COD Hosts Aurora Community Night

More than 60 governmental, educational and corporate leaders from Aurora joined representatives from College of DuPage during the Aurora Community Night on Feb. 27.

Featured guests at the event, hosted at COD's Waterleaf restaurant, included Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner, Alderman Richard Mervine, COD President Dr. Robert L. Breuder, COD Board Chairman David Carlin, and Trustees Dianne McGuire, Allison O'Donnell, Kim Savage, Nancy Svoboda and Joe Wozniak.

Click here for photos from this event.

Neighborhoods in the eastern portion of Aurora are located in District 502. During his comments, Mayor Weisner noted that if the DuPage County population of Aurora were its own city, it would be the third largest in DuPage County.

“College of DuPage is certainly a 21st century institution – it is very impressive, very beautiful,” he said. “We have a large population that you already serve or potentially can serve. Sometimes you don't always know what's in your own backyard. You have a lot to be proud of, and I hope we can work even more closely together in the future.”

Dr. Breuder noted that more than 18 percent of high school graduates from District 204 attend College of DuPage. This includes seven students from Aurora who were named Presidential Scholars for the 2012-13 academic year, an impressive award that includes a full-tuition scholarship and enrollment in COD's Honors program and the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society.

“What they are getting is an incredible education at an institution that rivals any other place in the country,” he said. “We have a close relationship with Aurora on the educational front, and more and more of your students are choosing COD. Maintaining the vibrancy of our community means keeping our young people here. We can accomplish this together by giving them a positive place to grow.”