Illinois Wesleyan is primarily a liberal arts school, but the university also has strong (and popular) programs in nursing and business.

Campus life is active and varied: 1 in 5 students participate in a Greek organization, a third play on an intercollegiate sports team, and campus clubs cover topics from cryptocurrency to K-pop-inspired dance. There’s also the university’s nationally recognized esports program, complete with a 5,700-square-foot facility and more than 50 gaming computers. More than half of students participate in off-campus study, whether abroad or elsewhere in the U.S. Plus, two-thirds of students conduct research before graduating and about 70% complete an internship.

While the university, which is entirely undergraduate, has a Methodist affiliation, it is independent in its governance. IWU’s Action Research Center links students with community nonprofits for internships, classes and community-based research. The Center for Human Rights and Social Justice, meanwhile, supports a Peace Fellows program and a human rights research workshop.

The tree-lined campus is in the center of Bloomington, which is home to a popular Shakespeare festival and several Route 66-inspired attractions.