Tim King
Encyclopedia
Tim King is an American educator and non-profIt leader, and the founder and CEO of Urban Prep Academies, a network of all-male charter public high schools in Chicago. King and Urban Prep received nation-wide attention in 2010 and again in 2011 after announcements that 100% of the school's first two graduating classes had been accepted into a 4-year college or university.
and attended St. Ignatius College Prep
, and completed his bachelors and law degrees at Georgetown University
. While in law school, King became involved working as a teacher at a nearby Catholic high school, and eventually determined to pursue teaching as a full-time career. After completing his law degree, King was named President of Hales Franciscan High School
in Chicago, an all-male, predominately African-American school on the city's South Side. While at Hales, King appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show in an interview in which Oprah characterized him as an "Angel". During King's five-year tenure as President of Hales, 100% of the school's graduates were admitted to college.
King is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha
fraternity. In 2010, he was named one of People Magazine's Heroes of the Year. He holds a doctoral degree honoris causa from the Adler School of Professional Psychology
.
, written for the Chicago Tribune
, Chicago Sun-Times
, Crain’s Chicago Business and Huffington Post, and lectured to groups across the United States. He has been recognized by Ebony Magazine, Jet Magazine, Crain's Chicago Business, and The Grio
for his leadership within the African-American and Chicago communities. In 2006, he was named one of Crain’s "Forty under Forty." In February 2009, he was named one of the top 100 African-American "History Makers in the Making" by The Grio.
In March 2010, King was named ABC World News Tonight's "Person of the Week" along with the students of Urban Prep Academies. The honor was given to coincide with the school's announcement that 100% of the first graduating class had been accepted to a 4-year college or university. Later that year, he was further honored with the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education’s “Pacesetter’s Award” and the “Phoenix Award for Education” from Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. In connection with Urban Prep, he has also been named a “Man of the Year” by Men’s Journal, and has been a finalist in GQ Magazine’s “Better Men Better World” search as well as Chicago Magazine’s “Chicagoan of the Year.” In 2011, Urban Prep announced that 100% of the school’s second graduating class had also been accepted to 4-year colleges or universities.
Personal life
King was born in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and attended St. Ignatius College Prep
St. Ignatius College Prep
Saint Ignatius College Prep is a private, coeducational Jesuit high school located in Chicago, Illinois. The school was founded in Chicago in 1870 by Fr. Arnold Damen, S.J., a Belgian missionary to the United States. The school is coeducational, Catholic, college preparatory and sponsored by the...
, and completed his bachelors and law degrees at Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
. While in law school, King became involved working as a teacher at a nearby Catholic high school, and eventually determined to pursue teaching as a full-time career. After completing his law degree, King was named President of Hales Franciscan High School
Hales Franciscan High School
Hales Franciscan High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago.-Background:...
in Chicago, an all-male, predominately African-American school on the city's South Side. While at Hales, King appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show in an interview in which Oprah characterized him as an "Angel". During King's five-year tenure as President of Hales, 100% of the school's graduates were admitted to college.
King is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha is the first Inter-Collegiate Black Greek Letter fraternity. It was founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Its founders are known as the "Seven Jewels". Alpha Phi Alpha developed a model that was used by the many Black Greek Letter Organizations ...
fraternity. In 2010, he was named one of People Magazine's Heroes of the Year. He holds a doctoral degree honoris causa from the Adler School of Professional Psychology
Adler School of Professional Psychology
Adler School of Professional Psychology is a non-profit institution of higher education and independent graduate school of psychology located in Chicago, Illinois and Vancouver, British Columbia. Founded in 1952 as The Adler Institute, the school offers a doctorate in clinical psychology and...
.
Urban Prep Academies
Two years after departing Hales, King founded a network of all-male public high schools, Urban Prep Academies, in order to address Chicago’s woefully low rate of college graduation for black males. Under King's leadership, Urban Prep Academies received Charters from the Chicago Board of Education to open three high schools in neighborhoods throughout the city. For his work with Urban Prep Academies, King is recognized as a national leader on education reform.Awards and Media
In addition to his management of Urban Prep, King has taught courses on the subjects of urban education and philanthropy at Northwestern UniversityNorthwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
, written for the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
, Crain’s Chicago Business and Huffington Post, and lectured to groups across the United States. He has been recognized by Ebony Magazine, Jet Magazine, Crain's Chicago Business, and The Grio
The Grio
TheGrio.com is a black and African-American video news site that focuses on underrepresented stories in existing national news that are important to the African-American community....
for his leadership within the African-American and Chicago communities. In 2006, he was named one of Crain’s "Forty under Forty." In February 2009, he was named one of the top 100 African-American "History Makers in the Making" by The Grio.
In March 2010, King was named ABC World News Tonight's "Person of the Week" along with the students of Urban Prep Academies. The honor was given to coincide with the school's announcement that 100% of the first graduating class had been accepted to a 4-year college or university. Later that year, he was further honored with the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education’s “Pacesetter’s Award” and the “Phoenix Award for Education” from Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. In connection with Urban Prep, he has also been named a “Man of the Year” by Men’s Journal, and has been a finalist in GQ Magazine’s “Better Men Better World” search as well as Chicago Magazine’s “Chicagoan of the Year.” In 2011, Urban Prep announced that 100% of the school’s second graduating class had also been accepted to 4-year colleges or universities.
Memberships
- 21st Century Urban Schools
- Community Renewal Society/Catalyst Editorial Board
- Georgetown University Alumni Association
- Chicago Public Education Fund
- Leadership Greater Chicago
- Economic Club of Chicago
- The Chicago Bar Assocation
- University of Notre Dame Center for Social Change
- Chicago Legal Aid Clinic