Beyond the classroom, the Illinois campus offers sports, the arts, service projects and many other activities. More than 1,000 student organizations provide opportunities for leadership, activism, fun and friendship. On Quad Day, hundreds of organizations set up booths so that students can quickly connect with people who share their interests.
On Campus
For fitness and sports, many students use the Activities and Recreation Center. Recently remodeled and expanded, it is one of the largest recreational facilities of its kind on a university campus.
A big part of the student experience is Big Ten sports. Students are admitted free of charge to all sporting events except basketball and football games. They can also join one of the many student organizations dedicated to Illinois Athletics. The biggest and most comprehensive group, Illini Pride, supports all nineteen varsity athletic teams by organizing tailgate parties, road trips to away games, and managing the biggest college basketball cheer section in the country–the Orange Krush.
A major center for the arts, the campus attracts dozens of nationally and internationally renowned artists each year to its widely acclaimed Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. The university also supports two major museums, the Krannert Art Museum and Kinkead Pavilion, as well as the Spurlock Museum, a museum of world history and culture.
Other major campus facilities include the multipurpose Assembly Hall (16,500 seats), where the Illini take on other Big Ten teams and where some of the top acts in entertainment perform. Across the street, Memorial Stadium (70,000 seats) is the site of Big Ten Conference football games, marching band competitions, and outdoor concerts.
Off Campus
The commercial district adjacent to the campus is vibrant and ever-changing to meet student needs. "Campustown" is where many students and visitors go for lunch and to shop for Illini gear before heading off to a Big Ten game.
The Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District buses that take students around campus also take them around the community. The twin cities of Champaign and Urbana combine the sense of community found in small cities and towns with the outstanding cultural and entertainment opportunities usually associated with major metropolitan areas. Students will find art, entertainment, shopping, sports, and restaurants to suit every taste and mood.
