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Millikin University

{{Short description|Private university in Decatur, Illinois, US}}

{{Redirect|James Millikin University|the now-defunct college in Lincoln, Illinois formerly known as the Lincoln College of the James Millikin University|Lincoln College (Illinois)}}

{{distinguish|Milligan University}}

{{more citations needed|date=February 2009}}

{{Infobox university

| name = Millikin University

| former_names = Decatur College and Industrial School of the James Millikin University (1901–1953)

| image = Millikin University seal.png

| image_upright = 0.7

| motto = In His Plenitudo Vis
(In These, the Fullness of Strength)

| established = {{start date and age|1901}}

| type = Private university

| religious_affiliation = Presbyterian

| endowment = $94.3 million (2020)As of June 30, 2020. {{cite report |url=https://www.nacubo.org/-/media/Documents/Research/2020-NTSE-Public-Tables--Endowment-Market-Values--FINAL-FEBRUARY-19-2021.ashx |title=U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2020 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY19 to FY20 |publisher=National Association of College and University Business Officers and TIAA |date=February 19, 2021 |access-date=February 20, 2021}}

| accreditation = HLC

| president = Jim Reynolds

| students = 1,807 (Fall 2022){{cite web | url =https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=Millikin&s=all&id=147244#enrolmt| title =Millikin University| access-date =August 9, 2023}}

| undergrad = 1,708 (fall 2022)

| postgrad = 99 (fall 2022)

| city = Decatur

| state = Illinois

| country = US

| campus = City, 75 acres (30.3 ha)

| nickname = Big Blue

| athletics =

| sporting_affiliations = NCAA Division III – CCIW

| website = {{URL|www.millikin.edu}}

| logo = 150px

| coor = {{coord|39.8425|-88.975|format=dms|display=inline,title|type:edu_region:US-IL}}

| academic_staff = 235 (full and part–time){{cite web |title=Millikin University – Breakdown of Instructional Staff |url=https://www.collegefactual.com/colleges/millikin-university/academic-life/faculty-composition/ |website=collegefactual.com |publisher=College Factual / Media Factual |access-date=21 February 2025}}

| total_staff = 1,393 (full and part-time)

| colors = Blue and white
{{Color box|#395775|border=darkgray}} {{Color box|white|border=darkgray}}

}}

Millikin University is a private university in Decatur, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1901 by prominent Decatur businessman James Millikin and is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA).{{Cite web|url=https://millikin.edu/campus-life/student-resources/policies-standards/freedom-access-campus|title=Freedom of Access to Campus|date=2015-08-02|website=Millikin University|language=en|access-date=2020-03-07}}

History

Millikin was initially established on April 30, 1901, through a partnership with the then-Lincoln University, an existing college in Lincoln, Illinois also affiliated with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. At this time, the charter for Lincoln University, which had been in existence since February 1865, was modified to create a new overarching university, the James Millikin University. This new institution had two subsidiary units: Lincoln College, the newly renamed, Lincoln-based campus formerly known as Lincoln University, and the Decatur College and Industrial School, a new campus to be established in Decatur. This arrangement leveraged the existing resources of Lincoln University to establish a wholly new college in Decatur. The combined, two-campus institution took the name of its primary advocate, James Millikin.

File:Shilling Hall Millikin University.jpg

Millikin's campus in Decatur, however, would not officially open until September 15, 1903. Its dedication was presided over by president Theodore Roosevelt.

James Millikin University maintained its two-campus model until 1952, when the two units separated to become two wholly independent institutions; the Decatur campus renamed as just Millikin University while the Lincoln campus remained known as Lincoln College. The charter of independent Millikin was approved by the state on July 23, 1953.{{cite web |title=Millikin History: A Brief History of Millikin University |url=https://millikin.edu/academics/staley-library/about-library/university-archives/millikin-history |website=millikin.edu |publisher=Millikin University |access-date=25 September 2023}}

Academics

Millikin confers undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, and post-graduate certificates and degrees. Its most popular undergraduate majors, based on number out of 403 graduates in 2022, were:{{cite web |url=https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=Millikin&s=all&id=147244#programs |website=nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator |publisher=U.S. Dept of Education |title=Millikin University |access-date=March 3, 2023}}

  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (55)
  • Musical Theatre (31)
  • Business Administration and Management (28)
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts (27)
  • Biology/Biological Sciences (25)

=Undergraduate admissions=

In 2024, Millikin University accepted 75.4% of undergraduate applicants, with admission standards considered moderate, applicant competition considered very low, and with those enrolled having an average 3.4 high school GPA. The university does not require submission of standardized test scores, but they will be considered when submitted. Those enrolled that submitted test scores had an average 1070 SAT score (31% submitting scores) or an average 23 ACT score (14% submitting scores).{{cite web |title= Milikin Admission Requirements |url=https://www.collegesimply.com/colleges/illinois/millikin-university/admission/|website=collegesimply.com |publisher=CollegeSimply {{!}} U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics |access-date=21 February 2025}}

=Rankings=

In 2025, U.S. News & World Report ranked Millikin University tied for No.14 out of 94 schools in "Regional Colleges Midwest", No.22 in Best Value Schools, and tied for No.44 in Top Performers on Social Mobility, noting that the university had a student-faculty ratio of 10:1, 74.5% of classes had fewer than 20 students, had an average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, of 71%, and that the university considered a student's GPA an important academic factor with an applicant's high school class rank and letters of recommendation considered.{{cite web |title=Millikin University |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/millikin-university-1724 |website=usnews.com |publisher=U.S. News & World Report |access-date=21 February 2025}}

In 2024, Washington Monthly ranked Millikin University 45th among 223 colleges that award almost exclusively bachelor's degrees in the U.S. based on its contribution to the public good, as measured by social mobility, research, and promoting public service.{{Cite web |title=2024 Bachelor's Colleges Ranking |url=https://washingtonmonthly.com/2024-college-guide/bachelors/ |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=Washington Monthly |language=en-US}}

Media

File:Millikin University.jpg

=Decaturian=

The Decaturian is the bi-weekly student newspaper. Its first issue appeared in 1903; issues up to 1951 are archived online.[http://collections.carli.illinois.edu/cdm4/index_mil_dec.php?CISOROOT=/mil_dec Digital-Decaturian Project]

=WJMU 89.5 The Quad=

WJMU is Millikin University's student-operated freeform format radio station. In addition to its musical responsibilities, WJMU also creates its own public service announcements, liners, news, Millikin sports programming and promotional materials.{{Cite web|url=https://millikin.edu/wjmu|title=WJMU|date=2015-08-25|website=Millikin University|language=en|access-date=2020-03-07}}

In 1922, a license was issued for a new AM broadcasting station, operating on a wavelength of 360 meters (833 kHz).[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.hxhh8g&view=1up&seq=1068 "New Stations"], Radio Service Bulletin, May 1, 1922, page 2. Limited Commercial license, Serial #677, issued on April 25, 1922 for operation on 360 meters for a three month period.James Millikin University entry, Educations Own Stations by S. E. Frost, Jr., 1937, pages 138-139. This station was randomly assigned the call letters WBAO, which came from a sequential roster of available call signs. It maintained a limited schedule of broadcasts.{{cite news |title=Campus News to be broadcast by WBAO |url=https://collections.carli.illinois.edu/digital/collection/mil_dec/id/9752/ |access-date=15 March 2022 |work=The Decaturian |publisher=Millikin University |date=1927-11-18 |location=Decatur, Macon County, Illinois}} On May 25, 1928, the Federal Radio Commission (FRC) issued General Order 32, which notified 164 stations, including WBAO, that "From an examination of your application for future license it does not find that public interest, convenience, or necessity would be served by granting it."[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015011384305&view=1up&seq=182 "Appendix F (2): Letter to and list of stations included in General Order No. 32, issued May 25, 1928"], Second Annual Report of the Federal Radio Commission for the Year Ended June 30, 1928, Together With Supplemental Report for the Period From July 1, 1928 to September 30, 1928, pages 146, 148. On September 1, 1928, the FRC listed "Stations WJBL and WBAO" as one of the "consolidations which have been approved by the commission, or imposed on the stations by the commission".[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015011384305&view=1up&seq=198 Federal Radio Commission announcement] (September 1, 1928), Second Annual Report of the Federal Radio Commission for the Year Ended June 30, 1928, Together With Supplemental Report for the Period From July 1, 1928 to September 30, 1928, pages 161-163. WBAO was formally deleted on October 1, 1928,[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112106763078&view=1up&seq=486 "Strike out all particulars"], Radio Service Bulletin, November 30, 1928, page 12. and it was announced that programs previously broadcast by that station would now be heard over WJBL.[https://collections.carli.illinois.edu/digital/collection/mil_dec/id/11638/ "First University Broadcast Will Be on October 10"], The Decaturian Weekly, October 4, 1928, page 1.

Athletics

{{main|Millikin Big Blue}}

Since their first year of athletics in the 1903–04 academic year and prior to joining the NCAA Division III and the CCIW in the 1946–47 season, Millikin primarily competed as an Independent of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Millikin University teams have since participated in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division III. The Big Blue are a member of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW).{{Cite web|url=https://athletics.millikin.edu/feature/athleticshistory|title=History|website=athletics.millikin.edu|language=en|access-date=2020-03-07}} Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, wrestling, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, and volleyball; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, triathlon, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field and volleyball.

Notable alumni

{{More citations needed section|date=June 2008}}

=Actors and musicians=

  • Jodi Benson – Actress and singer{{Cite web|url=https://www.theatreartlife.com/staying-still/the-industry-motherhood-the-little-mermaid-interview-with-jodi-benson-pt-1/|title=Jodi Benson: The Industry, Motherhood & The Little Mermaid|date=2018-01-31|website=TheatreArtLife|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-07}}
  • Sierra Boggess – Actress and singer{{Cite web|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2007/08/28/mermaid-star-visits-school-that-set-her-dreams-afloat/|title="Mermaid" star visits school that set her dreams afloat|date=2007-08-28|website=The Denver Post|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-07}}
  • Joel Kim Booster – Actor
  • Hedy Burress – Actress
  • Annamary Dickey – Actress and singer
  • Katelyn Epperly – Singer
  • Tad Hilgenbrink – Actor{{Cite web|title=Tad Hilgenbrink|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1561561/bio|access-date=2022-03-07|website=IMDb}}
  • Michael Maize – Actor
  • Emerson Swinford – Guitarist, composer, songwriter, and producer{{cite web |title=Emerson Swinford |url=https://www.baeaudio.com/emerson-swinford |website=baeaudio.com |publisher=BAE Audio |access-date=22 February 2025}}{{cite web |title=Millikin University - Millidek Yearbook (Decatur, IL) - Class of 1988 |url=https://www.e-yearbook.com/yearbooks/Millikin_University_Millidek_Yearbook/1988/Page_266.html |website=e-yearbook.com |publisher=Digital Data Online, Inc. |access-date=22 February 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Gire |first1=Dan |title=Hoffman Estates native hits right notes in Hollywood |url=https://www.dailyherald.com/20130312/entertainment/hoffman-estates-native-hits-right-notes-in-hollywood/ |website=dailyherald.com |publisher=Daily Herald |access-date=22 February 2025}}{{cite web |title=Emerson Swinford |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/emerson-swinford-mn0000817270#credits |website=allmusic.com |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=22 February 2025}}{{cite web |title=Emerson Swinford - About |url=https://www.emersonswinford.com/about |website=emersonswinford.com |publisher=Emerson Swinford |access-date=22 February 2025}}
  • Annie Wersching – Actress
  • Matthew West – Musician
  • Monica Witni – Composer
  • Jen Tullock – Actress

=Artists=

  • Herbert D. Ryman – Disney artist, imagineer, and chief designer of the Cinderella Castle{{cite web|url= http://www.rymanarts.org/herbert-d-ryman/biography|author=Ryman Arts|title=Herbert D. Ryan biography|access-date=2014-09-18}}

=Athletes and coaches=

=Authors and media figures=

=Business figures=

=Higher education leaders=

=Public service=

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{ccat}}

  • {{oweb}}
  • [https://athletics.millikin.edu/ Athletics website]

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{{Presbyterian Colleges}}

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Category:Buildings and structures in Decatur, Illinois

Category:Universities and colleges established in 1901

Category:Liberal arts colleges in Illinois

Category:Tourist attractions in Macon County, Illinois

Category:Education in Macon County, Illinois

Category:Universities and colleges affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA)

Category:Private universities and colleges in Illinois

Category:1901 establishments in Illinois