Removing the Western Illinois University-Quad-City campus would be disastrous for our region. As a current senior, the WIU-QC campus is the only way I'm able to earn a bachelor's degree, affordably, at home. Driving to the WIU-Macomb campus for class, while working in Moline, would be impossible and simply not a feasible option — nor is attending a private institution due to tuition costs.
At WIU-QC, I'm able to stay in Moline (my birthplace), contribute to the local economy, and earn my degree from an affordable public university. If it wasn't for WIU-QC, I would have had to either move and possibly never return, or drop out of school.
I earned my associate degree at Black Hawk College in Moline, and all my credits transferred without issue. I didn't enroll at WIU-QC for housing, sports or restaurants. I enrolled at WIU-QC to earn my bachelor's degree while living at home. At least half of the students at WIU-QC attended one of the community colleges in the area before transferring. We enrolled at WIU-QC so we can pursue higher education at an affordable price in our own city and keep our jobs here.
We need an affordable public university in the Quad Cities. We need a public university that provides the academic programs we're seeking, and that provides flexible course schedules to meet our needs. And we have that already with Western Illinois University-Quad Cities.
Anna Headley
Moline