Eureka College is a

private college Private universities and private colleges are higher education institutions not operated, owned, or institutionally funded by governments. However, they often receive tax breaks, public student loans, and government grants. Depending on the count ...

Eureka, Illinois Eureka is a city and the county seat of Woodford County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,295 at the 2010 census. Eureka is part of the Peoria metropolitan area. Eureka is a small community centered on the intersection of what is ...

, United States. Founded in 1855, it is related by covenant to the

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. The denomination started with the Restoration Movement during the Second Great Awakening, first existing during the 19th ...

. The college enrolled approximately 559 students in 2023. Eureka College was founded by abolitionists and was the third college in the United States to admit men and women on an equal basis. In 1856, future U.S. president

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

spoke on campus.

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...

, the 40th U.S. president, graduated from Eureka College in 1932 and maintained a close connection with the college throughout his life; it is home to the Ronald Reagan Museum and Peace Garden.

History

The college was founded in 1848 by a group of

abolitionists Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the political movement to end slavery and liberate enslaved individuals around the world. The first country to fully outlaw slavery was France in 1315, but it was later used in its colonies. T ...

who had left

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

because of their opposition to slavery and was originally named the Walnut Grove Academy. It was chartered in 1855. When the school was founded, it was the first school in Illinois (and only the third in the United States) to educate women on an equal basis with men. In 1856,

spoke on campus, making Eureka one of only three colleges where Lincoln spoke. Abingdon College merged with Eureka in 1885. In 2010, Eureka College was designated as a national historic district by the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, within the US Department of the Interior. The service manages all List ...

. On March 27, 2009, the former leader of the Soviet Union,

Mikhail Gorbachev Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev (2 March 1931 – 30 August 2022) was a Soviet and Russian politician who served as the last leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 to dissolution of the Soviet Union, the country's dissolution in 1991. He served a ...

, visited the section of the Berlin Wall on display in the Reagan Peace Garden on campus. Eureka gave President Gorbachev an

honorary degree An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or '' ad hon ...

during a convocation in which students asked the former Soviet leader questions. The college granted

Nancy Reagan Nancy Davis Reagan (; born Anne Frances Robbins; July 6, 1921 – March 6, 2016) was an American film actress who was the first lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989, as the second wife of President Ronald Reagan. Reagan was born in ...

an honorary degree in 2009 at a private ceremony in the

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library is the presidential library and burial site of Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States (1981–1989), and his wife Nancy Reagan. Located in Simi Valley, California, the library is administere ...

Simi Valley, California Simi Valley (; Chumashan languages, Chumash: ''Shimiyi'') is a city in Simi Valley (valley), the valley of the same name in southeastern Ventura County, California, United States. It is from Downtown Los Angeles, making it part of the Greater ...

. As part of the Ronald Reagan Centennial Celebration in 2011, former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives

Newt Gingrich Newton Leroy Gingrich (; né McPherson; born June 17, 1943) is an American politician and author who served as the List of speakers of the United States House of Representatives, 50th speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1 ...

delivered the

commencement address In the United States, a commencement speech or commencement address is a speech given to graduating students, generally at a university, although the term is also used for secondary education institutions and in similar institutions around the ...

at Eureka. The same year saw the opening of the Mark R. Shenkman Reagan Research Center and College Archives; the center is collecting and maintaining every book and doctoral dissertation written about Ronald Reagan. James A. Baker III was named Honorary Reagan Fellow in 2012, and this honor was bestowed on Justice Sandra Day O'Connor the next year. George P. Shultz, former U.S. Secretary of State, received was made an Honorary Reagan Fellow at a ceremony in San Francisco in 2014.

Campus

The Eureka College campus is . Burrus Dickinson Hall, the college's administration building, is on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

, as is the college chapel. The Ronald Reagan Museum and Peace Gardens, located within the Donald B. Cerf Center, contains a collection of objects and memorabilia largely donated by Reagan. The items are from his times as a student, actor, athlete,

Governor of California The governor of California is the head of government of the U.S. state of California. The Governor (United States), governor is the commander-in-chief of the California National Guard and the California State Guard. Established in the Constit ...

and

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...

. Admission is free. The Reagan Athletic Complex was dedicated in 1970 by brothers and alumni

Neil Reagan John Neil Reagan (September 16, 1908 – December 11, 1996) was an American radio station manager, CBS senior producer, and senior vice president of McCann Erickson. He was the older brother of the Hollywood star and United States President R ...

and Ronald Reagan, and named in their honor. At Eureka's commencement exercises in 1982, President Reagan announced the START treaty proposal in the Reagan Gym. In 2015, The Bonati Fitness Center and Reagan Center Pool underwent renovation.

Student body

As of fall 2023, the college enrolled 527 students split nearly evenly between men and women. Most - 68% - of the students were White, 12% were Black, 9% were Hispanic/Latino, and 1% were Asian; 3% of students reported two or more races and 5% did not report their race or ethnicity. The vast majority - 85% - were from the state of Illinois and about 1% were from outside the United States. About two-thirds - 63% - of full-time students who enrolled in the fall of 2022 returned for the fall of 2023. Of the full-time, first-time students who began their studies at Eureka in fall 2017, 41% graduated and 42% transferred to another institution.

Greek life

As of 2019, 23% of male students are in social fraternities, while 26% of female students are in social sororities. Overall 24% of the student body are involved in Greek life. In February 2020, the college's chapter of

Delta Sigma Phi Delta Sigma Phi (), commonly known as Delta Sig, is a fraternities and sororities, fraternity established in 1899 at City College of New York, The City College of New York (CCNY). It was the first fraternity to be founded based on religious and e ...

was disciplined due to unknown allegations.

Athletics

left, 120px, Eureka athletics logo The Eureka athletic teams are the Red Devils. The college is a member of the Division III level of the

National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...

(NCAA), primarily competing in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) since the 2006–07 academic year. The Red Devils previously competed in the defunct Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference from about 1996–97 to 2005–06; and in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) of the

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for higher education, colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic schola ...

(NAIA) until after the 1995–96 school year. Eureka was also a member of the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) from 1910–11 to 1941–42. Eureka competes in 14 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer and wrestling; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, volleyball and wrestling. The men's basketball team, coached by Dave Darnell, won the 1994 NAIA Division II national championship. On September 1, 2012, Eureka College quarterback Sam Durley set an NCAA record with 736 passing yards in Eureka's 62–55 victory over Knox College.

Notable alumni

Among Eureka College's alumni are forty-two college and university presidents, seven

governors A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

and members of

U.S. Congress The United States Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a bicameral legislature, including a lower body, the U.S. House of Representatives, and an upper body, the U.S. Senate. They both ...

, and the 40th

president of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...

, who graduated with the class of 1932. Eureka College is the smallest college or university in American history to graduate a future U.S. president with a bachelor's degree.

Ronald Reagan

Reagan's relationship with his alma mater began in 1928 when he entered as a freshman from

Dixon, Illinois Dixon is a city in Lee County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. The population was 15,274 as of the 2020 census. The city is named after founder John Dixon, who operated a rope ferry service across the Rock River (Mississippi River ...

, at age 17. Following his graduation on June 10, 1932, with a joint major in

economics Economics () is a behavioral science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and interac ...

and

sociology Sociology is the scientific study of human society that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. The term sociol ...

, Reagan returned for visits on twelve recorded occasions. He served on the board of trustees for three terms, stayed connected to his fraternity

Tau Kappa Epsilon Tau Kappa Epsilon (), commonly known as or Teke, is a social college fraternities and sororities, fraternity founded on January 10, 1899, at Illinois Wesleyan University. The organization has chapters throughout the United States and Canada, maki ...

, communicated with his football coach and mentor Ralph "Mac" McKinzie, and helped support fund-raising drives including with his own financial commitments to the college. Reagan gave three commencement addresses at Eureka College in 1952, 1957, 1982, and 1992. He dedicated the Melick Library building in 1967 and the Reagan Physical Education Center in 1970. When he died in 2004, Eureka College was one of three officially designated recipients of memorial gifts by his family. In 1982, President Reagan told the Eureka College audience, "Everything that has been good in my life began here." Eureka College established the Ronald W. Reagan Leadership Program in 1982 to provide scholarships and four-year full-tuition scholarships to designated Reagan Fellows.

Other notable alumni

* Emik Avakian (1948), inventor and owner of numerous patents * Franklin Burghardt (1934), college football and basketball coach * Harvey Butchart (1928), mathematician and explorer of

Grand Canyon The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. The Grand Canyon is long, up to wide and attains a depth of over a mile (). The canyon and adjacent rim are contained within Grand Canyon Nati ...

backcountry * James E. Harris (1860s), lieutenant

governor of Nebraska The governor of Nebraska is the head of government of the U.S. state of Nebraska as provided by the fourth article of the Constitution of Nebraska. The officeholder is elected to a four-year term, with elections held two years after presidential ...

from 1897–1899 * Frank Frantz (1880s), Rough Rider and the final Governor of Oklahoma Territory * Winfred Ernest Garrison (1890s), president of

Butler University Butler University is a private university in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university has over 60 major academic fields of study within six colleges in the arts, business, communic ...

and professor of philosophy and religion at the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...

* Dan C. Ogle (1924), U.S. Air Force Surgeon General and Major General *

Oliver Perry Hay Oliver Perry Hay (May 22, 1846 – November 2, 1930) was an American herpetologist, ichthyologist, and paleontologist. Hay was born in Jefferson County, Indiana, to Robert and Margaret Hay. In 1870, Hay graduated with a bachelor of arts from ...

(1870), zoologist * William A. Poynter (1867),

Nebraska Nebraska ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Ka ...

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

and the tenth

Governor of Nebraska The governor of Nebraska is the head of government of the U.S. state of Nebraska as provided by the fourth article of the Constitution of Nebraska. The officeholder is elected to a four-year term, with elections held two years after presidential ...

(1933), radio, TV and advertising executive, brother of

Yeager 63 * Tom Vaughn (about 1958), jazz pianist and Episcopal priest * William L. White (1969), addiction treatment and recovery researcher, author and historian

Notable faculty

* Cathy Compton, softball coach, 1987–1990 * Darrell Crouch, football coach, 2000–2004 * John Dooley (American football), football coach, 1967–1968 * Nicholas Fletcher, football coach, 1995–1999 * Joseph C. Hafele, mathematics, 1985–1991 * O. A. Hankner football coach, 1938 * Tom Hosier, football coach, 1974–1978 * Warner McCollum, football coach, 1979–1989 and athletic director * Ralph McKinzie, football coach, 1921–1937 * Thomas O'Neal, football coach, 1915–1916 *

, science, 1870–1873 * George H. Pritchard, football coach, 1917–1919 * Junius P. Rodriguez, historian, 1992–2023 * Emma Smith DeVoe, music, 1870–1871 * Ray Urban, football coach, 1969–1973 * Mary Frances Winston Newson, mathematics, 1921–1942 * Jamel Wright, president, 2017–present

References

Bibliography

* Yager, Edward M., ''Ronald Reagan's Journey: Democrat to Republican'', Rowman & Littlefield, 2006,

External links

*
Athletics website
{{authority control Buildings and structures in Woodford County, Illinois Education in Woodford County, Illinois Universities and colleges established in 1855 National Register of Historic Places in Woodford County, Illinois Ronald Reagan Trail Universities and colleges affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Tourist attractions in Woodford County, Illinois University and college buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Illinois 1855 establishments in Illinois Private universities and colleges in Illinois