COD listening tour aimed at community

This May, Jennifer Chiavola earned her bachelor's degree from Loyola University and will continue her education this fall at Yale's Divinity School, achievements the 47-year-old never imagined. Jennifer once thought she had missed her opportunity for a college degree. But the Naperville resident and then-single parent found inspiration and encouragement at College of DuPage, enrolling more than a decade ago, taking one class at a time while holding down a full-time job.Hers is but one example of the success seen by the hundreds of students COD graduates each year. Each semester, COD educates more than 30,000 students, ranging from recent high school graduates to adults looking to expand their work skills or discover a new career. The American Association of Community Colleges, representing 1,200 community colleges nationwide, recently pledged to raise student completion rates by 50 percent over the next decade. COD gladly joins that effort and call on students and community members to educate themselves about the roles of community colleges and support our efforts to increase student success. COD is launching the CODiscover program, a summer listening tour by the college of community organizations and key groups. Over the past year, we've conducted numerous outreach activities, including community dinners, focus groups and strategic planning sessions, but CODiscover affords us the opportunity to explore further - meeting one-on-one with groups to get their thoughts about COD, its mission and its future. The information we collect this summer will play a vital role in how college officials steer new programs and facilities. We've made strides in the last few years, opening three new buildings and expanding program offerings, but our work can't stop there. Please visit www.CODiscoverCOD.com to learn more about CODiscover program events or to arrange for our listening tour to visit your organization. Sandy Kim College of DuPage trustee