Staff Spotlight: Daley College’s Associate Dean of Adult Ed Brings Personal Experience and Passion to His Position

Dave Breedlove, the associate dean of Adult Education at Daley College, sees himself in many of the students who walk through the college’s doors to prepare for the high school diploma exam or learn English as a Second Language (ESL). His own personal experience of struggling in high school fuels his passion to help others explore their college options.

“When I’m working with students who are pursuing their high school diplomas, many aren’t sure of what college opportunities they have,” Dave said. “I can help them see those options because I’ve been there too.”

Dave chose to start his college journey at a community college, which ultimately led him back into the classroom as a teacher. He’s taught at the high school level, university level, abroad, and here in the U.S, but working in Adult Education at City Colleges of Chicago is where Dave says he’s found his calling. He started his City Colleges career as an adult educator at Malcolm X College, which helps him relate to Adult Education teachers at Daley.

“I know the common struggles—from smaller things like filling out a timesheet to bigger tasks like working in Brightspace, our Learning Management System. I also know how important it is to have someone on the staff side who can offer support,” Dave said.

That’s one of Dave’s main goals in his current position—to make sure adult educators have the tools they need to succeed in their roles. He also wants to help them find avenues to advance their interests and careers.

“At Daley, we want to create multiple avenues for teachers to advance in their own ways,” he shared.

“Sometimes, I think back to when I was teaching, and I ask, ‘what pathways did I see for me? What could have supported me?’ We’re open to trying new things, and we want to look at all of the options.”

As Daley College’s Adult Education program continues to grow, Dave believes that support is more important than ever. He knows that when educators are supported, students feel the support, too. And though the college has a large Adult Education program, he still gets the opportunity to work one-on-one with students, something he enjoyed from his teaching days.

Whether he’s walking a student down the hall to connect with another resource, or being there to celebrate a student’s achievement, Dave wants them to know they can lean on their Daley College community.

“Learning English or obtaining your diploma is a lot of work,” he said. “Every small step is worthy of a celebration.”