Mayor Emanuel and City Colleges today announced a $5 million investment at the West Side Learning Center, the satellite campus for Malcolm X College. Renovations will be made to the existing classrooms for students, and the 3,000 square foot multipurpose room for the community.

“The West Side Learning Center will not only provide Chicago residents with a world-class academic experience, it will create a welcoming space for community groups on the city’s west side,” said Mayor Emanuel.

Renovations for the revitalized center will include two new biology labs, an enhanced adult education space, upgraded classrooms and computer labs and renovated nursing labs to support STEM programming. The community center space will be renovated, with additional space built out on the first floor.

“Malcolm X College is an educational anchor on the West Side and this investment will offer students and families more opportunities to connect to our top notch programs across our system and to launch careers immediately in growing fields,” said Chancellor Salgado. 

The West Side Learning Center currently offers adult education, professional and personal development courses, and an 8-week Basic Nursing Assistant program. Once complete, the West Side Learning Center will support additional basic STEM courses that feed into higher education and career pathways in growing fields, and link residents on the west side to degree programs.

Malcolm X College health sciences students often pass their licensure exams at a rate of over 90 percent and many go on to work at leading healthcare organizations in Chicago.

"When we make smart investments in Chicago's neighborhoods, good things follow,” said Alderman Jason C. Ervin, 28^th Ward. “Our community is excited to see resources dedicated to education and career advancement while also creating new space for community use."

City Colleges will continue working with community and industry partners to build out additional programming to support career and college pathways in manufacturing, transportation, distribution and logistics and nursing.

"Austin Coming Together and our members look forward to a productive partnership with City Colleges of Chicago to ensure the Westside Learning Center is responsive to the career goals of all west side workers,” said Darnell Shields, Executive Director of Austin Coming Together.

The West Side Learning Center, located at 4624 W. Madison Avenue, will be complete by Fall 2020 with funding from City Colleges. Construction is scheduled to start in the spring.

The Malcolm X campus, which opened in 2016, was designed with the input of employers including lead partner Rush University Medical Center. It is located next door to the Illinois Medical District, a 1 million square feet facility that prepares Chicagoans for in demand health care jobs. 

Malcolm X College is City Colleges’ center of excellence for health sciences. It is home to City Colleges of Chicago’s School of Nursing and offers students programs in phlebotomy, dental hygiene, medical assisting, radiography, personal fitness training, mortuary science and many other disciplines, including general education courses. 

###