Arapahoe Community College

Coordinates: 39°36′30″N 105°01′11″W / 39.6084°N 105.0196°W / 39.6084; -105.0196
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Arapahoe Community College
President
Stephanie J. Fujii[1]
Students20,000 (annually)
Location,
USA

39°36′30″N 105°01′11″W / 39.6084°N 105.0196°W / 39.6084; -105.0196
CampusUrban / rural
Colors   Purple and White
MascotPumas
Websitewww.arapahoe.edu

Arapahoe Community College (ACC) is a public community college in Littleton, Colorado. It was founded in 1965 as the first community college to open in the Denver area.[2][3]

History

The college began after a grass-roots movement by Littleton residents, led by Littleton activist Virginia Baker,[2] to provide post-high school education in the area.[3] Arapahoe Junior College began with 550 students.

In 2001, a new campus building in Parker was constructed next to

University of Colorado at Denver, and the Douglas County School District. In 2010, it became a part of ACC and was renamed the Arapahoe Community College Parker Campus.[4]

After some years of independent operation, ACC joined the Colorado Community College System, comprising 13 institutions.

In 2013, Frank Lee Earley (one of the founding faculty members) self-published an illustrated memoir, The View From the Fourth Floor: A Personal History of Arapahoe Community College, 1965–2005,[5] which gives a first-person account of the founding and growth of the college.

In January 2017, the college announced plans to construct a $40 million campus in the Meadows community of Castle Rock, Colorado. The campus was planned to be a collaborative project between ACC, Colorado State University, and Douglas County School District.[6] Construction on the campus broke ground on May 21, 2018, and opened August 16, 2019.[7]

Academics

ACC enrolls over 21,000 credit and non-credit students yearly across its three campuses in the southern portion of the Greater Denver Metropolitan area.[citation needed] The college has three campuses in the south Denver area, in Littleton, Parker, and Castle Rock.

The college offers over 90[specify] degree and certificate programs. In addition to its traditional classroom learning environment, ACC has over 200[specify] courses available online.[8]

Grants and endowments

ACC is one of six community colleges with a

Great Books Program[9] approved by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education. Participants in the program receive a certificate that is recognized by admission councils at many 4-year colleges and universities.[9]

In June 2015, ACC earned a $2.3 million workforce training grant to support its Health Information Technology program (HIT), one of 71 such grants distributed nationwide.[10]

Other campuses

  • Parker Campus, opened in 2001, 15653 Brookstone Drive, Parker, Colorado
  • Castle Rock sturm collaboration campus, opened in 2019, 4500 Limelight Avenue, Castle Rock, Colorado

Notable people

Notable faculty

  • Your Baby's Best Shot: Why Vaccines are Safe and Save Lives
    (2012)

References

  1. ^ "CCCS Announces Next President for Arapahoe Community College". Arapahoe Community College (Press release). May 3, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Arapahoe Community College: A look at the early days". Douglas County News-Press. Douglas County, CO. May 8, 2015. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Happy 50 birthday to ACC". Littleton Independent. Littleton, CO. September 8, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  4. ^ "Arapahoe Community College". littletongov.org. Littleton Colorado. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  5. ^ "New Publications in 2013". Center for Colorado & the West at Auraria Library. Archived from the original on November 24, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  6. ^ "Higher-education campus finds home in Castle Rock – Colorado Community Media". Colorado Community Media. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  7. ^ "Castle Rock Collaboration Campus groundbreaking approach to higher education – SOURCE". SOURCE. June 4, 2018. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  8. ^ "Fast Facts". Arapahoe Community College. Archived from the original on July 18, 2015. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  9. ^ a b "Great Books Program". Arapahoe Community College. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  10. ^ "ACC earns tech grant". Littleton Independent. Littleton CO. June 12, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2015.

External links