The Chicago School enrolls more than 6,000 students across the country and makes a major impact in each of its local communities: Washington, D.C.; Dallas; Chicago; and Southern California. In this article, President Michele Nealon, Psy.D., describes how The Chicago School is making a difference in Southern California.
In Southern California, The Chicago School’s 1,300 students make a difference for those in need before they even graduate. Through community service and service-learning classes at The Chicago School’s Los Angeles campus alone, students engage with the community in deep and meaningful ways, such as through advocacy on integrated health-related issues, direct service to community members in need, and capacity-building projects that empower communities.
In Southern California, we cultivate strong partnerships with other community organizations to amplify our shared impact, collaborating with organizations such as the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Magnolia Science Academy, and Peace Over Violence.
And outside of partnerships with community organizations, we expand access to key guidance on integrated health. Through numerous annual appearances on local news outlets such as Fox 11 Los Angeles to discuss topics ranging from loneliness around the holidays to youth mental health concerns, and through The Chicago School’s “You Are Not Alone” podcast with KJLH on mental health issues facing Black communities in Los Angeles, we build a trusting relationship with the Southern California community at large, providing thoughtful, informed advice on common personal challenges.
And to push the conversations on health care and education access forward, our faculty and staff serve as expert advocates at the state level in Sacramento on related challenges facing our communities.
Looking ahead, students at The Chicago School’s proposed Illinois College of Osteopathic Medicine will complete a portion of their training in Los Angeles, providing clinical support to community health care centers and bridging gaps in accessible care for those throughout the Los Angeles area.
In this extension of The Chicago School’s long-standing commitment to the value of integrated health, we have already established new partnerships with local physical health leaders such as AltaMed and Gracelight Community Health, so that future medical students can make a local impact.
Stepping back, The Chicago School’s commitment to Southern California is clear. We are grateful to be part of this community of innovators and change-makers.