Room to grow at CHI Institute

By Lauren Fritsky
Times Staff Writer

Most people go to the Franklin Mills mall to shop, but now hundreds will go there to learn.
On Oct. 22, CHI Institute, a career-focused training school, moved from its former location in Southampton, Bucks County, to 125 Franklin Mills Blvd., on the outskirts of the mall. School officials say the transition puts CHI nearer to transportation corridors and job opportunities for students.
"We really outgrew that location," said Dale Anspach Wintemberg, president of CHI’s new location. "The building was older. Either we needed to enlarge the building or find a new location."
CHI specializes in associate-degree programs and certification in health care, information technology, legal and trade careers. Students span recent high school graduates to older people looking to change jobs.
The former Southampton location was opened in 1981, and the school now enrolls about 700 students and employs 55 faculty members. The other CHI location, in Broomall, Delaware County, got its start 72 years ago as the RETS Electronic School in Detroit, Mich,, and the facility relocated to Pennsylvania in 1958. CHI Institute later purchased RETS and today is owned by the Kaplan Higher Education Corp.
The new CHI campus includes two buildings, the student center and the admissions and financial-aid building, that add 15,000 square feet of extra space to its operation. The student center features a large atrium, spanning the length of the building, and a 25-foot-tall ceiling — a characteristic of the building’s former use as a home supply store.
The space includes updated laboratories and an area with a real "house" so that electrician students can practice their skills, additional classrooms, a larger library, cafeteria, an outdoor patio and added security.
"A lot of work was put in to make it much better," Wintemberg said.
The president hopes to develop a partnership with the Franklin Mills business community by placing students in internships or jobs in and around the mall. The school also likes to invite guest lecturers and employers to classes to discuss industry details and trends, and students are sent on field trips to enhance their areas of study.
Jennifer Balbuena is studying to become a pharmacy technician. The Somerton resident likes the low-pressure environment at CHI.
"I wanted a relaxed atmosphere where I could figure out what I wanted to do," she said. "I didn’t want to spend a ton of money on college when I didn’t know."
Wendy Wallace, who lives in Trevose, Bucks County, is two months into her classes for medical billing. "I waitress now. I wanted a new career setting," she explained.
CHI also strives to make the atmosphere like a true campus, which is why there are lounge and cafeteria areas, a quad, and after-school clubs and tutoring. Graduation takes place twice a year, and current students and alumni get a chance to show off their accomplishments on "success boards" lining the purple walls of the hallways.
"We work hard at keeping the students in school," Wintemberg said. "It doesn’t help to have half an education." ••
For more information, including details on admission and financial assistance, call CHI at 215-357-5100, or visit the school on the Web at www.chitraining.com
Reporter Lauren Fritsky can be reached at 215-354-3038 or lfritsky@phillynews.com