Paradise Valley Community College
| Paradise Valley Community College | |
|---|---|
| Motto | "The Power of Learning" |
| Established | 1985 |
| Type | Community College |
| President | Dr. Paul Dale |
Academic staff | 115 (as of 2008) |
Administrative staff | 253 total (as of 2008) |
| Students | Over 9,000 |
| Location | Phoenix, Arizona |
| Campus | Black Mountain campus (Scottsdale) (opened in August 2009) |
| Colors | Royal Blue/White |
| Mascot | Puma |
| Affiliations | Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools |
| Website | www.paradisevalley.edu/ |
Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC) is a 2-year community college in northeastern Phoenix, Arizona, in the North Phoenix district. PVCC is located in Paradise Valley Village, one of the fifteen Urban Villages of Phoenix, which is easily confused with the town of Paradise Valley, adjacent to the city of Phoenix, but independent from it.
A branch campus, PVCC at Black Mountain,[1] opened in August 2009 in the far northern section of Scottsdale, Arizona to serve this rapidly growing area. It will also provide greater access for the communities of Cave Creek and Carefree.
The college mascot is the puma and the colors are royal blue and white.
History
PVCC was originally founded by the Maricopa County Community College District as the Northeast Valley Education Center in 1985 with classes temporarily held at Paradise Valley High School. The district gave the college its present name and began campus construction in 1986 and inaugurated the permanent site during 1987. The college had operated as an extension of Scottsdale Community College and gained independent accreditation in 1990. Since then, PVCC has expanded in both campus size and enrollment along with the development of the Phoenix area.
The campus now includes the newly remodeled Q Building (formerly the George L. Campbell Branch Library). A Learning Resources Complex is on campus, with its own library, computer labs, and tutoring center.
Several art collections, such as the over 600 Western-themed pieces donated by faculty-emeritus member Dr. Warren Buxton, are on display near the college's library.
The PVCC Center for the Performing Arts, containing stage facilities for drama and music performances, opened in 2005.
A new building for the study of life sciences (anatomy, physiology, general biology, biotechnology, microbiology, marine biology and environmental biology programs) opened at the main campus in August 2009. It includes seven classrooms, six biology labs and two anatomy/physiology labs, one of which is a cadaver lab, plus lab support spaces and administrative offices.
Athletics
PVCC is affiliated with the National Junior College Athletic Association. The Lady Pumas women's cross-country team has won the national championship many times since their first in 1997, and the men's team has also carried two national titles. The women's soccer team has also become prominent, having captured the national championship in 2012.
Athletic facilities, such as tennis and handball courts, are on the south side of campus. New sports fields were recently built on land reclaimed from a floodplain nearby. The eastern edge of the campus borders Paradise Valley Golf Course.
Transportation
The college is a short distance west of State Route 51 and south of the Loop 101 interchange.
Valley Metro buses from routes 16 and 186 serve the campus. For many years, the campus was served by express route 500, but in 2003, this service was canceled and replaced with the RAPID service that departs from Bell Road and State Route 51 Park-and-Ride.
Notable faculty and staff
- Dr. Paul Dale,[2] President
- Dr. Mary Lou Mosley,[3] Vice President of Academic Affairs
- Herman Gonzalez,[4] Vice President of Administrative Services
- Dr. Shirley Green,[5] Dean of Student Affairs
- Paul Golisch,[6] Dean of Information Technology
- Dr. Denise Digianfilippo,[7] Dean of Academic Affairs
- Dr. Harry Birkmann, Geology Department
- Michele Marion, Director of International Studies
- Sonya Woodard, Mathematics Professor
References
External links
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Coordinates: 33°39′10″N 112°00′37″W / 33.6528588°N 112.0103561°W