On Wednesday, October 21st, prior to the kickoff of the 2026 ACCT Leadership Congress, you have the opportunity to sign up for a tour of one of the local Illinois community colleges. Below are the four tours you can choose from. They are all free for attendees, and the colleges will provide transportation to and from the Hyatt Regency as well as a boxed lunch. Please note that each tour has a capacity limit.

To sign up for one of these college tours, you MUST add it to your registration during the registration process. If you are already registered for the conference, you can go back into your profile and add one of the tours. If you have any questions, please email [email protected]. 

10am to 2pm

Transportation and boxed lunch to be provided

Joliet Junior College - A History of Thinking Forward: Tour the Nation's First Community College 

This guided tour of our Main Campus offers fellow trustees an opportunity to experience how a historic institution continues to evolve to meet modern workforce, transfer, and community needs.

During the tour, you will explore signature academic facilities, learning labs, and workforce training environments like the nursing program's hospital simulation space, automotive technology lab, orthotics and prosthetics lab, and other critical training spaces.

Capacity: 20 people

1 hour from the Hyatt Regency

10am to 2pm

Transportation and boxed lunch to be provided

Oakton College: Experience Innovation in Action

Kick off your conference experience with an inside look at how Oakton College is designing spaces that advance student success and workforce innovation. Join us for a guided tour of Oakton’s flagship campus in Des Plaines, where thoughtfully designed facilities and forward-looking programs create dynamic learning environments.

Participants will visit three of Oakton’s signature spaces. The Margaret Burke Lee Science and Health Careers Center showcases immersive labs and simulation environments that prepare students for high-demand careers in healthcare and science. 

The Pharmacann Cannabis Cultivation Lab, part of Oakton’s cannabis studies program, highlights how the college integrates emerging industries into academic programming while responding to evolving workforce needs. 

The tour will also include the new Learning Commons, a welcoming academic hub that brings together tutoring, technology, library resources, and collaborative study spaces to support student learning and connection.

Along the way, Oakton leaders will share insights on how strategic investments in facilities, partnerships, and student-centered design help community colleges remain responsive, innovative, and deeply connected to their communities.

This engaging pre-conference excursion offers a practical and inspiring look at how Oakton is building the future of learning.

Capacity: 20 people

40 minutes from Hyatt Regency

10am to 2pm

Transportation and boxed lunch to be provided

Driving Opportunity: A Tour of Olive-Harvey College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago 

Visit Olive-Harvey College, a community college and Predominantly Black Institution on Chicago’s Far South Side, which serves more than 6,000 students annually.  This tour highlights the college’s modern Transportation, Distribution and Logistics (TDL) Center through a guided walkthrough of its high-tech warehouse-style supply chain hub, diesel and automotive labs, simulated driving facilities, and classrooms along with unique spaces, like a campus barbershop, greenhouse, and social justice center. College leaders will discuss successful collaborations with major employers and public agencies that build pipelines into high-demand careers – from electrical vehicle repair to urban agriculture – and how they create a culture that fuels pride, entrepreneurship, and innovation on campus. Walk away with takeaways you can share with your board and college team, including partnership structures, program design and stakeholder engagement, for trustees seeking scalable workforce solutions and a vibrant campus life. 

Capacity:  40 people

25 minutes from Hyatt Regency

10am to 2pm

Transportation and boxed lunch to be provided

Forging Futures: A Tour of Daley College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago 

Join us for a tour of Richard J. Daley College, a community college and Hispanic-Serving Institution on Chicago’s Southwest Side, serving more than 10,000 students each year. Explore how the college works with employers, the community, and area high schools to create clear pathways to further education and high-demand careers.  Visit the college’s state-of-the-art Manufacturing Technology & Engineering Center (MTEC) and learn how the college collaborates with employers to ensure the relevance of its curricula and facilities.  The college partners with the community to meet the needs of special populations. Hear about the Weekend Warriors program, which equips at-risk individuals with advanced manufacturing credentials, and After 22, a workforce-preparation program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  Daley College is a leader in high school partnerships, graduating the highest number of students who earn associate degrees while still in high school across the City Colleges system.  Conclude the tour gaining a greater understanding of the unprecedented Chicago Roadmap partnership between Chicago Public Schools (PK-12) and City Colleges. Leave with practical ideas you can adapt to strengthen access, relevance, and outcomes at your college. 

Capacity:  40 people

30 minutes from Hyatt Regency