| Prince William Sound Community College | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1978 |
| Students | about 1400 |
| Location | Valdez, Alaska |
| Website | PWSCC |
Founded in 1978, Prince William Sound Community College (also known as PWSCC or P-Dub) is a community college located in Valdez, a town in south central Alaska.
PWSCC comprises three campuses, one in Valdez, another is the Copper Basin campus that can be found in Glennallen, Alaska located along the Richardson Highway, and the other Prince William Sound campus is located in Cordova, Alaska.
PWSCC is part of the University of Alaska Anchorage which is part of the University of Alaska System.
There is no out-of-state tuition, which is a major draw for its 1400 out-of-state students.
P-Dub services approximately 44,000 sq mi which is relative to the size of Ohio.
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Dr. John Devens founded the college in 1978. It was John’s dream to start a school, he went to the city of Valdez and asked for money. The original endowment was about $50,000 and now the city of Valdez gives about $700,000.
The buildings that make up the dormitory complex were the first buildings constructed on the new Valdez town site after the 1964 Alaska earthquake. Originally, they were Army barracks and after, low income housing until they were acquired by the college in 1977 for the price of one dollar.The current dorm buildings were fully renovated in 2010. Eventually, the college moved to its current location at 303 Lowe Street. The structure where the college is currently located was originally used as Growden Harrison Elementary School. In the 1980’s the school was closed and later purchased for one dollar by the college. The building has since undergone a handful of renovations.
PWSCC also began the Last Frontier Theatre Conference in 1993, see section below for more information.
In 1998, Maxine Whitney donated a large collection of native artifacts to the college. The collection now resides in the aptly named Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum, located on the PWSCC campus. See section on Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum below for more information.
PWSCC is accredited by the Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities.
The main campus is located at 303 Lowe Street where there are numerous classrooms and staff, a wellness center, student lounge with a 12 ft video screen, and a computer lab. The main campus is also home to a collection of various native Alaskan artifacts donated by Maxine Whitney. Historical photographs from the original Valdez town site taken by P.S. Hunt, who was a photographer working throughout Alaska in the early 1900s, are also on the main campus. Also, to be found at the main campus is two of the wooden bear sculptures carved by Peter Toth. (see Whispering Giant and Bears section).
The residential complex comprises three historical buildings called Copper Basin Hall, Cordova Hall, and Valdez Hall. Each building is named after one of the Prince William Sound campuses. Of particular interest is the large wooden carving by Peter “Wolf” Toth called Whispering Giant. (see Whispering Giant and Bears section).
The residence halls were completely renovated in 2010 and can house up to 44 students. The rooms are apartment style and are comprised of 3-bedrooms, 2-bedrooms, 1-bedroom, and studio. In the dormitory complex there is a student lounge and a computer lab; each building also has its own laundry room. The residence halls also have hard-line and wireless internet connections. As an added bonus, the residence halls are located right across from the local grocery store.
The Wellness Center has a variety of cardio and resistance equipment, free weights, and a variety of fitness classes. There is also other various pieces of equipment: stairs, body balls, jumping ropes, punching bag and boxing pads. The facility also has showers, lockers and towel service. The cardio areas also have cable TV.
The Student Wellness Alliance Network (SWAN) contributes to a program that allows the Wellness Center to loan out X-Country Skis and Snowshoes which can be used on the various trails and back country in Valdez.
The Valdez Consortium Library serves both the Prince William Sound Community College and the community of Valdez. The library is located at 212 Fairbanks St. The library has three levels, with elevator access available to the downstairs. The main level is home to two Alaskan murals painted by local artists.
The online library catalog contains the combined holdings of the Valdez Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage libraries and Anchorage Public Libraries. Services provided by the Valdez Consortium Library includes Public internet access with wireless, Inter Library Loan, access to database and articles, reference assistance, Listen Alaska (digital e-books and audio book collection), Mango Languages and more.
All students, staff, and faculty are eligible to receive library cards from the Valdez Consortium Library. PWSCC ID cards also serve as library cards, and can be activated at the library. More information about the Valdez Consortium Library can be found on the Library’s web site and the PWSCC Library Services page.
Located at the dormitory, the Whispering Giant (Indian Head) is the 40th statue created by Peter “Wolf” Toth and was completed in October 1981. This work was carved from a mammoth Sitka Spruce and stands 30 feet high by 10 feet wide, weighing in at approximately 85,000 pounds. There are two bears, both standing at 12 feet tall located on the main campus that were also carved by Mr. Toth.
Peter “Wolf” Toth is a humanitarian who travels creating sculptures honoring the American Indian. His work can be found in all 50 states, Canada, and his native homeland, Hungary. To date, Mr. Toth has completed 67 Whispering Giant works venerating the American Indian. Exemplifying his commitment to this cause, he returned to Valdez in 2007 and completed a restoration project of the Whispering Giant and Bears for conservation and to extend the longevity of the works.
As of November 2011, there is a handful of clubs at Prince William Sound Community College: PWSCC Game Club, Phi Theta Kappa, PWSCC Student Association, PWSCC Film Club, Archery Club, and the Multicultural Club.
The college is also host to various concerts and fundraisers.
The theatre department produces a couple of plays a year; the actors are made up of students and the local community.
The Last Frontier Theatre Conference is an annual event started in 1993 hosted by PWSCC in Valdez, Alaska. The two week event centers around American Theatre with an emphasis on playwriting. The conference involves theatrical productions, panel discussions, symposia, and workshops.
The three basic parts of the Last Frontier Theatre Conference are the Play Lab, various workshops and panel discussions, and lastly, the evening performances. The evening shows comprise works from attendants both past and present and are performed by imported and Alaskan theatre companies.
Plays are submitted from playwrights, then selected plays are read by actors to audiences. After the reading, the play is critiqued by academics, theatre professionals and the viewers, thus allowing development and growth for those involved. Participants are given the opportunity to work and study under award winning members of the theatre community.
Along with the Play Lab, some of the events include: The Fringe Festival, The Ten-Minute Play Slam, The Monologue Workshop, and Acting for Singers (co-produced with Anchorage Opera). On the closing day there is a gala dinner.
The Last Frontier Theatre Conference has received the Jerry Harper Service Award and The Sue Nims Distinguished Playwriting Award.
Prince William Sound Community College is home to the Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum. The museum houses one of the largest collections of Native Alaskan art and artifacts in the world.
Coming to Alaska in 1947, Maxine opened a gift shop. She traveled around the state to Native villages purchasing works directly from artists, basket weavers and furriers, to later be sold in her store; she continued to gather items into the 1980s. The Eskimo Museum in Fairbanks came under ownership of Maxine in 1969. Ms. Whitney donated her collection of art and artifacts to PWSCC in 1998, and it now resides on the main campus.
Exhibits include masks, dolls, fur garments, various sizes of ivory and baleen with scrimshaw work. There are also Alaska wildlife mounts, including a moose and a polar bear; along with other exhibits on Alaska and its rich history. The Whitney Museum is open year round.
With the aide of Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, PWSCC is able to implement training and programs on oil spill response and terminal operations in the Port of Valdez. They have partnered together since the 1990’s and the PWSCC Wellness Center is funded by a yearly grant from Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.
Created in 1989, this non-profit research center fosters understanding of the ecosystems of Prince William Sound and the Copper River Delta. Education is done through outreach and research.
Sound Wellness Alliance Network (SWAN) is a network of community members committed to promoting healthy lifestyles to the citizens of Valdez. SWAN partnered with the PWSCC Wellness Center to create the Ski For Free program. The Ski For Free program loans ski equipment to members of the Valdez community for free.
Prince William Sound Community College. Web. 07 Nov. 2011. <PWSCC>.