The Chicago skyline as seen from DePaul's Lincoln Park Campus. (DePaul University/Jamie Moncrief)
On Jan. 18, 2023, City Council and Mayor Lori Lightfoot declared Jan. 25, 2023 to be "DePaul Day" in the City of Chicago.
The following resolution was passed:
WHEREAS, DePaul University was founded on Chicago’s North Side by the Congregation of the Mission, known as the Vincentians, in 1898; and
WHEREAS, St. Vincent de Paul’s devotion to serving the underserved and supporting the dignity of all people has inspired and informed DePaul University’s distinctive culture and passion for service-centered education since the first day of its founding; and
WHEREAS, DePaul is deeply connected to Chicago through its dedication to community service and a real-life experiential education philosophy that considers this culturally diverse and vibrant city an extension of the classroom; and
WHEREAS, service-centered learning is an integral part of a DePaul education, just one of countless examples being DePaul’s Steans Center, which coordinates courses and internships designed to support more than 300 Chicago-area community organizations, with more than 3,000 student participants each year; and
WHEREAS, campus student organizations such as the DePaul Community Service Association, an alliance of 22 faith-based and secular student organizations whose members provided more than 25,000 hours of community service last year, that provide grassroots support where the need is greatest; and
WHEREAS, DePaul works in active partnership with many organizations in the Chicago area to address critical needs, an example of which is the Center for Community Health Equity, co-founded by DePaul and Rush in 2015 to improve community health outcomes and contribute to the elimination of health inequities in Chicago; and
WHEREAS, DePaul has always been dedicated to making education accessible to all, regardless of race, religion, economic status or national origin, focused especially on underserved and under-represented communities, with 47% of 2022’s first-year class being students of color, one third being first-generation college students, 31% being eligible for low-income Pell Grants, and 98% receiving some form of aid; and
WHEREAS, DePaul faculty are dedicated teachers, most of whom are still active in their respective fields, contributing their talents to the city’s world-class professional community as consultants, researchers, lawyers and entrepreneurs in addition to bringing their practical knowledge to the classroom; and
WHEREAS, DePaul University’s strong connection to Chicago is expressed and reinforced by the nearly 125,000 area alumni who work, live and play in this great city, from its largest corporations to its small, entrepreneurial businesses; from its healthcare and government institutions to its legion of not-for-profit and community organizations; and
WHEREAS, the futures of DePaul University and the City of Chicago are inseparable—the city’s strong and diverse cultural, institutional and business communities are central to the quality and unique value of a DePaul education, and DePaul’s fundamental commitment to urban-based education, service learning and community involvement aims to contribute actively and meaningfully to a bright future for Chicago and its people.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor of the City of Chicago, along with the City Council of Chicago, do hereby designate January 25, 2023 as DEPAUL DAY in recognition of 125 years of partnership and mutual benefit between the university and the city, and the critical importance of this relationship going forward.
Read more on DePaul Newsroom.