School Spirit

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February 2025 View more

Snapshots of local colleges and universities

A Division III football powerhouse, North Central College secured its third National Championship in January by besting Mount Union 41-25 at Stagg Bowl 51.
A Division III football powerhouse, North Central College secured its third National Championship in January by besting Mount Union 41-25 at Stagg Bowl 51.

College 101 Essay Prompt: Discuss Midwest college towns.

Given the above assignment, most writers would likely take a knee-jerk pivot to the traditional “brand-name” cities and burgs that are so familiar from Saturday afternoon football games and high school application wish lists. Evanston. Ann Arbor. Champaign. Iowa City. West Lafayette. Madison.

All great choices, to be sure. But the Big Ten is hardly the be-all, end-all of the Midwestern collegiate experience. For students looking for something a little more intimate, a little more specialized, or maybe just a little bit closer to home, the western suburbs are something of a hotbed of higher ed.

Naperville. Aurora. Glen Ellyn. Wheaton. Elmhurst. These are our Midwest college towns—and these are the institutions that anchor them.

* * *

Wheaton College

Wheaton College

Founded: 1860
Student population: Just over 2,100
Location: 501 College Ave., Wheaton
Campus size: 80 acres
Average cost: Full-time undergrad tuition and fees = $45,420
Nickname: Thunder
Mascot: Stertorous “Tor” Thunder

KEEPING THE FAITH

While a number of local colleges and universities have ties to religious denominations, few weave faith into their mission as explicitly as Wheaton College does.

From the moment visitors step foot onto the 80-acre campus of this 165-year-old liberal arts institution, it becomes readily apparent just how proudly Wheaton wears its Christian underpinning on its collective sleeve. From the entrance sign that bears the phrase “For Christ and His Kingdom” to the massive Billy Graham Hall (which houses, among many other things, a museum dedicated to its namesake’s ministry), the theme is evident throughout.

But this dedication to Christian values and understanding (with more than 40 denominations represented among the student body) is paired with a similarly steadfast focus on rigorous academic standards. It is this unique combination that chief enrollment management officer Silvio Vazquez says draws a certain kind of student to Wheaton.

Discovered in 1963 in Glen Ellyn, the Perry Mastodon resides at the Meyer Science Center at Wheaton College.
Discovered in 1963 in Glen Ellyn, the Perry Mastodon resides at the Meyer Science Center at Wheaton College.

“Our students have big questions, and they know that when they come to Wheaton College those questions will be explored,” Vazquez says. “And they want to be among a group of peers who are going to encourage them and challenge them and walk with them on this journey—not just through their four years here, but throughout life. One of the things we say here is that when you’re admitted to Wheaton, you’re a ‘Mini-Wheat,’ and when you enroll at Wheaton, you’re a ‘Wheatie’ for life.”

One of the driving forces behind that lifelong commitment, Vazquez believes, is the value students place on Wheaton’s commitment to both their intellectual and spiritual development. He says he hears frequently from alumni who talk about the confidence their Wheaton experience gave them to go out into the world able to declare, “This is why I believe what I believe.” And just as often he hears from parents of those students who are amazed by the change and growth they’ve witnessed in their children—because, while the school is gratified by its high graduation rate and the career successes so many of its alumni go on to achieve, Vazquez says it’s the way Wheaton helps build character and provides education for its students’ whole lives that is really what matters in the end. “It’s not just about teaching certain skill sets, it’s about showing them how to best live out their calling,” he notes. “We’re here to prepare our students for not just a 9-to-5 life, but a 24-7 one.”

Top three majors: Business/economics, biology/health sciences, psychology

Notable alumni: Evangelist Billy Graham, film director Wes Craven

Fun fact: Founded by evangelical abolitionists—including Jonathan Blanchard, the college’s first president for whom (along with his son, Charles) the iconic castle-like Blanchard Hall is named—Wheaton College has long been rumored to have been a stop on the Underground Railroad during the Civil War.


Old Main on Elmhurst University’s campus dates back to 1878.
Old Main on Elmhurst University’s campus dates back to 1878.

Elmhurst University

Founded: 1871
Student population: Almost 4,000 (3,200 undergrad, 800 grad)
Location: 190 S. Prospect Ave., Elmhurst
Campus size: 48 acres
Average cost: Full-time undergrad tuition and fees = $42,495
Nickname: Bluejays
Mascot: Victor E. Bluejay

ACADEMICS + EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

To begin, a point of clarification: If you’re not used to seeing “Elmhurst University” it’s probably because the school had been known as “Elmhurst College” for almost a century before modifying its moniker in 2020 to better reflect its broader educational profile. The branding shift is just the latest evolutionary milepost for a school that has been serving students for more than 150 years, from its founding in 1871 by the German Evangelical Synod of the Northwest to its longtime and current affiliation with the United Church of Christ’s core values of open engagement and social justice.

Students sitting together on the grass at Elmhurst University

What hasn’t changed over all that time, according to vice president for admission Christine Grenier, has been Elmhurst’s commitment to offering high-quality academic instruction across a comprehensive selection of academic majors in a welcoming and inclusive environment. “We strive to provide a powerful blend of academics with relevant experiential learning and professional preparation that enables our students to acquire the knowledge and skills they’ll need for success after graduation and throughout their lives,” Grenier explains. “Our students are able to curate their college experience academically and socially, combining their academic pursuits, interests, and big ideas to lead them to their dream job or whatever else comes next.”

The consistent draw of these types of opportunities has held up over time at Elmhurst—particularly for first-generation college students, who make up more than half of the university’s population. Grenier believes they and other students look at Elmhurst University and see an affordable and accessible starting point to the rest of their lives. “Whether our students are driven toward a specific goal from day one or are just exploring their path when they get here, we work hard to support and nurture them every step of the way, enabling them to accomplish things they may not have even thought about prior to coming to Elmhurst,” she says.

Top three majors: Business, nursing, psychology

Notable alumni: Country singer Brett Eldredge, WXRT radio personality Terri Hemmert

Fun fact: Elmhurst’s collection of Chicago Imagist and abstract art is considered to be among the best in the nation.


Community College District 502 includes 48 communities with more than 1 million people and 26 public high schools and 10 private high schools.
Community College District 502 includes 48 communities with more than 1 million people and 26 public high schools and 10 private high schools.

College of DuPage

Founded: 1967
Student population: More than 26,000
Location: 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn
Campus size: 273 acres (main campus in Glen Ellyn—COD also has satellite campuses in Westmont, Naperville, Addison and Carol Stream)
Average cost: In-district: $152 per credit hour; out-of-district: $355 per credit hour
Nickname: Chapparals

BUILDING A NETWORK

Take a stroll around the bustling Glen Ellyn campus of College of DuPage on any given school day, and you’ll likely come away with a pretty good understanding of just what draws more than 26,000 students to this version of the college experience. Sure, towering dormitories are here replaced by big parking lots packed with the cars of the commuting population, but otherwise the facilities, green spaces, and general vibe of this two-year community college check every box of the traditional campus scene.

Whether they’ve come to study in the fine arts program, polish their skills in the culinary school, get certified in the health care field, or simply build their academic portfolio before moving on to another institution, the wide array of options is a consistent draw for COD students (as is the affordable tuition). Most importantly, says interim President Christine Hammond, is that the journey of every one of those students—whatever that looks like—remains at the heart of what COD is all about.

A health care student examining a practice dummy at College of DuPage

“Everyone at College of DuPage is focused on student success,” she explains. “We want students to be able to find the resources and the personal support to achieve their goals, learning from expert faculty members and enhancing that learning through internships, field studies, study-abroad opportunities, service-learning, and much more. These are the COD benefits that give students invaluable experiences outside the classroom as they move forward with their education and careers.”

And regardless of where they end up, Hammond says, COD students always know they have plenty of company out in the world thanks to the many alumni who started exactly where they did. “COD students have the opportunity to not only choose a career path that leads to day-to-day fulfillment but to also build a network of friendships that can support them for years to come.”

Notable alumni: Actor Lamorne Morris (a.k.a. “the BMO guy”), actor/comedian Jim Belushi

Fun fact: Jazz fans all over the world have a connection to COD via 90.9 FM WDCB, the nonprofit radio station that has been “Chicago’s home for jazz” since the early 1980s.


A statue and landscaped walkway at Aurora University

Aurora University

Founded: 1893
Student population: Just over 6,000 (4,098 undergrad, 1,837 grad)
Location: 347 S. Gladstone Ave., Aurora
Campus size: 39 acres
Average cost: Full-time undergrad tuition and fees = $28,985
Nickname: Spartans
Mascot: Sammy Spartan

A PRIVATE UNIVERSITY WITH A PUBLIC MISSION

Originally founded in 1893 as a seminary called Mendota College, Aurora College eventually broadened its mission and moved to its current home in 1912. With an expansion of curricular offerings during the 1970s and 1980s, the institution was rechristened Aurora University in 1985.

Today, it boasts a combined undergraduate and graduate student population of more than 6,000, many of whom are drawn to the west suburban campus (with its signature red-roofed buildings) by its wide array of offerings, tech-forward approach to learning, proximity to Chicago, and relative affordability. “We meet students at their point of readiness, offering a relationship-intensive educational experience that goes beyond the traditional higher education approach to ensure the success of each student,” says President Susana Rivera-Mills. “Beyond campus, we form partnerships with corporations and organizations that provide paid internships, community engagement and service, and mentoring that helps our students reach their full potential.”

Eckhart Hall served as the sole academic building when the school opened on its current site in 1912.
Eckhart Hall served as the sole academic building when the school opened on its current site in 1912.

That full potential, of course, includes the crucial return on investment that every student wants from a college education—a fulfilling career. To that end, Rivera-Mills notes that the university’s Career Skills Infusion initiative works to ensure that graduates have the marketable skills employers are looking for. As part of this program, the university collaborates with area organizations to understand the traits they’re seeking in employees, as well as to match students for internships and jobs. And while Rivera-Mills is certainly proud of the university’s reputation for sending skilled and well-rounded graduates into the workforce, she’s even more heartened by what today’s AU student body looks like. Thanks to efforts that have led to becoming a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution in 2018, as well as the 2022 launch of the Pathways program designed to meet the needs of neurodivergent students, she believes the university is providing more opportunities to more students than ever before. “We consider AU to be a private university with a public mission,” she says. “As part of this mission, we are passionate about welcoming new populations to higher education and offering a broad array of programs necessary to serve diverse learners.”

Top three majors: Nursing, criminal justice, physical education

Notable alumni: Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson, St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Roycroft

Fun fact: As AU looks to become a local bastion of high-tech education, the university is getting a big boost from a nearly $1 million grant it received last year to support emerging technology—particularly virtual reality and artificial intelligence.


North Central College’s Old Main building was completed in 1870.
North Central College’s Old Main building was completed in 1870.

North Central College

Founded: 1861
Student population: Just over 3,000 (2,450 undergrad, 550 grad)
Location: 30 N. Brainard St., Naperville
Campus size: 70 acres
Average cost: Full-time undergrad tuition and fees = $44,394
Nickname: Cardinals
Mascot: Chippy the Cardinal

SHAPING THE COMMUNITY

North Central College was founded as a two-story institution in Plainfield back in 1861 for about 40 students (both men and women, a rarity in those days)—first as Plainfield College, before becoming North-Western and eventually North Central. And while location was surely a draw in those early days (given its proximity to Chicago), the big city to the east is hardly the only attraction for the more than 3,000 students who call it their academic home in 2025.

Just steps from Naperville’s bustling downtown—which has changed quite a bit itself over the past century and a half—the college shares an inextricable bond with the city. It’s a relationship that helps infuse the civic environment with youthful energy and talent while providing NCC students with job opportunities, recreational and cultural amenities, and a vibrant college-town atmosphere to complement their studies.

Students walking together on campus at North Central College

Beyond its location, however, President Abiodun Goke-Pariola believes students gravitate to NCC for the college’s focus on a high-quality liberal arts education brought to life by dedicated faculty and staff. “Whether they’re studying to become nurses, teachers, accountants, engineers, or whatever other career they choose, our students receive a well-rounded education,” he explains. “They also develop core skills like communication, teamwork, and critical thinking, all of which equip them to understand and successfully tackle unique problems and challenges. These are highly valued skills no matter a student’s chosen major or future profession.”

But the spirit of NCC extends well beyond just the years students spend on campus. As they head out into the world, Goke-Pariola says they’ll find a network of alumni that are always ready to lend a hand. “Right here in Naperville, our alumni are helping shape the community in countless ways—as educators, medical practitioners, entrepreneurs, small business owners, and community leaders,” he notes. “I am so proud of their success and their willingness to give back in support of our current students and young alums.”

Top three majors: Education, psychology, finance

Notable alumni: Olympic swimmer Dick Blick, industrialist Frederick Louis Maytag I

Fun fact: North Central College offers students more than 75 clubs, sports, and activities.


More College Choices

Of course, the western suburbs boast several other noteworthy institutions of higher learning. Here’s a sampling:

BENEDICTINE UNIVERSITY
5700 College Road, Lisle

This private Catholic university was founded in 1887 as St. Procopius College by Benedictine monks. Offerings include 42 undergraduate majors, 17 graduate degrees, three doctoral programs, and 17 certificate programs.

DEVRY UNIVERSITY
4225 Naperville Road, Lisle

With a focus on business, technology and health care, this private institution offers associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees as well as certificate programs. Both online and hybrid courses are typically taught in eight-week class sessions year-round.

NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY—NAPERVILLE CAMPUS
120 E. Diehl Road, Naperville

As a satellite campus of NIU based in DeKalb, this facility offers continuing education and accreditation classes as well as training and conference facilities for businesses and organizations.

WAUBONSEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Route 47 and Waubonsee Drive, Sugar Grove (main campus), as well as Aurora Downtown, Aurora Fox Valley, and Plano campuses

Founded in 1966, this community college awards career degrees and certificates as well as associate degrees to prepare students planning to transfer to four-year colleges.

 

Photos: North Central College; Wheaton College; Elmhurst University; College of DuPage; Aurora University; North Central College