Originally called Loop Junior College, the institution was renamed Harold Washington College in 1988. The mission of the college is to offer education, or continuing education, to downtown Chicago employees and residents. The campus was modernized in 2005, and associate degrees in the arts as well as sciences are offered there. Degree programs include addiction studies, cinema, criminal justice, ethics, fine arts, foreign languages, biology and computer sciences. In addition, the school has several "pre" courses designed to get graduates into four-year programs, such as law, journalism, architecture, medicine, pharmacy and dentistry.
Located on the West Side of Chicago, Malcolm X College was the first city college, founded in 1911. Renamed for civil rights advocate Malcolm X in 1969, the college has open enrollment with all prospective students admitted. The school's focus is on adult education and continuing education, offering several areas of study such as associate degrees in applied science, fine arts, science and general studies. Additional degree programs are divided into five different majors, including business administration, English, history, psychology and theater arts. While most city colleges do not field athletic teams, Malcolm X College has a men's and women's basketball team as well as a men's cross-country team.
Olive-Harvey College, located on Chicago's South Side, is named for Vietnam Medal of Honor recipients Milton Olive III and Carmel B. Harvey. Prospective students should expect to take an entrance exam for proper class placement. The school had approximately 5,000 students in 2010 and a respectable average of only 25 students per class. Average age of students at Olive-Harvey is 28 years old. The school offers certificate programs as well as associate degrees. Olive-Harvey has established transfer agreements with several four-year colleges and universities, and students looking to make the transfer are urged to complete the school's transfer-degree program.
Originally called Woodrow Wilson Junior College, the name was changed to Kennedy-King College in honor of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy, just a year after their deaths. Kennedy-King has a noncompetitive admissions program with preference given to Chicago residents. The campus houses the Dawson Technical Institute, an occupational training center underwritten by the Thiokol Corporation.
Named for the elder of the two founders of motorized flight, Wilbur Wright College offers a two-year associate degree in a variety of fields. Founded in 1934, Wilbur Wright College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and approved by the Illinois Community College Board. The college plays host to the Scholars at Wright Program, a "great books" program underwritten by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Daley College, on Chicago's southwest side, prides itself on being a "melting pot of diversity." The school has two campuses that had a total enrollment of 11,000 in 2009. The college has a sister school, Arturo Velasquez Institute, that awards technical degrees. Degree programs offered at Daley include accounting, architectural drafting, computer information systems, criminal justice, environmental technology, homeland security, occupational therapy, paralegal studies, practical nursing, property management/leasing and registered nursing.
Founded as Mayfair College, the institution's name was changed in 1976 to honor President Harry S. Truman, a proponent of public colleges. Chicago's largest community college, Truman enrolled more than 23,000 students in 2010. The college has 30 certificate programs and offers 17 associate degrees. Nursing is one of Truman's most successful programs, with more than 3,000 nurses graduated since the program's inception in 1964. Providing a strong foundation for additional studies, nearly 35 percent of Truman students transfer to four-year institutions.