City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) Spring 2023 enrollment is up 16.9 percent from spring 2022 to spring 2023 exceeding the Illinois community college average of +7.2% according to a report released Tuesday (3/21) by the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB).
Click here to listen to WBBM AM’s news story on the enrollment increase with reporter Craig Dellimore.
“Community colleges like City Colleges of Chicago are the heart of many communities because we provide an avenue to upward mobility by offering job training, professional certificates, two-year associate degrees and seamless transfers to 4-year colleges and universities,” said Chancellor Juan Salgado, City Colleges of Chicago. “The uptick in enrollment is encouraging and inspires us to work even harder to create access and support our students as they fulfill their education goals.”
Enrollment in a combination of credit and adult education programs has increased at all seven of City Colleges of Chicago: Harold Washington College (+5.7), Harry S Truman (+26.4%), Kennedy-King (+21.4%), Malcolm X (+22.2%), Olive-Harvey (+30.1%), Richard J. Daley (+17.2%), and Wilbur Wright (+9.7%) for a total increase of 5,209 students for Spring 2023 with Olive Harvey College having the largest percentage increase. This second increase comes after their fall uptick of 6.9 percent.
Once again, the increase in enrollment comes after City Colleges has doubled-down on targeted efforts to enhance and expand college resources and educational pathways in recent years. City Colleges continue to meet the needs of the Chicago economy with quality, in-demand programs in transportation, distribution, logistics, cannabis studies, manufacturing, IT, early childhood education, engineering, healthcare, and more.
City Colleges of Chicago’s efforts to remove barriers, offer unique educational pathways, and create access continue to draw students to its colleges. Initiatives include:
- Future Ready, helps eligible Chicagoans gain credentials and prepare for in-demand careers in many of those industries at no cost.
- Star Scholarship has strengthened to ensure that high-achieving students can attend college even if they cannot afford it. Last year, the Star Scholars was the largest group awarded and enrolled to date, with 1,597 students attending all seven colleges.
- Chicago Roadmap, an unprecedented partnership between Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and City Colleges of Chicago launched in 2020 create a seamless transition for CPS students to post-secondary options. CCC also offers Workforce Equity Initiatives and makes many scholarships, waivers, and grants available to students to help them attend college.
“Through enrollment management and strategic marketing efforts, City Colleges will continue to make concerted efforts to educate the public on all the community college system has to offer, including in-demand, high-growth career pathways, transfer options for students who want to earn a bachelor’s degree, and supports for adult learners looking to return to the classroom,” said Vice-Chancellor of Enrollment Dr. Darryl A. Williams, City Colleges of Chicago.
To view the full ICCB report, click here.
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