The doors have been open for 12 short months at DePaul University’s Rolling Meadows Campus, and campus officials have already labeled the new facility as an overwhelming success.

“We’re already running at full capacity four nights per week,” said Kurtis Todd, campus administrator for DePaul’s Rolling Meadows and O’Hare campuses.

Enrollment has tripled in the last year at the campus, located in the East Tower of the Meadows Corporate Center, 2550 W. Golf Road, Rolling Meadows. The campus will celebrate its one-year anniversary in September. “For fall quarter 2000, our enrollment at Rolling Meadows was approximately 200 students, and by winter quarter that number had risen to 500 students,” said Todd. “For fall quarter 2001, we expect our enrollment to be between 600 and 700 students.”

“Being in the hub of the corporate community in the northwest suburbs has been an asset to us, and we anticipate developing an even greater presence in the area in the future,” said Bill Calzaretta, executive director of suburban campuses at DePaul. “We are offering some very strong academic programs, and the people have responded to those.”

Scott Armand, a part-time graduate student in DePaul’s School of Computer Science, Telecommunications and Information Systems (CTI) majoring in distributed systems, agrees that the Rolling Meadows Campus is beneficial, especially for students who work full-time.

“I like the Rolling Meadows campus because of the up-to-date computerization in the classrooms,” said the 43-year-old Aurora resident. “It’s a first-class facility. Also, the location is very convenient for me, as the campus is a short drive from my office in the northwest suburbs, and easily accessible to the expressways for my quick drive home after class.”

Todd and Calzaretta cited several reasons for the quick success of the Rolling Meadows Campus. DePaul’s strong academic reputation, the close proximity to the homes and offices of many suburban residents, and positive feedback from the local business community have helped to fuel the growth of the campus.

The campus offers graduate degree programs from CTI as well as DePaul’s nationally ranked M.B.A. program from the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business. A pilot program starting this fall will allow students to take two courses from DePaul’s School for New Learning’s versatile adult education program.

Over the past year, the Rolling Meadows Campus has joined or worked with several local business community organizations, including the Rolling Meadows, Greater Palatine, Elk Grove, and Bensenville chambers of commerce, as well as the Northwest & Schaumburg and the Greater O’Hare associations of industry and commerce.

“Not only are these groups an excellent source for community information,” said Todd. “But they also provide avenues for DePaul to be an educational resource for local residents.”

Due to the overwhelming response, the Rolling Meadows Campus will be expanding its hours this fall. The facility will be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday.

Students seeking more information about classes at the campus or open house dates should call (847) 437-9522.