University of Illinois Chicago facts for kids

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University of Illinois Chicago

Former names	List Chicago College of Pharmacy (1859-1894) College of Physicians and Surgeons (1882-1897) Columbian College of Dentistry (1893-1913) University of Illinois Chicago Professional Colleges (1913-1961) University of Illinois at the Medical Center (1961-1982) University of Illinois Chicago Undergraduate Division (1946-1965) University of Illinois at Congress Circle (1965) University of Illinois at Chicago Circle (1965-1982) University of Illinois at Chicago (1982-2021) John Marshall Law School (1899-2019)
Motto	"Teach, research, serve, care."
Type	Public research university
Established	1982; 43 years ago (1982)
Parent institution	University of Illinois System
Accreditation	HLC
Academic affiliations	GCU URA USU Space-grant
Endowment	$803 million (2022)
Chancellor	Marie Lynn Miranda
President	Timothy L. Killeen
Provost	Karen Colley
Academic staff	2,961 (fall 2022)
Students	33,522 (fall 2023)
Undergraduates	21,807 (fall 2022)
Postgraduates	11,940 (fall 2022)
Location	Chicago , Illinois , United States 41°52′18″N 87°38′57″W / 41.87167°N 87.64917°W / 41.87167; -87.64917
Campus	Large city, 244 acres (98.7 ha)
Other campuses	Moline Peoria Rockford Springfield Champaign
Newspaper	Bonfire
Colors	Blue and red
Nickname	Flames
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I – MVC MAC
Mascot	Sparky

The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) is a large public research university located in Chicago, Illinois. It is in the Near West Side area, close to the Chicago Loop. UIC is the second campus created under the University of Illinois system. It is also the biggest university in the Chicago metropolitan area. More than 33,000 students attend UIC across 16 different colleges. It is known for having "Very high research activity."

UIC's sports teams, called the Flames, compete in NCAA Division I in the Missouri Valley Conference.

History of UIC

A model of the campus from 1963, showing the nearby Circle Interchange.

How UIC Started

The University of Illinois Chicago began with several health colleges in the late 1800s. These included the Chicago College of Pharmacy (1859), the College of Physicians and Surgeons (1882), and the Columbian College of Dentistry (1893).

The main University of Illinois was started in 1867 in Champaign-Urbana. Lawmakers from Chicago were promised a "polytechnical" branch in Chicago. The health colleges in Chicago joined the university in 1896–97. They became a full part of the University of Illinois in 1913. They were called the Colleges of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmacy. Over time, more health science colleges were added. These became the University of Illinois Chicago Professional Colleges. In 1936, a politician named Richard J. Daley suggested creating an undergraduate campus of the University of Illinois in Chicago.

The Navy Pier Campus

After World War II, the G.I. Bill was passed in 1944. This bill helped veterans pay for college. In 1945, Daley, who was then a state senator, proposed bills for a university in Chicago. In 1946, the University of Illinois opened a temporary campus called the Chicago Undergraduate Division (CUD) at Navy Pier. This campus offered the first two years of college courses. Students could then transfer to the main campus in Urbana to finish their degrees.

Classes at CUD started in October 1946 with about 4,000 students. Many students were veterans using the G.I. Bill. Most of them also worked part-time jobs. This campus helped many first-generation college students from working families. Because many people wanted a public university education in Chicago, the university planned a permanent campus.

The Congress Circle Campus

A view of UIC's campus.

In 1951, Daley helped pass a bill for a Chicago campus. He became mayor of Chicago in 1955. He then pushed for the Chicago Undergraduate Center to become a full four-year university. In 1961, Mayor Daley offered the Harrison and Halsted Streets area for the new campus. The decision to build a four-year university in Chicago was made in December 1961. In the same year, the Chicago Professional Colleges became the University of Illinois at the Medical Center (UIMC).

Some residents, like Florence Scala, opposed the plan to build the campus. Their neighborhood was chosen for the new university. In 1963, many homes and businesses were removed to build the 100-acre (0.40 km2) UIC campus. About 5,000 residents had to move.

Construction for the new campus began in 1963. In February 1965, the new Chicago campus opened. It was first named the University of Illinois at Congress Circle (UICC). This name came from the nearby Circle Interchange. Later, the interchange was renamed Chicago Circle, so the campus became the University of Illinois at Chicago Circle (UICC). The campus was designed in the brutalist style by Walter Netsch. Unlike the Navy Pier campus, UICC offered full degrees. Within five years, most departments offered graduate degrees.

Joining Campuses

The university added the School of Law in 2019.

In September 1982, the University of Illinois system combined UICC and UIMC. This created the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). In 2020, the "at" was removed, making it University of Illinois Chicago. In 2000, UIC started to expand its south campus. This added more on-campus living spaces and research buildings.

In 2019, the John Marshall Law School joined the university. It was founded in 1899. In 2021, the university decided to rename it the UIC School of Law. This change was made due to historical reasons related to John Marshall.

UIC Campus Life

University Hall, a main building on UIC's East Campus.

UIC is Chicago's largest university. It has over 33,000 students and 12,000 employees. There are 16 colleges and a major public medical center. The East Campus was designed by Walter Netsch in the brutalist style. It originally had walkways connecting all buildings on the second floor. These walkways were removed in the early 1990s to make the campus feel more open. Efforts have been made to make the campus feel more like a traditional college. For example, the area in front of University Hall has been updated. Credit Union 1 Arena (a sports arena) was added in 1982.

The East Campus is on the Near West Side. It is south of Greektown and a 15-minute walk from downtown Chicago.

The West Campus is older and has some buildings in the collegiate gothic style. The colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Dentistry, Applied Health Sciences, and Public Health are here. The Library of the Health Sciences is also on the West Campus. This campus is in the Illinois Medical District, where the University of Illinois Medical Center is located.

The UIC–Halsted station on the CTA's Blue Line.

The CTA's Blue Line train runs along the north side of the campus. Three Blue Line stations are near the university: UIC-Halsted, Racine, and Illinois Medical District. The Pink Line serves UIC's west campus at Polk Street.

Campus Housing

UIC's James Stukel Towers residence hall with downtown Chicago in the background.

UIC has ten residence halls for students. Five are on the East Campus, three on the South Campus, and two on the West Campus. UIC used to have mostly students who lived off-campus and commuted. Now, the university wants more students to live on campus. About 6,000 students live close to campus. 3,800 students, including over half of all first-year students, live in UIC's residence halls. Many apartments are also within walking distance.

On the East Campus, Commons West and Commons South have traditional double rooms with shared bathrooms on each floor. Courtyard and Commons North have rooms grouped to share a small private bathroom. These four buildings connect to Student Center East. This center has a cafeteria, bookstore, convenience store, bowling, billiards, and fast food.

West Campus housing includes the Single Student Residence (SSR) for graduate students and older undergraduates. Polk Street Residence has cluster-style rooms. South Campus has Marie Robinson Hall and Thomas Beckham Hall, which are apartment-style buildings. James Stukel Towers opened in 2007 with suite-style rooms. Students often use abbreviations for residence hall names, like "TBH" for "Thomas Beckham Hall."

The SSR mainly houses graduate students and undergraduates aged 24 and older. The third and fourth floors house undergraduates aged 21 to 23. The fifth floor has a program for students with families. This program can house up to 15 families.

The Academic and Residential Complex (ARC) recently opened. It has large lecture halls, classrooms, meeting rooms, and student housing. It also has a small gym and a Starbucks.

Student Recreation

The UIC Student Recreation Facility (SRF) is a sports complex for students. It opened in spring 2006. The SRF has a three-story climbing wall, courts for games, and a pool with a lazy river. There is also a recreation center on the west side of campus called the Sport and Fitness Center (SFC). It has a fitness floor, Olympic pool, steam room, and racquetball courts. UIC Campus Recreation also manages the Outdoor Field Complex (OFC) on the south side of campus. This complex has two large sports fields. Campus Recreation holds many events to promote student well-being.

Medical Center and College of Medicine

The UIC College of Medicine West Tower.

The University of Illinois College of Medicine offers a four-year program to become a doctor. This program is available at three locations in Illinois: Chicago, Peoria, and Rockford. UIC is a big part of the Illinois Medical District (IMD). This district is a major economic force, supporting 50,000 jobs.

Campus Updates

Douglass, Grant, and Lincoln Halls with the Chicago Loop skyline in the background.

After a large $550 million expansion of the South Campus, the university started updating its older buildings. This is because state funds for new buildings are limited. Renovating existing buildings is less expensive.

The first buildings to be renovated were Grant Hall, Lincoln Hall, and Douglas Hall. These buildings now use solar and geothermal power. This involved digging fifty wells 500 feet into the ground. The energy savings of 20–25% helped Lincoln Hall and Douglas Hall get US LEED Gold certification. The renovated buildings have glass exteriors and facilities for faculty and students.

Other campus updates include the roof of the Behavioral Sciences Building. A new College of Engineering building opened in 2019. It has the only high bay structural laboratory in Chicago.

A new building for the computer science department, called the Computer Design Research and Learning Center (CDRLC), is being built. It is expected to be finished in fall 2024.

Sustainability Efforts

The East Campus in the spring.

UIC's Office of Sustainability started in January 2008. They work on projects like updating lighting, improving buildings, and composting waste. The recent work on Grant, Lincoln, and Douglas Halls included using geothermal heat pumps for heating and cooling. The university has a Climate Action Plan to help the environment.

Other Campuses

The College of Nursing has five other campuses in Illinois:

• Peoria Campus (The College of Nursing has an online campus, while the College of Medicine has a physical campus.)
• Quad Cities Campus (Moline, Illinois)
  • Students from Illinois or Iowa pay in-state tuition here.
• Rockford, Illinois (the UIC Health Sciences Campus)
  • This campus is shared with UIC's colleges of medicine and pharmacy.
• Springfield, Illinois (at the UIS campus)
• Urbana, Illinois (at the UIUC campus)

Academics at UIC

The University of Illinois Chicago offers many different degrees. Students can choose from over 90 bachelor's degrees, 100 master's degrees, and 60 doctoral degrees. These are offered through its 16 colleges. UIC also has a special honors college and a graduate college.

The university is led by a chancellor. This person is supported by several vice chancellors and college deans.

UIC joined with the John Marshall Law School in 2019. It officially became the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law. This was the first public law school in Chicago.

Many people with college degrees in Chicago are UIC graduates. About one in eight doctors in Illinois graduated from the University of Illinois College of Medicine. One in three pharmacists in Illinois graduated from the UIC College of Pharmacy. Half of all dentists in Illinois graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry.

Reputation and Rankings

UIC is known for "Very high research activity." In 2018, UIC spent $361 million on research and development. This ranked it 69th in the nation for research spending.

In the 2023 U.S. News & World Report's' rankings, UIC was the 82nd best national university. It was also the 40th best national public university. In 2014–15, the Academic Ranking of World Universities placed UIC among the top 150–200 universities worldwide. In 2016–17, the Times Higher Education World University Rankings placed UIC 63rd in the U.S. and 200th globally. Forbes ranked UIC 131st out of 500 universities in "America's Top Colleges 2025." It was also ranked as the 16th best school in the Midwest.

Student Life at UIC

The UIC Quad in April 2022.

The university is close to neighborhoods like Taylor Street, Greektown, and Pilsen. These areas have many restaurants and shops. Downtown Chicago is a 10-minute walk or a short CTA train ride away.

UIC has two Student Centers, one on the east side and one on the west side. They offer many services and amenities for students.

Spark in the Park

Spark in the Park is an annual music festival at UIC. It is usually held on Harrison field. It takes place during the second week of classes in the fall. Famous artists like Kid Cudi, Lupe Fiasco, Childish Gambino, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Twenty One Pilots, Wale, Young Thug, Daya, Travis Scott, Nick Jonas, DRAM, Rich The Kid, and 21 Savage have performed there.

Greek Life

UIC has 27 social fraternities and sororities. These include both general and culturally based groups.

UIC Student Body

UIC campus from the air in December 2019.

UIC has over 30,000 students in total. Nearly 21,000 of these are undergraduate students. As of 2023, the student body was very diverse:

UIC has committees that focus on diversity for different groups. These include Asian Americans, Blacks, Latinos, LGBT issues, people with disabilities, and women. The University of Illinois Chicago is known as a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI). It is also an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI). It is one of the most diverse universities in the United States.

UIC Athletics

Credit Union 1 Arena.

The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) sports teams are called the Flames. This name refers to the 1871 Great Chicago Fire. The university is part of NCAA Division I. Since the 2022–23 school year, they have competed in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC). Before that, the Flames were in the Horizon League and the Mid-Continent Conference.

UIC competes in 18 different sports. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, soccer, and tennis. Women's sports include basketball, golf, soccer, softball, and volleyball.

Men's Soccer

In September 2006, the men's soccer team reached its highest ranking ever, at No. 6 in the country. In November 2006, UIC won a game in the NCAA tournament. They finished the 2006 season as the best defensive team in the nation. They allowed only eight goals in 21 matches. This was the best goals-against average (GAA) in the nation that year.

In 2007, UIC soccer had a very successful season. They reached the Elite-Eight in the NCAA tournament. They won against No. 12 St. Louis, Northwestern, and No. 8 Creighton. They lost to Massachusetts in a close game. UIC finished the season with a record of 13–6–6. They were named a top 10 team by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

Baseball

UIC's baseball team won 30 or more games for nine years in a row, from 2001 to 2010. They won seven straight Horizon League Championships. They also went to an NCAA regional four times (2003, 2005, 2007, 2008). UIC baseball has won regional games against strong teams like No. 1 Long Beach State in 2007.

Gymnastics

In 1978 and 1979, the UIC men's gymnastics team won the school's only NCAA team titles. These were at the Division II Championships. After 1979, the men's gymnastics program moved to Division I. They finished the 1980 season ranked 10th nationally. After this success, all other UIC sports teams also moved to Division I status. The 1996 men's gymnastics team finished in 9th place. This is the highest final ranking for any UIC sport.

Notable People from UIC

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  James R. Thompson, governor of Illinois from 1977 to 1991.

• 

  Adrian Smith (1969), architect who designed famous buildings like the Burj Khalifa.

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  Carol Moseley Braun (BA, 1969), a politician and lawyer. She was the first African-American woman elected to the US Senate.

• 

  Darin LaHood (JD), a U.S. House of Representatives member from Illinois.

• 

  Toshiko Abe (PhD), a Japanese politician.

• 

  William J. Walker, a major general and Sergeant at Arms of the U.S. House of Representatives.

• 

  Leo Melamed, chairman emeritus of CME Group.

• 

  Chuy García, a U.S. House of Representatives member from Illinois.

• 

  Barbara Schaal (BS), a scientist and professor.

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  Bobby Rush, a U.S. House of Representatives member from Illinois.

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  Gery Chico (BA, 1979), former president of the Chicago Board of Education.

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  William A. Dembski (BA, MS, PhD), a mathematician, philosopher, and theologian.

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  Ertharin Cousin (1979), a distinguished fellow of global agriculture.

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  Nirmalya Kumar (MBA, 1991), a professor and board member.

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  Anuradha Acharya (MS, MIS), CEO of Ocimum Bio Solutions and Mapmygenome.

• 

  Jim McDermott, a U.S. House of Representatives member from Washington.

• 

  Michael Gross (BA), an actor.

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  Kelly Cheung (BBA), winner of Miss Chinese International Pageant 2012.

• 

  Janina Gavankar, an actress and musician.

• 

  Curtis Granderson, a three-time MLB All-Star baseball player.

See also

• CASTp