ACI News

Your generosity does more than fund programs. It opens doors, builds confidence, and helps students discover the potential to lead, serve, and create meaningful change in the world around them. Samantha S. is one of those students. As a student at Rockford University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Child ... Read Article

For more than a decade, Associated Colleges of Illinois (ACI) Peer Mentoring Program has helped first-year students navigate one of life’s biggest transitions. While the program connects students with campus resources and experienced peer mentors, this year’s participant reflections reveal that its greatest impact extends well beyond academics. Students consistently describe gaining confidence, building meaningful ... Read Article

The latest ACI BravenX cohort shows what happens when students receive the tools, mentorship, and connections needed to succeed beyond college. BravenX is helping ACI students build more than resumes; it’s helping them recognize their potential and prepare for what comes next. Across the ACI Network, students delivered impressive results with impact that goes well ... Read Article

Associated Colleges of Illinois proudly celebrates ACI Board Member Patricia Mota, President and CEO of the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE), on her recognition as an “Imagine Your Impact” Changemaker at the Obama Presidential Center. One of just 33 global changemakers featured in the Center’s interactive exhibit, Patricia was honored for her leadership, service, ... Read Article

Associated Colleges of Illinois (ACI) was proud to participate in the 16th Annual Mackinac Roundtable on Talent, hosted by the Michigan Colleges Alliance (MCA) at the historic Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. The nationally recognized gathering brought together independent college presidents, higher education leaders, corporate executives, and association representatives to examine the future of higher ... Read Article

ACI member Millikin University is deepening its commitment to collaborative education through a new MBA Direct Admit Partnership with ACI member Blackburn College, designed to create a seamless, supportive pathway from undergraduate study into graduate business education. Beginning with the 2026–27 academic year, Blackburn students who meet established academic criteria will be guaranteed direct admission ... Read Article

As industries prepare for the next wave of technological innovation, Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU) is positioning students to help lead it. IWU recently announced the creation of the Fisher Center for Interdisciplinary Quantum Science & Engineering, a first-of-its-kind undergraduate initiative at a liberal arts institution. Supported by a transformational gift from alumni Ann and Alan Fisher, ... Read Article

Several ACI member institutions have enrolled in AI Ready: All Campus Essentials, a year-long professional development series from the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) designed to help campuses thoughtfully integrate artificial intelligence across higher education. Participating institutions receive monthly expert-led webinars, guided campus discussions, peer collaboration opportunities, and 500 Google-hosted Coursera AI learning licenses for ... Read Article

As the 2026 academic year comes to an end, ACI pauses to honor Trinity Christian College (TCC), a valued member institution whose journey and whose campus are closing. This moment marks not simply the conclusion of a longtime membership affiliation but the closing chapter of a college whose legacy has been shaped by faith, service, ... Read Article

The Council of Independent Colleges convened national leaders for the Alliance for Strategic Innovation Career Services Design Workshop, held March 5–7, 2026, in Chicago and supported by the Lumina Foundation. Selected from a highly competitive pool, 29 teams came together to begin building a framework for a National Center for Careers and the Liberal Arts ... Read Article