South Suburban College is a community college located in the south suburbs of Chicago serving the Chicago Southland. The main campus is situated in South Holland, Illinois with a second campus, the Oak Forest Center located in Oak Forest, Illinois.
History
South Suburban College was founded in 1927 as Thornton Junior College. At that time, the College was an extension of Thornton Township High School in Harvey, Illinois. The Illinois Community College Act of 1965 created Community College District 510 and enlarged the area served to include Thornton Township High Schools District 205, Thornton Fractional Township High School District 215, and Bremen High School District 228.
In 1969, the name was changed to Thornton Community College to emphasize the comprehensive mission of the College. The College moved into its existing main campus facilities in South Holland in 1972.
In June 1988, the Board of Trustees voted to change the name of the institution to South Suburban College to more accurately reflect the geographic location of the College. In an effort to serve the western portion of the district and to provide opportunities for district residents to complete a four-year degree, the Oak Forest Center was opened in Oak Forest in 1992.
Campus
The main campus is situated in South Holland, Illinois with a second campus, the Oak Forest Center located in Oak Forest, Illinois.
Organization and administration
South Suburban College is also affiliated with Chicago State University, DePaul University, Governors State University, Illinois Institute of Technology, and University of Saint Francis.
Academic profile
On average there are more than 11,000 students enrolled at South Suburban College. The current statistics for the demographics of the student body are 65% African-American, 25% White, 7% Hispanic, 1% Asian and Pacific Islander, and 2% Other.
Notable alumni
- Tom Baldwin - NFL player, New York Jets
- Tim Byrdak, Major League Baseball player
- Herb Coleman, American player of gridiron football
- Ruth Johnson Colvin, Founder of the non-profit Literacy Volunteers of America, Inc., now called ProLiteracy Worldwide in Syracuse, New York in 1962
- Cliff Floyd, Major League Baseball player
- Rob Mackowiak, Major League Baseball player
- Ron Mahay, Major League Baseball player
- Julius Matos, Major League Baseball player
- Steven Whitehurst, author
References
External links
- Official website