[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Page 2910]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 53--CONGRATULATING ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY AS IT 
                       MARKS ITS SESQUICENTENNIAL

  Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Mr. Obama) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committe on the Judiciary:

                               S. Res. 53

       Whereas Illinois State University marks its 
     sesquicentennial with a year-long celebration, beginning with 
     Founders Day on February 15, 2007;
       Whereas Illinois State University is the oldest public 
     university in the State of Illinois;
       Whereas Illinois State University has 34 academic 
     departments and offers more than 160 programs of study in the 
     College of Applied Science and Technology, the College of 
     Arts and Sciences, the College of Business, the College of 
     Education, the College of Fine Arts, and the Mennonite 
     College of Nursing;
       Whereas Illinois State University is 1 of the 10 largest 
     producers of teachers in the Nation, and nearly 1 in 7 
     Illinois teachers holds a degree from Illinois State 
     University;
       Whereas Milner Library at Illinois State University 
     contains more than 3 million holdings and special 
     collections;
       Whereas Illinois State University is ranked nationally as 
     one of the 100 ``best values'' in public higher education; 
     and
       Whereas Illinois State University participates in the 
     American Democracy Project, an initiative that prepares 
     students to engage in a competitive global society: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate congratulates Illinois State 
     University as it marks its sesquicentennial.

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate Illinois 
State University, ISU, as it marks its 150th year of providing an 
outstanding college education to students in the State of Illinois.
  Illinois State University commemorates its 150th anniversary this 
year with a year-long celebration that begins with Founders Day on 
February 15, 2007. ISU was founded as Bloomington-Normal in 1857. The 
school was Illinois's first public university and is one of the oldest 
institutions of higher education in the Midwest. Abraham Lincoln 
himself drew up the legal papers to establish the University, which has 
grown from a small teachers' college to a premiere liberal arts 
university. The University now serves more than 20,000 talented 
undergraduate and graduate students from across the country and from 88 
nations.
  For 150 years, Illinois State University has prided itself on 
providing a high quality education at a cost within the reach of most 
students. In fact, ISU is ranked nationally as one of the 100 ``best 
values'' in public higher education, according to Kiplinger magazine. 
ISU students can choose the program that best fits their academic needs 
from among 63 undergraduate programs in more than 160 fields of study. 
In particular, I commend Illinois State for its successful College of 
Education, which continues the University's long tradition of educating 
teachers. ISU is one of the 10 largest producers of teachers in the 
Nation. In fact, nearly 1 in 7 Illinois teachers holds a degree from 
ISU. By educating future teachers, Illinois State University has played 
an invaluable role in shaping the education of Illinois children.
  Illinois State hosts a large and successful athletics program. During 
the past 23 years, the ISU Redbirds have won 125 league titles in 19 
intercollegiate sports. Redbird competitors have gone on to be 
professional athletes, Olympians, and World Series Champions, as in the 
case of pitcher Neal Cotts, an ISU alumnus and member of the 2005 World 
Champion Chicago White Sox team.
  Students at Illinois State are encouraged to embrace the University's 
motto, ``Gladly we Learn and Teach,'' both in and outside the 
classroom. Many students choose to take part in public service and 
outreach programs that provide learning and service experiences beyond 
the classroom. ISU also participates in the American Democracy Project, 
an initiative that prepares students to be engaged in a competitive 
global society.
  Illinois State University has proven itself to be a tremendous asset 
to the students and citizens of Illinois for the past 150 years. I 
congratulate the University on its 150th anniversary, and I look 
forward to many more years of excellence in education and academic 
advancement in the future.

                          ____________________