Eastern Arizona College

Eastern Arizona College (EAC), is a community college located in Graham County, Arizona. The main campus is in Thatcher, with satellite locations in Gila County, and Greenlee County. It is the oldest community college in Arizona and the only community college in Arizona with a marching band.

History

Eastern Arizona College was chartered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1888. Classes started in a church room in Central, Arizona in 1890 with 17 students and was called the St. Joseph Stake Academy. In 1891, classes were moved to Thatcher, Arizona, to be more centralized and due to room constraints. The school continued to expand, though it was strapped financially. In 1908, a new 21-room building was opened that would eventually be called Old Main.

In 1932, the Church stated they could no longer afford to support the college financially and would close it unless the local valley could support it. In 1933, an election was held and the valley passed an initiative funding the school. Ownership passed to the state of Arizona, dropping its religious affiliation, and changing the name to Gila Junior College of Graham County. This name was changed to Eastern Arizona Junior College in 1950, then simply Eastern Arizona College in 1966. In 1962, it was the inaugural member of Arizona's newly-created Junior College system.^[1] The 1960s was a time of growth and the college purchased nearby farmland to extend their campus.

In 1972 a fine arts center was completed. In 1979, two fires within one week destroyed Old Main. The building was razed and a new administration building was constructed on the site. During the 1987–1988 school year, Eastern Arizona College celebrated its centennial.

Eastern Arizona College has changed names nine times, growing from a one-room school house to becoming a large community college serving three counties and hosting a satellite campus for a university.^[2]

In December 2012, after 10 years of lobbying, Eastern Arizona College launched its first bachelor's degree programs in a partnership with Arizona State University.^[3] The bachelor's degree programs include nursing and business.

Ownership

EAC is a state-sponsored community college and comes under the guidance and control of the state of Arizona.

Campus

The main campus 32°49′58″N 109°45′46″W / 32.832685°N 109.762879°W / 32.832685; -109.762879Coordinates: 32°49′58″N 109°45′46″W / 32.832685°N 109.762879°W / 32.832685; -109.762879^[4] sits in the center of the Upper Gila River Valley with Mt. Graham towering to the south and the Gila River to the north. The buildings on the campus are plain, while the grass, trees, and flower beds on EAC's campus are impeccably maintained year round.^[5]

On September 15, 2007, Eastern Arizona College dedicated their Bell Tower. The tower is adjacent to the administration building, between the north and south campuses.^[6]

Housing

Eastern Arizona College provides dormitories for single students. EAC has the following houses:

• Mark Allen
• Wesley Taylor
• Nellie Lee
• Residence towers (three towers)

Married student housing is not available on-campus. Most married couples are able to find off-campus apartments.

In addition to on-campus housing, there are many off-campus places available for rent. EAC has a housing office with information for on- and off-campus living.^[7]

Academics

Eastern Arizona College is divided into nine academic divisions:

• Business^[8]
• Communicative Arts^[9]
• Fine Arts^[10]
• Health and Physical Education^[11]
• Industrial Technology Education^[12]
• Liberal Studies^[13]
• Mathematics^[14]
• Science and Allied Health^[15]
• Social Sciences^[16]

Mascot

The College's mascot is "Gila Hank," a Gila monster, indigenous to the region.^[17]

References

External links

• Official site
• Image of the college mascot, "Gila Hank"

Colleges and universities in Arizona Public institutions University of Arizona Arizona State University Main Campus Downtown Polytechnic Thunderbird West Northern Arizona University Private institutions American Indian College Arizona Christian University Brookline College Brown Mackie College Embry-Riddle Grand Canyon University International Baptist College National Paralegal College Phoenix Seminary Prescott College Sessions College for Professional Design Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine Southwest University of Visual Arts University of Phoenix Community/Junior Colleges Maricopa Community College District Chandler-Gilbert CC Estrella Mountain CC GateWay CC Glendale CC Mesa CC Paradise Valley CC Phoenix Coll. Rio Salado Scottsdale CC South Mountain CC Others Arizona Western Central Arizona Cochise Coll. Coconino CC Diné Coll. Eastern Arizona Gila CC Mohave CC Northland Pioneer Pima CC Tohono O'odham CC Yavapai Coll. Graduate and professional institutions Arizona Summit Law School A.T. Still Midwestern University