Malcolm X College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago, is a two-year college located on the Near West Side of Chicago, Illinois. It was founded as Crane Junior College in 1911 and was the first of the City Colleges. From 1934 to 1969, it was called Theodore Herzl Junior College, and located in the North Lawndale neighborhood on Chicago's West Side. In 1969, the school was renamed in honor of civil rights advocate and orator Malcolm X. Malcolm X College works with healthcare and industry partners to provide students with career-oriented education in the healthcare field. The school's main corporate partner is Rush University Medical Center, which helps the school write curriculum, teach, and place students in jobs. The school also has 18 other healthcare and industry partners, including Walgreens and GE Healthcare.
History
Crane Junior College, the first city college in Chicago, was founded in 1911 to be a junior college for the graduates of the nearby Crane High School. During the Great Depression, the financially strapped Chicago Board of Education considered closing the school but after arguments from Clarence Darrow, it remained open as the Theodore Herzl Junior College, named for the founder of the modern Zionism movement. During World War II, Herzl Junior College was leased by the United States Navy and used in training thousands of Navy personnel as a part of the Electronics Training Program. In 1968, at the request of the local community, the school was renamed Malcolm X College and relocated to its present site at 1900 W. Jackson Blvd. The Douglas Blvd. site no longer serves as a college campus and is currently operated by the Chicago Public Schools as Theodore Herzl Elementary School. In 2012, it was announced that the City of Chicago would be building a $251 million state-of-the-art facility and 1,500-space parking garage adjacent to the United Center, a facility to train students for careers in healthcare. The 500,000 square-foot campus will offer: healthcare and general education courses, a virtual hospital, simulated healthcare technology, a dental hygiene clinic, smart technology in every classroom, a conference center, a daycare center and a 1,500-space parking garage. The campus will also house the new City Colleges of Chicago School of Nursing. The new facility was completed in 2016 and opened on January 7, 2016. Today, Malcolm X College serves as the Center of Excellence in healthcare for City Colleges of Chicago, offering a large selection of health sciences programs that prepares students to succeed in many exciting healthcare careers. In January 2016, Malcolm X College opened its new campus across the street from the old location. The 500,000 square-foot campus includes a school of Health Sciences that offers Healthcare and general education courses, a virtual hospital, simulated healthcare technology, a dental hygiene clinic, smart technology in every classroom, a conference center, a daycare center, and a 1,500-space parking garage.
Academics
The college provides open admissions; all prospective students are admitted. Classes take place at both the main campus on Van Buren St. and at an auxiliary site, known as the West Side Learning Center, 4624 W. Madison St. Malcolm X College focuses on adult education and continuing education. The college offers a number of different degree choices, including associate degrees in arts, in general studies, in applied science, and in science. The associate in arts degree offers five different majors: business administration, English, history, psychology, and theater arts. The associate in general studies degree offers four different majors: communication and fine arts, biology, natural and behavioral sciences, and mathematics.
Beacon College for Health Science Education
Through its Beacon College for Health Science Education, Malcolm X College helps to meet thehealth care needs of the community. In that capacity, Malcolm X College offers the largest selection of health science career degrees and certificate programs in Cook County. Located adjacent to one of the nation's largest medical centers, the Beacon College offers students clinical affiliations.
Sports
Malcolm X has both men’s and women’s collegiate sports. The college has both men's and women's basketball and cross country teams as well as a men's soccer team and a women's volleyball team. There is also intramural teams for men and women in basketball and weight lifting.
