City Colleges of Chicago marked the conclusion of its 2021-2025 strategic plan with a gathering that included leadership, faculty, staff, students, and community partners. The event recognized achievements over the past five years and highlighted how philanthropic support has contributed to these outcomes.
Chancellor Juan Salgado and Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff Veronica Herrero led the celebration. They were joined by Megan Hougard, Chief of College and Career Success at Chicago Public Schools; Z Scott, President of Chicago State University; and Milan McGraw, Head of AI/ML Generative AI at Amazon Web Services. Two City Colleges students also spoke about their experiences.
The event underscored several milestones for City Colleges of Chicago. The institution reported a post-pandemic enrollment recovery that outpaced both state and national averages. There was an increase in four-year student outcomes, particularly among Black and Latine students, with progress toward a 55% completion rate.
City Colleges emphasized its partnership with Chicago Public Schools through the Chicago Roadmap initiative, which aims to improve college readiness. Nearly $100 million has been invested in free college programs such as the Star Scholarship and Early College programs, as well as new initiatives like Future Ready and Fresh Start.
The college system partnered with One Million Degrees to expand student support services at multiple campuses. It also played a role in growing the Chicagoland Apprenticeship Network by providing more than 3,000 work-based learning experiences annually.
Additionally, City Colleges was selected as a workforce partner for Illinois’ efforts in quantum technology and advanced manufacturing sectors. Nursing programs returned to the South Side with new pathways at Kennedy-King College and plans for a Malcolm X College South Campus in Washington Park.
The launch of the City Colleges School of Engineering expanded engineering education opportunities through partnerships with universities such as UIUC Grainger College of Engineering’s guaranteed admissions program.
Financially, City Colleges eliminated a structural deficit and restored operating surpluses that resulted in improved credit ratings. Investments were made in student supports covering mental health services, housing assistance, food security measures, technology access, among other areas.
A new strategic plan is scheduled for release in spring 2026 to build on these developments.