As community colleges nationwide continue to struggle with post-pandemic enrollment declines, City Colleges of Chicago is moving in the opposite direction—posting its fourth consecutive year of enrollment growth while recording the highest completion rates in the system’s history.
City Colleges Chancellor Juan Salgado said the progress reflects a deliberate strategy centered on removing barriers for students, expanding career-aligned programs, and scaling partnerships that demonstrate measurable success, including the system’s growing collaboration with One Million Degrees.
“We’re meeting our students where they’re at, and we’re being intentional about removing barriers as an institution,” Salgado said in an interview with the Chicago Crusader. “We’re making sure students understand they belong in higher education, they belong along these career paths, and they belong in the occupations that are out there in the marketplace.”
Findings from a multi-year evaluation by the University of Chicago Inclusive Economy Lab show that students participating in the One Million Degrees wraparound support model attempted more credits, earned more credits, and persisted at higher rates than similar peers who were eligible but did not participate.
The findings carry particular significance at a time when higher education institutions nationwide are grappling not only with enrollment losses, but with how to expand student support programs without losing effectiveness. Many wraparound models show promise in small pilot programs but falter when implemented at scale. The Inclusive Economy Lab evaluation indicates that City Colleges of Chicago was able to scale the One Million Degrees model while maintaining—and in some cases improving—student outcomes, offering rare evidence that comprehensive student supports can work across a large, urban community college system.
Salgado said those results guide how City Colleges makes decisions about which programs to expand.
“What we’re doing at City Colleges is looking for programs, models, and services that truly move the needle,” he said. “When we find something that’s working—whether it’s a strategy that engages advisors or a program like One Million Degrees—we scale it. If it’s working, you should be doing more of it.”
He described City Colleges as a learning institution that relies on data rather than tradition to determine where resources are invested. “The data tells us what works, and then we go and do more of it so our students can succeed at higher rates,” Salgado said.
That data-driven approach was tested during the COVID-19 pandemic, when City Colleges was forced to pivot quickly to remote instruction. Salgado said early preparation allowed the system to transition within a week to live online classes while also moving advising, enrollment, and transfer services online. Students who lacked access at home received laptops and mobile hotspots.
“Our students didn’t miss a beat,” Salgado said. “Our completion rates didn’t decrease during the pandemic. When we came out of it, they started to increase.”
City Colleges now reports a 41 percent completion rate—the highest in its history—with a long-term goal of reaching 55 percent. Although enrollment dropped sharply during the height of the pandemic, from roughly 68,000 students to about 55,000, the system has since surpassed pre-pandemic levels. City Colleges currently serves approximately 73,000 students and is approaching 75,000, Salgado said.
“What’s really significant is who is coming back to education,” he said. “Forty-one percent of our fall-to-fall enrollment growth was among Black men, and 37 percent among Black women.”
Salgado attributed much of that growth to expanded career-focused programs that lead directly to employment, particularly for students who may not initially see a four-year degree as a realistic or immediate option.
“Our men aren’t always interested in a four-year degree right off the bat,” he said. “They’re often interested in a credential that helps them get into a job, and then they can grow from there.”
He pointed to Kennedy-King College and Olive-Harvey College as campuses that have experienced strong enrollment growth by emphasizing workforce-aligned pathways. Salgado also stressed that program design alone is not enough without additional support.
“Our men need support just as much as anybody else,” he said. “In many cases, I would argue even more so.”
That emphasis on layered, intentional support is where the partnership with One Million Degrees becomes central to City Colleges’ broader student success strategy.
Inside the One Million Degrees model
Aarti Dhupelia, CEO of One Million Degrees, said the organization’s mission is closely aligned with City Colleges’ equity and completion goals.
“We’re really focused on two North Stars,” Dhupelia said. “Helping our scholars complete a degree or certificate, and helping them achieve their post-college goals—whether that’s transferring to a university or going directly into the workforce.”
One Million Degrees provides students with one-on-one coaching, academic planning support, professional development workshops, and financial stipends of up to $1,000 per year, distributed as students reach milestones such as registering for classes, meeting with advisors, or completing a resumé.
“At the center of the model is personal, one-on-one support,” Dhupelia said. “Every scholar has a success coach—someone who helps them navigate college, set goals, and stay on track.”
She said the coaching component helps demystify campus systems, particularly for first-generation students and those balancing work, family, and financial responsibilities. Monthly career development workshops focus on resumé writing, interviewing skills, and professional readiness.
“The financial stipends provide an extra boost,” Dhupelia said. “They act like a merit-based incentive layered on top of the supports City Colleges already provides.”
The Inclusive Economy Lab study also found that the per-student cost of the program declined as participation expanded. Dhupelia attributed that efficiency to close coordination between One Million Degrees and City Colleges staff.
“Our teams sit next to each other on campus,” she said. “We meet weekly, share notes, and respond quickly when students need support. Students see us as one team.”
Participation in One Million Degrees has grown from about 700 students several years ago to more than 2,000 today, with plans to reach over 3,000 next year. Enrollment in the program is now automatic, with students given the option to opt out—a shift Dhupelia said has helped the organization reach students earlier in their academic journeys.
Salgado emphasized that One Million Degrees is one layer of a broader network of supports that includes advisors, faculty, wellness centers, and financial aid programs.
“What’s most important is that students feel this is an institution that truly cares for them,” he said. “We want them to succeed in their course of study and thrive in life, and we’re showing up with the right services to make that happen.”
Dhupelia said the partnership produces outcomes neither organization could achieve on its own.
“We’ve seen 73 percent higher degree completion rates among students who participate,” she said. “But just as important is the sense of belonging. One student told me that One Million Degrees puts the ‘community’ in community college for her.”
Affordability remains central to student persistence, Salgado said. In addition to federal Pell Grants and Illinois’ fully funded MAP grants, City Colleges offers tuition-free options such as dual-credit enrollment for high school students, the Star Scholarship for Chicago Public Schools graduates with a B average, and workforce programs offered at no cost to eligible Chicagoans.
“We have many ways to keep community college affordable,” Salgado said. “And when students participate in One Million Degrees, they receive additional support and stipends on top of that.”
As City Colleges continues to expand enrollment and deepen partnerships, Salgado said the focus remains on equity, access, and economic mobility.
“When partnerships are done right,” he said, “students win.”