In 2020, the College of DuPage Field and Experiential Learning, Study Abroad and Global Education (FS/SA) department received a grant from the Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students (IDEAS) Program, funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered/managed through World Learning. This initiative seeks to increase the capacity of higher education institutions to grow and diversify study abroad programs for U.S. students through the capacity-building initiatives. 

COD’s project, College of DuPage Africa Initiative: Sustainability in Kenya, integrated service learning into a sustainable model for interdisciplinary study abroad at a community college. In partnership with EDU Africa, the pilot project had the following goals:

1. Broaden the demographic representation of students participating in study abroad by breaking down barriers to entry.
2. Expand opportunities to underrepresented disciplines in study abroad, including STEM, to address US foreign policy goals in their respective curricula.
3. Create a pilot study abroad model that includes service learning and establish a relationship with the foreign partner, EDU Africa, for continued collaboration and a sustainable rotating study abroad program in future years.
4. Foster and share an understanding of the global impact of inter-related societies and increase participant intercultural effectiveness.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the project, the COD FS/SA group of fourteen participants (5 faculty/staff and 9 students, including 2 Gilman Scholars) finally traveled to Kenya from May 20 to June 3, 2023. The team studied sustainability, architecture, conservation, colonialism, culture, and history of Kenya, and then spent two weeks in the country to fully understand and experience these topics. Highlights from the trip include: 

• Hiking through Brackenhurst and Gatamaiyu forests, clearing invasive species and planting indigenous trees.
• Touring seed nurseries, rose farms, and other horticultural laboratories.
• Learning about local housing construction methods using locally sourced natural materials.
• Visiting the Soysambu Conservancy (breeding grounds for flamingos and pelicans) as well as Massai Mara on a 3-day excursion in the savanna, to learn about natural habitats and how they are impacted by climate change.
• Meeting with locals, including veterans of the Mau Mau Uprising of the 1950s-60s, and visiting the Nairobi Gallery of Art, Jamia Mosque, and the McMillan Memorial Library to learn more about the culture and history of Kenya.

An in-depth, day-by-day journal of the trip was featured on the COD FS/SA Facebook and Instagram pages (see links below). The multidisciplinary pilot project was a success, as both Humanities and Biology courses were tied together and coordinated through assignments, resulting in deep discussions and conversations with Kenyans on the trip. Students are merging the new knowledge into their own projects. For example, architecture students are incorporating more natural elements into their project designs, while biology students understand clear links between zero waste and using water and vegetation as reusable resources in future buildings. The project’s success has encouraged the FS/SA staff to continue refining this multi-disciplinary project model for future service-learning study abroad opportunities. This pilot program was run by Susan Kerby (Coordinator of Study Abroad), Julia DiLiberti (Professor, Humanities), and Shamili Ajgaonkar (Professor, Biology). They were crucial to the project’s success!

Further Reading:

• COD Field and Experiential Learning, Study Abroad and Global Education Main Page
• World Learning IDEAS Program Site
• COD Study Abroad Facebook
• COD Study Abroad Instagram

The Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students (IDEAS) Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by World Learning. This article was funded in part by a grant from the United States Department of State. The opinions, findings, and conclusions stated herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State. 

The College of DuPage Library recently received a sub-award grant from the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI) as part of the Illinois Support for Creation of Open Educational Resources (SCOERs) program, funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education. The funded project will be crucial in helping faculty develop new open educational resources (OER) for a high-enrollment general education Physics course and remix OER for two Addictions Counseling courses during a three-day accelerator retreat this summer. 

OER are teaching, learning, and research resources residing in the public domain or have been released under an intellectual property license permitting their free use, repurposing, and modification by others. Research has shown that higher education institutions utilizing OER significantly increase the accessibility of learning content, student academic performance is the same or better than traditional (and expensive) commercially licensed materials, and they play an essential role in promoting learner equity. College of DuPage launched a three-year pilot program in 2019 to explore and leverage OER on campus, facilitate day-one access to free or low-cost materials for all students, and support new pedagogical practices. From the academic years 2019 to 2023, 22,000 students saved over $4.5 million because of instructor adoptions of OER at COD. 

These projects will result in additional student savings for those taking the general education Physics course and will push the Addictions Counseling degree and certificate programs one step closer to becoming a zero-cost textbook program. The updated Physics 1100 course OER will be developed by Dr. Alyssa Pasquale, Dr. David Fazzini, and Dr. Carley Bennett and will provide a broad overview of physics concepts without burdening students with unnecessarily complex algebra and calculus that are often included in commercial publications. The Addictions Counseling OER will be developed to meet rigorous standards set out by the Illinois Certification Board while including career and technical expertise provided by experienced COD faculty, including Jason Florin, Andrea Polites, Bruce Sewick, and Julie Trytek. The retreat will allow faculty to work with COD Library staff and a digital publishing consultant to develop content for their respective OER while integrating relevant 3D printing projects into the curricula. This accelerator lets COD Library staff test and replicate the model on future OER projects. In addition to the funding provided by CARLI, the award includes a 3D printer with enough printing materials for a year that the COD Library can use to help carry out the projects. CARLI will also provide additional training for staff and faculty on instructional design, accessibility, creative commons and copyright, and 3D printing. 

CARLI began operating in 2005 and is a consortium of 130 member libraries serving 800,000 students, faculty, and staff in Illinois. They aim to “Empower our academic and research libraries to build and sustain an accessible, diverse, and responsive knowledge environment that promotes excellence and innovation in teaching, learning, and research.” CARLI continues to be an essential partner to College of DuPage with a shared interest in promoting the adoption, adaptation, and creation of open resources across Illinois higher education institutions. The OER program at the COD Library is run by Lauren Kosrow, Ed.D., Digital Content and Open Access Librarian, and Jennifer McIntosh, Associate Dean of Library. We appreciate all Lauren, Jennifer, and the rest of the COD Library staff do for the college and its students!

Further Reading:

• COD Library
• Open Education at College of DuPage
• CARLI SCOERs

Since 2017, the National Security Agency (NSA) has awarded grant funding to College of DuPage for hosting the GenCyber program for students and teachers. The GenCyber program increases awareness and diversity in the cybersecurity field, present career opportunities to students, and facilitates teacher readiness to deliver cybersecurity content in their classrooms. The GenCyber program at COD includes summer camps for students and teachers from 6th to 12th grades, in addition to hosting additional pre-camp and post-camp activities throughout the year. College of DuPage is offering the following GenCyber programs in 2023:

GenCyber Teacher Program

• Two one-week long summer programs, with the first week for teachers from grades 3 to 8 and the second week for teachers from grades 7 to 12. Each section will have approximately 36 teachers.
• The program curriculum for the week includes a comprehensive learning experience covering the six GenCyber Cybersecurity Concepts, basic networking, cyber safety, coding, steganography, encryption and more. In addition, teachers learn to apply these concepts by incorporating innovating and fun classroom activities while having the opportunity to prepare a lesson plan designed for implementation into their own classrooms. The week will conclude with presentations of the developed lesson plans.
• Each teacher will be given a stipend, professional development credits, a Chromebook with access to a variety of resources, and a customized lesson plan they create for their classroom

GenCyber Student Program

• Two one-week long summer programs, with the first week for students in grades 6 to 9, and the second week for students in grades 7 to 10. Each section will have approximately 36 students in each.
• The program provides students with age-appropriate cybersecurity learning opportunities in a standards-based and organized curriculum promoting the GenCyber Cybersecurity Concepts, ethics, careers, and online safety. Hands-on and interactive activities include lessons on basic networking, cyber safety, coding, steganography, encryption, and more with Arduinos, programmable robots, ciphers, and break out room activities. Each student’s learning experience will be catered to their skill level to make it an enjoyable experience for all.
• Guest speakers will have presentations on career opportunities in the field and pathways to success. These speakers come from a variety of backgrounds and employers, including the FBI, Argonne National Laboratory, College of DuPage graduates, and other community businesses.
• Each student will receive GenCyber water bottles, t-shirts, backpacks, and other giveaways. Students will also have the opportunity to apply for and participate in a future GenCyber Advanced Student program.

The GenCyber program at College of DuPage is run by Tony Chen, Professor of Computer & Information Technology (CIT), and Justin Wagner, Assistant Professor of CIT. College of DuPage offers a Cybersecurity and Defense AAS degree as well as a Cybersecurity Specialist Certificate which qualifies individuals for entry-level employment in a variety of positions in information systems. The COD Center for Cyber Defense Education is a designated Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) as part of the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity, a program managed by the National Security Agency’s National Cryptologic School. Mr. Chen and Mr. Wagner have been crucial for the success of both the CIT and GenCyber programs here at COD, and we greatly appreciate all they do for the students and teachers in the community!

For more about this program's current offerings and registering for the GenCyber summer camp:

• GenCyber Program
• Center for Cyber Defense Education
• National Security Agency Page for Students
• National Security Agency National Centers for Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity

The Illinois Arts Council Agency (IACA) is the state government agency for developing and supporting the state’s public arts policy, with a mission of building a strong, creative, and connected Illinois through the arts. Created in 1965, the agency is governed by up to 21 citizens appointed by the Governor who have a demonstrable commitment to the arts. Council members are tasked with developing the state’s public arts policy, fostering quality culturally diverse programs, and approving grants. For over two decades, IACA has generously supported the operations and programs of WDCB 90.9FM and the McAninch Arts Center (MAC) at College of DuPage. Their support through the following grants have been essential to providing a diverse and exciting assortment of high-quality arts programming to the surrounding community:

Public Radio & Television Basic/Operating Grants (PRTV) – WDCB 90.9FM

Located on COD’s main campus, WDCB 90.9FM is a public radio station serving residents of the Chicagoland area and the world. WDCB is the only major radio broadcast source for jazz and blues music in Chicago, a city in which these genres are historically important and culturally vibrant today. Through generous support from the IACA’s PRTV grant program, WDCB maintains diverse and exciting programming, including more than 130 hours of locally hosted jazz each week. WDCB reaches more than 150,000 listeners every week via its FM broadcast and web audio stream. On the air, WDCB amplifies the creative work of Illinois artists through its Chicago-centric presentation of jazz, blues, folk, Irish, Latin, Brazilian and Americana music, as well as locally produced theater, literature, film, visual and culinary arts via its weekly “Arts Section” radio program. On the ground, WDCB actively supports events that enrich and broaden the community’s opportunity for cultural experiences. Each year, WDCB presents more than two dozen free admission jazz and blues concerts, reaching thousands of attendees. We present free talks and concerts in public libraries and host a quarterly jazz documentary film series on campus. WDCB frequently broadcasts live jazz and blues concerts featuring local musicians from venues across Chicagoland, including the weekly “Chicago Jazz Live” and monthly “Bluesday Tuesday” broadcast series. In 2022, WDCB directly partnered with Chicago DCASE to host, produce and operate a “WDCB Jazz Lounge” stage that presented more than a dozen concerts at the Chicago Jazz Festival. IACA general operating support helps to make these initiatives possible, bringing exciting and eclectic forms of jazz and other niche music to a wide audience and making it accessible to all in the community.

Partners In Excellence Grant (PIE) – McAninch Arts Center

Illinois is home to many creative arts institutions that are of regional and national significance. As a result, IACA implemented the PIE grant program to provide general operating support to designated organizations of scale and significance to the state. The grant program provides funding and recognition to organizations who bring access to high quality arts activities to diverse communities throughout Illinois and serve rural, underserved, and multi-cultural audiences. The MAC is proud to be a Partner In Excellence, where it is dedicated to fostering enlightened educational and entertaining performance opportunities, which encourage artistic expression and engagement, establish a lasting relationship between people and art, and enrich the cultural vitality of the community. The MAC has enjoyed sustained growth over the past 35 years, entertaining and inspiring over two million audience members and presenting over 40 events annually with its Performance Series, the Cleve Carney Museum of Art, and New Philharmonic. The MAC has received PIE grant funding for more than 15 years due to its exceptional arts programming, strong community partnerships, and impactful educational offerings. Furthermore, the MAC supports Illinois artists in its performing artist series, hosts a free outdoor summer concert series (featuring pop entertainers, jazz artists, family programs, and more), and offers reduced or free admission to events and exhibitions like the world-class Frida Kahlo: Timeless exhibition in summer 2021. Despite the temporary closure caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, funding support from the IACA has enabled the MAC to add virtual streaming programs with 50% of its shows being presented for free for audiences both young and old. The Kahlo exhibit welcomed over 100,000 attendees from around the world and put the museum on the map of providing high quality immersive and educational exhibits in the Chicagoland region. IACA provided crucial funding to support Illinois artists as they recreated pieces of Kahlo’s life for the Historical Timeline and the Tres Fridas Project supporting women artists with disabilities. With so much to offer, the MAC continues to forge strong connections between the community and the arts in unique and exciting ways.

WDCB-FM and the MAC offer exciting and important arts programming, bringing rich cultural presentations to the region. We greatly appreciate all that WDCB and the MAC do for the campus and the community. Without the support of IACA, the public, and the many volunteers supporting these entities, programming would not be possible!

Further Reading

• WDCB 90.9FM website
• McAninch Arts Center website
• Illinois Arts Council Agency website

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has recently awarded College of DuPage $1.5 million for the Scholarships in STEM (S-STEM) grant (NSF award #2221097), an expansion of a six-year pilot S-STEM grant awarded in 2016 (NSF award #1564720). The S-STEM program has supported over 70 full-time academically-talented, financially-challenged students at College of DuPage since 2016 with more than $740,000 in funding from NSF. The new $1.5 million grant will provide scholarships to a minimum of 120 students over a six-year period, with new eligibility criteria expanding to both part-time and full-time STEM students. For students to receive an S-STEM scholarship, they must meet the following eligibility and obligation criteria aligned with the S-STEM guidelines:

Eligibility

• Be a U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, U.S. Permanent Resident, or Admitted Refugee;
• Have demonstrable financial need with a FAFSA EFC score eligible for need-based aid in accordance with federal guidelines and significant unmet need as determined by the college’s Financial Aid Office;
• Be at least a part-time (6 credit hours/semester) student in a degree program or transfer curriculum in S-STEM eligible fields including Physics, Chemistry, Math, Engineering, CIS, or associated Technology fields;
• Incoming freshman students must submit their high school transcript for evidence of STEM courses taken (including AP and Honors), and their level of achievement in these courses, and have a minimum GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale).

Obligations

• Maintain at least part-time enrollment and maintain eligibility for financial aid/demonstrate financial need;
• Achieve at least a 2.75 GPA by the end of the first year of college credit courses at COD;
• Continue to make progress towards an S-STEM-eligible degree and graduate with an Associate’s or transfer to a 4-year institution;
• Participate in events, activities, regular meetings with a dedicated Student Success Coach, and evaluation surveys.

The program covers last-dollar financial need (such as tuition, fees, and books) and can be renewed for up to four years if the applicant continues to meet eligibility requirements. In other words, the amount of scholarship support will match the unmet need for the cost of attendance for the applicant, less the expected family contribution and other grants and scholarships applied to their education. Beyond the scholarship, S-STEM participants have access to research internships with stipends, career-related workshops, and campus resources such as guided study groups, tutors and faculty mentors. A Student Success Coach gives individualized support and coordinates cohort and cross-disciplinary support, while monitoring academic statuses and maintaining communication with faculty regarding grades and degree/transfer progress. The Coach, along with the array of college resources available, all contribute towards improved persistence and graduation rates for academically talented students in STEM majors.

The National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency established “to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare…” The NSF supports basic research and people to create knowledge to transform the future and is tasked with keeping the United States at the leading edge of discovery in all STEM fields (except medical sciences). Since 1998, the S-STEM grant program has pursued the goal to enable low-income students with academic ability, talent, or potential to pursue a successful career in a promising STEM field, graduate with an eligible degree, and contribute to the American innovation economy. 

The S-STEM program at College of DuPage has a large, multidisciplinary team of faculty and administrators ensuring the program is successfully managed and scholarship recipients are meeting their academic goals. Dr. Thomas Carter, Professor of Physics, leads the S-STEM management team along with Dr. Cory DiCarlo (Chemistry), Marcelina Rakestraw (Computer & Information Science), and Dr. David Smith (Engineering). Susan Fenwick serves as the dedicated S-STEM Success Coach who actively guides the participants towards successful achievement of their goals. The team has done a tremendous job in carrying out the program and playing an essential role in supporting STEM students while ensuring their success in their chosen field. We appreciate all they do for College of DuPage!

Further Reading

• College of DuPage STEM Division webpage
• STEM Student Success Scholarships webpage
• National Science Foundation S-STEM Program webpage

At College of DuPage, student success is the top priority, and COD is committed to building institutional cultural competence along a continuum of learning opportunities. As part of the 2022-2026 Strategic Long Range Plan, equity and inclusion is a foundational value and a significant component of every strategic pillar. 

In 2018, the Partnership for College Completion (PCC) launched the Illinois Equity in Attainment Initiative (ILEA), composed of a consortium of 25 Illinois colleges and universities across the state, including College of DuPage. ILEA set out to have each institution commit to a path that eliminates racial and socioeconomic achievement gaps by 2025 and prioritize increasing completion rates for Black, Latinx, and under-resourced students on campus. To address this challenge, the COD Equity and Access Team identified four key strategies:

1. Establish a comprehensive Multicultural Center
2. Offer equity training for all COD employees and students
3. Adopt hiring practices that increase and retain diverse talent
4. Increase student access to financial resources and financial education

PCC awarded a Catalyst grant to COD in 2021 to assist with this effort and sustain momentum in achieving the four strategies. The grant supported three unique forms of professional development activities for student leaders, student staff, and faculty to learn about the concept of equity, current equity gaps in the higher education system, and solutions to reduce those gaps. From Fall 2021 to Spring 2022, COD piloted an asynchronous e-course from SpeakOut on “Race, Power, and Privilege” and three speaker series events on a variety of issues related to equity and student success. Select COD faculty and staff also had the opportunity to attend the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities 35th Annual Conference to learn more from Hispanic higher education scholars and HSI institutions on support structures for Latinx students. Carrying out these activities have served as an important milestone to identifying areas of success and growth in COD’s Equity Plan, while also helping the Equity Team work towards catering these programs to COD’s specific needs. 

The generous support and guidance from PCC has been essential to developing a more equitable, inclusive, and successful learning environment for students at College of DuPage. Staff and faculty including Jill Salas, Roberto C. Valadez, and COD’s Equity Access Team have worked hard to carry out this program and continue to play an essential role in ensuring COD’s future vision for the elimination of equity gaps becomes a reality. We greatly appreciate all that they do for our campus and the community! 

Further Reading

• College of DuPage Equity and Access
• College of DuPage's 2020 Equity Plan
• Partnership for College Completion website
• PCC's Illinois Equity in Attainment Initiative website

Since 1989, the College of DuPage Meteorology Department and its Next Generation Weather Lab (NEXLAB) regularly receives widespread acclaim for its state-of-the art weather datasets and satellite imaging technology. From local weather stations to national media, NEXLAB data is frequently cited for meteorological studies and weather forecasting. Located on College of DuPage’s Glen Ellyn campus, the program is known in the region for its high-quality meteorology education. With the support of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) and Unidata (funded by the National Science Foundation), students, researchers, and the public have access to state-of-the-art software and programs that deliver real-time global meteorological data.

Financial assistance through Unidata’s Community Equipment Awards grant program supports meteorology programs by providing funding to purchase the servers and other hardware necessary to create and share meteorological data with the greater Unidata community and the world-at-large. The COD Meteorology Program partners with several national institutions to provide up-to-date observational datasets with a powerful user experience for educational and research purposes. For over 14 years, subsets of NEXLAB’s radar mosaic imagery have been archived by UCAR and is viewable alongside several other datasets. In 2017, COD began a partnership with Iowa State University to archive additional imagery, and 2019 also saw a new collaboration with Texas Tech University to integrate datasets. These archives and datasets are vital in accurate research of our climate and weather, and have been widely used by the meteorological community of researchers and academics. These datasets are also open to the general public who are interested in gaining a better understanding of past weather events. Thanks to the support of Unidata, NEXLAB has the capability to capture high-resolution GOES-16 and GOES-17 satellite imagery, as well as GOES-18 which is scheduled to launch in March 2022. Furthermore, these images can be layered with multiple NEXLAB-provided datasets to create a variety of useful visual configurations.

The COD Meteorology Program provides a significant service to the community. Current webpage users include the National Weather Service, the US military, forestry services, Environment Canada, utility companies, and most universities needing weather information. COD’s NEXLAB online presence continues to be one of the most popular meteorological websites in the country, with a typical day seeing 5 to 10 million hits, and 20,000 to 40,000 unique visitors. Approximately 800GB to 1TB of outgoing data is also downloaded daily. The busiest activity occurs during hurricane season, with September 9th, 2020 seeing over 38 million hits, 115,000 unique visitors, and 3.77TB of exported data.

Unidata’s support is essential to capturing high resolution images for public dissemination, furthering education curricula and research. Staff including Professor Paul Sirvatka and Michael Zuranski work hard to keep NEXLAB running and are vital to maintaining the strong reputation and integrity of the program. We greatly appreciate all that the COD Meteorology Program does for the community and the field!

Further Reading

• College of DuPage Meteorology Program
• College of DuPage NEXLAB
• Unidata UCAR Community Program
• Unidata Community Equipment Awards
• UCAR Radar Archive

For over 20 years, the College of DuPage Accountancy Program has hosted the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program to provide College of DuPage Accounting students an opportunity to learn individual income tax preparation and serve the local community by assisting in the preparation and filing of their taxes. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) designed this initiative to support free tax preparation services during the tax filing season for underserved populations at partner institutions across the country. With virtual, drop-off, and walk-in tax return services, VITA staff and volunteers help prepare thousands of tax returns annually for some of the most vulnerable populations in the community. The backbone of the VITA program at COD relies on its volunteers and coordinators to ensure an efficient and accurate processing system.

COD VITA program volunteers are comprised primarily of students at College of DuPage who are earning a degree or certification in Accounting or are working on their CPA credentials. These volunteers are trained by program faculty and are provided with extensive, real-world examples and applications of tax law. Each volunteer undergoes a minimum of 25 hours of classroom training and must pass applicable IRS certification examinations before they begin preparing returns for clients. College of DuPage faculty and community members serve as additional volunteers, in addition to District 200 high school Key Club members who assist with customer check-in services. The IRS VITA program provides volunteers real-world, hands-on experiences and soft-skills development, while directly serving clients who need their services the most. The program has seen a steady growth of volunteers over the years due to the overwhelming positive feedback of the program coupled with the program expanding its geographic reach beyond the main campus and satellite campuses to other community centers. This growing volunteer base has directly led to more clients being seen in the community and an increase in the number of successfully processed returns.

The VITA program at College of DuPage serves all of DuPage County and parts of Will and Cook Counties. Working with social service agencies in these areas, the program has been able to bring in clients most in need within the district boundaries. Traditional filing services for individuals are available on COD’s main campus during filing season, and drop-off locations include COD’s satellite campuses of Addison, Carol Stream, and Westmont, in addition to partnering with Community School District 89. With the growing number of available sites and ease of access via public bus lines, more VITA clients have been able to utilize these free services.

In recognition of these outstanding achievements the IRS has, for several years, provided valuable grant funding that has helped fuel the growth of our program. The success of this program requires significant effort and coordination between faculty, staff, the Internal Revenue Service, and local community centers that host VITA customers and volunteers. Mark Yahoudy, Maureen McBeth, and Bev Carlson work diligently to bring all the pieces of this program together and ensure the volunteers are well prepared and that the program runs smoothly. The IRS reviews the COD program annually and has consistently awarded the team with exemplary scores. We greatly appreciate all that the VITA team does for this important program for the community!

Further Reading

• College of DuPage Tax Preparation Program
• IRS VITA Program

The IRS VITA program at College of DuPage is a program that receives federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. We do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, and reprisal.

The Community College Initiative (CCI) Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and administered by Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), is an international student exchange program where individuals from countries around the world participate in academic programs at select U.S. community colleges, develop leadership capabilities, professional skills, and English language proficiency for up to one academic year. Since 2012, College of DuPage has hosted 136 CCI participants from across the globe, including far-reaching countries such as Ghana, Indonesia, and Colombia.

Students are recruited from historically underrepresented and underserved communities, and this program gives them the opportunity to learn and bring back valuable skills and expertise leading to economic growth and development in their home countries. Simultaneously, CCI participants help community college campuses like COD include more diverse perspectives in the classroom. Participants of the CCI program may build technical skills and earn certificates in their fields of study, from culinary arts to engineering. Students can also partake in professional internships, service-learning opportunities, and other community engagement activities to build work experience related to their field, strengthen their English language proficiency, and learn about United States culture.

CCI students typical volunteer at campus and local community organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Chicago Marathon COD Cares, and People’s Resource Center. CCI students also gain internship experience with a variety of local organizations, government agencies, and businesses. Over 80% of students earned a COD certificate in a field of study, including but not limited to Culinary Arts, Horticulture, Tourism, Management, and Entrepreneurship. Outside of work, CCI students are incredibly active in student clubs, participate in conferences and speaking engagements, research projects, and other culture sharing and outing opportunities like festivals, museum tours, sporting events, and mentorship programs. After returning to their home countries, students have reported numerous successes from starting their own businesses, beginning careers in teaching, non-profits, or tourism work, and more!

The success of these students requires the hard work and coordinated efforts between the Department of State, NOVA, and the International Student Services Office at College of DuPage. Kayla Chepyator and the International Student Services Office have worked diligently to ensure these students have the best possible experience here at COD and leave with enriching experiences. We greatly appreciate all that Kayla and her team does for this inspiring and important program!

Further Reading

• College of DuPage CCI Program
• U.S. Department of State CCI Program
• Northern Virginia Community College CCI Program
• Global Chats: COVID-19 Focus Video Series, Episode 24: "Community College Initiative Students Return Home"

This piece was funded in part by a grant from the United States Department of State. The opinions, findings and conclusions stated herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.

A relatively new initiative at College of DuPage is the Project Hire-Ed Registered Apprenticeship Program which is ambitious in size and scope. Through collaborations with local DuPage County employers, schools, government, and workforce organizations, Project Hire-Ed is a robust apprenticeship program designed to boost economic mobility and close the skills gap for the community workforce. Project Hire-Ed has partnered with multiple companies, including Pioneer Services, SWD Inc., and Mauser Packaging Solutions, and continues to expand its network of businesses offering apprenticeships to students in specific fields. The program has also partnered with WorkNet DuPage and local school districts to recruit strong and diverse cohorts of students.

The model implemented on campus provides a cost-effective solution for employers looking to fill open positions in several sectors, including Advanced Manufacturing, HVACR, Welding, Horticulture, Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Health Care. Students participating in the Project Hire-Ed program go through an “Earn and Learn” pathway, where they take classes at College of DuPage to earn college credit while performing on the job training (OTJ) with a partner company. Both classes and OTJ training are aligned to ensure a seamless experience for students and to ultimately address skills gaps identified by employers.

With the support of a significant grant through the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO), Project Hire-Ed has successfully moved beyond its pilot stage and has established a permanent presence on campus. DCEO funding facilitates the strengthening of Project Hire-Ed’s infrastructure through hiring of additional staff and supporting activities that expand the program to more partners and apprentices. We appreciate the support of DCEO and the work that Danielle and her team dedicates to this valuable program!

Further Reading

• College of DuPage Project Hire-Ed Program
• “COD’s Project Hire-Ed Apprenticeship Program Highlights the Power of Workforce Development”
• “College of DuPage Launches Project Hire-Ed”
• Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity

Through the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), College of DuPage receives approximately $2.7 million annually in federal and state funding from the Adult Education & Literacy program to support essential programming for adult learners. Adult Education provides important services that assist adults in improving skills, achieving educational goals, and transitioning to employment. These programs ultimately give students the opportunity to enter the workforce, earn a living wage, and meet the needs of the region's employers. COD demonstrates the second-highest index of need for adult education services in the state (outside of the City Colleges collective). Community College District 502 has 61,897 adults without a high school diploma, 47,065 adults living in households with incomes below the federal poverty level, and 234,693 adults in households where English is not the primary language spoken.

The College of DuPage Adult Education and ELA Office provides a variety of services and courses for adult learners, some of which are provided at no cost to the student, due to funding from ICCB. COD is one of the largest service providers of adult education in the state with a variety of program offerings including:

• Adult Basic Education (ABE) – Designed for adults who do not have a high school diploma and help students build reading, writing, and math skills and work towards obtaining their GED.
• High School Equivalency (HSE) – Courses that help prepare students to pass the GED or an equivalent high school certificate exam.
  Citizenship – Adult learners who are preparing to become United States Citizens can take free courses at College of DuPage to help them pass citizenship exams.
• English Language Acquisition (ELA) – Specifically for English as a Second Language (ESL) students, ELA courses provide free resources to help develop reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills.
• Integrated Career and Academic Preparation System (ICAPS) – For students looking to enter a career pathway into a high-demand field, ICAPS gives adult learners the opportunity to earn college credit, receive assistance in job placement with partner companies, and earn certificates to help secure employment.

Funding over the years has allowed the Adult Education program to reach more communities and provide additional resources and wraparound services to students. Where many providers focus on or two areas of support, College of DuPage provides a wide array of educational and support services for the 3,200 students it sees on average annually. In particular, funding has supported the implementation of Student Success Coaches (SSCs) to provide student guidance in a variety of ways including transitioning adult students to post-secondary education or employment training. SSCs host "Student Transition Days" where adult education students tour College of DuPage and meet with career and academic program representatives to receive hands-on assistance with admissions, financial aid, scholarships, and more. SSCs also work closely with COD Navigators to help transition adult education students to post-secondary education. Over the last decade, COD's Adult Education program has transitioned more than 4,100 adults into tuition-based college courses.

The Adult Education and ELA Office partners with many internal and external stakeholders to provide a valuable link between adult learners and opportunities for employment, making the program a leader in adult education career pathways, bridge programming, and Integrated Education and Training. From COD's own Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Navigators programs to local organizations like WorkNet DuPage and other regional employers, there are many opportunities for adult learners to start a meaningful and fulfilling career.

Dan Deasy, Operations and Compliance Manager, oversees and coordinates the ABE, HSE, and ELA program activities at College of DuPage and ensures students are making the most out of the Adult Education programs offered here. We are glad ICCB values and supports the strength and quality of adult education at COD, and we appreciate the hard work Mr. Deasy and his team to maintain an excellent and highly respected program!

Further Reading

• College of DuPage Adult Education Program
• "College of DuPage receives increased state, federal funding to expand adult education program resources"
• Illinois Community College Board website

Through the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), College of DuPage receives almost $3 million annually in federal and state funding from the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V). This legislation delivers federal support to state and local high school and college CTE programs that provide students the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to succeed in today's competitive marketplace. COD offers essential CTE programming for students, from skilled trades to applied science and technology programs. The funding received by COD supports over 250 CTE degrees and certificate programs, including everything from accounting, computer and internetworking technologies, electronics, HVACR, manufacturing, and welding. Perkins funding supports CTE at all levels, from professional development opportunities for faculty and staff, to equipment purchases to promote hands-on learning as well as skills development programs (such as STEMCON) for students.

Thanks to the generous support of Perkins funding over the years, many successful projects have been completed at COD. For example, in 2018 a group Architecture Design + Build studio students, led by Mark A. Pearson, AIA, designed and built the Fuel Garden and Russell R. Kirt Prairie Pavilion over 8 weeks with $10,000. The pavilion serves as both a beautiful physical gathering space in the prairie as well as a symbol bringing awareness to the COD Fuel Garden.

A different program supported by Perkins funding is the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVACR) program at COD led by Bob Clark. Over the past five years, Dr. Clark has expanded the program to include state-of-the-art HVAC electronic control trainers for COD's lab facility, which were designed by Dr. Clark. These trainers teach students HVAC skills and competencies through the construction and building of the trainers. As a result of these successful teaching innovations, Dr. Clark has been featured in multiple trade articles, and has been honored as both the Illinois ACTE Teacher of the Year and Regional ACTE Teacher of the Year. He was also nominated for the National ACTE Teacher of the Year.

Jonita Ellis, CTE Program Improvement Manager, oversees and coordinates Perkins activities at COD to ensure faculty, staff, and students are making the most out of the CTE programs offered here. We appreciate the hard work and dedication that Ms. Ellis and the Academic Affairs team dedicates to executing the CTE programs supported by Perkins!

Further Reading

• College of DuPage Career and Technical Education
• College of DuPage Architecture Design + Build Studio
• "COD Builds World-Class Electronics Trainers Funded by Perkins Grant"
• Illinois Community College Board website

The Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) hosts the Illinois Cooperative Work Study Program (ICWS), a grant program that "...is designed to enhance public-private sector partnerships, expand internship opportunities, reduce student reliance on loans, encourage permanent employment of Illinois graduates in Illinois, and provide links between academic programs and employment." Internships are increasingly important to College of DuPage students in applying their education and gaining real-world experience in the workplace, and ultimately securing employment after graduation.

Since 2010, the COD Career Services Department has received a grant from IBHE to support a program that coordinates internships for COD students with regional employers. Krystina LaSorsa, Interim Manager of Career Services, coordinates partner employers and student interns to ensure positive, relevant, and successful internship experiences. This year, COD was awarded over $44,000 to support the program which supplements employer wages paid to COD interns. Both employers and student-interns have reported their belief in the value and importance of this program and the experience it provides to our students. We appreciate the work that Ms. LaSorsa dedicates to this grant program!

Further Reading

• Illinois Board of Higher Education
• College of DuPage Career Services