McKendree University McKendree University , formerly known as McKendree College , is a private liberal arts college located in Lebanon , Illinois . The area is a part of the Metro - East region of Greater St . Louis . Founded in 1828 as the Lebanon Seminary , it is the oldest college in Illinois . McKendree enrolls approximately 2 , 400 undergraduates and nearly 900 graduate students and remains affiliated with the United Methodist Church . The school changed its name to McKendree University beginning with the 2007 - 08 academic year . McKendree University comprises McKendree College of Arts and Science , a School of Business , a School of Health Professions and a School of Education . Fielding athletic teams known as the McKendree Bearcats , the university is in the process of transitioning athletics from the NAIA and member of the American Midwest Conference to NCAA Division II and the Great Lakes Valley Conference ( GLVC ) . History . Established by pioneer Methodists , McKendree is the oldest university in the state and continues to have ties to the United Methodist Church . First called Lebanon Seminary , the school opened in two rented sheds for 72 students in 1828 under Edward Raymond Ames . In 1830 , Bishop William McKendree , the first American - born bishop of the Methodist church , permitted the Board of Trustees to change the institution ' s name to McKendree College . Later Bishop McKendree deeded of land in Shiloh , Illinois to endow the college . Reverend Peter Akers , in 1833 , was the first president of the newly named college . He was president of McKendree College three times and received its first degree , an honorary Doctorate of Divinity . In 1835 , the College received one of the first charters granted to independent church colleges by the Illinois legislature . The institution still operates under the provisions of a second , more liberal charter obtained in 1839 . McKendree has struggled throughout its history to be financially viable and only since the late 90s has it achieved a measure of economic stability . Since 1994 and the installation of its current President , Dr . James M . Dennis , the College has significantly increased its enrollment . In recent years , a new enrollment management strategy has yielded larger numbers of high quality students , built substantial graduate enrollments and strongly diversified the student body . In 2001 , the College embarked on a capital campaign which raised more than $ 20 million for the campus including the creation of a Performing Arts Center . Academics . McKendree University confers degrees from four colleges and schools and offers over 40 undergraduate majors , 38 minors , and master ' s degrees in four areas : business administration , education , nursing , and professional counseling . McKendree also grants several professional programs . The university is classified as Master ’ s Colleges and Universities ( Master ’ s / L ) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education . For 2011 , McKendree was ranked 20th in Regional Midwest Colleges by " U . S . News & World Report " and is deemed a " Tier I " university . In addition , McKendree has full accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission ( HLC ) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools . McKendree has been fully accredited by the North Central Association of the Higher Learning Commission since 1915 and received its ten - year renewal in 2003 - 2004 . McKendree ’ s School of Education is fully accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education ( NCATE ) . McKendree ' s School of Nursing and Health Professionals is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education ( CCNE ) . The university offers associate degree s , bachelor ' s degree s and master ' s degree s through its four schools : More than 50 % of the classes have fewer than 15 students . McKendree ' s student - to - faculty ratio is 15 to 1 . McKendree University is host to chapters representing a number of honor societies and academic fraternities including : Campuses . Main campus . McKendree University ' s main campus is located on a wooded in Lebanon , Illinois , about 25 minutes from downtown St . Louis , Missouri . The campus is laid out in roughly a rectangle boarded by Stanton Street and College Hill Cemetery to the west and Monroe St . to the east . North Alton St . and Summerfield St . bisect the campus and are the main roads for vehicular traffic on campus . The university opened the Russel E . and Fern M . Hettenhausen Center for the Arts ( the Hett ) in September 2006 . The state - of - the - art the $ 10 million , theater includes practice and storage space for the McKendree University band , choral department and faculty offices . The Hett includes a full - size stage with a 500 - seat auditorium . The Marion K . Piper Academic Center ( Piper Academic Center or PAC for short ) is the student union , which is the center of the campus , with the library located directly to the northwest of it . All academic buildings are located in the southwestern sections of the campus . Residence halls . Student housing is provided along the north - central and northeastern areas of the campus . McKendree offers three different types of residence halls - traditional dorm style , suite style , and apartment style . Traditional style halls are predominantly freshmen and are co - ed by floor . The residence halls are served by the Ames Dining Hall , located between Baker Hall and Walton Hall . Traditional dorms include : The suite style and apartment style halls are predominantly upperclassmen , freshmen are not allowed to live in McKendree West Apartments . Suite style residence halls are located in a 70 - student complex on the eastern edge of campus called The Suites . The suites are co - ed by suite and include three bedrooms , one bathroom , and a common area . McKendree West Apartments are the university owned apartment style residence housing option . McKendree West houses approximately 330 students and is co - ed by apartment . They are located a half mile from the main campus . The university offers a shuttle service to transport residents to and from McKendree West , called the Bogey Bus named after McKendree ' s mascot , Bogey the Bearcat . On October 23 , 2010 the university held a groundbreaking ceremony for two new state - of - the - art residence halls . The new residence halls are designed in a modern glass - and - brick style of architecture to blend with other modern buildings on campus as well as the many historic brick buildings . Each new hall is a three - story structure connected by a two - floor glass bridge . The new residence halls tentatively named " New Residence Hall : East " and " New Residence Hall : West " were completed in time for the 2011 - 2012 academic year . Regional campuses . McKendree University also has campuses in Louisville and Radcliff , Kentucky , classes at Scott Air Force Base , and nursing bachelors and masters programs at several locations in Southern Illinois . : The Center at Scott Air Force Base . The Center at Scott Air Force Base is offered on - base for military personnel . Students can pursue an undergraduate degree while taking one - month classes to meet the busy and changing schedule for the service men and women . Kentucky Campuses . McKendree University also has two campuses in Kentucky located in Louisville and Radcliff , Kentucky . Programs at these locations are structured to provide convenience for working adults who want to pursue undergraduate degree ' s in : Business Administration , Marketing , Accounting , Management , Human Resources Management , Computer Information Systems , Information Technology , and Nursing ; or Master Degrees in Business Administration or Nursing . Athletics . McKendree University athletic teams are called the Bearcats . The university is currently in the process of transitioning to the NCAA Division II from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics ( NAIA ) . The university competed as an independent during the 2011 - 12 academic year before becoming a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference ( GLVC ) for the 2012 - 13 academic year as a provisional NCAA member . In addition to all GLVC sponsored sports , McKendree also fields men ' s and women ' s bowling as an independent programs , men ' s ice hockey as a member of the ACHA Division III in the Mid - American Collegiate Hockey Association ( MACHA ) , and women ' s lacrosse as a member of the Western Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association ( WILA ) . McKendree University was a member of the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from 1912 to 1938 . They were in the NAIA as members of the American Midwest Conference ( with the exception of football where they played in the Midwest League of the Mid - States Football Association ) through the 2010 - 2011 season . Move to the NCAA . On July 12 , 2010 the university was informed by the NCAA Division II Membership Committee that it was accepted into the NCAA Division II . McKendree continued to play in the NAIA during the two - year candidacy period , before it became a member of the GLVC during the provisional year . The fourth academic year , 2013 – 2014 , the NCAA would vote to make McKendree an active member of NCAA DII . On October 6 , 2010 it was announced that McKendree University received and accepted an invitation to the GLVC . The Bearcats became the 17th member of the GLVC in 2012 . During the 2012 - 13 year , the university will operate as a provisional NCAA member and follow all NCAA rules and regulation but will be ineligible for NCAA postseason competition ; McKendree will be eligible for GLVC championships in football , cross country , men ’ s soccer , indoor and outdoor track and field , and women ’ s golf during the provisional year . The university will be eligible for all conference and NCAA championships in 2013 - 14 after attaining full membership into the NCAA . The Bearcats participate at the intercollegiate level in 11 men ' s sports and 10 women ' s sports : Men ' s Basketball . McKendree ' s men ' s basketball coach , Harry Statham , currently holds the all - time record for wins at a four - year institution . His 1 , 061 wins during his 46 seasons at McKendree are unmatched by any other men ' s basketball coach at a four - year college or university in the United States .