Southwestern Community College
Encyclopedia
Southwestern Community College is a two-year college located in Sylva, North Carolina
, an educational institution providing post-secondary education and lower-level tertiary education, granting certificates, diplomas, and associate's degrees. The school is a member of the 59-campus North Carolina Community College System
.
.
The county responded, and began setting up training classes in local schools and in other county locations. The NC Board of Education provided needed equipment and logistics, and began hiring instructors, and an advisory panel was set up from local residents to oversee the project.
The genesis of the idea for a college in western North Carolina came out of those advisory group meetings, and coincidentally, the NC Board of Education was beginning negotiations with the Legislature to begin designating funds for a system of state technical colleges.
By 1963, Jackson County had obtained a 17 acres (68,796.6 m²) site for locating the college, and by May 1964, 90 percent of the block work for the building was completed, with local masonry students providing much of the labor. The students, predominantly local residents who had been taking introductory classes in the previously established trade schools, were ready for hands-on experience.
Work continued on the building until late 1965. The one-story 18000 square feet (1,672.3 m²) structure consisted of five classrooms, four laboratory areas, five instructor offices, two administrative offices, three shop areas, a boiler room, and a coal storage area. The building, appraised at $120,000 when completed, was constructed at a cost of $70,000, principally because student labor helped keep expenses down. Jackson County Industrial Education Center was born as a satellite of Asheville-Buncombe Technical College
.
In 1967, it was decided that two other local counties, Macon
and Swain, would be included as part of the area which the school served. A new name, Southwestern Technical Institute, was chosen denoting this expanded area of operation, as the school would now be serving the entire southwestern area of the state. Application for independent status of Southwestern Technical College was approved by Governor Dan Moore, and on January 2, 1968, the school began operation under the North Carolina Department of Community Colleges as Southwestern Technical Institute with a budget of $131,000.
In 1970 Southwestern began the process to become accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
, and received that status in December 1971. It was also accredited by the North Carolina Board of Education in 1972, one of only 11 schools in the state to receive endorsement from both agencies.
Southwestern experienced large growth throughout the next three decades, and evolved into a full-fledged college providing technical training, college transfer, and adult education needs. In 1988, Southwestern Technical College became Southwestern Community College to better reflect its educational role in the community.
In November of 2006, SCC entered into a unique partnership with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
that created the Oconaluftee Institute for Cultural Arts in Cherokee, North Carolina
.
2007 saw the opening of the 23000 square feet (2,136.8 m²) Macon Center, located in Franklin, North Carolina
.
Southwestern Community College ranks fourth in the nation in a new listing of America’s best community colleges.
That’s according to a July 2007 report in the Washington Monthly.
Sylva, North Carolina
Sylva is an incorporated town located in central Jackson County, in the Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina, United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 2,588. It is the county seat, having taken over from nearby Webster in 1913.-Geography:Sylva...
, an educational institution providing post-secondary education and lower-level tertiary education, granting certificates, diplomas, and associate's degrees. The school is a member of the 59-campus North Carolina Community College System
North Carolina Community College System
The North Carolina Community College System is a statewide network of fifty-eight public community colleges. Each college has a distinct governance system and policies. In total, the system enrolls over 800,000 students, and is the third largest community college system in the nation...
.
History
The beginnings of Southwestern Community College can be traced back to April 1961 when a need for skilled textile workers brought representatives of the North Carolina state Trade and Industrial Education Department to Jackson CountyJackson County, North Carolina
Jackson County is a county located in the southwest of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 40,271. Since 1913 its county seat has been Sylva, replacing Webster.-History:...
.
The county responded, and began setting up training classes in local schools and in other county locations. The NC Board of Education provided needed equipment and logistics, and began hiring instructors, and an advisory panel was set up from local residents to oversee the project.
The genesis of the idea for a college in western North Carolina came out of those advisory group meetings, and coincidentally, the NC Board of Education was beginning negotiations with the Legislature to begin designating funds for a system of state technical colleges.
By 1963, Jackson County had obtained a 17 acres (68,796.6 m²) site for locating the college, and by May 1964, 90 percent of the block work for the building was completed, with local masonry students providing much of the labor. The students, predominantly local residents who had been taking introductory classes in the previously established trade schools, were ready for hands-on experience.
Work continued on the building until late 1965. The one-story 18000 square feet (1,672.3 m²) structure consisted of five classrooms, four laboratory areas, five instructor offices, two administrative offices, three shop areas, a boiler room, and a coal storage area. The building, appraised at $120,000 when completed, was constructed at a cost of $70,000, principally because student labor helped keep expenses down. Jackson County Industrial Education Center was born as a satellite of Asheville-Buncombe Technical College
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College is a public two-year community college established in 1959 in Asheville, North Carolina. The college is one of the oldest in the North Carolina Community College System and serves primarily Buncombe and Madison counties. As of the 2004-2005 school...
.
In 1967, it was decided that two other local counties, Macon
Macon County, North Carolina
- Geographic features :Of the in Macon County, are federal lands that lie within the Nantahala National Forest and are administered by the United States Forest Service. Of the of USFS land, lie in the Highlands Ranger District and the remaining lie in the Wayah Ranger District...
and Swain, would be included as part of the area which the school served. A new name, Southwestern Technical Institute, was chosen denoting this expanded area of operation, as the school would now be serving the entire southwestern area of the state. Application for independent status of Southwestern Technical College was approved by Governor Dan Moore, and on January 2, 1968, the school began operation under the North Carolina Department of Community Colleges as Southwestern Technical Institute with a budget of $131,000.
In 1970 Southwestern began the process to become accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
, and received that status in December 1971. It was also accredited by the North Carolina Board of Education in 1972, one of only 11 schools in the state to receive endorsement from both agencies.
Southwestern experienced large growth throughout the next three decades, and evolved into a full-fledged college providing technical training, college transfer, and adult education needs. In 1988, Southwestern Technical College became Southwestern Community College to better reflect its educational role in the community.
Current events
In 2003 SCC partnered with Drake Enterprises and the Eastern Band of Cherokee to form BalsamWest FiberNET, LLC. This partnership was established in order provide direct network access to Western North Carolina, North Georgia, and Eastern Tennessee, an area which had been experiencing extremely high network access costs, and limited access. Currently the OC192 fiber loop is in final stages of production.In November of 2006, SCC entered into a unique partnership with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians , is a federally recognized Native American tribe in the United States of America, who are descended from Cherokee who remained in the Eastern United States while others moved, or were forced to relocate, to the west in the 19th century. The history of the...
that created the Oconaluftee Institute for Cultural Arts in Cherokee, North Carolina
Cherokee, North Carolina
Cherokee is a town in Swain County, North Carolina, USA, within the Qualla Boundary land trust. It is located in the Oconaluftee River Valley, near the intersection of U.S. Route 19 and U.S...
.
2007 saw the opening of the 23000 square feet (2,136.8 m²) Macon Center, located in Franklin, North Carolina
Franklin, North Carolina
Franklin is a town in Franklin Township, Macon County, North Carolina, United States, within the Nantahala National Forest. The population was 3,490 as of the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Macon County. Franklin is an official Appalachian Trail friendly destination...
.
Southwestern Community College ranks fourth in the nation in a new listing of America’s best community colleges.
That’s according to a July 2007 report in the Washington Monthly.
External links
- Southwestern Community College - Official home page
- 2007 Fact Book - Current information about the college and its programs
- Southwestern Community College Facts, Stats and Admissions Information - Yahoo! Education page regarding Southwestern Community College
- Southwestern Community College - College Overview - Thomson Peterson's information page