Amia Byrd is a Waukegan High School senior with dreams of becoming a veterinarian, and her next stop after graduation may be the College of Lake County.
With four years of college and another four in veterinarian school, Byrd said she is aware of both the time and financial commitment needed to achieve her professional dream.
“I’m trying to learn more about it because I may go here before transferring to a university,” Byrd said at the school’s recent open house. “The (cost) savings would be very, very, very welcome.”
Byrd and her family were among more than 1,800 people attending the College of Lake County’s annual campus-wide open house Saturday at the school’s Lakeshore Campus in Waukegan and other locations learning more about the school and what is new there.
Lakeshore Campus Dean Jesus Ruiz said the open house is an opportunity for the public to learn about the programs and services in Waukegan and at its other campuses — Grayslake, Southlake in Vernon Hills, and the Advanced Technology Center in Gurnee.
Anthony Williams was checking out a variety of academic endeavors and activities at the open house. While thinking about political science courses, he was ready for his first activity Sunday which he hopes will lead to a career out of college.
“I’m going to play basketball,” he said. “Tryouts are tomorrow. I want to play professionally, but that’s short-term. I’m looking at political science. I want to make the world a better place.”
Ruiz said visitors to the Waukegan campus were able to learn not only about academic programs leading to an associate’s degree and eventually a four-year university, but also vocational courses taken to secure certificates in HVAC, mechatronics and automotive fields.
“College may not be for everyone, but education is for everyone,” he said. “You do not need a degree to have a good life. Right now, there is a huge need for welders and HVAC.”
Ruiz said welders with a certificate from CLC can start to earn between $52,000 and $62,000 a year. An HVAC credential can lead to earning as much as $75,900 annually.
Representatives from many of the school’s programs and activities had tables in the Student Center offering information to attendees. Groups of people were lining up to learn about them.
One of those opportunities was the dual-credit program which Ruiz said enables high school students to take a course and gain both credit toward graduation as well as one which goes on a college transcript upon entrance.
Currently, he said the Waukegan campus is offering 28 courses in the dual-credit program to students at Waukegan and North Chicago high schools. They can potentially enter college with more than a year of study completed.
“You can get very close to an associate’s degree while you’re still in high school,” Ruiz said. “If you’re planning on a four-year degree, that can save you as much as $40,000 or $50,000.”
Drawing a lot of attention from visitors was the exhibit about the 24,000-square-foot urban farm planned for the Waukegan campus. Eliza Fournier, the urban farm director, was telling people about the facility which she hopes will break ground early next year.
When done, Fournier said the farm will grow its own food, as well as feature produce from area farmers and other food producers in the area which could include fresh bread or other baked goods.
Starting with lettuce, herbs, cucumbers, tomatoes and mushrooms, Fournier said other produce may be grown indoors as the venture progresses. There will also be an institutional kitchen serving as a classroom for students and giving startup food businesses a place to work.
Fournier was also showing visitors the school’s new seed library. Though it is called a library, it is not about borrowing anything. The seeds are for planting produce or flowers. It is from the University of Illinois extension.
“It’s free, so people can start growing their own food,” Fournier said. “We’re here to answer any questions they have.”
