The International Town & Gown Association (ITGA) announced April 13, 2022, as the inaugural International Campus & Community Day, in recognition of the essential, powerful relationship between campuses and their host communities.
Illinois State University and the Town of Normal have been linked for decades and partnerships between the organizations are central to the community’s success.
“Illinois State University and the Town of Normal have a deep bond,” said Illinois State University President Terri Goss Kinzy. “That strong community partnership was immediately apparent to me when I first arrived, and I saw the Redbird street signs and the many other ways Normal embraces its connection with the University.”
Normal and Illinois State, joint members of ITGA, have a long-standing positive relationship with many collaborative partnerships. Some of the more recent initiatives include:
- A campaign to inform citizens and reduce confusion about stormwater management practices as a result of research from Illinois State students and faculty in the Department of Geography, Geology, and the Environment and the School of Biological Sciences.
- The Wonsook Kim School of Art’s Design Streak Studio worked with the University of Illinois Extension and Town of Normal to create brand identity, promotional materials, informational brochures and signage for plants for The Refuge Food Forest.
- Milner Library consults on town programming and shares artifacts from the Circus and Allied Arts Collection for display during Sweetcorn Circus Festival annually.
“These partnerships are great assets to both the Town and ISU,” said Town of Normal Mayor Chris Koos. “Our relationship is mutually beneficial and naturally inspires collaboration. I often say what’s good for Normal is good for Illinois State and what’s good for Illinois State is good for Normal.”
The ITGA reports students base their college decision in part on the health and vitality of the surrounding community.
“Honoring Campus and Community Day allows us to highlight the collaborative partnerships that make Normal and the Illinois State communities stronger and more resilient,” Kinzy said. “I am proud of the numerous ways campus communities work to improve quality of life for residents, business owners, students, faculty and staff.”
Town and Gown Partnerships
The Town of Normal and Illinois State University have implemented numerous programs and partnerships to reach out to the student community. Several of these are listed below:
· Bloomington-Normal Campus Community Coalition
· CommUniversity Tailgate
· Constitution Trail Signage on Campus
· Emergency Operations Center
· Hancock Stadium Scoreboard
· Homecoming Lighting Ceremony
· Homecoming Parade
· IHSA Bidding
· Internships
· Illinois State University Move-In
· Land Swaps
· Main Street Beautification
· Neighborhood Action Team
· Neighborhood Association Involvement
· Plan It Normal
· Preview Police Presentations
· Redbird Pride Committee
· Redbird Street Signs
· Town & Gown 5K Run & 1 Mile Walk
· Town Gown Golf Outing
· Town Meet & Greet
· University Galleries
· Uptown Crossing Multi-Use Building
· Water Tower Painting
