University of Illinois Chicago facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
University of Illinois Chicago

Motto	Teach, research, serve, care.
Type	Public Asian-serving and Hispanic-serving research university
Established	1982; 43 years ago (1982)
Accreditation	Higher Learning Commission
Academic affiliations	GCU URA USU Space-grant
Endowment	$803 million
Chancellor	Marie Lynn Miranda
President	Timothy L. Killeen
Provost	Karen Colley
Academic staff	2,961 (fall 2022)
Students	33,747 (fall 2022)
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	Urban, 244 acres (98.7 ha)
Colors	Navy Pier Blue and Fire Engine Red
Nickname	Flames
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I – MVC
Mascot	Sparky

The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) is a big public research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. It's located 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 largest university in the Chicago metropolitan area. More than 33,000 students attend UIC across 16 different colleges. It's known for having "Very high research activity."

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

History of UIC

How it Started

The University of Illinois Chicago began with several health schools 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 in Chicago were promised a "polytechnical" branch in their city. 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. More health science colleges were added over time. They formed the University of Illinois Chicago Professional Colleges. In 1936, Richard J. Daley, a new state representative, asked for an undergraduate campus in Chicago.

Navy Pier Campus Days

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. It was called the Chicago Undergraduate Division (CUD) at Navy Pier. This campus was not a junior college. It offered the first two years of courses from the Urbana campus. Students could then transfer to Urbana to finish their degrees.

Classes at the CUD campus started in October 1946. About 4,000 students enrolled each semester. Many students were veterans using the G.I. Bill. They often worked part-time jobs to support themselves. This campus also helped students from working families who lived at home.

1963 model of the campus and the Circle Interchange

UIC's campus

Congress Circle Campus

In 1951, Daley helped pass a bill for a permanent Chicago campus. He became mayor of Chicago in 1955. He 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 final decision to build a four-year university in Chicago was made in December 1961. That same year, the Chicago Professional Colleges became the University of Illinois at the Medical Center (UIMC).

Some local residents, led by Florence Scala, protested the plan. Their Italian-American neighborhood was to be torn down for the campus. In 1963, the Hull House trustees accepted an offer for their building. Scala and others took their case to the Supreme Court. They held marches and a sit-in at City Hall. Their legal challenges delayed construction for almost two years. The protests ended in 1963 when the U.S. Supreme Court did not hear their appeal. During construction, 200 businesses and 800 homes were removed. About 5,000 residents had to move from the Little Italy area.

University of Illinois Chicago School of Law

Construction on the new Chicago campus began in 1963. It was at Harrison and Halsted Streets, south of Greektown. In February 1965, the new campus opened. It was first named the University of Illinois at Congress Circle (UICC). This name referred to the nearby Circle Interchange of I-290 and I-90/I-94). Soon after, the Congress Expressway was renamed the Eisenhower Expressway. The campus was then renamed University of Illinois at Chicago Circle (UICC).

UICC was designed in the brutalist style by Walter Netsch. He worked for Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, a Chicago architecture firm. Unlike the CUD campus, Circle was a degree-granting school. Within five years, almost every department offered graduate degrees.

UIC Today

In September 1982, the University of Illinois system combined UICC and UIMC. This created the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Later, the "at" was dropped, making it University of Illinois Chicago. In 2000, UIC started expanding its south campus. This added more on-campus housing and research buildings. In 2019, the John Marshall Law School (founded in 1899) joined the university. It is now known as the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law.

What You Can Study at UIC

University Hall, on UIC's East Campus

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. This is the nation's largest medical school. One in three pharmacists in Illinois graduated from the College of Pharmacy. Half of all dentists in Illinois are graduates of the College of Dentistry.

Academic Programs

The University of Illinois Chicago offers many degrees. You can choose from 86 bachelor's degrees, 111 master's degrees, and 66 doctoral degrees. These are offered through its 16 colleges. There's also a special Honors College for undergraduates. The Graduate College is for students pursuing master's or doctoral degrees.

UIC also has eleven special programs that involve multiple colleges. These include centers for cancer and neuroscience. There are also programs for teacher education and international studies.

The university is led by a chancellor. They are supported by vice chancellors and college deans. There is also a library dean and deans for medical colleges.

Student Population

UIC campus from the air in December 2019

UIC has over 30,000 students in total. Nearly 21,000 of these are undergraduate students. Here's a look at the student population as of 2023^[update]:

UIC is known for its diversity. It is a federally recognized Hispanic-serving institution (HSI). It is also an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI). This makes it one of the most diverse universities in the United States.

University Rankings

Overall Rankings

In 2023, U.S. News & World Report ranked UIC as the 82nd best national university. It was also the 40th best national public university. In 2018, Washington Monthly ranked UIC as the 26th best national university in the U.S. The Academic Ranking of World Universities placed UIC among the top 150-200 universities worldwide in 2014–15. Times Higher Education ranked UIC 63rd in the U.S. and 200th in the world in 2016–17.

Research Focus

UIC is classified as an "R1: Doctoral University – Very high research activity." This means it does a lot of important research. In 2018, UIC spent $361 million on research and development. This ranked it 69th in the nation for research spending.

Program Rankings

Many of UIC's graduate programs are highly ranked. In 2013, U.S. News & World Report ranked programs like Criminology (19th), Nursing (11th), Occupational Therapy (4th), and Pharmacy (14th) among the top. The Liautaud Graduate School of Business was ranked 92nd for its full-time MBA program in 2015.

The The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine ranked UIC's entrepreneurship program 9th for undergraduates and 12th for graduate students. In 2010, Princeton Review also listed UIC among the top 50 undergraduate game design programs.

In 2019, UIC merged with the John Marshall Law School. It became the first public law school in Chicago. In 2021, the law school was renamed the UIC School of Law.

Campus Life

Credit Union 1 Arena

UIC is Chicago's largest university. It has over 33,000 students and 12,000 employees. It also has 16 colleges and a major public medical center.

The East Campus was designed in the brutalist style. It used to have 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 campus. For example, the area in front of University Hall has been updated. Credit Union 1 Arena (formerly UIC Pavilion) was added in 1982.

The East Campus is on the Near West Side. It's just south of Greektown and a short walk from downtown Chicago.

The West Campus is older. It has 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 this campus. The West Campus is in the Illinois Medical District. This is where the University of Illinois Medical Center is located.

UIC–Halsted station on the CTA's Blue Line

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

Where Students Live

UIC's James Stukel Towers residence hall with downtown Chicago and Willis Tower 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. In the past, most UIC students lived off-campus. Now, the university is working to have more students live on campus. Nearly 6,000 students live close to campus. About 3,800 students, including over half of all freshmen, 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. Courtyard and Commons North have rooms grouped together with private bathrooms. These four buildings connect to Student Center East. This center has a cafeteria, bookstore, and other shops.

West Campus housing includes the Single Student Residence (SSR) for graduate students. 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 halls, like "TBH" for Thomas Beckham Hall.

The SSR mainly houses graduate students and older undergraduate students. It also has a pilot program for students with families. These families are part of the Chicago Public Schools system.

The new Academic and Residential Complex (ARC) opened due to more students enrolling. It has lecture halls, classrooms, meeting rooms, and student housing. It also has a gym and a Starbucks.

Student Activities

The UIC Student Recreation Facility (SRF) is a sports complex for students. Opened in 2006, it has a three-story climbing wall, sports courts, and a pool with a lazy river. There's also the Sport and Fitness Center (SFC) on the west side. It has a fitness floor, Olympic pool, and racquetball courts. UIC Campus Recreation also manages the Outdoor Field Complex (OFC) for sports. They host events like RecFest and Destress Fest to promote student well-being.

Medical Center

UIC College of Medicine West Tower

The University of Illinois College of Medicine offers a four-year program. Students can study in Chicago, Peoria, or 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

Douglas Hall (renovated)

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

Three original buildings, Grant Hall, Lincoln Hall, and Douglas Hall, were renovated first. These buildings now use solar and geothermal power. This saves 20–25% on energy. Lincoln Hall and Douglas Hall received US LEED Gold certification for their green features.

Other updates include the roof of the Behavioral Sciences Building. A new College of Engineering building opened in 2019. It has a special structural laboratory. A new Computer Design Research and Learning Center (CDRLC) is being built. It is expected to open in 2024.

Being Green

The university's Office of Sustainability started in 2008. They work on projects like upgrading lighting and improving buildings to save energy. They also compost landscape waste. The university has a Climate Action Plan to help the environment.

UIC Sports Teams

The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) sports teams are called the Flames. They are part of NCAA Division I. Since the 2022–23 school year, they compete in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC). Before that, they were in the Horizon League and the Mid-Continent Conference.

UIC has 18 different sports teams. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, soccer, and tennis. Women's sports include basketball, golf, soccer, and volleyball.

Team Nickname

UIC's team name is the Flames. This name refers to the 1871 Great Chicago Fire. The fire started just a few blocks from campus. The team mascot is Sparky D. Dragon.

Men's Soccer Success

In September 2006, the men's soccer team reached its highest ranking ever, No. 6 in the country. They had a great defensive season, allowing only eight goals in 21 matches. This was the best defensive record in the nation that year. In 2007, UIC soccer made it to the Elite-Eight in the NCAA tournament. They beat No. 12 St. Louis, Northwestern, and No. 8 Creighton.

Baseball Achievements

UIC's baseball team won 30 or more games for nine years in a row (2001-2010). They also won seven straight Horizon League Championships. They advanced to an NCAA regional tournament four times. They even had regional wins against top teams like No. 1 Long Beach State in 2007.

Gymnastics History

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. In 1996, the men's gymnastics team finished 9th nationally. This is the highest final ranking for any UIC sport.

Student Life and Fun

The UIC Quad in April 2022.

The university is close to fun neighborhoods like Taylor Street, Greektown, and Pilsen. These areas have many restaurants and shops. Downtown Chicago is just 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 things for students to do.

Spark in the Park Music Festival

Spark in the Park is an annual music festival at UIC. It's usually held on Harrison field in the fall. Famous artists have performed there. These include Kid Cudi (2010), Lupe Fiasco (2011), Childish Gambino (2012), Kendrick Lamar (2013), and J. Cole (2014). In 2015, Twenty One Pilots headlined, and in 2016, Travis Scott performed. More recently, Nick Jonas (2017), Rich The Kid (2018), and 21 Savage (2019) have been featured.

Greek Life

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

Famous People from UIC

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

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  Adrian Smith (1969), architect, designed the Burj Khalifa

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  Carol Moseley Braun (BA, 1969), first African-American woman elected to the US Senate

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

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  Toshiko Abe (PhD), Japanese politician

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

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  Leo Melamed, chairman emeritus of CME Group

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

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  Barbara Schaal (BS), scientist and evolutionary biologist

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  Bobby Rush, U.S. House of Representatives 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), mathematician and philosopher

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  Ertharin Cousin (1979), global agriculture expert

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

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

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

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  Michael Gross (BA), actor

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

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  Janina Gavankar, actress and musician

See also

• CASTp