Table of Contents

2016 Forecast Roundtable
Initiatives 
Talent Pipeline Elevating Chicago 
​Addressing Poverty, Racism and Violence ​

 Photo courtesy of National Louis University – James Richards IV.
America's Urban Campus (AUC), a consortium of 22 not-for-profit universities in Chicago, is educating 213,000 students annually from every state and more than 150 countries worldwide. One in four Chicago residents has received their degree from an AUC institution. AUC students represent Chicago's next workforce from areas in Physical and Social Sciences; Engineering, Math and Computer Science; Humanities; Business Management and Law; Medicine and Biological Science; Architecture and Fine Arts. 

In partnership with the Illinois Technology Association and World Business Chicago, AUC convened a roundtable in November 2016
​to bring key players—deans and faculty from a number of AUC campuses—together with Chicago employers who seek to hire employees from among over 50,000 graduates in Chicago annually.

The goal of the roundtable was to discuss opportunities and challenges facing workforce development in the next five to ten years. Making early connection can help both faculty and employers address issues that may be on the horizon. AUC faculty can also help employers learn how to navigate AUC member institutions' decentralized structures and provide opportunities for employers to meet AUC students before career fairs through student-led entrepreneurial activities, project courses and research.

Meeting with faculty afforded employers insight and perspective into their institutions' curricula. They can learn through faculty what drives students and where they see themselves in five to ten years. The roundtable addressed key questions for the future of Chicago's workforce such as—Will our students meet the criteria for their workforce? How are Chicago students different? Are our students design thinkers and are they innovative and collaborative? It also afforded the opportunity for employers to build relationships with key faculty.

Academic Participants

  • Shlomo Argamon, Professor, Computer Science, College of Science, Illinois Institute of Technology
  • Natacha DePaola, Dean, Armour College of Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology
  • William Guschwan, Lecturer, Interactive Arts and Media, Columbia College
  • Elizabeth K. Lukehart, Associate Director, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Farley Center, Northwestern University
  • Kevin Osten-Garner, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, Division of Training and Community Engagement, Adler University of Professional Psychology
  • Dale F. Reed, Professor, Computer Science, College of Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago
  • Alan Rhodes, Associate Professor, Visual Communication, School of the Art Institute Chicago
  • Anne Rogers, Associate Professor, Associate Chair, Department of Computer Science, Senior Fellow, Computation Institute, University of Chicago
  • Raffaella Settimi-Wood, Associate Professor, College of Computing and Digital Media, DePaul University
  • Borja Sotomayor, Senior Lecturer, Department of Computer Science, Associate Director for Masters in Computer Science, University of Chicago
  • Judah Viola, Dean, College of Professional Studies and Advancement, National Louis University

Industry participants

  • Chris Campbell, CEO, Review Trackers
  • Tom Cullen, CoFounder, LaunchPad Labs
  • John Higginson, CTO, Enova
  • Adam Kanouse, CTO, Narrative Science
  • Jim Levir, CTO, Strategy Group
  • Shaun Lovick, President, nVisia
  • Joe Pantuso, Director of Engineering, Morningstar
  • Nimesh Patel, CTO, Emmi Solutions
  • Sairaim Rangachari, VP of Engineering, Capital One
  • Jim Treleaven, ITA Board Member

Facilitator

Jeremy Alexis, Professor and Senior Lecturer, Institute of 
Design, Director of Idea Shop and Interprofessional Studies, Illinois Institute of Technology

outcomes and Initial Actions

1. Determine who the corporate engagement lead is at each AUC university. 
  • Find out if the universities maintain such an activity. Convene a workshop with ITA members to discuss how to work together better in implementing many of the ideas regarding internships, better dialogue and the role of industry speakers on campus.
  • Action: Identify Corporate Relations/Engagement Officers at each AUC institution.  
2. Identify the kinds of “real world experiences” that AUC institutions provide to their students currently.
  • Utilize this to increase industry support and engagement in these experiences and to support the institutions in doing more of this.
  • Action: Invite students of AUC institutions for a pilot workshop conducted by an ITA company member in late January or early February, 2017.
3. Convene a working group of ITA members and faculty participants from the AUC institutions.
  • Explore questions regarding teaching fundamentals, soft skills and in-demand skills and the relationships among them. Perhaps have the work lead to an ITA/AUC publication on the state of thinking in this area. The Roundtable surfaced considerable dialogue among the industry and faculty participants.  
  • ​Action: Convene an informal working group of the AUC faculty and ITA members for late February or early March, 2017, for a more in-depth discussion of the issues listed above.

About the conveners

The Illinois Technology Association (ITA) scales Illinois tech companies. With innovative resources that allow members to collaborate with each other, build their talent networks and elevate their local and national presence, ITA is the region’s strongest advocate for fostering innovation and growth. 

America’s Urban Campus® (AUC), consisting of 22 not-for-profit higher education institutions, provides the talent pipeline and research that fuels the City. Our mission is to enhance the image of Chicago as a global destination for higher education by drawing upon the strengths of its member institutions. 

Chaired by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, World Business Chicago (WBC) drives Chicago’s economic growth. WBC collaborates to create jobs, cultivate talent, and put Chicago at the forefront of the global economy. A unique public-private partnership, WBC engages the region’s leaders to advance Chicago’s Plan for Economic Growth and Jobs. As a division of WBC, Chicago Sister Cities International provides leadership to develop, manage and coordinate comprehensive programs and projects with Chicago 28 international sister cities.