Oregon Coast Community College

Oregon Coast Community College (OCCC) is a community college in Oregon, serving students in Lincoln County. Located in Newport, OCCC has approximately 3,000 students and a faculty of 45 people. Of the 17 community colleges in Oregon, only Klamath Community College is younger, and only Tillamook Bay Community College has fewer students.

Led by President Birgitte Ryslinge, PhD, who joined OCCC in July 2014, the College is working towards independent accreditation, a seven-year-long process. Since July 2014, OCCC has been accredited through Portland Community College. The College's nursing program has graduated more than 150 nurses, many of whom work today in Lincoln County. The college also offers medical assistant, nursing assistant, EMT, Criminal Justice and other certificates and degree programs, along with Associate and Transfer degrees. In the Fall of 2016, OCCC launched new less-than-one-year certificate programs in business (Accounting and Administrative Assistant) and business degree programs in each of those two areas, joining the College's existing ASOT (Associate of Science Oregon Transfer) in Business degree.

OCCC offers the only Aquarium Science Program in the United States. The AQS classes are taught in a state-of-the-art facility situated on the College's Central County Campus property, just across from the main campus building.

History

OCCC held its first classes in 1987, meeting in whatever spare space the staff could find. "You could be teaching in a church basement, fire station, real estate office," college president Patrick O'Connor recalled.^[1] The following year, OCCC found a permanent home in a building formerly known as "Jake's High Tide Bar".

In 2004, local voters approved a $23.5 million bond levy, which was used to build three buildings between Lincoln City and Waldport. According to former OCCC president Patrick O'Connor, the three buildings are necessary due to Lincoln County's size and treacherous driving weather during the winter months.

Aquarium science program

Oregon Coast Community College offers a degree program in aquarium science, and is the only college in the United States to do so. There are two programs, one to obtain an associate's degree and the other a one-year certification for those with a bachelor's degree or higher in life sciences. Because of the limited number of places available (22 at present), applicants must apply early and are interviewed by several aquarists and biologists. Classes offered range from Biology of Captive Fish and Aquatic Animal Health Management to a scuba diving course. Those studying for either their associate degree or their one-year certification end with an internship at a public aquarium, zoo, fish hatchery, or marine laboratory.

See also

• List of Oregon community colleges

Notes

External links

• Oregon Coast Community College website