The University of Illinois, founded in 1867, has been a driving force in shaping Champaign County.  What started as Illinois' land grant university with seventy-seven students has grown to become a world-class institution with more than 40,000 enrolled students.  Those hundreds of thousands of students that have entered the University are also residents of Champaign County.  While some choose to stay and raise a family, others go off to solve the world's problems.  While they are here, this is their home. 

 

"A Second Home" brings to life the dorm rooms for those students.  We focus on showcasing their lives in 50-year increments from 1867, 1917, 1967, and today.  This exhibit compares and contrasts the lifestyle of the student and the community in which they lived.

 

The students at the University of Illinois have left their mark on Champaign County and we hope that Champaign County has left its mark on these incredible individuals.