With the start of the fall semester, several students from City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) have begun taking advantage of the opportunity to attend Valparaiso University. Thanks to an agreement finalized in the summer of 2024, business administration major Rodney Reed ’27 and meteorology major Luis Flores ’29 will be making the jump to finish their bachelor’s education as Beacons.
On top of financial aid, Reed’s decision to come to Valpo rested on the University’s willingness to recognize his prior education.
“I’ll be coming in as a junior, which was one of my biggest challenges looking for institutions to go to,” said Reed.
During his time at CCC, Reed worked as a transportation coordinator for Mercedes-Benez and DHL, and is looking for a bachelor’s degree to help boost his career. For Flores, Valpo’s meteorology program is a chance to follow in the footsteps of another Windy City legend.
“Ever since I was a kid, watching Tom Skilling explain the weather always stroked my interest,” Luis said. “I found out Valpo had a meteorology program, which sounded good, and is close to where I live in Chicago.”
The dual-enrollment program with City Colleges of Chicago was signed in July of 2024, giving students of diverse backgrounds and interests the opportunity to benefit from the extraordinary education provided by Valpo. Qualified students are eligible for numerous scholarships, early advising support from Valparaiso University faculty, and a 30 percent tuition discount.
Reed’s and Flores’ stories show just some of the many ways Valparaiso University is strengthening its relationship with various Chicago institutions.
“Our University’s proximity to the great city of Chicago is a valuable resource that can help us fulfill our ultimate mission of educational excellence,” said José D. Padilla, J.D., president of Valparaiso University. “Partnering with these incredible organizations is an immense step towards giving our students the best experience possible, while sharing what makes Valpo great to the broader community.”
On January 1, 2025, Valparaiso University Athletics announced that University of Chicago Medicine (UCM) has agreed to become the largest corporate sponsor in the program’s history. will have their logo featured on the floor of the rehabilitated basketball court, and will be listed as the presenting sponsor for the Valpo Athletics Basketball Court Rehabilitation Project. This project will select basketball courts in northwest Indiana in need of refurbishment, and will host re-opening ceremonies of those courts with representatives from Valpo and UCM in attendance.
Learn more about this exciting partnership here.
Filling Needs in Health Care
UCM has also partnered with Valpo in launching a new training program for nursing students in the College of Nursing and Health Professions. In the spring of 2024, UCM opened their largest off-site facility in Crown Point and, through this partnership program, Valparaiso University students will be eligible to complete clinical hours at the facility. The new, modern health care space features an eight-bed emergency department, a short-stay inpatient unit, imaging, outpatient surgery, and more, the partnership program.
More information about this partnership and its impact on Valparaiso University students can be found here.
Strengthening the Workforce
In order to address workforce challenges in the health care sector, Valparaiso University has launched the Partner Solutions program, which offers workforce development programs for non-degreed, certified positions in the industry. Through the program, partner institutions hire and pay new learners to achieve their certification, while the learner commits to two years of working for the institution upon graduation.
Launched in 2021 under Oak Park University, Partner Solutions has already added hundreds of certified new employees to the health care industry in Chicago and northwest Indiana. Certifications offered through Partner Solutions include Certified Nurse’s Assistant, Certified Medical Assistant, and Medical Laboratory Scientist.
Involving the Community
Since its inception in 2012, Valparaiso University Dance Marathon event has raised over $500,000 for Lurie Children’s Hospital Chicago. Money raised by Valpo has been used to fund research, support families in need and provide programs like art therapy and school services that keep patients happy and engaged.
In 2023, Lurie Children’s Hospital dedicated a room on the upper levels of the facility to Valpo’s Dance Marathon program. The space serves as a place for patients and families to take a break from the hospital environment and reflect. To learn more about Valparaiso University Dance Marathon, and to support its mission, please visit their website here.
These initiatives and more are examples of how Valparaiso University is living its core principles of learning, leadership, service, and thriving as described in Uplift Valpo: Our Beacon for the Journey Forward.
