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MISSION, VISION, AND STRATEGIC PLAN

Mission

The Chicago Center for Urban Life and Culture equips college students and other participants to learn from diverse urban communities through innovative programs, seminars, and internships.

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The Chicago Center expands the traditional classroom with a community-based, first-voice pedagogy that prepares its students for greater self-awareness and global citizenship.

Vision

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We are building a community of critical thinkers devoted to using our talents to build a more just world. By cultivating strategies for thinking and cultural learning through a community-based approach, the Chicago Center prepares our alumni to be lifelong learners and change agents in communities across the globe.

strategic plan

The Chicago Center builds on our strong foundation as a provider of place-based, experiential learning in Chicago and this plan positions us for mission-aligned growth in the near term.

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Image by Jeff Brown

our history

Since 1970, the Chicago Center for Urban Life and Culture has extended the college classroom walls by providing professional practicum opportunities and urban seminars for students of all academic majors in Chicago.
 
The Chicago Center's location in Hyde Park provides a safe, diverse, and culturally rich environment for students outside the classroom. Hyde Park has a long history of successful racial, religious, and cultural diversity, which has made it the ideal setting for our students as they engage in cross-cultural living and learning.
 
Recognized nationwide as a leader in experiential education, our name Chicago Center for Urban Life and Culture, reflects our commitment and relationship to one of North America's most dynamic cities. Former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley has recognized the Chicago Center twice, in 2000 and 2006. The Chicago Center has received awards from the Society of Experiential Education and the Midwest Sociological Society.
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