Roosevelt University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Roosevelt University

Former names	Roosevelt College (1945–1954)
Motto	"Dedicated to the enlightenment of the human spirit"
Type	Private university
Established	April 24, 1945; 80 years ago (1945-04-24)
Accreditation	HLC
Academic affiliations	NAICU
Endowment	$161.2 million (2021)
President	Ali Malekzadeh
Academic staff	216 (Spring 2022)
Students	4,015 (Fall 2023)
Undergraduates	2,413 (Fall 2022)
Postgraduates	1,312 (Fall 2022)
Location	Chicago , Illinois , United States 41°52′34″N 87°37′31″W / 41.87600260°N 87.62518060°W / 41.87600260; -87.62518060
Campus	Large city, 34 acres (0.14 km2) (total)
Other campuses	Schaumburg
Newspaper	The Torch
Colors	Green and white
Nickname	Lakers
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division II – GLIAC ACHA CCWHA
Mascot	Fala the Laker

Roosevelt University is a private university. It has campuses in Chicago and Schaumburg, Illinois. The university started in 1945. It was named after United States President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. About 4,000 students attend Roosevelt University. They study in programs for both new college students and those getting advanced degrees. Roosevelt University is also home to the Chicago College of Performing Arts.

The newest building at the university is called Wabash. It is in The Loop area of Downtown Chicago. This building is the tallest school building in Chicago. It is also the second tallest school building in the United States. It is one of the largest school buildings in the world.

University History

Roosevelt University is named after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

Roosevelt University was started in 1945. A man named Edward J. Sparling founded it. He used to be the president of Central YMCA College in Chicago. Sparling left his old job because he wanted all students to be treated fairly. He believed everyone, including African Americans, Jewish people, immigrants, and women, should have equal chances to learn. Many teachers and students left with him to start a new college.

At first, the new college did not have a library or its own campus. It also had no money saved up. The college was first called Thomas Jefferson College. This was on March 28, 1945. It received money from several groups and people. Two weeks later, President Franklin D. Roosevelt passed away. The college got permission from his wife, Eleanor Roosevelt, to change its name. They renamed it Roosevelt College to honor him.

In 1947, the college bought the Auditorium Building for just one dollar. This building became its main home. In 1959, the college was rededicated to both Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. Famous people like Marian Anderson and Albert Einstein were early advisors. In 1996, the university opened another campus in Schaumburg. This was thanks to a gift from Albert A. Robin.

In 2020, Robert Morris University Illinois joined with Roosevelt University. The combined university kept the name Roosevelt University. Robert Morris's study programs became part of Roosevelt University. They are now called the Robert Morris Experiential College.

Campus Locations

Downtown Chicago Campus

The Auditorium Theatre is part of Roosevelt University.

The Roosevelt University Wabash Tower is a tall building in Chicago's Loop.

Classes in Chicago are held in the historic Auditorium Building. It is located at 430 S. Michigan Avenue. This is just a few blocks from the famous Magnificent Mile. The Auditorium Building also has the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Many university offices are there too. In 2015, the 2015 NFL Draft was held in the Auditorium. This was the first time in over 50 years the NFL Draft was in Chicago.

The Wabash Building for the downtown campus was finished in 2012. This building is 32 stories tall. It is the second-tallest building for higher education in the United States. It is also the sixth tallest in the world. The Wabash Building is used for many things. It has student services, classrooms, and modern science labs. It also has offices and student housing. Students live on the top floors (14-32). Each floor has a shared lounge with views of Lake Michigan. Classes started in the new building in the fall of 2012. The Lillian and Larry Goodman Center is the newest addition. It is the first stand-alone sports building in Chicago's Loop. It is the home for Roosevelt Lakers sports teams.

Schaumburg Campus

Roosevelt University's campus in Schaumburg, Illinois.

Roosevelt University's campus in Schaumburg is the biggest four-year university in Chicago's Northwest suburbs. About 2,500 students attend this campus. The campus is in the old main office building of the Pure Oil Company. Roosevelt changed the building into a full campus in 1996. The Schaumburg campus is home to the Doctor of Pharmacy program. This program welcomed its first students in July 2011.

The Schaumburg Campus is on 30 acres of land. It is on the north side of Golf Road Illinois Route 58. It is across from the Woodfield Mall. The campus is also near the intersection with Meacham Road. Recently, the campus has created natural prairies. These areas are for environmental learning and protection.

What You Can Study

Roosevelt University offers many degrees. You can get undergraduate (first college degree) and graduate (advanced degree) degrees. These are offered through six different colleges:

• Chicago College of Performing Arts (Music Conservatory)
• Chicago College of Performing Arts (Theatre Conservatory)
• College of Arts & Sciences
• College of Education
• College of Pharmacy
• Heller College of Business

The university also has many centers and institutes. These include the St. Clair Drake Center for African and African-American Studies and the Mansfield Institute for Social Justice and Transformation.

Social justice is a very important part of Roosevelt's history. It is about making sure everyone is treated fairly and has equal opportunities. This idea is included in all student's classes. Students learn about topics like who can use city parks. They also study how city changes affect neighborhoods. Another topic is how we can protect Earth's natural resources. Student projects have also looked at gender equality and how minimum wage affects the economy.

University Rankings

For 2024, U.S. News & World Report ranked Roosevelt University. It was tied at #390 among 439 National Universities. It also ranked tied at #174 among 434 schools for "Top Performers on Social Mobility." This means it helps students from all backgrounds succeed.

Student Life

Roosevelt University has three main places for students to live. One is the new Wabash building. This building is for all new students and those transferring from other schools. The University Center of Chicago is another main place to live. It has apartment-style options. It opened in 2004. Students from Roosevelt University, DePaul University, and Columbia College Chicago live there. About 1,700 students live in this building. The third place is Fornelli Hall. It has apartment-only options. It is located in the Pittsfield Building at 55 E. Washington Street, Chicago. It opened in 2008. It offers apartment-style housing for older students at Roosevelt University.

The Herman Crown Center used to be the main student housing. It closed in 2008. The new 32-story Wabash building is connected to the Auditorium Building. This makes it easy to go between the two buildings.

Student Activities

The entrance to the Roosevelt University Wabash Building.

There are many student groups at both Roosevelt University campuses. Here are some of them:

• Alpha Gamma Delta Women's Fraternity: A group for women that focuses on friendship and service.
• Alpha Phi Omega: A co-ed (for both guys and girls) service group. They do volunteer work.
• Sigma Alpha Iota: A music group for women.
• Oyez Review: Roosevelt's award-winning literary magazine. Students write and edit stories and poems for it.
• Black Student Union: This group supports black students and helps improve campus life for them.
• Colleges Against Cancer: Students work to educate others about cancer and raise money for research.
• Mansfield Institute Student Organization (MISO): A group linked to the Mansfield Institute, which focuses on social justice.
• RU Green: This group works to make the campus more eco-friendly. They help students learn about being green.
• PULSE: GSM (Gender and Sexual Minority) Society: This group brings together students who support all gender and sexual minorities.
• RU Sociological Society (RUSS): This group helps students learn more about sociology. They share ideas and research.
• Society for Human Resource Management: This group helps students learn about careers in human resources.
• Student Government Association: This group represents the students and helps make decisions for the university.
• Students for Sensible Drug Policy: This group works to change drug policies.
• The Torch: This is Roosevelt's student newspaper. It is famous for first publishing Shel Silverstein's work.
• WRBC The Blaze: Roosevelt's online student radio station.

Sports Teams

The Lillian and Larry Goodman Center is where the Roosevelt Lakers sports teams play.

Roosevelt University's sports teams are called the Lakers. The university is part of the NCAA Division II. This is a group of colleges that compete in sports. Since the 2023–24 school year, the Lakers have been playing in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). Before that, they were in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 2010 to 2023.

Roosevelt has 25 different sports teams.

• Men's sports include baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, football, golf, ice hockey, soccer, tennis, track & field, and volleyball.
• Women's sports include basketball, bowling, cross country, ice hockey, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field, and volleyball.
• There are also co-ed sports like cheerleading, dance, and eSports.

Moving to NCAA Division II

On August 1, 2022, Roosevelt announced it would join NCAA Division II. They became part of the GLIAC conference starting in the 2023–24 school year. They will be full members in 2024–25.

Growing Sports Programs

In April 2020, the Lakers added football and men's and women's ice hockey teams. These teams came from Robert Morris University when it joined Roosevelt. The ice hockey teams joined the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA).

Roosevelt University brought back its sports program in 2010 after 20 years. They added women's volleyball in 2011–12. Then they added men's golf, men's and women's soccer, and softball in 2012–13.

The Roosevelt Lakers soccer teams used to play at SeatGeek Stadium. Now, the team plays at Morris Field in Arlington Heights.

The university has grown its sports offerings from seven to fourteen. After the 2020 merger, Roosevelt took over Robert Morris's football and ice hockey teams.

The Lillian and Larry Goodman Center is at 501 S. Wabash Avenue. It is a two-story building for sports. It has a gym on the second floor. The first floor has offices, meeting rooms, a team lounge, locker rooms, a training room, and a strength and conditioning center.

Men's Sports Teams and Venues

Women's Sports Teams and Venues

Famous People from Roosevelt University

Many famous people have attended Roosevelt University. These include entertainers, academics, and politicians. Some well-known alumni are Robert Lamm, Anthony Braxton, Jacques Paul Klein, Danitra Vance, and Harold Washington. The university's first advisory board included important figures like Eleanor Roosevelt and Albert Einstein.

Images for kids

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  Robert Lamm

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  Anthony Braxton

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  Jacques Paul Klein

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  Harold Washington

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  Eleanor Roosevelt

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  Albert Einstein