NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD) — State Farm is giving Illinois State University $3 million to help fund their new data science program.
Illinois State received the money commitment on Dec. 19 and the money will go to help support recruitment of students and faculty.
$1 million worth of the fund will go to the recruitment of faculty as well as paying for faculty research, projects, equipment and other needs for the program.
$2 million of the fund will go to scholarships to help “students from underserved backgrounds by mitigating financial obstacles to enrollment. “
The interdisciplinary data science bachelor’s degree program is new to the University and will hold its first class of students in the fall of 2025.