College Of Lake County: College Of Lake County Exploring Integration With University Center Of Lake County

Press release from College of Lake County:

Jun 24, 2021

CLC Board of Trustees Chair Amanda Howland said the two organizations are motivated by a common mission to increase access to, and successful completion of, college degrees for all students. This partnership also provides an opportunity strengthen dual credit pathways, further reducing time and cost to degree completion and creating access to great family-sustaining careers.

“This relationship helps us maximize public resources and strategically align our organizations,” said Howland. “We’ll spend the next year developing an integration strategy that strengthens the college’s position to offer a seamless transition from earning an associate degree at CLC to earning a bachelor’s degree with a university partner at UCLC.”

With the support of both boards, the CLC and UCLC staff will continue its collaborative partnership and begin the research and proposal development process that will support the state’s goal of increasing the proportion of adults in Illinois with high-quality postsecondary degrees and credentials to 60 percent by 2025. By then, IBHE says it expects at least two-thirds of jobs in Illinois will require a postsecondary degree or credential, and market demand is anticipated to keep growing.

UCLC Board of Trustees Chair Luis Fuentes said it is critically important for the diverse communities in Lake County to retain local access to bachelor’s degrees.

“While the local workforce has many great opportunities for employees with associate degrees and certificates, there’s a huge portion of the employers requiring bachelor’s degrees,” said Fuentes. “Maintaining equitable access to affordable education is at the heart of both our organizations and strategically combining our resources will create a future-ready workforce to drive economic growth.”

College of Lake County is a comprehensive community college committed to equitable high-quality education, cultural enrichment and partnerships to advance the diverse communities it serves in northeastern Illinois. Offered at three campuses in Grayslake, Vernon Hills and Waukegan or online, college classes are affordable and accessible to help each student achieve academic, career and personal goals. More than 70,000 students graduated with degrees and certificates since the college opened in 1969. College of Lake County is the only higher-education institution ranked among the top 15 best places to work in Illinois by Forbes and is a national leader in many areas, including sustainability and conservation.

This press release was produced by College of Lake County. The views expressed here are the author’s own.