1998, we gathered college and career readiness and access organizations together to network and join forces. We called ourselves the College and Career Readiness Network (CCRN). This group consisted of non-profit agencies, funding institutions, educational systems and interested individuals.

During the last eight years, we have met quarterly to discuss the pertinent issues related to college access. We have identified priority actions that achieve strategic improvements in college access for students and have set in motion a transformation of our educational systems and partner organizations around student needs.

At the end of 2003, we convened a subset of our organization, the Executive Committee, to discuss previous accomplishments as well as the future of our organization in addressing the need to improve college access. We changed our name to Illinois College Access Network (IllinoisCAN) to more closely align ourselves with the nationwide college access movement. IllinoisCAN is a subcommittee of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce’s Education Workforce Quality Committee and is a program of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce supported by the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Today, Network membership totals nearly 60 organizations and more than 200 individuals dedicated to helping Illinois students succeed in college.

Our strategic initiatives are targeted at improving the quality of college access and retention support services to students, their parents and education institutions. There are ancillary benefits to businesses, government and the citizens of Illinois. Teams of member volunteers led by the Executive Committee are currently leading efforts to implement each initiative in a phased approach that builds on our core vision of college access for all.

We look forward to your continuing support as we continue the development and implementation of these college and career readiness initiatives. We would also like to thank all who participate through their generous contributions.

Sincerely,

Joan M. Klaus
Founder, Illinois College Access Network