Governors State University

Governors State University International Student Insurance

Governors State University (GSU), located in University Park, Illinois (about 40 miles south of Chicago), was established in 1969. It opened its doors to students in 1971 as a two-year, upper-division school with an experimental educational model focused on collaboration between faculty and students. The university gradually transitioned to a more traditional structure with a trimester system, academic divisions and departments, and ranked professors. One of its original missions was to provide educational opportunities to traditionally underserved student populations. The first doctoral program was developed in 2007, and in 2014, it became a four-year school and welcomed the first freshmen and sophomores to campus.

Today, GSU enrolls more than 5,500 students and counting each year. The school colors are black and white, and its athletic nickname is the jaguars.

Academic Opportunities

GSU offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees, as well as almost 25 certificate programs, across its four academic colleges: the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Business, the College of Education, and the College of Health & Human Services. The university’s GSU Online program also offers fully online degrees at the Certificate, Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral level. Popular fields of study include accounting, business administration and management, biology, computer science, criminal justice and social work.

On Campus

The GSU campus lies spread across 750 acres of prairie lands featuring multiple lakes and natural trails. Points of interest include the Family Development Center, which offers childcare for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years; the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park, featuring about 30 works of large-scale sculpture set against 100 acres of grassy landscape; and the Center for Performing Arts, which features a 1,100-seat auditorium and presents about 50 performances a year.

Another noteworthy program on campus is the Center for Junior Year, which assists students in mapping out a career after college, guiding their personal interests into a matching field of academic study, and introduces them to careers, professional schools, or graduate schools that might best fit their needs.

Notable Alumni

Notable Governors State University alumni include singer and songwriter Jerry Butler; comedian Sheryl Underwood; director of the Professional Bowlers Association Steve Miller; and numerous local and state government officials.