Community & Cultural Resources
Illinois State University's campus is in the twin-city community of Bloomington-Normal near the center of the state, roughly two hours from Chicago and St. Louis. Interstates 74, 55, and 39; U.S. Route 150; and Illinois Route 9 intersect in Bloomington-Normal, creating a transportation hub. An Amtrak passenger station along the Chicago-St. Louis corridor is just two blocks from the University and daily flights are offered through the Central Illinois Regional Airport. The community is also home to GROWMARK, Illinois Farm Bureau, State Farm Insurance International Headquarters, Country Financial, Beer Nuts, the Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Illinois Wesleyan University, Lincoln College, and Heartland Community College.
The community has distinguished itself for its outstanding school systems and educational attainment, parks and recreation, health care, job growth, economic opportunity, and low crime. Movoto.com, a real-estate research blog, recently ranked Illinois' 50 most-populated cities looking at factors including crime, education, home values, amenities, cost of living and employment. Normal was considered the best place to live in downstate Illinois. Bloomington followed closely in the #2 position.
Community Resources
- Bloomington-Normal Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Bloomington Public Library
- BN Advantage
- Child Care Resources and Referral Network
- City of Bloomington
- Normal Public Library
- Town of Normal
- McLean County Chamber of Commerce
- Illinois State Family Care Resources
- WGLT - Bloomington/Normal Public Radio
Community Civic and Charitable Organizations
- American Civil Liberties Union of IL
- Bloomington-Normal National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
- Bloomington-Normal YMCA
- Conexiones Latinas de McLean County
- Community Players Theatre
- Easter Seals Central Illinois
- Faith Coalition Illinois
- Friends Forever International
- Habitat for Humanity of McLean County
- The Immigration Project
- International Talk Time
- McLean County Arts Center
- Midwest Food Bank
- Not in Our Town
- Prairie Pride Coalition
- Providing Access To Help (PATH) Crisis
- The Salvation Army Veteran Services
- United Way of McLean County
- Western Avenue Community Center
- YWCA McLean County
Student-Focused Campus Cultural Resources
Campus Cultural Resources
AsiaConnect
AsiaConnect is an association of Illinois State University faculty and staff and Bloomington-Normal community members who work together in the interest of the Asian community.
Association of Black Academic Employees (ABAE)
The Association of Black Academic Employees (ABAE) is a medium through which Black employees at Illinois State University participate in shared governance. The Association’s purpose is to serve in an advisory capacity to University administrators, faculty, staff, and students regarding the general welfare of all Black employees at Illinois State University.
International Women
Female students, scholars, and spouses of someone attending Illinois State, are invited to join a group called, International Women. This club makes it possible for women from other countries to meet once a month to share traditional food and customs, and visit places of interest.
Multicultural Alliance at Work
This group is intended to provide members of the Illinois State University teaching community with opportunities to explore the challenges and joys experienced by underrepresented faculty in the academic workplace. The group discusses a variety of topics throughout the semester and explores possible strategies that can help minimize challenges and maximize joys. Everyone is welcome to join.
Organization of Latino Employees (OLE)
The Organization of Latino Employees provides a sense of community and acts as an advocate for the needs of Latino/Hispanic individual and groups on-campus and creates opportunities for social and professional networking for individuals interested in advancing the interests of Latinos/Hispanics on-campus and in the community.
Queer Coalition
Queer Coalition is an Affinity Group at Illinois State University with the purpose of promoting the diverse cultures of the LGBTQ2IA+ community at ISU and in the local area, as well as representing the interests, needs, and concerns of LGBTQ2IA+ faculty, staff, and students. They strive to encourage communication, engagement and support among this community and develop cooperative relationships with the local larger community in several ways. They also foreground the fact that all forms of oppression are interconnected by doing so work toward racial justice.
Safe Zone
Safe Zone provides students, faculty and staff the opportunity to create safe spaces on campus that are highly visible and easily identifiable to lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) persons. These Safe Zones are spaces where support and understanding are readily available and bigotry and discrimination are not tolerated.