Harold Washington College Orientation Guide

History of Harold Washington College Harold Washington College originally opened in 1962 as Loop College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago As the original name implied it was and is located in the heart of downtown Chicago, better known as the Loop.

On April 19, 1988, the college was renamed to honor the memory of Mayor Harold Washington, the first African-American mayor of Chicago and a City College of Chicago alumnus. Mayor Harold Washington spoke about the importance of community in his commencement address at Loop College on May 10, 1984. "It is from the diversity of city life and the variety of cultures and backgrounds it offers, that we find the common threads that bring us together to form a college community".

The Mayor valued diversity, the joy of learning, and the bringing together of people of varying backgrounds and experiences. Harold Washington College remains true to his vision of a college community with citizens from approximately 47 countries, students from all Chicago public high schools, several private high schools, and some suburban high schools all coming together for a positive education experience.

In 1993, Harold Washington College absorbed much of what was once City-Wide College. In addition to offering academic classes at all levels, providing the state's premier education setting for those with disabilities, and ESL classes, the college is distinctive in offering certificate/licensure classes for public agencies. It offers customized training to both the public agencies and local businesses.

The college has undergone a complete renovation of its facilities and offers state-of-the-art amenities to its student population. Harold Washington College is a welcoming college that views its mission as meeting the various needs of its students. To quote Mayor Harold Washington "We owe it to ourselves to enrich this institution and upgrade our communities, so that they will be greater in years to come because of our contribution to them and to the generations which will follow". Harold Washington College honors the man for whom it is named by expecting excellence on the part of all who are involved in working and learning at the school.