City Officials and City Colleges of Chicago Celebrate Completion of the $35 Million Renovation of Harold Washington College

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 5, 2005

George Bickford: (312) 553-5896
Elsa Tullos: (312) 287-1201

CHICAGO, IL - Mayor Richard M. Daley joined City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) Chairman James Tyree, CCC Chancellor Wayne Watson and Harold Washington College President John Wozniak today for the re-dedication of a newly renovated Harold Washington College (HWC). The three-year renovation project was funded through the sale of City bonds and managed by the Public Building Commission of Chicago (PBC).

"Today, we proudly dedicate this stunning, newly renovated building," said Mayor Daley. "This $35 million top-to-bottom project thrusts Harold Washington College into the 21st century. I want to congratulate everyone involved in having created a world-class educational facility. We all should be proud of this newly renovated college."

The $35 million face-lift for the 43-year-old HWC structure at 30 E. Lake Street, features an expanded multi-media library, new computer labs, enhanced art department labs, science facilities and student service areas including a one-stop support center and a new student union. There is also an expanded lobby and an enlarged multi-purpose theater space.

"We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Mayor Daley for his leadership in supporting the City Colleges' vision for educational excellence in the 21st century. We also thank the Public Building Commission for overseeing this project," said CCC Chairman James Tyree.

"The Public Building Commission is proud to help the City Colleges of Chicago enhance its educational facilities," PBC Executive Director Montel Gayles said. "The upgrades to Harold Washington College hopefully will inspire students to reach even greater levels of academic advancement."

Other recent or pending capital improvements at the City Colleges of Chicago include renovations at Malcolm X College, Olive-Harvey College, Daley College, Truman College and Wright College. An entirely new campus for Kennedy-King College will be the largest project funded by the 1999 bond issuance for City Colleges of Chicago capital improvements.

"In the 21st century City Colleges' students must be able to compete not only with other Americans but with students anywhere in the world. Upgrading our facilities helps our students meet this challenge," said CCC Chancellor Wayne Watson.

Harold Washington College was founded in 1962 as Loop College and was placed in the heart of the downtown business district to serve Chicago's business community through a broad spectrum of courses, two-year degrees, and certificate programs. In 1987, the college's name was changed to commemorate Chicago's late Mayor Harold Washington. From its beginning, it has been a comprehensive college, offering students the traditional transfer-oriented liberal arts and sciences curricula as well as career and vocational programs. Today's student body, with an annual enrollment of nearly 22,000, displays a diverse mix of cultures, backgrounds, purposes and academic interests.

"We have created a world-class facility which is fully equipped with all the latest instructional technologies to go with the excellence in education our faculty already provides," said HWC President John Wozniak. "We're very proud of our renovated home."

Enrolling from throughout the city and the world (almost 50 countries), Harold Washington College students are attracted by the combination of central location to mass transportation, high quality instruction, flexible class scheduling, wide-ranging course offerings, reasonable tuition rates and state-of-the-art educational facilities and equipment.

City Colleges of Chicago, Community College District 508, is a system of seven independently accredited colleges. CCC provides four essential services. They are Liberal Arts Education (associate degrees and certificates); Occupational Education (workforce training); Adult Education (General Educational Development; English-as-a-Second Language, Adult Basic Education); and Continuing Education (programs that add value to the quality of life).

The City Colleges of Chicago, District 508 includes: Daley College, Kennedy-King College, Malcolm X College, Olive-Harvey College, Harold Washington College, Truman College and Wright College. WYCC-TV Channel 20, a public broadcast station, is also part of the CCC system. For more information, visit www.ccc.edu.

Photos are available on the Harold Washington College web site.