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College of Engineering
A street through campus photographed at night.

About

Stop By

Find us in Williams Hall 139

Mailing Address

College of Engineering
Campus Box 6000
Normal, IL 61790-6000

Our Mission

To be nationally recognized as a leader in engineering education by supporting students with diverse backgrounds to be career ready, with an emphasis on applied research, project based learning and societal impact.

Timeline of Events

2016

Early discussions about Engineering at Illinois State

2017

Taskforce established exploring the feasibility of Engineering programs at Illinois State

2020

Consulting firm works with faculty and staff on plans for facilities development and curricular framework for programs in Electrical, Mechanical, and General Engineering

2021

Plans presented to Illinois State’s Academic Senate

Board of Trustees approves seeking establishment of a new College of Engineering with associated Departments of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering from the Illinois Board of Higher Education

2022

Illinois State Board of Higher Education approves establishment of a new College of Engineering and Departments of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

Illinois State University Board of Trustees approves plans for implementation of the new college.
Read the announcement

2023

Dr. Thomas Keyser named founding Dean of the College of Engineering.

Dr. Nesrin Ozalp started as founding Chair of Mechanical Engineering.

Dr. Vijay Devabhaktuni started as founding Chair of Electrical Engineeering.

2024

The Illinois State Board of Higher Education has approved Illinois State University offering Bachelor of Science degrees in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and General Engineering. These programs will accept students beginning in the Fall of 2025.

Branden Delk is hired as the Director of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Student Success.

Dr. Matthew Aldeman named founding Associate Dean of the College of Engineering.

Founding faculty started for the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering programs.

Illinois State University Board of Trustees approves the purchase of the future home for the College of Engineering. Read the announcement

In-Process

Begin design and renovation of new college facilities

Design an innovative, experiential, industry-informed curricula for the three Engineering majors

Allocate $500,000 in student scholarships

Launch a national and international recruitment campaign targeting high-achieving students

Develop strategies to recruit underserved and underrepresented populations

Statement on Mutual Respect, Inclusivity, and Collaboration

A group of students chat near server racks.

The Illinois State University College of Engineering is committed to creating a community of belonging where everyone’s voice is heard and valued. Our culture is built on respect for diversity in all its forms, including gender, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, and culture.

Aligned with our mission to be a leader in engineering education and preparing career ready graduates, we are dedicated to fostering an environment that facilitates inquiry and self-expression, where diverse viewpoints are not only welcomed but are essential to our collective success.

Together, we pledge to uphold these principles of mutual respect, inclusivity, and collaboration, ensuring that every member of our community can thrive and contribute to the betterment of society.

Greetings and Welcome to the College of Engineering!

The College of Engineering is the newest College at Illinois State University. We will welcome our first group of students in Fall of 2025 and graduate our first student in the spring of 2029. I am extremely proud of the mission of the college and the work we will do. We will prepare students to become the engineers of tomorrow who will be career ready day 1.

Thomas K. Keyser, PhD
Founding Dean

View the Dean's welcome
Learn more about the Dean

Thomas K. Keyser