Computer Systems Institute Holds Grand Opening for Elgin Campus June 16

ELGIN, Ill., June 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In an important new addition to educational offerings in Chicago's northwest suburbs, Computer Systems Institute (CSI) will officially launch its new Elgin location with grand opening festivities on Thursday, June 16. The campus is CSI's sixth in the Chicago area, offering eight-month certificate preparation programs for high-demand careers in computer networking and healthcare.

The public is invited to the event at the new campus at 400 Airport Road, in the Tollgate Industrial Park just off Interstate 90 on Route 31.

Festivities will begin at 4:45 pm with the KISS-FM van playing music in the parking lot and giving away prizes, including Chicago Cubs or White Sox baseball tickets. Carnival-style kids' games ranging from a moonwalk to a bag toss will also be set up in the parking lot. Other highlights include a 5 p.m. ribbon-cutting by CSI President and CEO Ella Zibitsker, as well as tours of the campus classrooms and labs including:

• A medical assisting lab resembling a doctor's office, with beds, blood pressure machines, centrifuges and other testing equipment.
• Multiple computer-equipped labs – each with 16 to 25 computers - used to train information technology students in skills such as networking, building computers, and virtually connecting to client computers for remote repair services.
• An 80-computer e-learning lab that supplements classroom and hands-on learning.

CSI's Elgin campus already has 130 students, ranging from recent high school graduates to career changers in their 50s. The grand opening is designed to introduce the northwest suburban community to the school's offerings.

"In the few months we have been open in Elgin, we have seen strong demand from area residents because we fill a need for affordable, fast-track programs that equip people with marketable skills," Zibitsker said. "Whether you're unemployed, underemployed or simply thinking about new career possibilities, this open house provides an opportunity to explore your options."

The CSI curriculum prepares students to take certification exams that assist with job placement. That includes CompTIA, Network+, MCP and MCSA exams for students interested in becoming network systems administrators; and American Medical Technologist's RMA (Registered Medical Assistant), American Health Information Management Association's CCA (Certified Coding Specialist), and National Healthcareer Association's CMAA (Certified Medical Assistant) and CBCS (Certified Billing and Coding Specialist) exams for those interested in the healthcare field.

The school also offers a unique set of services designed to help students succeed in the classroom as well as the job market. These services include stipends for academic performance, no-charge retakes of failed classes, an accelerated GED program, clothing swaps, and certification exam payment for students who successfully complete a certificate program.

CSI's other campuses are in the Chicago Loop, Skokie, Lombard, Gurnee and Wheeling, and have served more than 10,000 graduates since the school's opening in 1989.

CSI is accredited by the North Central Association, licensed by the Illinois State Board of Education, and approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs to accept the GI bill. It is also a Microsoft IT Academy and approved by the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

About Computer Systems Institute

CSI is a postsecondary education provider that offers a variety of career programs in information technology and healthcare designed to be completed in less than one year, as well as English-as-a-Second-Language programs serving students from around the world. With six Chicago-area campuses, CSI offers career advising, job placement assistance, scholarships and other financial aid programs, and a broad range of support services to facilitate academic and career success. The institute has been serving Chicago-area residents since 1989. For more information, visit www.csinow.edu.

SOURCE Computer Systems Institute