Lexington College facts for kids
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Former name
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Lexington Institute of Hospitality Careers |
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| Type | Private women's college |
| Active | 1977–2014 |
| Accreditation | Higher Learning Commission |
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Religious affiliation
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Roman Catholic |
| Location |
Chicago
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United States
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Lexington College was a special school in Chicago, Illinois. It was a Catholic women's college, which means it was for women and had ties to the Catholic Church. The school focused entirely on teaching students about hospitality management studies. This included learning how to run hotels, restaurants, and events.
The college first opened in 1977. It was originally called the Lexington Institute of Hospitality Careers. The school closed its doors in 2014.
History of Lexington College
Lexington College was started in 1977 by three women from Chicago: Helen Healy, Nancy McCormack, and Ann Jans. They were inspired by their connection to Opus Dei, a Catholic organization. Before he passed away in 1973, Opus Dei's founder, Josemaría Escrivá, had encouraged them to create a program in the U.S. to train women in hospitality. Lexington was the only school in the United States that offered a hospitality program just for women.
The college was first named the Lexington Institute of Hospitality Careers. This name honored the street where its first campus was located, in Chicago's West Side. In 1993, the school received official recognition from The Higher Learning Commission. This meant it was approved as a good place for higher education. In 1995, the name was changed to Lexington College.
By 1998, the college was located on a small campus in Morgan Park. This campus had three classrooms, one dormitory for students, a small library, a bookstore, and a chapel. About 50 students attended the college at that time. By 2003, Lexington had moved to the West Loop area of Chicago. It shared a building with a tutoring center connected to Opus Dei. By 2010, the college was located in Greektown.
In May 2014, the president of Lexington College announced that the school would close at the end of that academic year. After Lexington College officially closed, all student records were sent to the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE). Students who were working on their Bachelor's degrees could transfer to Kendall College or Roosevelt University to finish their studies.
Connections and Affiliation
Many news reports described Lexington College as being run by or connected to Opus Dei. Opus Dei itself agreed with this, calling Lexington a "corporate work of Opus Dei." They said the school's teaching style was "inspired by the social teachings of the Catholic Church." Opus Dei believed the college showed their good intentions. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago also stated that Opus Dei was the operator of Lexington.
However, Lexington College itself disagreed with media descriptions that called it an Opus Dei institution. They said the college welcomed many different viewpoints and that these descriptions were "not accurate." They did admit to sharing resources with Opus Dei. They also had Opus Dei members on their staff and board, including a chaplain. They said the college's teachings were "inspired by the social teachings of the Catholic Church" in general, not specifically by Opus Dei. They also did not require students to be Catholic.
Organizations like the Princeton Review and the College Board, which provide information about U.S. colleges, described Lexington College as being connected to the Roman Catholic Church.
Student Life and Academics
The founders of Lexington College wanted to help women prepare for professional careers. They also wanted to introduce students to the teachings of Escrivá and encourage them to serve others. Besides hospitality training, students took classes in liberal arts. These classes focused on ethical and religious teachings. Students learned about accounting, literature, and even housekeeping. There was also a course called "Good News of the Bible," taught by an Opus Dei priest. A Catholic mass was offered every day.
Other topics taught at the college included the history and etiquette of afternoon tea, proper table manners, holiday dining, and dining for children. Students had to complete externships during their second year. An externship is like a short work experience. The college kept its student body small. This allowed for more focused teaching and training for each student.
Lexington College was known for its diverse student body. It started with a group of Hispanic women in 1977. By the early 2000s, it ranked seventh nationally among all women's colleges for its percentage of Black students. In 2007, the College Board reported that Lexington was a Hispanic-serving institution. This means a large part of its student body was Hispanic. That year, 44% of students were Black, 39% were Hispanic, 11% were White, and 6% were international students. In 2007, Lexington was the smallest school in Illinois that offered Bachelor's degrees, with 56 students.
Lexington College had an open admissions process. This means they admitted any student who had a high school GPA of at least 2.0. Students also needed to submit an admission essay and their high school transcript. About 200 students passed through the college each year.
All students who graduated from Lexington received either a Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.) or an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree. Students could major in Hospitality Management. They could choose to focus on culinary arts, hotel/restaurant management, event planning, or health care and wellness. Students had to complete one (for an A.A.S. degree) or two (for a B.A.S. degree) internships while attending Lexington to earn their degrees.
