Greetings Olive-Harvey College Community:

This past year has been one to remember! Through the unwavering dedication and tireless efforts of our faculty and staff we have achieved remarkable milestones and reached ambitious goals. Our commitment to excellence has propelled our institution to new heights, fostering an environment of learning, innovation, and success. Together we have transformed the challenges into opportunities and aspirations into achievements. We are shaping the future of education and empowering generations of learners. As we celebrate our collective accomplishments, we eagerly anticipate the countless possibilities that lie ahead, knowing that with our team’s continued passion and expertise, our college will continue to thrive and inspire for years to come!

Three years ago, Olive-Harvey College stakeholders diligently worked together to develop a strategic plan that included strategies that fully align with all areas of our institution. The planning committees included faculty, staff, and administrators along with community and student representation. While our plan is ambitious and aims to broaden our college’s reach, it is also pragmatic. Our willingness to take risks, be innovative, and embrace change have provided the college and the community it serves with extraordinary opportunities. Central to the strategic plan, we have been able to respond to the primary needs of students and build the best possible learning experiences to meet those needs.

Olive-Harvey College’s mission is to develop a diverse community of cultural and civic leaders and to advance progressive global citizenship through academic excellence, work-based learning, and comprehensive support services.  We have been intentional about aligning the strategic levers – equity, exceptional student experience, economic responsiveness, excellence, collaboration and institutional health, to our mission. Our plan is the compass that assists us in navigating our way forward.

Olive-Harvey College continues to take an equity-centered approach to eliminating racial and socioeconomic achievement gaps. This is evidenced by applying to and being accepted into our inaugural year of the Achieving the Dream Accelerating Equitable Outcomes (AEO) cohort. Participation in this esteemed cohort supports City Colleges of Chicago’s goal to eliminate the achievement gap that exists between various racial and ethnic groups. Olive-Harvey College is wholly committed to increasing the number of racially/ethnically minoritized and poverty-affected students who earn postsecondary credentials.

The college continues to expand programs and services that speak to the needs of the community and city-at-large.  We remain laser-focused on improving the economic mobility of Black male students by expanding programs that lead to a living wage like our CDL A & B programs which are now offered from 8 AM until midnight. The One-Year and Out Accelerated Criminal Justice Degree program has seen steady growth; the program is designed to prepare the next generation of Police Officers for the Chicago Police Department, with the intention of ultimately transforming the landscape of law enforcement. The Program is now offered in-person and fully on-line and, this upcoming fall, a Spanish One-Year and Out cohort will be offered at our South Chicago Learning Center. Olive-Harvey Middle College students (YCCS High School) are able to earn credentials of economic value while still in high school, earning certificates in cybersecurity, forklift, and life guarding.

The expansion of our athletic programs resulted in an increase in the number of Black and Latine male students able to attend college – at no cost to our athletes. Our Workforce Equity Initiative (WEI) grant funding, totaling nearly $1.6 million, has been leveraged to cover tuition costs and offer wraparound services to students, serving 277 unduplicated Black and Latine students this year, of which 62% are male.

As a result of our aforementioned intentional efforts and additional strategies, Olive-Harvey College realized an unprecedented increase in its enrollment this fall. Unduplicated head count enrollment was up nearly 30% – the secondhighest enrollment increase amongst community colleges in the state of Illinois. Top drivers of enrollment growth last year included: expanded dual credit/dual enrollment offerings, new programs within Urban Agriculture/Cannabis Studies, the strengthening of workforce partnerships with Rivian, the Chicago Police Department, Chicago Transit Authority, Pace, and offering a variety of instructional modalities including online and hybrid course options.

How do we maintain this momentum? In year four, we plan to continue to invest in our greatest assets – our amazing faculty, staff, and our students.  We will expand professional development opportunities (i.e. customer service training) to ensure students have an exceptional experience from the moment they walk through our doors. The college has been successful in sourcing for external funding, amassing nearly $5 million in grants/donations this year; we will continue to actively seek financial resources to improve teaching and learning. Additionally, we recognize that industry partnerships and collaboration are key to not only helping ensure the efficacy of our programs but also for supplemental learning and employment opportunities for our students. We are committed to forging additional relationships with employers dedicated to providing paid work-based learning opportunities to our students.

Olive-Harvey College continually strives to be a foundational player in the community, a driving factor in the state economy, and a leader in the evolving educational environment. We are stronger in the community with you and we are excited to continue to make progress on our “Path Forward”.

Sincerely,

Kimberly Hollingsworth, Ed.D.

President

Olive-Harvey College