Louis Stokes Midwest Regional Center of Excellence

Benedictine University - Benedictine University is an inclusive academic community dedicated to teaching and learning, scholarship and service, truth and justice, as inspired by the Catholic intellectual tradition, the social teaching of the Church, and the principles of wisdom in the Rule of St. Benedict. Benedictine University aspires to be a thought leader in Catholic higher education. We seek to provide a transformative and integrative educational experience grounded in Benedictine values, helping students shape lives of meaning and purpose as engaged citizens who care for the earth, welcome people of diverse faiths and cultures, and promote the common good.

Bowling Green State University - Bowling Green State University provides experiences that enhance lives. Students are prepared for lifelong career growth, lives of engaged citizenship and leadership in a global society.U.S. News and World Reportnames BGSU as one of the top public universities nationwide with a strong commitment to first-year programs that lead to success. Within our transformative learning community, we build a welcoming, safe and diverse environment where the creative ideas and achievements of all can benefit others throughout Ohio, the nation and the world.

Bradley University - Bradley University is a top-ranked, prestigious, private university in Peoria, Illinois, offering 5,400 undergraduate and graduate students the opportunities, choices and resources of a larger university and the personal attention and exceptional learning experience of a smaller university. Bradley offers a comprehensive array of undergraduate and graduate academic programs in business, communications, education, engineering, fine arts, health sciences, liberal arts and sciences, and technology. The University is located on an 85-acre campus in Peoria, the largest metropolitan area in Central Illinois.

Dominican University - Dominican University is an intellectually integrated, mission-centered educational environment. Our unparalleled combination of opportunities and affordability makes Dominican one of the greatest values on both the U.S. News and World Report top-tier and Colleges of Distinction lists. We offerhundreds of avenues at the undergraduate and graduate levels to explore career interests and experience diverse cultures and international environments. And we organize and support 60+ projects and learning experiences that contribute effectively to the good of local and global communities.

Eastern Illinois University - Eastern Illinois University is a state university located in Charleston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1895 as the Eastern Illinois State Normal School, a teacher's college offering a two-year degree, Eastern Illinois University gradually expanded into a comprehensive university with a broad curriculum, including Baccalaureate and Master's degrees in education, business, arts, sciences, and humanities.

Illinois Wesleyan University - Founded in 1850, Illinois Wesleyan is a nationally recognized, exclusively undergraduate university that enrolls approximately 1,700 students from across the nation and around the globe. The Illinois Wesleyan University experience is characterized by close student-faculty interactions and a holistic approach to education, which allows our students to pursue their curiosity and discover the interconnectedness of knowledge beyond our 80-plus majors, minors, pre-professional and professional programs. Illinois Wesleyan prides itself on producing well-rounded graduates with a spirit of inquiry, who can successfully adapt to the demands of a rapidly changing, complex world. With an emphasis on learning by doing, Illinois Wesleyan offers distinctive experiences that directly prepare students for success.

Loyola University Chicago - Shaped by our city and Jesuittraditions, Loyola University Chicago offers students an unmatched educational experience. We come from all faiths and backgrounds, with a common purpose of building a bettersociety. Loyola University Chicago is consistently ranked among the top universities in the country, and U.S. News & World Report recently named it one of the nation’s best values in higher education.

Marian University - At Marian University, our vision is to provide an education that profoundly transforms lives, society, and the world. Ourmission is to be a Catholic university dedicated to excellent teaching and learning in the Franciscan and liberal arts traditions. We welcome students of all faiths who seek an educational experienceframed within the context of our Franciscan values ofdignity of the individual, peace and justice, reconciliation, and responsible stewardship. Our understanding of these values is informed by reflection on the life of Jesus Christ and prayer.

Ohio Dominican University - Connect your passion with a purpose at Ohio Dominican University, Central Ohio’s Catholic University. ODU offers 40 majors and nine master’s programs that prepare students for rewarding and exciting careers in high-demand fields. Ohio Dominican has 1,700 students and is located less than 10 minutes from the heart of downtown Columbus –the nation’s 14th largest city. ODU was founded in 1911 in the Catholic and Dominican tradition by the Dominican Sisters of Peace. At ODU, students connect their passion with a purpose.

Roosevelt University - Roosevelt University is an independent, non-profit, metropolitan university with two distinct campuses located in downtownChicago and suburban Schaumburg, Illinois. With a richhistory and progressivecurricula featuring116 degree programs, we are committed to the highest standards of academic excellence. Our award-winning faculty and dedicated staff take pride in pushing Roosevelt’s remarkably diverse students to the limits of achievement, inspiring the transformation of lives and communities through the principles ofsocial justice.

University of Detroit Mercy - The University of Detroit Mercy is Michigan's largest and most comprehensive Catholic university, sponsored by the Religious Sisters of Mercy and the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). Today's University boasts the heritage of two founding institutions: the University of Detroit, founded in 1877 by the Jesuits, and Mercy College of Detroit, founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1941. The two consolidated as University of Detroit Mercy in 1990. Detroit Mercy offers more than 100 undergraduate, graduate and professional academic degrees and programs through seven schools and colleges. Detroit Mercy educates the whole person, focusing on the value of excellent academics, service to the community and a deeper spirituality to prepare graduates to live lives of purpose. For more information, please visit www.udmercy.edu.

The University of Illinois - Springfield - The University of Illinois at Springfield provides an intellectually rich, collaborative, and intimate learning environment for students, faculty, and staff, while serving local, regional, state, national, and international communities. UIS serves its students by building a faculty whose members have a passion for teaching and by creating an environment that nurtures learning. At UIS, the undergraduate and graduate curricula and the professional programs emphasize liberal arts, interdisciplinary approaches, lifelong learning, and engaged citizenship. UIS provides its students with the knowledge,skills, and experience that lead to productive careers in the private and public sectors. One vital area in which UIS extends its scholarship, teaching, learning, and expertise beyond the campus is in the broad area of public affairs. From its location inthe state capital, UIS shapes and informs public policy, trains tomorrow’s leaders, and enriches its learning environment through a wide range of public affairs activities, programs, and organizations. UIS empowers its students, faculty, and staff by being a leader in online education and classroom technology. UIS uses technology to enhance its distinctive learning environment and extend that environment beyond the boundaries of the campus.

University of Toledo - We are The University of Toledo, a student-centered, public metropolitan research university with 23,000 students and picturesque campuses recognized nationally for their beauty. The University of Toledo is one of 14 state universities in Ohio. We were established in 1872 and became a member of the state university system in 1967. The University of Toledo and the Medical University of Ohio merged July 2006 to form the third-largest public university operating budget in the state. The University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission.

Valparaiso University - Valparaiso University is a comprehensive independent Lutheran university with more than 4,500 students on its campus located in Northwest Indiana, an hour from Chicago. Valpo is a community of purpose-driven, service-minded and ethical individuals who embrace the pursuit of truth with freedom, humility and compassion. Valpo has been identified as one of the top master's-level institutions in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report magazine for the past 27 years.

Waubonsee Community College - Waubonsee Community College is a public, comprehensive community college which was organized in 1966, as mandated by the Illinois Community College Act, to provide education and training services for individuals in portions of Kane, Kendall, DeKalb, LaSalle and Will counties of District 516. The philosophy of Waubonsee Community College is based on the premise that education is the cornerstone of a literate, democratic society; that learning is a lifelong process; and that the pursuit of knowledge must be supported by institutional policies that demonstrate the values of quality, value,innovation, serviceand accessibility.

Western Illinois University - Established in 1899, Western Illinois Normal and Training School opened its doors September 23, 1902 to 229 students. Today, Western Illinois University offers a variety of bachelor's and master's degree programs, pre-professional programs, two doctoral degrees, and certificate programsto more than 11,000 students.