West Central Reporter

Western Illinois University is helping students from a neighboring college after the announcement of the school's closing. 

According to News3, WIU has decided to partner with MacMurray College, which will be permanently closing in May. 

WIU is trying to facilitate MacMurray students with adjustments to its enrollment requirements to assist students in completing their college education. 

Additionally, MacMurray students will not have to pay an application fee to transfer to WIU, can receive free unofficial transfer credit evaluations, and are eligible for the $2,500 Transfer Commitment scholarship. 

As another accommodation to MacMurray students, WIU has agreed to waive residence requirements that require students to achieve a specific number of credits at WIU in order to graduate. 

WIU Director of Undergraduate Admissions Douglas Freed said he is looking forward to helping students make this transition a smooth one. 

“It’s always a blow to the educational community when one of our peer institutions must make a decision like this, and we know that students are facing challenges as their academic future has changed course,” Freed said. “Western is here to support MacMurray students, and we will ensure a seamless transfer.”

According to WGEM, MacMurray College announced in March that it was closing at the end of the spring semester. MacMurray has been around for 174 years and while it has been fortunate to have donations from alumni, officials say it is not possible to continue as an institution without more financial surety. Enrollments have declined and the cost of competing colleges is becoming more challenging to counter. 

The MacMurray College board came to the decision to close the school prior to the COVID-19 outbreak.