June 1, 2021

Dear Students, Staff, Graduates, Partners, and Members of our Local Communities –

In 1934, a woman named Ruth Dorsey opened a school in downtown Detroit. At the time, Ruth was moved to action because she saw a need within the local community. Ruth saw a need for skilled operators of the Victor and Burroughs’ comptometer machines. In today’s era, the comptometer may not seem like much, but in its time, it was an advanced technology for data tabulation and was widely used into the 1960’s. Ruth also saw an opportunity to provide quality training to individuals who wanted to better their life through the power of education. Little did she know, over 85-years later, the opportunity to provide quality career training and the need to better serve our local communities continue to be cornerstones of the Dorsey mission today.

As the years went on, The Dorsey School evolved and adapted with the times here in Michigan. The Dorsey School became Dorsey Schools, going from a single campus to multiple locations serving students in various communities. Dorsey Schools also continued to find new ways to meet the needs within our local communities by offering new training programs in fields such as healthcare, culinary, skilled trades, beauty, and nursing. Throughout this evolution and adaptation, we have continued to be grounded in serving both our students and our local communities well.

Today marks an exciting new chapter here at Dorsey. I’m pleased to share with you that we have received the proper and necessary approvals from the State of Michigan, the U.S. Department of Education, and our accreditor, the Council on Occupational Education, and Dorsey Schools is now Dorsey College. This is a natural next step for us, given our vast history here in Michigan, to better serve our students, local employers, and the communities in which we all live and work, in the years to come. As Dorsey College, we will be able to provide our students with new opportunities for career training and education. Based on feedback from employers we work with and others within our communities, there is a great need for skilled professionals in various fields here in Michigan. Many of these fields require a student to have an Associate Degree, which, Dorsey Schools has not offered. As Dorsey College, we will now be in a position to meet these needs for both prospective students looking to start on the path towards their exciting new career as well as local employers seeking talented, well-trained individuals.

As time goes on, we will share more information as it becomes available about more exciting, new developments here at Dorsey College. In the meantime, we’ve attached a list of frequently asked questions.

Each day I am truly inspired by our students’ grit, dedication, and commitment to further their education. I’m equally energized by our talented team of educators and staff for their commitment to our students’ success. I believe each of us continues to play an important role in fulfilling the mission, rooted in what Ruth Dorsey set out to do in 1934. Dorsey College will continue to strive to meet the education and employment needs here in Michigan through quality career training that enables our graduates to positively contribute in our local communities.

Best regards,

John Barnes
President and CEO
Dorsey College