Mission
The College of Lake County is a comprehensive community college committed to equitable high-quality education, cultural enrichment and partnerships to advance the diverse communities it serves.
Vision
The College of Lake County is a leader in providing innovative education and workforce solutions.
A life-changing path
The College of Lake County provides students with a life-changing path from dreams to bright futures.
At CLC, students find all the practical prerequisites for their success: wide-ranging academic options, tuition value, convenient locations and small classes taught by caring faculty.
More than that, they also find inspiration and motivation from faculty and staff with high expectations of them. Strong academics, combined with counseling, career advice, and learning support, take students from where they are toward where they want to go.
Success of graduates
Our success in changing lives is proven by the success of our graduates. Some have gone on to top universities like Northwestern, the University of Illinois and even Harvard. CLC gave them their educational start on the path to becoming nurses, doctors, lawyers, teachers, professors and scientists.
For others, CLC provided the solid skills and education to start careers as nurses, paralegals, technicians, construction managers and many other professions.
History
The College of Lake County first opened for classes on September 25, 1969, welcoming 2,360 students to that first fall semester. In the years since then, more than 400,000 students have passed through our doors. Revisit the college through the years on our College of Lake County Timeline.
Strategic Plan
CLC sets priorities and allocates resources through a strategic plan that aligns its mission, vision, values and strategic goals.
Accreditation
The college is accredited through the Higher Learning Commission's Open Pathway model. Learn more about our accreditation.
Equity Statement
The College of Lake County (CLC) is committed to being equity-minded in how it supports its students and employees. Also, CLC is dedicated to instill the value of equity in each member of our community. At CLC, equity means providing a high-quality education and employment in a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment while meeting the particular needs of each community and individual. This value is imparted by providing professional and educational opportunities to instill the value of equity within each CLC community member. To achieve this goal, CLC is committed to ensure that all policies, procedures, and processes are free of barriers and provide a seamless experience to all who come to CLC.
This includes ensuring each student is provided the tools and support to empower them to achieve their academic, career, and personal goals, and that each employee has the tools and opportunities to provide excellent service, excel in their job, contribute to the CLC community, and progress in their professional development. CLC recognizes that equity is not resolved by using a one-size-fits-all approach. CLC is devoted to intentionally designing opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and community members to succeed while supporting each person’s unique needs.
Diversity Statement
The College of Lake County (CLC) is committed to strengthening the diverse communities we serve. We stand to create an environment that names, embraces, and learns from differences through all policies, practices, and values. We encourage expression of one’s own identity and foster an atmosphere where we learn from others. CLC is dedicated to meeting the needs of everyone in our community, especially those who have been historically underserved. We are committed to being intentional about having crucial conversations to continually develop cultural competence and humility. At CLC, we celebrate and promote diversity because we believe that everyone benefits from being a part of a global society.
Inclusion Statement
The College of Lake County (CLC) is inclusive of all members of our diverse college community. We are committed to providing an inclusive environment where students, faculty, and staff can do their best in all of their endeavors. This is reflected through our policies, practices, beliefs, and actions. Inclusiveness at CLC means that each person’s input is heard and valued. The College is intentional when creating its entire organizational structure to ensure that there is representation of the diverse community it serves. By seeking input from the community as a whole, especially from people who have been traditionally silenced or ignored, CLC creates meaningful inclusion, leading to college-wide decisions, outcomes, and actions.