magazine - De La Salle Institute

development
LINK Unlimited
Continues its
Commitment to
Students
Founded in 1966 by the late John C. Parmer ’46 and his wife, Carolyn Noonan Parmer, LINK
Unlimited is Chicago’s oldest mentoring and college preparatory organization. LINK Unlimited
has successfully transitioned 1,700 economically disadvantaged African-American youth
to college by providing academic support through their high school years. The success of the LINK
scholars through high school is supported by their Mentoring, Academic 1. Enrichment, Leadership
Development, and Tutoring and Study Skills programs. LINK students are set on the college
track through College Readiness programming. They have attended many top-tier colleges
and have become successful as bankers, business professionals, engineers, educators,
attorneys, doctors and more. Many former LINK students are now sponsors
and benefactors of current LINK students.
LINK’s programs challenge each student academically and personally,
compelling them to push beyond what they thought were their limits to reach
higher levels of excellence. LINK strives to remain abreast of the needs of
our students, their families and the community. The organization’s history
and long-standing success drive them to continue evolving programming
and outreach, so that these scholars can advance even further.
Since 2001, LINK Unlimited has been a leading partner with De La Salle
Institute and its students. Currently, there are 25 LINK scholars
attending De La Salle. Because of their commitment, De La Salle is on
track to becoming the premier secondary school of choice for Chicago’s
students, helping to develop not only the minds of today’s young people,
but most important, the Lasallian values of faith, service and community.
We remain deeply grateful to Link Unlimited for its investment in
the students of De La Salle.
Growth & Expansion
at De La Salle
In August 2011, the Chen Medical Building, located on
the northeast corner of 35th and Michigan across from
the Institute Campus, was deconstructed with partial
preservation of historical artifacts. De La Salle acquired
this property about five years ago and is looking forward to
enhancing the gentrification of the neighborhood. Currently,
you’ll see a beautiful green space on the corner until the
development plans are finalized.
Over the course of the next four months, De La Salle will
visit with our various constituencies to create a clear strategic
plan and vision for De La Salle for the next five to ten years
and beyond. Through this process we will be reviewing the
following areas:
• Academics
• Athletics
• Buildings and Grounds
• Campus Ministry/Spiritual Life
• Faculty
• Finance and Development
• Fine Arts
• Student Life
• Student Recruitment/Enrollment
• Technology
• Tolton Centers
Participate in
the strategic
plan & visioning
process!
At the conclusion of this process, we will have a strategic
vision to advance the mission of Lasallian education in
Chicago and the financial investment. If you would like to
participate in the strategic plan and visioning process, please
contact Kate Rhodes, Vice President of Advancement, at
rhodesk@dls.org or 312-842-7355 x147.
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