Illinois State University

Illinois State University is a public university in Normal, Illinois and is the oldest public institution of higher education in the state. Most commonly referred to as ISU, the school was originally named Illinois State Normal University, and was founded in 1857 by Jesse W. Fell (1808-1887); Abraham Lincoln drew up the legal documents to establish the university. Normal schools were schools specifically designated for the education of teachers. In 1964, as the institution began expanding and moving toward a full liberal arts curriculum, its name was changed to Illinois State University at Normal, and by 1968 to Illinois State University. Today, ISU remains the most productive teaching school in Illinois....