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 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, Institutions of higher learning  are  of  utmost
 3    importance  to the State of Illinois, both to its history and
 4    its future; and

 5        WHEREAS, It has come to  our  attention  that  this  year
 6    marks the 175th Anniversary for McKendree College in Lebanon,
 7    the oldest college in Illinois; and

 8        WHEREAS,  McKendree  College  was  founded  by  Methodist
 9    pioneers  on February 20, 1828 and has experienced remarkable
10    growth in the years since its founding; and

11        WHEREAS, McKendree is a four year  private  liberal  arts
12    college  that  had  the  distinction of being ranked as a Top
13    Tier Midwest Liberal  Arts  College  by  US  News  and  World
14    Report;  it  has  welcomed  its  first group of students from
15    France as part of a new  exchange  program  in  its  Business
16    Division;  the  faculty  has  grown  65  percent and includes
17    professors well-published and recognized in their  fields  of
18    expertise;  the  Carnegie  Foundation  for the Advancement of
19    Teaching  has  selected  Dr.  Nancy  Beck  Young,   McKendree
20    professor,  as  the  Illinois Professor of the Year for 2002;
21    the  McKendree  College  Debate  and   Forensics   Squad   is
22    nationally ranked; and

23        WHEREAS,  The  student  body  has grown 67 percent in the
24    past 10 years and the residential  population  has  increased
25    more  than  300  percent  with  approximately  1,300 students
26    currently  enrolled  at  the  Lebanon  campus;  the   current
27    freshman  class  is  the third largest body in the history of
28    McKendree and includes 22 valedictorians;  students  from  15
29    different   states   and   five  countries  are  enrolled  at
30    McKendree; and

31        WHEREAS, This year, the men's basketball  team  has  been
 
                            -2-      LRB093 03913 HSS 03949 r
 1    ranked  number  one nationally in the NAIA, the first time in
 2    the history of the college that an athletic team has earned a
 3    first  place  ranking;  the  football  team  made  the   NAIA
 4    semi-finals  with  a  record  of 11 and 2; McKendree Athletic
 5    Director and men's basketball coach, Harry Statham, has  been
 6    inducted  into  the  NAIA Hall of Fame, earned recognition as
 7    Coach of the Year, and this year, broke the record to  become
 8    the  winningest  coach  in  NAIA history; in Track and Field,
 9    McKendree   Athletes   have   won   several   national   team
10    championships; therefore, be it

11        RESOLVED,  BY  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES   OF   THE
12    NINETY-THIRD  GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
13    we honor McKendree College  on  the  occasion  of  its  175th
14    anniversary  and  commend  the members of the faculty, staff,
15    and administration for their continued commitment to  serving
16    students  from  the  State of Illinois, other states, and the
17    global community; and be it further

18        RESOLVED, That a suitable  copy  of  this  resolution  be
19    presented  to  Dr.  James Dennis, 32nd president of McKendree
20    College, with our best wishes for the  continued  success  of
21    the oldest college in the State of Illinois.