Southwest Side Students, Take Note: Daley College's New Engineering Pathway Opens Doors Right Here in the Neighborhood

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Garfield Ridge · July 28, 2026

Big news for students and families on the Southwest Side — and it's the kind of opportunity that could shape careers for a generation. Richard J. Daley College, the City Colleges campus that serves as an educational anchor for Garfield Ridge and its surrounding neighborhoods, has officially launched a brand-new engineering pathway for Fall 2026. The program gives local students a direct, affordable route toward earning an engineering degree — no need to leave the Southwest Side to get started on a high-demand, high-earning career.

To mark the launch, the Southwest Chicago Post sat down with Dr. Doris Espiritu, the Districtwide Dean of the School of Engineering at City Colleges of Chicago, to break down what makes this new pathway such a game-changer. For a neighborhood like Garfield Ridge — where Garfield Ridge 2050 already has community leaders dreaming big about investment and opportunity — having an engineering pipeline right in the backyard is exactly the kind of infrastructure that can fuel the next generation of Southwest Side builders, planners, and innovators.

If you or someone you know has been thinking about a career in engineering, now is the time to explore what Daley College has to offer for Fall 2026 enrollment. Visit the City Colleges of Chicago website for program details and registration information — and share the news on the Socialhood feed. Garfield Ridge's future engineers might be right next door!

Sources:
1. http://www.swchicagopost.com/