ABOUT ASPIRA CITY COLLEGE
PHILADELPHIA PA
Located in a restored three-story brick building at 4322 North 5th St in the Hunting Park neighborhood of North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, ASPIRA City College is private, nonprofit, non-sectarian, and co-educational. Established in 1974 at Metropolitan Career College, the school provided education and training programs. Today as ASPIRA City College, we are still following the same mission and preparing students to seek gainful employment that have sustainable incomes.
The College offers an Associate in Specialized Technology (AST) degree to Computer Support Specialist and a Post-Secondary diploma to its Medical Secretary program graduates. Students can get started attending on-campus or with a hybrid option in live instructor-led classes.
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ASPIRA City College , A Second Floor Classroom
ASPIRA City College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). The Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) is a recognized accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education. When you attend an ACCSC-accredited institution, you are attending a school that has undergone a rigorous process that evaluates educational quality. ASPIRA City College is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. ASPIRA City College is approved for training by the Pennsylvania State Approving, Division of Veteran and Military Affairs (VA)for veteran’s education benefits and the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR). It is approved by the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) to provide financial aid for those who qualify.
ASPIRA City College’s mission is to lift, empower, and transform individual lives and communities with career-specific education for skills in high demand by today’s employers. Transformative education is central to the ASPIRA City College mission and that of its parent, ASPIRA of PA.
ASPIRA of PA and ASPIRA City College share their North Philadelphia campus nestled among shops, salons, restaurants, bodegas, and nearby parks of their vibrant North Philadelphia community.
ASPIRA City College – you will find your fit here.
BOARD OF ADVISORS
Alfredo Calderon, President and CEO ASPIRA, Inc. of Pennsylvania
Thomas Darden, Chief Operating Officer ASPIRA, Inc. of Pennsylvania
Anthony Bonacci, CEO Recovery Road Addition
James Hinkel, Principal Implementation Consultant Unit 4
SENIOR LEADERSHIP
Alfredo Calderon, President
Thomas Darden, Chief Operations Officer
Xinyan Yi, Controller
CAMPUS ADMINISTRATION & MANAGEMENT
Nerissa Conn, Campus Director
Madeline Sargent, Assistant Campus Director & Financial Aid Coordinator
Xinyan Yi, Bursar
Yemele Ayala, Senior Director of Human Resources
Wandy Rodriguez, Manager of Technical Services
Malea Huth, Admissions Representative
Carlos Perez, Building Services Manager
Nadiyah Jordan, Accounts Payable Specialist
ASPIRA City College Authorizations, Recognitions & Memberships
- Authorized – A CompTIA Academy
- Authorized – Testing Site for the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT)
- Authorized – Testing Center for the American Medical Certification Association (AMCA)
- Member – National Technical Honor Society (NTHS)
- Member – Pennsylvania Association of Private School Administrators (PAPSA)
- Authorized By – PA Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA)
- Authorized By – Direct Student Loan Program (DL)
- Authorized By – Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
- Authorized By – Authorized by Federal Pell Grant Program (FPGP)
- Authorized By – Federal Work-Study Program (FWS)
- Authorized By – Office of Vocation Rehabilitation (OVR)
- Authorized By – PA Department of Education for Training Veterans (VA)
- Authorized By – Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
- Authorized By – Trade Adjustment Act (FTA)
High Priority Occupations (HPOs) are one component of Pennsylvania’s industry-driven approach to workforce development. The purpose of the HPO lists is to align workforce training and education investments with occupations in demand by employers, have higher skill needs and are most likely to provide family-sustaining wages. To read more about HPO, visit High Priority Occupations.
ASPIRA CITY COLLEGE – OUR HISTORY
ASPIRA City College was founded as a nonprofit, under the name Metropolitan Career Center of Germantown, in 1974 by members of the First United Methodist Church of Germantown, operating as ACT Business Academy. ACT Business Academy provided short-term job readiness training to disadvantaged youth and young adults in Philadelphia’s Germantown Community. It was first licensed as a private career school by the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s State Board of Private Licensed Schools in 1987.
In 1992, the Academy changed its name to Metropolitan Career Center Computer Technology Institute (MCC-CTI). The Institute then earned accreditation from the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT) in 1994. In 1998, it gained approval to award an Associate in Specialized Technology (AST) Degree for students completing its IT programs.
In 2012, Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) purchased MCC-CTI and began operating as The Workforce Institute’s City College (WFI City College). In early 2017, PHMC engaged nonprofit ASPIRA Inc. of Pennsylvania (ASPIRA of PA), a community-based, nonprofit education management organization, to manage daily operations and direct institutional improvement initiatives. ASPIRA of PA went on to acquire The Workforce Institute’s City College in August 2019 and finalized the Institution’s name change to ASPIRA City College in May 2020
The GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/
ASPIRA OF PA – OUR PARENT ORGANIZATION
If you’re from Philadelphia, you likely know the name ASPIRA of PA. Founded in 1969, the nonprofit, community-based public benefit and education management organization elevates opportunities for minorities through its high-quality, multilingual, need-based education, public advocacy, and empowerment platforms. ASPIRA of PA manages 3 secondary charter schools, a daycare, and a Head Start program in Philadelphia with a combined enrollment of about 4,736 students. It is also known for its hallmark Leadership Development Program and nine other out-of-school-time resources serving the North Philadelphia community.
ASPIRA’s educational model is multilingual, interdisciplinary, technology-rich, and provides multiple learning paths to meet students’ needs. “Leadership through education” is not just the ASPIRA of PA motto. It is the force driving the ASPIRA of PA mission through its family of schools and services, lifting and empowering minority communities through comprehensive, high-quality educational programs and resources. With the August 2019 inclusion of ASPIRA City College to the ASPIRA of PA family of schools, it can do so “from cradle-to-career.”
| ASPIRA Learning Academy Scholars Child Care Program | Antonia Pantoja Charter School | |
| Pequenos Pasos de ASPIRA | ASPIRA Bilingual Cyber School | |
| Eugenio Maria de Hostos Charter School | ||
| ASPIRA City College | ||
TAKE THE NEXT STEP – DISCOVER WHAT ASPIRA CITY COLLEGE CAN DO FOR YOU
A lot goes into choosing a career and picking the right college – we understand. That’s why we encourage you to call us at 215-431-6941 or request info today. Better yet, schedule a virtual visit. Whether you are interested in becoming a Medical Secretary, or Computer Support Specialist, you’ll come away prepared to make choices that work for you.
If you are ready to get your future underway with Philadelphia’s ASPIRA City College, APPLY NOW!