Illinois Valley Community College Celebrates Centennial

Illinois Valley Community College is celebrating the centennial of its founding in 1924 with classes held in the La Salle-Peru High School. IVCC President Tracy Morris dedicated a mural as part of activities surrounding the anniversary and you can read more in an article, "History in the details: IVCC dedicates 100th anniversary mural. Dots represent 160 programs taught in the past, present at the college," with reporting by Maribeth M. Wilson. 

The institution changed its name from La Salle-Peru-Oglesby Junior College in 1966. IVCC is the second oldest public community college in Illinois and you can learn more the College History page of their website.

Roxbury Community College 50th Anniversary

 
Roxbury Community College is marking the 50th anniversary of its founding in 1973. The institution is located in Boston, MA and currently enrolls 1,214 students.

You can visit the Roxbury website for more information.

75th Anniversary for Salt Lake Community College

Salt Lake Community College in Salt Lake City, UT is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its founding in 1948.  You can visit the 75th Anniversary webpage to find information on upcoming events. There is also a short YouTube video, timeline, and other anniversary resources.

The institution was initially founded as Salt Lake Area Vocational School. The name changed to Salt Lake Trade Technical Institute in 1959 and to Salt Lake Community College in 1987.

75th Anniversary for Orange Coast College

 Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California is kicking off a celebration of its 75th anniversary. The first classes were held in 1948 and the campus was built on the former Santa Anna Army Air Base.

You can read more about history of the institution and planned activities in "OCC kicks off 75th anniversary celebration," posted February 21, 2023 with reporting by Liz Hanna.

You can also visit the 75th Anniversary web pages for links to a timeline, list of anniversary events, and memories of former students and staff.

Florida Gateway College Begins 75th Anniversary Celebration

Florida Gateway College in Lake City, FL is beginning a yearlong celebration of its founding 1947 as the Forest Ranger School. Visit the 75th anniversary web page for planned activities.

The institution initially utilized structures that remained from a World War II-era naval air station. In 1961, the state of Florida created Lake City Junior College on the campus of the old forestry school. It became Lake City Community College in 1970 and Florida Gateway College on July 1, 2010.

You can visit the FGC Our History page to read more about the institution's history.

The 75th Anniversary Celebration Edition Magazine also offers information on FGC history and current programs.

Pasco-Hernando State College Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Pasco-Hernando State College is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The institution was founded as Pasco-Hernando Community College and the name was changed to Pasco–Hernando State College on January 21, 2014.

The institution serves Pasco and Hernando counties and is part of the Florida College System. It operates additional campuses in Brooksville, Dade City, New Port Richey, Spring Hill, and Wesley Chapel. 

Union County College Adopts New Name

Union County College with campuses in Cranford, Elizabeth, Plainfield, and Scotch Plains, New Jersey will be changing its name to Union College.

The institution was founded in 1933 as Union County Junior College. It merged with Union County Technical Institute in Scotch Plains and was renamed Union County College in 1983.

You can click on the Index to Institutions by State that have closed, merged, or changed their names link at the right to find a file with a list of institutional changes for New Jersey or other states.

Montgomery College Celebrates 75th Anniversary

Montgomery College in Maryland has been celebrating its 75th anniversary during the current academic year.

It was founded in 1946 as Montgomery Junior College and now operates from multiple sites. The first classes held at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School and the former Bliss Electrical School served as the first campus.  Accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools was gained in 1950. The Takoma Park/Silver Springs Campus also opened in 1950, followed by the Rockville Campus in 1965 and the Germantown Campus in 1978.

Delgado Community College Remembers Its Founder on the Centennial of Its First Classes

 

 

Delgado Community College in New Orleans recently honored the institution's founder, Isaac Delgado, on November 23, 2021. The date was selected for the Founders Day event since it was the 182nd birthday of Isaac Delgado and the 100th anniversary of opening of the college. Members of the Delgado Community College Centennial Committee along with Delgado Institutional Advancement staff members visited the tomb in the ceremonial visit to his tomb in Metairie Cemetery. 

What is now the oldest and largest community college was initially founded in 1921 as the Delgado Central Trades School. The institution was known as Delgado Trades and Technical Institute by 1958. A two year technical degree program was initiated with the first graduates in 1960. 

The name changed to Isaac Delgado College and the Delgado Vocational-Technical Junior College by 1966. Control passed from the City of New Orleans to the Louisiana State Board of Education in 1970. Ten years later the name changed to Delgado Community College.

You can read more about Delgado's history by visiting the institutional history page. 

Reading Area Community College 50th Anniversary

Reading Area Community College is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its founding in 1971. 

The institution was initially sponsored by the Reading School District and enrollment was 265 students. The college operated from several buildings throughout Reading during its early years until it acquired the Holiday Inn (the current Berks Hall building) in 1978. On July 1, 1991, the Berks County Board of Commissioners assumed sponsorship of the college and five years later the college completed a campus expansion plan that transformed it into an attractive city-based campus.

  

RACC currently enrolls 3,924 students and employs 53 full time and 187 part time students.

50th Anniversary of Garrett Gollege's Founding

Garrett College is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its founding in 1971 as Garrett Community College. The institution with its main campus in McHenry, MD changed its name to Garrett College after 2002. 

You can review an outline by President Richard Midcap of the key anniversary activities. Or, you can visit the 50th anniversary landing page for links to a variety of photographs and other historical documents.

Garrett College currently enrolls 624 students and employs 23 full time and 44 part time faculty.

50th Anniversary for West Virginia Northern Community College

West Virginia Northern Community College (WVNCC) is beginning its 50th anniversary celebration. The reporting by the Wetzel Chronicle, "WVNCC celebrates their 50th anniversary," offers information on upcoming events.

WVNCC was "...established on May 9, 1972, when the West Virginia Board of Regents created a dual-campus community college out of what was formerly the Hancock County Branch and the Wheeling Campus of West Liberty State College. The Board specified that the newly created institution was to be a comprehensive community college responsible for educational programs of two years or less duration for high school graduates and adults. Responding to local needs, Northern opened a campus in New Martinsville in 1975 and a campus in Weirton in 1985."

Southeastern Community College Celebrates Centennial

Southeastern Community College is celebrating its centennial this fall. The institution was founded in 1920 as Burlington Junior College in Burlington, Iowa. BJC merged with Keokuk Junior College in 1966 and moved to West Burlington, IA to form what is now Southeastern Community College. Centennial activities were delayed from 2020 due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

You can read more in The Hawk Eye, "Southeastern Community College holds ribbon-cutting ceremonies for new additions as it celebrates 100-year anniversary" published September 21, 2021 with reporting by Brad Vidmar.

Visit the SCC 100th anniversary page to find alumni stories and a timeline of significant institutional events. 

Stanly Community College Begins 50th Anniversary Celebration

 Stanly Community College in Albemarle, NC is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its founding in 1971. The institution was founded as Stanly Technical Institute and changed its name to Stanly Community College in 1979.

Visit the 50th anniversary web page for links to planned activities, photographs, memories, and other information. You can also learn more by reading "SCC to Mark 50th Anniversary with Yearlong Celebrations."

John Tyler Community College changes name to Brightpoint Community College

 John Tyler Community College in Chester,  VA will be changing its name to Brightpoint Community College. The name change was approved by the Virginia State Board for Community Colleges in July 2021.

Classes were first held on October 2, 1967, with 1,231 students and 85 faculty members. Over 10,150 students are currently enrolled and the institution employs 114 full time and over 300 part time faculty.

Patrick & Henry Community College is the New Name for PHCC

WFXR-TV reported this past week that a new name for Patrick Henry Community College was approved by the Virginia’s State Board of Community Colleges. PHCC will now be known as Patrick & Henry Community College, recognizing the two Virginia counties it serves. The name change will also hopefully reduce confusion with a well known Revolutionary War figure or a small private institution founded in 2000 as Patrick Henry College.

P&HCC was founded as a two-year branch of the University of Virginia's School of General Studies in 1962. It became an autonomous two-year college of the university two years later as Patrick Henry Community College. Classes were initially offered in the old Northside Elementary School in Martinsville and it moved to its present campus in the fall of 1969. The institution became part of the Virginia Community College System on July 1, 1971.

Learning from those who shaped the institution: Oral History of Monroe County Community College

Jerry Meade authored an interesting article highlighting an oral history project at Monroe County Community College in Monroe, MI. "Learning from successors’ legacies," describes an effort to preserve the thoughts and perspectives of key individuals impacting the institution.

MCCC was founded in 1964 and appears committed to preserving its history with James DeVries’ “Opportunity: The First Twenty Years, Monroe County Community College” covering 1964-1984 and Margie Bacarella’s “Change, Growth, Challenge, Monroe County Community College” documenting 1986-2000.

Volunteer State Community College Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Volunteer State Community College is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its founding in 1971. The institution's main campus is located in Gallatin, TN and enrollment tops 9,100 students with programs also offered in Cookeville, Livingston, and Springfield.

The 50th anniversary web pages include historical photographs, historical information, and a timeline of key milestones.

You can also read more in an article published by the Tennessean on March 16, 2021, "Vol State kicks off 50th anniversary celebration."

Walters State Community College Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Walters State Community College in Morristown, TN is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its founding in 1970. It is named for former U.S. Senator Herbert S. Walters who played a key role in the establishment of the institution.

Visit the 50th anniversary web page for upcoming events, a timeline, and several videos include one offering congratulatory comments from Dolly Parton.

You can read more about Walters State and the important role it plays in community in an article posted by the Citizen Tribune, "Walters State Community College: Celebrating 50 years of educating the Lakeway Area."

Clark State Community College Announces Name Change

Clark State Community College in Springfield, OH announced this week that it will adopt a new name on January 1, 2021 and will become Clark State College.

The institution was founded as Springfield and Clark County Technical Education Program in 1962. It reorganized as Clark County Technical Institute in 1966 and became Ohio’s first technical college to be sanctioned by the Ohio Board of Regents in February 1972 with a name change to Clark Technical College. The name changed to Clark State Community College on June 17, 1988.

You can read more in "Clark State president: New name is indicator of college’s growth," posted October 23, 2020 by the Springfield News-Sun with reporting by Brooke Spurlock.