Recognized as one of the nation's "Best Value" institutions and one of the "Best in the Midwest Colleges" by the Princeton Review, as well as a Tier 1 Midwestern Masters Institution by "US News and World Report," Western Illinois University (WIU) serves approximately 13,000 students in the heart of the Midwest through its traditional, residential four-year campus in Macomb, IL (population 20,000) and its upper-division urban commuter location in the Quad Cities/Moline, IL (QC population 376,000; Moline population 44,000).

A public university, WIU's friendly, accessible, nurturing campus communities are dedicated to higher values in higher education and are comprised of strong faculty, state-of-the art technology and facilities and a wide range of academic and extracurricular opportunities for students and staff.

WIU is the cultural center of the region, with 12 major theatrical and dance productions and more than 12 studio shows presented annually in Western's three theatres. Outstanding concerts, lectures, dramatic presentations, films, and dance attractions by nationally known performers are presented on campus by the Bureau of Cultural Affairs and the University Union Board. The Gwendolyn Brooks and Casa Latina cultural centers offer programs and activities focusing on African American and Hispanic cultures.

The four core values at the heart of WIU are academic excellence, educational opportunity, personal growth, and social responsibility. Committed to empowering students through the opportunity to earn a high quality education that is also affordable, WIU's GradTrac and Cost Guarantee programs ensure that students can achieve their degrees within four years while paying a fixed rate for tuition, fees, plus room and board. WIU remains the only university in Illinois to guarantee the cost for tuition plus fees and room and board for students over a four year period at both the undergraduate and graduate level. WIU's Cost Guarantee program is the model for the state's "truth-in-tuition program" that helps students control cost.

WIU's community of professionals are dedicated to preparing students to be productive citizens, diverse thinkers, and engaged community members through excellence in teaching and learning. WIU continues to have a profound and positive impact on our changing world through a distinctive combination of instruction, research, and public service as we educate and prepare a diverse student population to thrive in, and contribute to, our global society. WIU is committed to providing opportunities and access to its faculty through teaching and research along with excellent benefit programs.

WIU is a comprehensive university offering 59 undergraduate degree programs and 35 graduate degree programs. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 17 to 1, WIU's 656 full-time faculty teach 95% percent of all undergraduate as well as graduate courses in addition to 13 pre-professional degree programs and 14 certificate programs. The University serves students from 92 counties in Illinois, 41 states and 50 countries. WIU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association. Western Illinois University is a member of the NCAA and competes at the Division I level sponsoring 20 intercollegiate sports in a broad-based athletics department. The Leslie F. Malpass Library ranks among the finest at comprehensive universities in the United States. Future capital projects include building the region's premiere performing arts center at WIU's Macomb campus and an expanded Mississippi riverfront campus at WIU's Quad Cities location.

WIU-Macomb, IL (Student Population: 11,368): A traditional, residential four-year campus with select graduate programs, WIU-Macomb is located in the heart of west central Illinois in historic Macomb (population 20,000). A tradition of partnership between WIU and the City of Macomb has made Macomb the educational, cultural, and athletic center of the region. A city built on farming, education, and industry surrounded by rich farmlands, scenic valleys and drives, Macomb offers a high quality of life in a relaxed setting and welcoming community to the families it serves from West Central Illinois and beyond. Macomb is an Amtrak city with daily service to Chicago. Macomb is located approximately 75 miles from the Quad Cities International Airport (Moline, IL) and 95 miles from the Greater Peoria Regional Airport (Peoria, IL). In addition to having three 18-hole golf courses, Macomb's recreational offerings include special annual events such as a Hot Air Balloon Rally, the Al Sears Jazz Festival, Dickens on the Square, and Heritage Days. In 2005 Macomb became the chosen site for a new Pella Window plant.

WIU-Quad Cities (Student Population: 1,332): The only public university in the Quad Cities area, WIU-QC offers upper division degree completion programs and select graduate programs at its urban commuter location in Moline, IL (population 44,000) set on a wooded 10-acre site. Thanks to a gift from John Deere and Company and a growing partnership with the city of Moline, plans are underway for WIU-QC to expand into a new riverfront campus along the Mississippi River. The Quad Cities (population 376,000) rests on the banks of the Mississippi and is comprised of Moline and Rock Island in western Illinois and Davenport and Bettendorf in eastern Iowa. This metropolitan area is a family-friendly center for music, the arts, museums, festivals, professional sports, riverboat casinos, biking and hiking trails. The Quad Cities is home to the Quad Cities International Airport and NorthPark and SouthPark Malls. Special events and entertainment venues include the Figge Art Museum, the Mark of the Quad Cities Civic Center, the John Deere Golf Classic, the Bix 7 run, and the John Deere Commons.