Pierce College
| Pierce College | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1967 |
| Type | Community college |
| Chancellor | Michele Johnson, Ph.D. |
| President |
Denise R. Yochum (FS) Dr. Marty Cavalluzzi (P) |
| Students | 21,643 [2012] [1] |
| Location |
Lakewood (FS) Puyallup (P), WA, USA |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Mascot | Raider |
| Website | http://www.pierce.ctc.edu/ |
- For the college of the same name in Los Angeles, California, see Los Angeles Pierce College; for the homophone college in Philadelphia, see Peirce College
Pierce College is a community college district operating in and serving Pierce County in the U.S. state of Washington. The district consists of two main colleges, Pierce College Fort Steilacoom in Lakewood and Pierce College Puyallup in Puyallup, and auxiliary campuses at Fort Lewis, McChord Air Force Base, and in South Hill.
In 2006 the Library won a national Excellence award.
Academics
Pierce College offers associate's degrees, mainly in the arts and sciences. There are also certificate programs in early childhood education, social services, dental hygienist, and others.
Classes are held on the quarter system.
Athletics
The Pierce College Raiders Athletics Department competes in the Western Region of the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges. The Raiders currently field six teams and compete in soccer, volleyball, men's and women's basketball, baseball, and fastpitch.
History
In 1967, Clover Park Community College opened its administrative offices and library in an abandoned grocery store on Bridgeport Way Southwest, now the site of QFC. It was nicknamed Albertsons' U. Classes were held, however, at various Pierce County locations such as high schools, military bases, and hospitals.
Later that year, on March 24, the Washington State Legislature passed the Community College Act. This law shifted the control of community colleges from the school districts to the state. On April 3, Governor Dan Evans signed the bill into law.
Consequently, the site of the new campus was chosen on a 140-acre (0.57 km2) site in Fort Steilacoom. By 1970, the college changed its name to Fort Steilacoom Community College. Until the opening of the main building in 1974, classes were taught in portables.
As a result of increasing enrollment over the years, the college sought a name that encompasses the students who live throughout Pierce County. So in 1986, the name was changed once more to Pierce College.
In 1989, a new campus was being built in Puyallup, just east of the South Hill Mall. The school later opened in the fall of 1990. By 1999, the status was upgraded to a full-service college.
Organization
The Pierce College District is accredited as a degree-granting institution by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) with colleges in Lakewood and Puyallup.[2]
Notable alumni
References
- ↑ "California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office - Data Mart". Datamart.cccco.edu. Retrieved 2013-06-03.
- ↑ "NWCCU Institutions of Washington". Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
- ↑ "2006 Distinguished Alumni Honorees". Pierce College Foundation. Pierce College District 11. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
External links
Coordinates: 47°10′19″N 122°34′16″W / 47.172°N 122.571°W