College of Lake County joins #CCMonth campaign

GRAYSLAKE – College of Lake County is participating in #CCMonth, a monthlong campaign coordinated by the Association of Community College Trustees.

The primary goals of #CCmonth are to improve awareness of the economic, academic and equity advantages of attending community colleges.

“Community colleges are an integral part of ensuring economic growth for communities, success for businesses and social mobility for individuals and families with priorities through strategic partnerships laser-focused on local needs,” CLC President Lori Suddick said in a news release. “#CCMonth is an opportunity to feature the impact and outcomes that are achieved through the open access mission and commitment to community through these first-class institutions that are vital to our local and state economies.”

CLC operations contributed $150.2 million in economic output in the community last year.

Community colleges are a uniquely American educational model designed to guarantee access to affordable, high-quality higher education. Community colleges meet every individual where they are and get them where they want to go, whether it is to a rewarding career or to transfer to a university to pursue a bachelor’s degree. Without community colleges, many American students would be unable to access higher education.

Community colleges guarantee affordable access to higher education and provide flexible learning opportunities, as well as holistic support services to assist students in balancing work, family and achieving success on their educational path. At CLC, all students have the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with top-notch faculty and staff who provide enriching learning and co-curricular experiences.

Community colleges serve the most diverse group of students and communities of any post-secondary option in Illinois. Illinois is No. 1 in the nation in terms of its community college students earning bachelor’s degrees. Community colleges are the largest provider of public workforce training in the state, provide dual credit pathways reducing time and cost to degree completion and provide onboarding to college for individuals earning their GED. More than 1,800 high school students are enrolled in dual credit classes at CLC.

“Community colleges are engines of diversity, equity and inclusion,” ACCT President and CEO Jee Hang Lee said in the release. “They give opportunities to all students, and they support all students throughout their education, whether they attend to attain an associate degree or certificate, intend to transfer on for a bachelor’s or higher degree, or they take one or a few courses to learn a new skill or expand their horizons.”

To help celebrate #CCMonth, CLC is hosting a virtual open house from April 18 to 22.