Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, commonly abbreviated SIUE, is a four-year coed public university in Edwardsville, Illinois about 20 miles (32 km) from St. Louis, Missouri. SIUE was established in 1957 as an extension of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and is the younger of the two largest institutions of Southern Illinois University. The University offers graduate programs through its Graduate School. In fiscal year 2010, SIUE faculty and staff received more than $28.7 million in grants and contracts for research, teaching and service initiatives. During the same period, the East St. Louis Center received $14 million in grants awards and applied those funds toward comprehensive programs, services and training for community residents. Offering comprehensive programs, services and training to more than 6,000 people annually, the SIUE East St. Louis Center is dedicated to improving the lives of families and individuals in East St. Louis and surrounding urban communities. During the Post–World War II economic expansion, a void of public higher education was noticeable in the growing Metro-East area.