Moving Philadelphia Forward: Elizabeth Crutchley, Making a Commitment to the City and Its Kids

Elizabeth Crutchley is the type of worker cities across the nation are anxious to attract. She is young, enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania, and determined to make a difference in her community.

This first-generation college graduate is a product of the pipeline of intellectual talent that flows from city neighborhoods. A native Philadelphian, she is interested in setting down roots here and eliminating local achievement gaps, a phenomenon which stalls economic growth.

“I think a big problem is that a lot of young people move here but when they start families they end up moving away,” said Crutchley, who received an associate’s degree from Community College of Philadelphia in 2010 before transferring to Penn. “I think we need a lot more strong, smart people improving everyone’s lives in the city, not just their own. I think young urban professionals are trying to make a difference in Philadelphia.”

In addition to taking classes at the University of Pennsylvania, she works as a laboratory manager for the Penn Infant Language Center, which studies how speech develops in infants and toddlers. “We basically do observational experiments on them to determine how we acquire language. We study language acquisition and we’re particularly interested in first language acquisition,” she said. Her associate’s degree in Psychology provided a solid foundation for the field.

On track to graduate from Penn in May 2015, Crutchley plans to use her bachelor’s degree in psychology to prepare underprivileged youth to find success in class and in life. “I’ve always been interested in psychology. I took a psychology course in high school and it just really fascinated me,” she said. “I really want to help kids. Hopefully, by learning how we learn language, that will help me improve outcomes for children.”

Community College of Philadelphia plays an important role in the lives of Philadelphians whether the goal is to earn a degree, transfer or secure the cutting-edge skills that lead to career advancement. More than 90 percent of graduates responding to a recent survey reported they had jobs in the city or the region, according to the College’s 2013 Institutional Effectiveness Report. Approximately one-third of Philadelphia high school graduates who are college-bound enroll at Community College of Philadelphia.

Crutchley is one among tens of thousands of students locally who found their path to possibilities here. Born and raised in Olney and Northeast Philadelphia, she was in eighth grade when her parents moved the family to the suburbs. At age 21, the culture, convenience and active lifestyle attracted her, so she moved back to the city. Community College of Philadelphia scored extra points among her college choices because she could bike to classes here. “I think it was all bike lanes from where I lived, and I had heard good things about the professors there,” she added.

Her time spent in community college classrooms produced some pretty unexpected, dividends. “I became a better creative writer there,” she said. “I learned to think scientifically there. It was definitely a great experience.”