Lexington College

Lexington was founded in 1977 by three Chicago-area laywomen -- Helen Healy, Nancy McCormack, and Ann Jans -- who were inspired by their affiliation with Opus Dei.[2] Before his death in 1973, Opus Dei founder Josemaría Escrivá had encouraged them to start a U.S.-based program to train women in hospitality.[3] Although it shared resources with Opus Dei, included many members on its staff and board, had an Opus Dei chaplain, and worked the organization's teachings into the curriculum, Lexington administration said that it represented diverse viewpoints and objected to media descriptions of it being an Opus Dei institution.[4][3]

Lexington was named for the street upon which its first campus, in Chicago's West Side, was located.[4] By 1998, the college was based at a small campus in Morgan Park that offered three classrooms, one dormitory, a one-room library, a bookstore, and a chapel to serve its approximately 50 students.[2] By 2003, Lexington had moved to the West Loop and shared a building with an Opus Dei tutoring center.[3] By 2010, it was located in Greektown.[5]

The college was noted for its diversity, ranking seventh nationally among all women's colleges for its percentage of Black students by the turn of the 21st century.[6] In 2007, the College Board reported that Lexington was a Hispanic-serving institution, with a student body that was 44% Black/Non-Hispanic, 39% Hispanic, 11% White/Non-Hispanic, and 6% Non-Resident Alien.[1]

In May 2014, the President of Lexington College posted a message on the college website announcing the closure of the College at the end of the academic year.[7] After Lexington's Articles of Incorporation were dissolved, all of the transcripts of its students were transferred to the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE).[8] Students who had been studying in the Bachelor's degree program were eligible to transfer to Kendall College or Roosevelt University to complete their degrees.[7]

The founders wanted Lexington to focus on guiding women towards professional careers while being introduced to the teachings of Escrivá and practicing service to others. In addition to hospitality training, students took courses in liberal arts, with an emphasis on ethical and religious teachings. Accounting, literature, and housekeeping were all taught, as was a course called "Good News of the Bible," taught by the Opus Dei regional vicar. An Opus Dei mass was offered daily.[2]

All students graduating from Lexington received either the Bachelor of Applied Science or the Associate of Applied Science. Students could major in Hospitality Management with a concentration in culinary arts, hotel/restaurant management, event planning, or health care and wellness. Students had to complete one (A.A.S.) or two (B.A.S.) internships while attending Lexington in order to receive their degrees. The college was accredited by The Higher Learning Commission.[9]

• Lexington College — archived official site