Millikin University is an American co-educational, comprehensive, private, four-year university with traditional undergraduate programs in arts and sciences, business, fine arts, and professional studies, as well as non-traditional, adult degree-completion programs (PACE) and graduate programs in business administration and nursing. Millikin's campus is in Decatur, Illinois and serves approximately 2,200 students with a student/faculty ratio of 12 to 1 and an average class size of 23 students. The school was founded in 1901 by prominent Decatur businessman James Millikin.
The Decaturian, also known as the Dec (official nickname), is the bi-weekly student newspaper. The Decaturian was established in 1903 and its issues are archived online from 1903–1951, made possible by the Digital-Decaturian Project.
WJMU is Millikin University's student-operated freeform format radio station. In addition to its musical responsibilities, WJMU also creates its own public service announcements, liners, news, Millikin sports programming and promotional materials.
Alpha Phi Omega (service)
Sigma Tau Delta (academic)
Alpha Psi Omega (academic)
Sigma Delta Pi (academic)
Millikin University teams participate as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division III. The Big Blue are a member of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW). Prior joining the NCAA Division III and the CCIW in the 1946–47 season, Millikin primarily competed as an Independent of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) back since their first year of athletics in the 1903–04 academic year. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, and track and field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field and volleyball.
Actors and musicians
Jodi Benson – Actress: voice of Ariel in the 1989 film The Little Mermaid
Sierra Boggess – Actress: originated roles of Ariel in 2007 Broadway production of The Little Mermaid and Rosalie Mullins in the 2015 Broadway production of School of Rock. She also portrayed Christine Daae in 2010's Love Never Dies (musical)
Hedy Burress – Actress: Wyleen Pritchett in Boston Common; voice of Yuna in Final Fantasy X
Annamary Dickey – Actress/Singer: portrayed Anna Leonowens opposite Yul Brynner in the original Broadway production of The King and I when Constance Carpenter left the role
Katelyn Epperly – Singer: American Idol season 9 (top 16)
Tad Hilgenbrink – Actor: Matt Stifler in American Pie: Band Camp
Luke Menard - Singer: American Idol season 7 (top 16)
Emerson Swinford - Musician: guitarist and composer
Annie Wersching – Actress: portrays FBI agent Renee Walker on the television show 24
Matthew West – Musician: contemporary Christian artist
Herbert D. Ryman – Disney artists, imagineer, and chief designer of the Cinderella Castle
Athletes and coaches
Millikin University was a member of the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from 1910 to 1937.
George Corbett – football player: Chicago Bears running back from 1932–1938
Sid Gepford - NFL player in 1920
Lori Kerans - basketball coach, gave Millikin first NCAA D3 national championship win; coached from 1985–present
Fred T. Long – Negro Leagues baseball player and college football coach: played four seasons in Negro National League and amassed a 227-151-31 coaching record from 1921–1965 at various colleges including three Black college football national championships (1928, 1932, 1945)
Harry Long – college football coach, won a Black college football national championship in 1924 as coach of Paul Quinn College; assistant coach to his brother Fred for his 1932 and 1945 championships
Chuck Martin - football head coach at Miami of Ohio; former coach of Division 2 national champion Grand Valley State
Danny Moeller – Major League Baseball player, 1907–1916, with Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Senators
Jeff Monken - football head coach at United States Military Academy
Marcia Morey – swimmer at Montreal Olympic Games in 1976 in women's 100m breaststroke and 200m breaststroke; former American record holder in 200M Breaststroke
George Musso – football player: Chicago Bears lineman from 1933–1944; nine-year team captain, elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982
Jeff Query – football player: former Green Bay Packers and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver; 141 receptions for 1,865 yards and 11 touchdowns in 84 career games.
Mike Rowland – pitcher for San Francisco Giants, 1980–1981
Don Shroyer – college football coach at Millikin University and Southern Illinois University
Virgil Wagner – Canadian Football League player, Montreal Alouettes halfback from 1946–54; elected to Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1980
Art Wilson - Major League Baseball player
Alice Ambrose (1906–2001) – philosopher, logician, and author
Lucille Ryman Carroll – Hollywood talent executive during early 20th century
Douglas R. Oberhelman – Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Caterpillar Inc.
Brian Taylor - Founder and CEO of Pine River Capital Management LP
Clarence E. "Red" Johnson (1926-2014) - President and Chief Executive Officer of Borg-Warner Corporation
Rodney L. Davis – United States Representative for Illinois' 13th Congressional district.
Thomas W. Ewing – former United States Congressman (R-Illinois)
Melvin R. Laird, Sr. – Wisconsin State Senator and clergyman
James Benton Parsons – Federal judge; in 1961 he was the first African American to serve as a US Federal District Judge, appointed to the Northern District of Illinois, in Chicago, IL
Thomas D. Westfall, (1927–2005) former mayor of El Paso, Texas
