With your dupage.edu e-mail account, you can order free samples of digital chips from many vendors. Navigate to the “products” section of their website, search for the device that you are interested in, and check to see if samples are available. Make sure that you order PDIP architecture unless you are familiar with surface mount devices.
Update as of February 2024: Texas Instruments got rid of their sample program many years ago. Maxim IC was bought out by Analog Devices in 2021. This explains why there are only two links left on this page. If you know of any others, please let me know so I can add them!