Community Partnerships Help Morton College Students Succeed

Morton College thrives in collaborating with community organizations to provide one common goal: access to resources.

“We have two major community partners, West40 and Cicero School District 99, with whom we are developing strong relationships,” explained Blanca Jara, Vice President of Institutional Advancement for Morton College. “With West40, we partner to support and provide space on campus for their Seniors Plus Program, which helps lapsed students restart or finish high school and reach their full potential. We also partnered with West40 to host the 2nd annual Backpack Give Back event.”

Morton College partnered with Cicero School District 99 to welcome nearly 100 students to their annual STEAMers Camps this summer. “All of our students got to attend these camps completely free, thanks to the After School Programs Grant that was granted to our District by the Illinois State Board of Education,” said Jara. “The purpose of the grant is to provide school districts and community organizations with money for after-school programming, as well as other programming outside the normal school day with the hope of improving academic outcomes for students. It also provides opportunities for enrichment activities in a safe and healthy environment while strengthening public, private, and philanthropic partnerships so that quality support services are more durable for students facing the greatest challenges.”

Morton College has also participated in the Partnership for College Completion and the Illinois Equity in Attainment Initiative. “Along with 17 other Illinois colleges, we participated in a one- to two-year journey to gain additional support in the long-term implementation of their institutional plans for increasing equitable student outcomes,” added Jara. “ILEA has equipped Morton College with the knowledge to remove institutional obstacles to ensure the academic success of our college community. We are always ready to partner to bring programs, resources, and opportunities to our college community. We firmly believe that when they succeed, we succeed.”

For more information, please contact:

Morton College

3801 S. Central Avenue

Cicero, IL 60804

708-656-8000

www.morton.edu