College of DuPage Receives Excellence Award from Business Ledger
College of DuPage has received the 2012 Annual Award for Business Excellence from the Daily Herald Business Ledger.
Recognized in the educational category, the College was cited for its continued excellence in serving both students and the community. Also recognized were its varied educational opportunities, from face-to-face learning to online classes; new facilities, such as the Culinary & Hospitality Center and Homeland Security Education Center; and the educational opportunities for students with companies in the surrounding area.
College of DuPage President Dr. Robert L. Breuder said the honor comes at a time when the College has prepared itself to meet the current and future needs of students and the community.
“College of DuPage is undergoing a transformation both in terms of peerless service to our students and state-of-the-art facilities,” he said. “We are also working on innovative initiatives like the 3+1 agreements with premier educational institutions in the area that allow our students to stay on the COD campus to earn their bachelor's degrees. This award is a reflection of the hard work of the College of DuPage community to be recognized as one of the nation's best community colleges.”
The nomination for College of DuPage specifically cited the Hospitality Management program, which is housed in the new Culinary & Hospitality Center alongside the Inn at Water's Edge. The professionally run inn offers six fully-appointed suites where students are mentored by a professional staff under the guidance of the assistant hotel manager. In addition, the College recently signed a 3+1 agreement with Roosevelt University for a bachelor's degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management.
Donna Stewart, dean of Business and Technology at College of DuPage, accepted the award on behalf of the College during the recent awards ceremony. She said an academic, not-for-profit institution has an interesting challenge in determining success.
“An award like this validates what we do,” she said. “We are thankful to be recognized with such a prestigious honor.