Prairie State College
Encyclopedia
Prairie State College is a two-year community college
based in Chicago Heights, Illinois
and the only college operated by Illinois Community College
District 515.
and Will
counties. PSC also offers discounted tuition rates to residents of Lake County, Indiana
.
Communities inside the district include:
Portions of these communities are also inside the district:
.
The north campus facilities, to the north of Vollmer Road, include the Tech/Health Center, Child Care Center, Physical Plant and Facilities warehouses and headquarters, the Illinois Employment and Training Center, plus four wooden temporary structures where the Adult Education programs are held. Second Language, Literacy, Adult Basic Education and GED
classes, and adult education computer labs are also located on the Northern part of the campus. Many distinguished individuals have taught and attended Prairie State College to include; Governor Pat Quinn, and Congress-woman Debbie Halverson.
The main building, to the south of Vollmer Road, houses faculty and administrative offices, classrooms, laboratories, and student services facilities. At four stories, the main campus building includes a Technology Center, where programs such as Automotive, Welding
, Manufacturing
Technology and Air Conditioning and Heating
programs take place. The College Fitness Center, Bookstore, Pioneer Cafe, Barnes & Noble
Reading Room, Student Leadership Center, Library, Counseling and Academic Advising Center, Career Placement Services, Student Success Center, Cashier's Officer, Admissions, Information Center and most other student services can be found in this building. Also in this building is the Business and Community Education Center, a place for special events, meetings, conferences, and the site of the Christopher Art Gallery.
.
Number of degrees and certificates offered: 75 +
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
based in Chicago Heights, Illinois
Chicago Heights, Illinois
Chicago Heights is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 31,373 at the 2005 census. Chicago Heights is nicknamed 'Crossroads of the Nation'.-History:...
and the only college operated by Illinois Community College
Illinois Community College System
The Illinois Community College System consists of 39 public community college districts, composed of 48 community colleges and one multi-college center where 3 of the community colleges offer additional classes...
District 515.
District area
Illinois Community College District 515 includes parts of CookCook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
and Will
Will County, Illinois
As of the census of 2000, there were 502,266 people, 167,542 households, and 131,017 families residing in the county. The population density was 600 people per square mile . There were 175,524 housing units at an average density of 210 per square mile...
counties. PSC also offers discounted tuition rates to residents of Lake County, Indiana
Lake County, Indiana
Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. In 2010, its population was 496,005, making it Indiana's second-most populous county. The county seat is Crown Point. This county is part of Northwest Indiana and the Chicago metropolitan area. The county contains a mix of urban,...
.
Communities inside the district include:
- BeecherBeecher, IllinoisBeecher is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. It is located on the old Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad and the Dixie Highway. Situated in the center of Washington Township, it was originally named Washington Center. The population was 4,359 at the 2010 census. Named for Henry...
- Chicago HeightsChicago Heights, IllinoisChicago Heights is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 31,373 at the 2005 census. Chicago Heights is nicknamed 'Crossroads of the Nation'.-History:...
- CreteCrete, IllinoisCrete is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,346 at the 2000 census. Originally named Wood's Corner, it was founded in 1836 by Vermonters Dyantha and Willard Wood.-Geography:Crete is located at ....
- FlossmoorFlossmoor, IllinoisFlossmoor is a village in south suburban Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 9,464 at the 2010 census.The village is renowned for the quality and architectural variety of its housing stock, as well as its proximity to numerous country clubs. It prides itself on being a...
- Ford HeightsFord Heights, IllinoisFord Heights is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,456 at the 2000 census. A July 1, 2007 estimate placed the population at 3,227...
- GlenwoodGlenwood, IllinoisGlenwood is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 9,000 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Glenwood is located at ....
- HomewoodHomewood, IllinoisHomewood is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 19,543 at the 2000 census. Homewood is a sister city to Homewood, Alabama.- Geography :...
- MattesonMatteson, IllinoisMatteson is a village in Cook and Will Counties, Illinois, United States. The population was 12,928 at the 2000 census and an estimated 17,080 as of July 2007.-Geography:Matteson is located at ....
- MoneeMonee, IllinoisMonee is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,924 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Monee is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land....
- Olympia FieldsOlympia Fields, IllinoisOlympia Fields is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,732 at the 2000 census. It is the location of the prestigious Olympia Fields Country Club, and is also noteworthy as one of the wealthiest majority black communities in the United States...
- Park ForestPark Forest, IllinoisPark Forest is a village located south of Chicago in Cook County and Will County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 23,462...
- Richton ParkRichton Park, IllinoisRichton Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 12,533 at the 2000 census. It is bordered by Matteson to the north, Park Forest to the east, University Park and Crete to the south.-Geography:...
- Sauk VillageSauk Village, IllinoisSauk Village is a village in Cook County and small parcel south of 231st St. in Will County, Illinois. The population was 10,411 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sauk Village is located at ....
- South Chicago HeightsSouth Chicago Heights, IllinoisSouth Chicago Heights is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,970 at the 2000 census.-Geography:South Chicago Heights is located at ....
- StegerSteger, IllinoisThe village of Steger lies along the dividing line on the south end of Cook County and north end of Will County in the U.S. state of Illinois...
- University ParkUniversity Park, IllinoisUniversity Park is a village in Will County, Illinois. A very small parcel is in Cook County. University Park has been the home of Governors State University since 1969...
Portions of these communities are also inside the district:
- Country Club HillsCountry Club Hills, IllinoisCountry Club Hills is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 16,169 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Country Club Hills is located at ....
(part) - Hazel CrestHazel Crest, IllinoisHazel Crest is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 14,816 at the 2000 census. Despite being primarily located in Bremen Township, the village is also located in Rich Township south of 183rd Street and Thornton Township east of I-80/94 The Village is located in...
(part) - LynwoodLynwood, IllinoisLynwood is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,377 at the 2000 census.Lynwood was founded in 1959. The Village is surrounded by Lansing to the north, Glenwood to the west, Sauk Village to the south, and Munster and Dyer, Indiana to the east. The Indiana state...
(part) - Tinley ParkTinley Park, IllinoisTinley Park is a village located primarily in Cook County, Illinois, United States with a small portion in Will County. The population was 48,401 at the 2000 census, and 58,322 in the 2007 census. It is one of the fastest growing suburbs south of Chicago...
(part)
Campus
Prairie State College's 137 acres (55.4 ha) campus is located at South Halsted Street and Vollmer Road in Chicago Heights, IllinoisChicago Heights, Illinois
Chicago Heights is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 31,373 at the 2005 census. Chicago Heights is nicknamed 'Crossroads of the Nation'.-History:...
.
The north campus facilities, to the north of Vollmer Road, include the Tech/Health Center, Child Care Center, Physical Plant and Facilities warehouses and headquarters, the Illinois Employment and Training Center, plus four wooden temporary structures where the Adult Education programs are held. Second Language, Literacy, Adult Basic Education and GED
GED
General Educational Development tests are a group of five subject tests which, when passed, certify that the taker has American or Canadian high school-level academic skills...
classes, and adult education computer labs are also located on the Northern part of the campus. Many distinguished individuals have taught and attended Prairie State College to include; Governor Pat Quinn, and Congress-woman Debbie Halverson.
The main building, to the south of Vollmer Road, houses faculty and administrative offices, classrooms, laboratories, and student services facilities. At four stories, the main campus building includes a Technology Center, where programs such as Automotive, Welding
Welding
Welding is a fabrication or sculptural process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by causing coalescence. This is often done by melting the workpieces and adding a filler material to form a pool of molten material that cools to become a strong joint, with pressure sometimes...
, Manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
Technology and Air Conditioning and Heating
HVAC
HVAC refers to technology of indoor or automotive environmental comfort. HVAC system design is a major subdiscipline of mechanical engineering, based on the principles of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer...
programs take place. The College Fitness Center, Bookstore, Pioneer Cafe, Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest book retailer in the United States, operating mainly through its Barnes & Noble Booksellers chain of bookstores headquartered at 122 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District in Manhattan in New York City. Barnes & Noble also operated the chain of small B. Dalton...
Reading Room, Student Leadership Center, Library, Counseling and Academic Advising Center, Career Placement Services, Student Success Center, Cashier's Officer, Admissions, Information Center and most other student services can be found in this building. Also in this building is the Business and Community Education Center, a place for special events, meetings, conferences, and the site of the Christopher Art Gallery.
Academics
Classes are available days, evenings, weekends only, and online. PSC is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and SchoolsNorth Central Association of Colleges and Schools
The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools , also known as the North Central Association, is a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states, that is engaged in educational accreditation...
.
Student body
- 12,226 students enrolled in credit- and non-credit courses
- 60 % female, 40 % male
- 45.3 % part-time, 54.7 % full-time
- Average student age: 28 credit, 46 non-credit
Faculty
- Full-time faculty: 84
- 90 % of full-time faculty have a master’s or doctorate degree
- Student-Faculty ratio: 17:1
Number of degrees and certificates offered: 75 +
Transfer majors
PSC offers associate degrees to prepare students for transfer to four-year colleges and universities. PSC was the first college in Illinois to guarantee that credits will transfer to other colleges and universities, an assurance that has grown throughout the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI).Clubs
- Art Club
- Political Science Club
- Black Student Union
- All-Latin Alliance
- Nursing Club
- Chess Club
- Film Club
External links
- Prairie State College official Web site
- Prairie State College security car model in Google 3D WarehouseGoogle 3D WarehouseThe Google 3D Warehouse is an accompanying website for Google SketchUp where modelers can upload, download and share three dimensional models. The site was created on April 24, 2006....
- Prairie State College campus buildings model in Google 3D WarehouseGoogle 3D WarehouseThe Google 3D Warehouse is an accompanying website for Google SketchUp where modelers can upload, download and share three dimensional models. The site was created on April 24, 2006....