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Illinois State University Alumni Association
 
Alumni Center
Ewing Cultural Center

Ewing Cultural Center

Additional Foundation Facilities

Along with the Alumni Center, the Illinois State University Foundation manages three off-campus properties. These properties help the University enhance interaction in both the campus and non-campus communities.

Chicago Office

Illinois State University faculty and staff spend a great deal of time in Chicago, home to nearly 30 percent of the University's alumni and 40 percent of its student body. In an effort to increase the University's visibility in the Chicago area, provide more convenient staff access to alumni, and develop a stronger link in recruiting students, the Illinois State University Foundation's Chicago Office was established in 1990. Alumni Relations, Admissions, and the Chicago Teacher Pipeline Project reside in the office.

The Chicago Office is available for use by all members of the University community. Faculty and staff are encouraged to take advantage of this excellent resource in their work with alumni, corporations and foundations, government agencies, and other major constituencies and industries in the Chicago area.

Located in the Smurfit-Stone Building at 150 North Michigan Avenue at the corner of Randolph Street and Michigan Avenue, the Illinois State University Foundation's Chicago Office is convenient to access and near the heart of The Loop and the famous Magnificent Mile.

Ewing Cultural Center

Ewing Manor, located on the Sunset Hill estate of the late Hazle Buck Ewing, sits majestically in the wooded landscape at the northwest corner of Towanda Avenue and Emerson Street in Bloomington. Completed in 1929, Ewing Manor was designed by architect Phil Hooten in the Channel-Norman style so favored by the affluent in the post-Victorian period. The surrounding gardens were created by noted landscape architect Jens Jensen, who also designed Springfield's Lincoln Memorial Gardens. Hazle Ewing lived at Sunset Hill until her death in 1969. In her will, she bequeathed the property to the Illinois State University Foundation with the stipulation that it be used as a cultural center to promote international understanding.

The Ewing Cultural Center also hosts the annual Illinois Shakespeare Festival. The Festival is held on the grounds of the Ewing Cultural Center, while all performances, box office business, and other aspects of the Festival are affiliated with the Illinois State University College of Fine Arts.

Genevieve Green Gardens

The Genevieve Green Gardens are a collaborative project involving the Illinois State University Foundation, Illinois State University, and the Fell Arboretum. Upon her death in 1969, Mrs. Ewing willed the property to the Illinois State University Foundation with the understanding that it be used as a cultural center. These gardens were made possible by a gift of more than $5 million from Bruce Green in honor of his wife, Genevieve, to provide a living testament to their love of each other and of gardens. The Genevieve Green Gardens seek to

  • Create a memorable and aesthetically appealing landscape
  • Enhance a landscape that supports the mission and use of the Ewing Cultural Center
  • Provide opportunities for student, faculty, and community involvement in cultivating plants and designing floral displays
  • Continue to grow the garden, broaden its scope, and enhance the image and resources of Illinois State University