Cheryl Hyman

Cheryl L. Hyman is the Chancellor of City Colleges of Chicago, a system of seven community colleges and six satellite sites that provide learning opportunities for residents of the Chicago area. Since she launched a Reinvention of City Colleges in April 2010, the graduation rate has doubled to the highest rate in more than a decade and the degrees awarded annually are the highest in City Colleges' history.[1] She and Mayor Rahm Emanuel launched City Colleges' College to Careers program in December 2011 in an effort to better prepare students for jobs and address the skills gap in Chicago. The program partners faculty and staff with over 100 industry leaders to better prepare students for careers in fast-growing fields.[2]

Hyman has also overseen a balanced budget at City Colleges in each year of her tenure with no increase in taxes and administrative savings of $66 million. The non-partisan Chicago Civic Federation has also commended the institution's most recent budget as "a potential role model for other governments to emulate," noting its adoption of formal performance measures, maintenance of health financial reserves and planning for a $600 million capital plan with transparency and public input.[3]

Early life

Born in Chicago, Hyman is a graduate of the Kellogg School of Management of Northwestern University and the Illinois Institute of Technology and began her post-secondary education at Olive-Harvey College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago.[4] Hyman grew up on the West Side of Chicago in the Henry Horner Homes. She attended Orr High School but dropped out.[5] After returning to high school and graduating, her interest in technology led her to a short-term training program and certificates. Shortly thereafter, the school closed and she said she found herself "without a marketable credential and substantial student debt." She then decided to go to Illinois Institute of Technology, but lacking the financial resources, attended Olive–Harvey College on the far South Side of Chicago, earned her associate degree and then transferred to the IIT, where she completed a bachelor’s in computer science."[6]

After college, Hyman began working at Commonwealth Edison as a development analyst, then rose to become the company's director of government and legislative affairs. After 14 years at the company, she was chosen by Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley to lead the City Colleges of Chicago as Chancellor. [4]

City Colleges of Chicago

Hyman was appointed Chancellor of the City Colleges of Chicago on April 1, 2010. As Chancellor, she is responsible for managing a $650 million budget, overseeing nearly 5,800 employees and ensuring the success of over 114,000 students.[7]

In 2010, Hyman launched "Reinvention" at City Colleges of Chicago, an overhaul program/initiative designed to assess and recommend improvements to all City Colleges programs and operations. Its four goals are to increase the number of students earning degrees, increase the transfer rate to four-year institutions, improve outcomes for students needing remediation and increase the number of adult education and English as a second language students advancing to college-level courses.[8]

Launched in 2011 by Hyman and Rahm Emanuel, Mayor of Chicago, College to Careers partners the colleges with industry leaders in high-growth fields to address the skills gap in Chicago's workforce. The initiative draws industry partners to work with faculty and staff in redesigning occupational program curricula and facilities to better match the needs of employers.[9] College to Careers has initially focused on fast-growing industries in the Chicago region, including healthcare and transportation, distribution and logistics.

The program has been recognized by Jill Biden, Second Lady of the United States in June 2012 as part of an effort "to shine a light on community colleges.”[2] In April 2013, delegates from the World Bank visited Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Hyman at Harold Washington College to learn more about how the City Colleges of Chicago partner with industries in the College to Careers program. The purpose of the initiative was to determine whether the program could be duplicated around the world.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "." Sun-Times. Retrieved on July 30, 2014.
  2. 1 2 "." Sun-Times. Retrieved on July 30, 2014.
  3. ↑ "." Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved on July 30, 2014.
  4. 1 2 "." I Have a Kellogg MBA, Alumni Profiles. Retrieved on February 9, 2013.
  5. ↑ "" Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved on April 25, 2014.
  6. ↑ "" Chicago Tribune. Retrieved on May 7, 2014.
  7. ↑ "" Chicago Reader. Retrieved on April 25, 2014.
  8. ↑ "." City Colleges of Chicago. Retrieved on October 24, 2013.
  9. ↑ "." ABC News. Retrieved on October 24, 2013.
  10. ↑ "." NBC Chicago. Retrieved on April 25, 2014.
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