MCC’s new University Center brings NIU, SIU, Roosevelt and Aurora together under one roof in Woodstock

Classes are about to begin at McHenry County College’s brand-new University Center in downtown Woodstock.

The space offers students a chance to take courses and complete four-year and graduate degrees from Roosevelt University, Aurora University, Northern Illinois University or Southern Illinois University without needing to commute to campus or spend on room and board.

The degrees to be offered from Roosevelt through the University Center include: criminal justice, graphic design and bachelor’s degrees in finance, human resource management, master’s in business administration and marketing with accelerated MBA options in those three fields.

Aurora University will be offering degrees in elementary education, nursing, social work, master’s of arts in education, master’s in social work and education endorsements, which are qualifications to teach specific subjects.

Northern Illinois is offering degrees in business administration, computer science, early childhood education, psychology and public health.

Southern Illinois’ offerings in Woodstock will be in accounting and industrial management and applied engineering degrees.

Classes in the center will be hybrid, according to the MCC website.

The University Center won’t be offering McHenry County College classes, but will provide a convenient means for MCC grads and others to continue their education locally and pursue four-year or advanced degrees from the partner schools.

MCC President Clint Gabbard thanked trustees and donors, among others, during his remarks at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday. He said the partner universities “believe in the democratization” of education.

“Bachelor’s degrees change our communities,” Gabbard said.

“So often, students have the drive and talent to continue their education but are fastened too closely to a place – a job they can’t afford to leave, family that they support, a lack of transportation,” the MCC president said in separate news release. “Thankfully, our four partner universities have chosen to extend their institutional boundaries beyond their beautiful campuses and join us in bringing their world-class education to McHenry County. They are champions of our students’ best dreams and hopes; they are collaborators in bringing further, higher educational attainment right to our doorstep.”

College officials announced during the ceremony that the building will be known as the Catalyst Campus. The University Center will be in the building, which also has space for other MCC programs including the Small Business Development Center.

There’s still time to enroll in fall 2024 classes, Executive Director Kailley Harmon said, adding that it’s never too early to connect with the center. MCC’s fall semester begins Aug. 19.

“We’re willing to help everyone,” Harmon said.

McHenry County’s University Center is not the first in the region – Lake County has a similar setup on the campus of the College of Lake County in Grayslake. Lake County’s University Center offers degrees from 12 universities.

Harper College in Palatine also has a University Center that offers degrees from DePaul University, Roosevelt, Southern Illinois and Northern Illinois.

The Woodstock building has served as a satellite campus for Aurora University and a Challenger Learning Center over the years, but now is home to university programming. The building had been home to Aurora University programming since 2009.

“AU is proud to have provided educational opportunities to students at the Woodstock Center since 2009. We are honored to be a founding partner in this exciting new initiative with MCC and look forward to building our legacy of academic excellence in the region,” John Ammons, then-chair Aurora University’s Board of Trustees, said in the initial news release.

The McHenry County College Board of Trustees approved purchasing the building from Aurora University in March 2023. A promissory note on the McHenry County College website indicates a cost of $1.4 million. The purchase of the building and its additional renovation costs were funded by MCC with the help of several private philanthropic gifts, officials said.

In April 2023, MCC announced Northern Illinois was joining the venture. MCC is “one of NIU’s largest feeder institutions,” according to a news release.

“We’re proud to support McHenry County College in its efforts to remove the sometimes-overwhelming barrier of having to commute or relocate to pursue a bachelor’s degree,” NIU President Lisa C. Freeman said in the release. “This partnership leverages the advantages and expertise of both of our institutions. We are excited about bringing high-demand NIU courses to place-bound learners who can’t easily travel to DeKalb for classes because of work and family obligations.”

In May 2023, SIU signed on.

“Being part of McHenry County College’s University Center fits into Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s commitment to expanding access to a bachelor’s degree by providing seamless pathways, especially for students with limited options. In fact, it’s part of our strategic plan, Imagine 2030. We understand that not all students can relocate to Carbondale, so we are bringing the expertise of a research doctoral university to them,” SIU Chancellor Austin A. Lane said in a statement Thursday.

“MCC is already a partner institution with Saluki Step Ahead, which allows their graduates to earn bachelor’s degrees online at a lower cost in select programs,” according to the SIU statement. “As we celebrate today’s grand opening, we are excited that MCC alumni and local community members have more opportunities, and we look forward to welcoming more students in McHenry County to the Saluki family.”

Roosevelt University joined the center in October 2023, according to a news release.

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with McHenry County College and expand the accessibility of a Roosevelt University education to those living in northwest Chicagoland,” University President Ali Malekzadeh said in the release. “We understand that every student’s timeline and living circumstances are different, and we want to combine the resources of our two institutions to offer them a flexible college experience.”

The university center will also host some programming from the Shah Center in McHenry as part of the Catalyst campus. The Shah Center recently closed, McHenry County College spokesperson Christina Haggerty said Thursday.

Kim Keefe, a Woodstock resident and MCC alum, was in attendance at the grand opening.

Keefe was excited about the center and wished an option like it was available sooner.

“I’m so excited I want to go back to school too,” Keefe said.