TCS Education System hosted an inaugural conference Feb. 19-20 that brought our board together with trustees, presidents and leaders from our five nonprofit colleges and universities. The vision was to look at where we have been as a system, and ahead to where we will take our students and institutions.

Here are some highlights from our founding President Dr. Michael Horowitz’s opening address:

“My journey as a president began 15 years ago when the board hired me to lead a struggling institution, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. It was a risk—on the board’s part and my own,” Dr. Horowitz told conference attendees. “The engagement, vision, and risks taken by our trustees have led to today’s reality of The Community Solution that we know as TCS Education System.”

He credited trustees with helping guide TCS Education System and our community of institutions to a mission-driven network that now includes more than 6,500 students and 25,000 alumni making a positive impact on our global society. Together, he said, we have envisioned new possibilities—and through “ripples of intention,” we continue to find solutions to new frontiers that the organization faces.

“Your commitment to The Community Solution enables them to reflect, think critically, and become change agents who work to find solutions for our communities,” Dr. Horowitz said. “As we move forward, take a moment to consider what the year 2020 will look like for TCS Education System. Let your imaginations soar. How will each college be the leader in their field?” Dr. Horowitz said. “I invite you to step up, to take the actions that move our vision to reality and to create your own ripples of intention. I call on you to amplify your efforts to help us realize our shared mission as The Community Solution.”