ºÚÁÏÉçÇø

See a show

The James Lumber Center (JLC) is a premier, multi-stage performing arts venue. Attend performances by world-renowned artists. Or perform on stage as a member of our community dance, choral and instrumental groups. 

• View upcoming shows at the JLC
• Explore performance opportunities
• Rent this venue

Sing with others

Join a choral group and perform at one of our many music and art events. Groups include the ºÚÁÏÉçÇø Singers, Choir of Lake County, Gospel Choir and Chamber Choir. Reduce your stress and improve your voice control and lung capacity while bringing joy to others.

• Explore choral opportunities
• Study music
• Take music classes for fun

Bust a move

Share your love of movement on stage. Audition to perform in our fall, spring and summer dance programs, including the ºÚÁÏÉçÇø Dance Company, Fear No Art Festival and summer musical. Dancers of all skill levels are welcome.

• Explore dance opportunities
• Study dance
• Take dance classes for fun

Join the band

Love making music? Play in one of our instrumental groups, including Wind Ensemble, Concert Band and Jazz Ensemble. You'll perform concerts, hone your talent and enjoy the company of fellow music enthusiasts.

• Explore instrumental groups
• Study music
• Take music classes for fun

Take center stage

Play a role in one of the many theatrical productions produced each year at ºÚÁÏÉçÇø. Pursue your passion in acting, set design or stage management to bring stories to life on stage. Look for audition details in ºÚÁÏÉçÇø's Play brochure, mailed twice yearly.

Learn about our Theatre program

Explore the gallery

Immerse yourself in culture and diversity at the Robert T. Wright Community Gallery of Art. Free receptions and exhibits are open to the public. Are you an artist? Become a member and take part in our popular annual Members Exhibition.

• Check out the gallery
• Study art
• Take art classes for fun

Enjoy the written word

Subscribe to Willow Review, our nonprofit literary journal featuring poems, short fiction and creative non-fiction. Attend a reading, held annually in mid-April. Submit your own manuscript for potential publication. All writers welcome. Students also can contribute to Prairie Voices literary magazine.

• Explore Willow Review
• Study writing and literature

Make art

Create art in dynamic workshops for teens and adults. Visiting artists and student apprentices provide guidance and supplies. All skill levels welcome. Workshops emphasize creativity, process and expression over perfection.

• Explore community art programs
• Study art
• Take art classes for fun

Join the gym

Work out the kinks and build strength at the Athletics and Fitness Center. Play pickleball or basketball. Lift weights or take exercise classes. Gym membership is super affordable for community members.

• Make gains at the fitness center
• Study wellness & health sciences

Enjoy nature

Nature abounds at ºÚÁÏÉçÇø. Explore 2.8 miles of trails through woods, wetlands and prairie at the Grayslake Campus. Check out the Campus Farm, apiary and 200 species of trees. Extend your outdoor adventure to the nearby forest preserve.

• Learn about the Living Lab Trail
• Study sustainability & horticulture

Be good to your mouth

Good oral health benefits your entire body. Get affordable dental care at our Dental Hygiene Clinic at the Lakeshore Campus in Waukegan. The low-cost service includes dental cleaning and x-rays performed by hygienists in training. A dentist performs an exam.

• Make an appointment
• Study dental hygiene

Get healing touch

Want to reduce muscle pain or relax? Sign up for a discounted session at the Therapeutic Massage Clinic at the Southlake Campus in Vernon Hills. Students perform massage in a professional setting with guidance from a licensed therapist/instructor.

• Make an appointment
• Study massage therapy
• Study health and wellness promotion

Workout to recover

Low-cost services, performed by health and wellness students with faculty guidance, can help you achieve optimal physical performance. Sign up at the Southlake Campus in Vernon Hills for

• personal training
• health and wellness coaching
• fitness and performance assessments

• Make an appointment
• Study health and wellness promotion

Enjoy great meals

Join us for casual lunch, upscale dinner or hold your special event at Prairie Restaurant at Brae Loch Golf Club in Grayslake. The restaurant is managed by aspiring chefs, pastry chefs and restaurant managers who are students in our hospitality and culinary management program.

• Learn more about Prairie

Shop fresh and local

Students in the Horticulture program grow thousands of pounds of fruits and vegetables each year on the Campus Farm in Grayslake and (coming soon!) Urban Farm Center in Waukegan. Buy honey, flowers and homegrown produce at our seasonal Farm Market, held July through October in Grayslake.

• Learn about Campus Farm
• Learn about Urban Farm Center

See the world

Tour exciting places. Experience new cultures, foods and ideas. Join a small group to explore international destinations, U.S. locales and regional attractions. We do the planning and an expert guide leads the excursion, so you can relax and enjoy. Students can also join study abroad programs.

• Explore community travel options
• Learn about study abroad

Learn at any age

Take a class to pursue your interests or learn something new. Choose from a full roster of noncredit, personal enrichment classes for adults. Programs for kids (grades 6-8) and teens (grades 9-12) include popular summer camps and STEM/STEAM programs.

Explore personal enrichment programs

Build and maintain your skills

Take continuing education courses to stay current in your profession, as well as earn and maintain industry credentials. We also tailor training programs to fit the needs of your company.

• Explore professional development
• Learn about training solutions

Earn a degree or certificate

Jump start your career by earning a certificate in a high-demand field. Save money on a bachelor's degree by spending the first two years at ºÚÁÏÉçÇø, then transferring as a junior to a four-year school.

• Apply to ºÚÁÏÉçÇø
• Explore programs
• Check out areas of study

Improve your English

Are you a non-native English speaker? We'll help you learn to listen, speak, read and write the English language for free. We offer beginning, intermediate and advanced English as a Second Language (ESL) courses. Some courses help you transition to college.

Take an ESL class

Get your high school diploma or GED

It's never too late to earn your Illinois high school diploma through our adult education program. We have courses to boost your reading, writing, math and computer skills. Free programs help you earn a career certificate in high-demand fields.

Explore the adult education program

Take a court-ordered class

Learn key life skills by taking courses offered in partnership with the 19th Judicial Circuit Court. Classes are held for traffic violators, divorcing parents of minor children and DUI offenders. You also can volunteer to support court and probation programs.

Learn about court-ordered programs

Create in the lab

Get access to everything from shop tools to 3D printers. The Baxter Innovation Lab is central to community STEM events. These include Maker Faire Lake County, Make-a-Thon, Lake County Robotics Competition and summer camps.

• Learn about Baxter Innovation Lab
• Explore STEM programs

Visit the library

Borrow books, use the computer lab or do some research. We offer 110,000 books and 900 periodicals, and many are available to the community. Visit the library at our campuses in Grayslake, Waukegan and Vernon Hills.

Learn about the library

Rent a space

From meeting rooms to soccer fields, you can rent facilities at any of our campuses. Beautiful, versatile spaces with state-of-the-art equipment are ideal for workshops, trade shows, recitals or catered special events. Our quality services make for memorable, stress-free events.

Host your event at ºÚÁÏÉçÇø

Take a tour

Be our guest at the Grayslake Campus. Choose a convenient date and schedule a campus tour with a Student Ambassador. Bring your family and friends! Register ahead for your visit so we can prepare the best experience for you.

Visit Grayslake Campus

Get quality childcare

Give your child a safe, nurturing place to learn. We offer year-round childcare services for children ages 2-5 years at our Grayslake and Lakeshore campuses. School-aged care is provided for children up to 12 years old during the summer months.

• Explore Children's Learning Center
• Study Early Childhood Education

Prove your knowledge

Need to take an exam for college or work? Head to a convenient ºÚÁÏÉçÇø Testing Center. Here you can take placement and make-up exams. Take high school equivalency exams, proctored exams, and exams for professional licensure and certification.

View Testing Center details

Attend a board meeting

Learn how we prioritize students and provide affordable education to change lives. Join us for a monthly board meeting, either in person or watch it live online. Get to know your elected ºÚÁÏÉçÇø Board of Trustees.

Get meeting and trustee details

Fund scholarships

Your financial gift gives students a means to achieve their dreams. You are helping to develop qualified trained, career-ready talent for our community. By removing financial hurdles to student success, you strengthen diverse Lake County communities.

Give to the ºÚÁÏÉçÇø Foundation

Volunteer your time

You have many ways to get involved at ºÚÁÏÉçÇø. Spend your time supporting students. Share your love of learning with others. Engage with our vibrant community. We welcome your involvement!

Support the SHARE Market

Donate or volunteer to provide students basic living essentials so they can focus on their studies. More than to our Grayslake and Lakeshore SHARE Markets to access household products and food, including 150 turkey totes at Thanksgiving.

• Contact SHARE Market