-date=2015-08-10}} Its most popular undergraduate majors, based on number out of 736 graduates in 2022, were:{{cite web |url=https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=Elmhurst&s=all&id=144962#programs |website=nced.ed.gov/collegenavigator |publisher=U.S. Dept of Education |title=Elmhurst University |access-date=March 3, 2023}}

• Psychology (83)
• Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (56)
• Biology/Biological Sciences (42)
• Business Administration, Management and Operations (33)
• Teacher Education (33)
• Communication Sciences and Disorders (29)
• Business Administration and Management (27)

The university has a 4-1-4 academic calendar (four month fall term, optional one month January term (J-term), and four month spring term) as well as two summer school sessions.{{cite web|url=http://www.elmhurst.edu/magazine/indepth/9970301.html|title=Elmhurst College: Prospect - In Depth - Midwinter Feast|access-date=7 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106234234/http://www.elmhurst.edu/magazine/indepth/9970301.html|archive-date=2016-01-06|url-status=dead}}

The EUabroad program offers students short- and long-term opportunities to study in foreign countries, including bilateral foreign exchange programs with educational institutions around the world.{{cite web|title=Generation Study Abroad {{!}} Commitment Partners {{!}} Institutions of Higher Educations|url=http://www.iie.org/Programs/Generation-Study-Abroad/Commitment-Partners/US-Higher-Education-Institutions|website=www.iie.org|access-date=2015-08-20|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150831070745/http://www.iie.org/Programs/Generation-Study-Abroad/Commitment-Partners/US-Higher-Education-Institutions|archive-date=2015-08-31}}{{cite web|title=Member Schools {{!}} IES Abroad {{!}} |url=https://www.iesabroad.org/study-abroad/advisors-faculty/consortium/member-schools|access-date=2016-09-23}}

The Elmhurst Learning and Success Academy (ELSA) is a four-year program that offers a full-time, post-secondary educational experience to young adults with developmental disabilities.{{cite web|title=ELSA program provides path to college for challenged students|url=http://www.seenmagazine.us/articles/article-detail/articleid/852/elsa-program-provides-path-to-college-for-challenged-students.aspx|access-date=2015-08-20}}

Elmhurst Partners provides corporations and organizations with credit and non-credit workforce training and development as well as customized business consulting.{{cite web|title=Elmhurst Partners Provides Support to Businesses|url=http://choosedupage.com/elmhurst-partners/|access-date=2015-08-20|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909045249/http://choosedupage.com/elmhurst-partners/|archive-date=2015-09-09}}

In the U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges rankings for 2017, Elmhurst was ranked #4 in the Best Value Schools in the Midwest category, up from #9 last year.{{cite web|title=Elmhurst College – Best Value Schools Regional Universities (Midwest)|url=http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/regional-universities-midwest/best-value|access-date=2016-09-23}}

File:Elmhurst athletics mark.png

Elmhurst athletic teams are nicknamed the Bluejays. The university is a member of the Division III level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA),{{Cite web|url=https://www.ncaa.com/schools/elmhurst|title=Elmhurst College | NCAA.com|website=www.ncaa.com|access-date=Aug 23, 2019}} primarily competing in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) for most of their sports since the 1967–68 academic year; which they were a member on a previous stint from 1946–47 to 1959–60,{{Cite web|url=https://cciw.org/|title=CCIW|website=CCIW|access-date=Aug 23, 2019}} while in women's bowling, a sport with a single NCAA championship open to members of all three NCAA divisions, the school had been a member of the Division II Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association until after the 2018–19 season, but has since become a charter member of the Central Intercollegiate Bowling Conference (CIBC), a new Division III bowling league.{{cite press release|url=https://athletics.aurora.edu/news/2019/4/12/womens-bowling-ncaa-approves-central-intercollegiate-bowling-conference-cibc.aspx |title=NCAA Approves Central Intercollegiate Bowling Conference (CIBC) |publisher=Aurora Spartans |date=April 12, 2019 |access-date=April 16, 2019}} The Bluejays previously competed in the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) from 1925–26 to 1940–41. Their previous nickname was the Pirates.

Elmhurst competes in 20 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football,{{cite web|title=Elmhurst College Football Program Information – Need and Merit Based Scholarships|url=http://www.ncsasports.org/athletic-scholarships/football/illinois/elmhurst-college#|website=www.ncsasports.org|access-date=2015-08-17}} golf, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, track & field and wrestling; while women's sports include basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball.

Langhorst Field is named in honor of the late Oliver M. Langhorst, multi-sport coach, athletic director and graduate (1930).{{cite web|url=http://elmhurstbluejays.com/hof.aspx?hof=1&path=&kiosk=|title=Elmhurst College - Hall of Fame|access-date=7 June 2016}} Elmhurst University competes in only one club sport, men's rugby.{{cite web|title=Elmhurst College Rugby Home|url=http://elmhurstrugby.com/|website=elmhurstrugby.com|access-date=2015-08-19}} The school has won two NCAA national championships, both in women's volleyball in 1983 and 1985.{{Cite web|url=https://elmhurstbluejays.com/sports/2009/8/14/GEN_0814094229.aspx|title=Bluejay Pride|website=Elmhurst College Athletics|access-date=Aug 23, 2019}}

Elmhurst University has over 100 non-athletic student-run organizations.{{cite web|url=http://www.elmhurst.edu/studentlife/100543604.html|title=Elmhurst College: Student Activities & Service|access-date=7 June 2016}} The university's radio station is WRSE-FM{{cite web|title=Elmhurst College FM Station OK'd by FCC (October 6, 1962)|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1962/10/06/page/9/article/elmhurst-college-fm-station-okd-by-fcc|access-date=2015-08-12}}{{cite web|title=FM Query Results – Audio Division (FCC) USA|url=https://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=WRSE|website=transition.fcc.gov|access-date=2015-09-15}} and the student newspaper is The Leader.{{cite web|title=The Leader @ 190 S Prospect Ave – Elmhurst, IL 60126 – Places to Go in Chicago |url=http://www.placestogoinchicago.com/places/2690147-The-Leader/|website=www.placestogoinchicago.com|access-date=2015-08-20}} MiddleWestern Voice is the Elmhurst University student-run art, literature, and music journal. Elmhurst Esport's organization offers scholarships for 6 different Esport titles,{{Cite web |title=Game with the Elmhurst University eSports Team |url=https://www.elmhurst.edu/student-life/get-involved/elmhurst-university-esports-team/ |access-date=2022-04-27 |website=Elmhurst University |language=en}} and has a lively gaming club for all students .The student yearbook is The Elms.{{cite web|title=A.C. Buehler Library, Elmhurst College : Free Books : Free Texts : Download & Streaming : Internet Archive|url=https://archive.org/details/elmhurst_college|website=archive.org|access-date=2015-08-08}} Both The Leader and MiddleWestern Voice have online and print editions. WRSE's 320 watt{{cite web|title=WRSE-FM Radio Station Information|url=http://radio-locator.com/info/WRSE-FM|website=radio-locator.com|access-date=2015-08-20}} signal reaches most of DuPage County and parts of Cook County and Kane County, Illinois, about one million people.{{cite web|title=WRSE-FM Radio Station Coverage Map|url=http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WRSE&service=FM&status=L&hours=U|website=radio-locator.com|access-date=2015-08-20}} It is also streamed online.

Elmhurst University is home to six sororities and four fraternities. Elmhurst University also has active chapters of the male music organization Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and female music organization Sigma Alpha Iota.{{cite web |title=MIT Education Information |url=https://saikappaomega.wordpress.com/mit-education-information/|access-date=2015-08-26}} Fraternities and sororities do not have houses on or off campus. There are also 23 honor and recognition societies.{{cite web|url=http://www.elmhurst.edu/studentlife/101340834.html|title=Elmhurst College: Honor & Recognition Societies|access-date=7 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160617032706/http://www.elmhurst.edu/studentlife/101340834.html|archive-date=2016-06-17|url-status=dead}}

The hash bell is a large hand bell rung at Elmhurst ceremonies as a reminder of the long history of the institution. This is the bell that kept the school on schedule in its early years, and generations of alumni have recalled fondly the loud clanging that woke students in the morning, assembled them for classes and activities, and then called them from their chores to dinner in the evening. One of the earliest Elmhurst catalogs declares: "Life in the institution is regulated entirely by the stroke of the bell." Why it came to be called "the hash bell" remains a mystery.

The Victory Bell is a large bell located in the corner of Langhorst Field which is rung by every member of the football team after every home victory. The bell was originally located in the Old Main bell tower and moved to Langhorst Field in a new stone tower as a gift from the class of 1964.

A wood stage in the game room (located in the Bluejays' Roost in the lower level of the Frick Center) is where occasional open mic sessions for students are held, including poetry slams, improv comedy,{{cite web|title=Improv Comedy [Elmhurst College Students]|url=http://www.eventbrite.com/e/improv-comedy-elmhurst-college-students-tickets-15553430730|website=Eventbrite |access-date=2015-09-09}} literary readings, and musical performances,{{cite web|title=Experience culture on campus, for free :: The Leader|url=http://ecleader.org/experience-culture-on-campus-for-free/|website=ecleader.org|access-date=2015-08-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304222043/http://ecleader.org/experience-culture-on-campus-for-free/|archive-date=2016-03-04|url-status=dead}} some of which are sometimes impromptu.

The Elmhurst University Jazz Festival is one of the oldest jazz festivals in the nation. It has brought hundreds of high school and college jazz bands from throughout the country and dozens of notable judges and performers such as Dizzy Gillespie, Doc Severinsen, Bobby Shew, Dee Dee Bridgewater, the Count Basie Orchestra, Maynard Ferguson, Clark Terry, Cannonball Adderley, Diane Schuur, Marian McPartland, Frank Mantooth and many others to the stage at Hammerschmidt Chapel.{{cite web|title=Elmhurst College Jazz Festival celebrates a golden anniversary|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-ott-0217-jazz-scene-20170213-column.html|access-date=2017-03-08|first=Chicago|last=Tribune|website=Chicago Tribune }}{{cite web|url=http://www.elmhurst.edu/magazine/indepth/9968706.html|title=Elmhurst College: Prospect - In Depth - Jazz Fest|access-date=7 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304192714/http://www.elmhurst.edu/magazine/indepth/9968706.html|archive-date=2016-03-04|url-status=dead}}

Student, faculty and staff signatures and dates can be seen inside the clock tower in Old Main, some dating back to the founding years of the university's history. It has remained a rare occasion when students are allowed access, and it is a coveted prize to be able to add your own name.{{cite web|url=http://www.elmhurst.edu/magazine/indepth/136029683.html|title=Elmhurst College: Prospect Winter 2012 - Echoes from the Clock Tower - Article|access-date=7 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160812125208/http://www.elmhurst.edu/magazine/indepth/136029683.html|archive-date=2016-08-12|url-status=dead}}

The university was given the original nativity scene from the movie Home Alone, which is displayed each year during the holiday season.{{cite web|title=Confirmation – Small School Tour: Elmhurst College and North Central College|url=https://www.acui.org/Programs/Annual_Conference/2011/Additional_Conference_Highlights/14412/|website=acui.org|access-date=2015-08-08 |last=ACUI}}

{{Main|List of Elmhurst University alumni}}

{{summarize|from|List of Elmhurst University alumni|section=y|date=October 2023}}

• Doug Beach – composer and director of the Elmhurst University Jazz Band {{Cite web|title=Doug Beach {{!}} Yamaha Artists|url=http://www.yamaha.com/artists/dougbeach.html|website=www.yamaha.com|access-date=2015-08-08}}
• Lee A. Daniels – former Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives{{cite web|title=Lee Daniels & Associates, LLC |url=http://www.leedaniels.com/|website=www.leedaniels.com|access-date=2015-08-07}}{{cite web|url=http://www.elmhurst.edu/alumni/185377152.html|title=Elmhurst College: Deep Roots|access-date=7 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160812122434/http://www.elmhurst.edu/alumni/185377152.html|archive-date=2016-08-12|url-status=dead}}
• Ronald Goetz – theologian{{cite web|title=Ronald Goetz Biography|url=http://www.ronaldgoetz.com/biography|access-date=7 June 2016}}
• William Hirstein – philosophy professor{{cite web|title=Scientists' Nightstand: William Hirstein|url=http://www.americanscientist.org/bookshelf/pub/william-hirstein|access-date=2016-09-30}}
• Suellen Rocca – former curator of the college's art collection and director of exhibitions {{cite web|title=The Chicago Imagists |url=http://chicagoimagists.com/#artists/suellenrocca|website=Hairy Who and the Chicago imagists|access-date=2015-08-08}}

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• [https://elmhurstbluejays.com/ Athletics website]

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