Walla Walla Community College

Walla Walla Community College
Established 1967
Type Public, 2-year, community college
President Steven L. VanAusdle
Location Walla Walla, Washington, USA
Campus Three campuses in Washington
Colors Black and Yellow
Website wwcc.edu

Walla Walla Community College (WWCC) is a multi-campus community college located in southeastern Washington state, USA. It is most recently the co-winner of the 2013 and 2014 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.[1] It had been ranked in the top five best community colleges by the Aspen Institute in 2011 previously.[2]

History

Walla Walla Community College began in 1967 when the region saw a need for a community college. It was first housed in the educational complex on Park St. previously occupied by Walla Walla High School before that school moved to its current facility south of town. When WWCC grew too big for this location, it purchased land to the east of town near the airport and built its current facilities there. Eventually a branch campus was established in Clarkston, WA, 100 miles to the east as well.

WWCC added one of its most important programs, the enological and viticulture program, in the late 1990s when the town of Walla Walla was facing economic uncertainty due to the decline of the agriculture industry locally. This program is responsible in part for the boom of the wine industry in Walla Walla in that it has graduated many of the wine makers of the over 175 wineries in the area today. From here WWCC has had several more non-traditional programs, in addition to more typical programs to meet the needs of the Walla Walla Valley such as the Commercial Truck Driver Program, John Deere Technology Program, and Water Technologies and Management Program.[3]

Most recently, WWCC is in the process of completing the Southeast Area Tech Skills Center (SEA Tech Center) expansion. This includes a multi-million dollar building at the main campus to house an array of new programs in cooperation with area high schools.[4]

Campus

The college is spread over three campuses in southeastern Washington state. The WWCC also maintains a facility at the Washington State Penitentiary.[5]

Academic profile

The college has an average annual enrollment of about 9,000 students.[6] It has numerous areas of study and certificates as well as 45 different Associates degree programs.[7]

Student life

Dietrich Center, often called "The Dome"

Athletics

WWCC fields teams (stylized as the Walla Walla Warriors) in eleven sports. In the Fall, Warrior Field plays host to men’s and women’s soccer, while volleyball takes center stage in the Dietrich Center – often referred to as ‘The Dome’. The winter quarter sees The Dome taken over by the men’s and women’s basketball while the spring months offer baseball, softball, men’s and women’s golf, and rodeo. The Warriors play in the Northwest Intercollegiate Athletic Association (NWAACC) – the largest independent association of community colleges in the country.[8]

Noted people

Marist College head men's basketball coach Chuck Martin (basketball coach) played here, as did Washington Redskins starting fullback Mike Sellers. Super Bowl XL champion Kimo Von Oelhoffen also spent one year playing football at WWCC.

External links

Coordinates: 46°04′42″N 118°16′36″W / 46.07833°N 118.27667°W

References

  1. ↑ "Aspen Institute, 2013 Aspen Prize". Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  2. ↑ "Aspen Institute, 2011 Aspen Prize". Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  3. ↑ "WWCC Programs". Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  4. ↑ Wentz, Ben. "Union-Bulletin, Southeast Area Tech Skills Center Progress". Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  5. ↑ "WWCC, More About". Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  6. ↑ "Aspen Institute Profile of WWCC". Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  7. ↑ "WWCC Degree List". Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  8. ↑ "WWCC Athletic Dept., Recruit information". Retrieved 8 January 2014.