The Chicago School of Professional Psychology Receives Gift from Transwestern and Mr. and Mrs. Philip R. Utigard to Build Treatment and Observation Room for Forensic Psychology Practice
The new Forensic Center is used to train students to deliver services for children, adults, and families.
Students studying Forensic Psychology at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology have access to a unique teaching venue thanks to a significant gift from Transwestern and Mr. and Mrs. Philip R. Utigard.
Located in the school’s new 40,000 square feet of annex space in the Merchandise Mart, the Transwestern and Mr. and Mrs. Philip R. Utigard Treatment and Observation Room supports the center’s initiatives, which include instruction of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). The facility is equipped with a one-way mirror and a separate observation room that will allow the use of a “bug-in-the-ear” communication system to facilitate observation and discreet coaching by therapists to parents as they interact with their children. Because PCIT is evidence based, it carries the endorsement of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services as a recognized model for helping families with a history of abuse. Although it is a therapy that has been shown to be effective with abusive families in several states, few Illinois practitioners have been trained in its use.
“This gift is yet another example of the commitment that Phil and Transwestern have shown to our school over the years,” said Chicago School President Michael Horowitz. “The treatment and observation room they are helping to support will not just be an invaluable resource to our Forensic Psychology Department but to the community at large. Speaking on behalf of the entire Chicago School community, I would like to thank Phil and Transwestern for supporting this project.”
“I am personally delighted and honored to be able to support The Chicago School’s new Forensic Center,” said Philip R. Utigard, Executive Vice President with Transwestern. “The center will be a tremendous asset for the school and will be a valuable resource for helping families learn how to better communicate and interact.”
“We are very proud, together with Phil, to support the Chicago School in establishing their new Forensic Center,” said Robert Bagguley, Midwest President for Transwestern. “This only emphasizes the shared culture and vision of our two firms in contributing towards the greater Chicago community.”
The Transwestern and Mr. and Mrs. Philip R. Utigard Treatment and Observation Room is the centerpiece of The Chicago School Forensic Center, which was founded in 2007 as the practice arm of the school’s Forensic Psychology Department. The center integrates student learning through community initiatives that connect psychology services to the legal sector and community agencies that interface with the court system. The center also serves as a Chicago-based hub for forensic psychology professionals to come together and learn about new developments and trends in the profession.
Utigard’s friendship with The Chicago School is longstanding. As an executive with Transwestern, he worked with the school to acquire its current campus at 325 N. Wells Street in 2004 and, more recently, planned and implemented its expansion into the Merchandise Mart. He currently specializes in professional portfolio advisory services and representation of the real estate needs of corporate clients, nonprofits, public sector and high technology firms.