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Giving

College of Arts and Sciences

The Case for Support

What does it take to prepare today's students to pursue their dreams and build a better world in a global society that's evolving so quickly that tomorrow's jobs may not even exist today?

At the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), we believe the answer starts with immersing students in classes that span the humanities and natural and social sciences. Humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and mathematics all represent different ways of looking at the world. An arts and sciences education encourages students to think about the possibilities, building a foundation for what they need to change lives—starting with their own.

Our faculty seek new ways to challenge, inspire and guide students, preparing them to leave campus as informed, well-educated, engaged citizens.

Through Redbirds Rising: The Campaign for Illinois State, we will build on the College of Arts and Sciences' history of success, providing students with the opportunity for learning inside and outside of the classroom. Faculty and students work closely together, crossing academic disciplines, challenging assumptions and making discoveries.

Your investment makes these opportunities a reality, leading our students into a future that's still being imagined.

Redbirds Rising Campaign
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Campaign Goal:
$20 million

Our Impact

The College of Arts and Sciences comprises 16 departments and schools and also is home to 14 interdisciplinary minors. In addition to the nearly 6,000 students with majors in CAS, every ISU student is touched by the College through the General Education program and the many electives offered in our departments and schools.

Campaign Funding Priorities

Redbirds Rising will enable the University to achieve three critical outcomes: supporting student and faculty scholarship, educating globally aware and socially engaged leaders, and sparking continuous creativity and innovation. To advance these objectives, we offer multiple ways to support the College within our key funding categories:

Expanding student support

Privately funded scholarships and other resources enable the College to attract high-performing students, many of whom need financial support to not only attend Illinois State but expand their learning beyond campus, such as in study abroad programs.

Attracting and developing top faculty

Endowed professorships, endowed chairs, and visiting professorships provide the University with the resources to attract and retain top faculty who will pursue excellence in teaching and mentoring, inspiring and motivating students to reach their full potential. These faculty will lead and create world-class academic programs, engage in research and scholarly activities that advance knowledge, and seek solutions for society's pressing problems.

Solving problems in a complex world

To understand and address some of the world's most complex problems requires an integrated approach that blends knowledge from different disciplines. Funding is needed for centers, institutes, and programs that cross disciplines within the College and throughout campus.

Sustaining excellence

To make the most of changing times, the College must be able to respond quickly to opportunities that can benefit our students and faculty, as well as enhance our reputation for excellence. Generous, ongoing support for the College's annual fund and other unrestricted resources can provide the exibility needed to take advantage of those opportunities.

Sustaining excellence

CAST must be able to respond quickly to opportunities that can benefit our students and faculty, as well as enhance our reputation for excellence. Generous, ongoing support through the College’s annual fund and other unrestricted accounts provides students and faculty with the resources necessary to stay innovative and be leaders in their fields. Recent donor investments have allowed us to secure computer software to augment our teaching and research laboratories, replace drafting tables in labs used by interior design and horticulture, and provide state-of-the-art equipment in our teacher education labs.

It is often said that the arts and sciences are the heart of the University. At Illinois State, the College of Arts and Sciences is that and more. Through commitment to the University's core values, the College has become a solid launching pad for successful leadership in the 21st century. Join us in supporting The Campaign for Illinois State, and help secure the future for our College, our university, and the society we serve.

Contact Us

The priorities described here represent only a small sampling of funding opportunities in every department and program within the College of Arts and Sciences. For more information about how you can support the College’s campaign priorities, contact: