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Expanding Forward, Phoenix College - Mesa Extension
Mesa Operated as an extension campuis of Phoenix College and was located at 809 W. Main Street in Mesa. This building, built in 1911, was used ny MCC until 1965. The main room was the library and the classrooms were in the basement, Today this is the site of the land mark restaurant which opened in January 1974. -
The First President, Start of a Legacy
John Riggs was appointed Executive Dean of the Mesa Extension. Once Mesa became a full college, he served as President until 1974. -
The First Semester, Registering for the future.
330 students registered for classes the first semester at the Mesa Extension on Sept. 11. -
A New Home, Planting Roots in Mesa.
Capital funds from the bond election enabled Mesa Community College to purchase 120 acres with an option to purchase an adjoining 40 acres for the new campus at Dobson and Southern Roads in Mesa. -
Welcome The Hokams, MCC atheletics begins.
Mesa students voted Hokams as the nickname for their athletic teams. The name originated from the ancient Indian tribe, the Hohokam, who lived in the Salt River Valley. -
The First Yearbook, Publishing History.
Mesa Extension published its first yearbook called Jacali. The name is the Spanish word for the Hohokam Indian dwelling. This tied the yearbook to the MCC mascot, the Hokam. Jacali was published 1965 – 1979. -
The Great Divide, Mesa Community College finds its identity.
On April 12th the Maricopa Junior College District Board named Mesa Community College and Glendale Community College as separate institutions from Phoenix College. Dr. John D. Riggs, Dean of the Mesa Extension, became Executive Dean of Mesa Community College. Other MCC administrators were: Keith Breon, Dean of Admissions; Jinnett Kirk, Dean of Students; and Theo Heap, Associate Dean of Students. -
Name Change.
On July 1, 1965, the Governing Board officially changed the name to Mesa Community College -
Breaking Ground, It's Official.
Mesa Community College's ground breaking ceremony on October 15th was conducted by Student Body President “Jeep” Anderson -
A Grand Opening, Southern & Dobson Campus opens.
Mesa Community College opened at its new site on the corner of Dobson and Southern. The buildings: the student center, the science building, the maintenance building and 26 portable classrooms - giving MCC the nickname “portable university.” -
Rainy Day Orientation, Delayed but not deterred.
Student orientation day on the new MCC campus was held on September 14th. It rained hard all day. The parking lots had not yet been paved. The area where the math science (MS) building now stands was under water. The huge puddle was named “Lake Hokam” and a jeep was needed to tow cars to solid ground. Classes were delayed another 3 days, but began with a record enrollment of 2,053 students. -
Campus Dedication Day, Registration in record numbers.
Mesa Community College campus dedication day was held October 30. The program was held in the area north of the student union and west of the flagpole. Fall registration was 3,850. -
Preparing for Gold, MCC takes its atheltics to the next level.
MCC became a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), enabling our athletic programs to compete on the national level. Eighteen National Championships and more than 83 Conference Titles won since 1968. -
Going the Distance, Track and field shine.
MCC men's outdoor track and field won the national championship in 1968 and 1969. Ernie Bullard was their first head coach, followed in 1969 by Coach Carvel Jackson, who won 5 national titles. MCC track and field has produced more than 127 All-Americans including Mark Murro, who competed in the 1968 Olympics for javelin throw. -
The First Graduation On Campus, Leading the way for furture generations.
Mesa Community College graduated its first class on its new campus in ceremonies May 29, at 8 p.m. 253 students graduated. The 1966 and 1967 Commencement Ceremonies were held at Rendezvous Park in Mesa. -
Touchdown Hokams, A cornerstone for MCC athletics.
Dedication of the football stadium -
Hitting a Home Run, MCC's baseball team finds success.
The Hokams win the National Baseball Championship for three successive years (1970, 1971 and 1972). Jim Brock becomes MCC’s first baseball coach, followed by Jim Frye with a 334–172 record in eleven seasons. Frye was inducted into the NJCAA Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996 for his work in community college baseball. -
National Champiohs, Racing towrds the future.
Men's Outdoor Track & Field brought home 4 national championships: 1970, 1973, 1974, 1975. All-American Ron Semkiw earned a shotput record. MCC track and field has produced more than 127 All-Americans. -
The Golden Slam, MCC's tennis Team has the perfect serve.
MCC won the National Tennis Championship. Coach Lot Christensen is considered the “Father of Tennis.” In his 21 years as coach, MCC scored an unbelievable 409 wins to only 50 losses. -
Touchdown, MCC climbs the ranks.
Football won national championships in 1973 and 1975. The 1973 team played in the Sunkist Bowl in Yuma, Arizona. Football Coach Paul Widmer took the team to 2 National Championships and 5 Conference Titles during his decade of leadership with an 83-14-1 record. MCC's football team has produced more than 50 All-Americans, 30 Academic All-Americans and 29 professional football players. -
Switching it up, Achange in identity.
MCC’s mascot changes from Hokam to Thunderbird. -
Howe for President, The successor to John Riggs.
Helena Howe was appointed MCC President and remained in the position until 1978. -
Carreer Fairs
In 1976, MCC began hosting Career Fairs to assist students in seeking employment -
Bump, Set, Spike, Volleyball brings ho,e the National Championship.
In seven years the volleyball team compiled a 199–11 record, a national championship, and six conference titles under the leadership of coach Lynn Bedford. -
Coming Up Roses, Public rose garden opens.
Dedication of the MCC and Mesa-East Valley Rose Society Rose Garden was held on April 30th. The garden is still the largest public rose garden in the southwest. -
A Proper Venue, MCC's performers get their stage.
Theatre Outback opened in 1978. Previous performances had been held in a portable that was “outback” on the south side of campus. -
Soaring High, A monumental occasion.
Erected in 1978, the stained glass Thunderbird monument at the corner of Southern and Dobson was presented to the college as a gift from the Evening College Student Government Association -
A Change In Leadership, Preparing for a new decade.
Theo J. Heap was appointed MCC President. -
On The Run, Women's Track and Field beats the Competion.
Women’s Outdoor Track and Field races to success and earns the National Championship. -
Stellar Strides, Champions once more.
Men's Outdoor Track and Field won the national championship. -
A Healthy Addition, Teamwork proves vital.
Completed construction of the Health Improvement Center. A weight room was added in 1983. Dedication ceremonies and an Open House were held Oct. 12. The Health Improvement Center was built by MCC coaches and employees on evenings and weekends; it was built without tax or government dollars. -
Head Count
On January 1st, 1982, MCC led all of the Maricopa Community Colleges in enrollment with a head count of 14,674. -
The Simpson ERA, Propelling MCC onward and upward
Wallace A. Simpson was appointed MCC President. -
Rotary Registration, The beginning of something special.
MCC offered telephone registration for the first time, limited to one course that did not require advising or testing. -
Full Steam Ahead, MCC's education in demand.
Chandler-Gilbert Education Center began its first year of operation as an extension of Mesa Community College. -
The Legacy of Theo Heap, In Honor of MCC's past.
The MCC east gymnasium was named after Theo Heap, former President, Athletic Director, and Coach, during Dedication Ceremonies on December 19. -
Biblio Barcoding, Innovation at MCC.
Bar code technology came to the library as part of a new automation system. Bar codes were assigned to every item in the library’s collection, and appeared on student ID cards for the first time. -
A dean's Proud Moment, Recognizing of of MCC;s greatest.
Jinnett B. Kirk, MCC’s first Dean of Students, was honored with the Don Carlos Humanitarian Award on February 20. -
A Presendential Introduction, Ushering Mesa Community College into the 1990s.
Larry K. Christiansen served as Mesa Community College's President for nineteen years - leaving in 2007. -
Phone Number Change.
MCC’s telephone number changed with the advent of an upgraded telephone system that encompassed all of the Maricopa Community Colleges. The older (827)-3000 number was changed to (461)-7000, which remains to the present day. The Red Mountain campus brought a new prefix of (654)-7000. -
A silver Jubilee, MCC celebrates 25th anniversary.
T-Bird Corner at Southern and Dobson received a facelift for the 25th anniversary. Erected in 1978, the Thunderbird monument was presented to the college as a gift from the Evening College Student Government Association. -
Big Time, Celebrating the Alumni Clock Tower dedication.
MCC’s Clock Tower, designed to be a focal point on campus, received conceptual approval from the district's governing board. At the time, the 60-foot high structure was valued at $90,000. The Alumni Clock Tower dedication was held on October 18th. -
Open for BusinessThe Commission on Excellence in Education
President Christiansen created the Commission on Excellence in Education which included 530 business leaders, government officials and Arizona residents. -
The First InterSession,Classes offered in a one-month mini-session.
MCC offered its first InterSession on Dec. 26. 32 classes were offered and 379 students enrolled. -
MCC East Campus, New opportunity at McKellips and Power Roads.
700 students began their journeys to success in temporary facilities. -
Timeless, The Alumni Clock Tower gets an upgrade.
The word “MESA” was added to the Alumni Clock tower. -
Supporting Our Future, MCC sponsors its 1st High School Model UN Conference.
The high school students posed as UN delegates and discussed issues such as terrorism, AIDS/HIV, and human rights. Distinguished delegates received a $1,000 MCC scholarship. -
Honoring Weston Letter, MCC hosts its 1st Annual Water Safety Day.
This community event educates the public about water safety issues and honors the memory of Weston Letter, who drowned in the family swimming pool on May 31, 1998. -
Going Wireless, Red Mountain campus advances with a webcam.
The MCC Southern and Dobson campus Social Cultural Building, Physical Science Building and the Diesel/Welding and Physical Education portables all install wireless technology to support classroom laptops. -
A Groundbreaking Event, The beginning of the Red Mountain Campus.
Phase I construction began for Red Mountain Campus, which included four buildings: the Desert Willow Bldg. (library & commons), Mesquite Bldg. (student & administrative services), Palo Verde Bldg. (classrooms & laboratories), and the Ironwood Bldg. (central plant). A groundbreaking ceremony was held in April. -
Providing Tools for Teaching, Dedication of the MCC Center for Teaching and Learning.
The Center for Teaching and Learning leads and inspires the advancement of innovative teaching and learning for student success. The dedication was held on October 5th. -
Fun With Science,First MCC Science Day was held on April 9th.
Local schools were invited to participate in science activities on campus. -
Enrollment Numbers.
2001-02 MCC reached an enrollment of 44,000 students with classes offered in facilities across the East Valley -
Helping Hands, Sculptor begins production outside the Theatre Outback.
Chinese artist Xiaoping Luo’s The Hands sculpture is 12 feet long and symbolizes the nurturing of the student body. It also offers a unique and inspiring seating area. -
Maricopa County Votes, $951 million bond approved and issued.
A more than 2-to-1 margin by Maricopa County voters secures the new bond. MCC's portion of the proceeds was set at $111 million: $60 million to Southern and Dobson, $20 million for Red Mountain, $21 million for technology, and $10 million for the Downtown Center. -
Highest Honors, MCC named to U.S. President's Higher Education Honor Roll.
The U.S. President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll highlights the role colleges play in solving community problems and placing more students on a lifelong path of civic engagement. -
Hall of Fame, MCC's Inaugural Sports Hall of Fame inductees.
MCC celebrates twenty athletes, coaches, administrators, and community leaders who have contributed significantly to the success of MCC athletics over the past 40 years with induction into its inaugural Sports Hall of Fame. -
Recognition of Progress, Award designed to highlight institutional efforts.
The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), a leading Washington-based, private, nonprofit organization, awarded the 2007 CHEA Award for Institutional Progress in Student Learning Outcomes to Mesa Community College. -
The Next Chapter, MCC welcomes a new president.
Dr. Shouan Pan became the sixth president of MCC. -
Rise of the Thunderbird, Football team debuts new Thunderbird logo.
The football team was first to don a newly redesigned Thunderbird athletic mascot logo on their helmets for their homecoming game against Scottsdale CC. The new bird, designed by Shachi Kale, is represented in Mesa's colors: scarlet, white, and southwest blue. -
Soleris Bells, Refurbished and reinstalled.
The Paolo Soleri Bell sculpture was reinstalled in the new Elsner Library after employee donations paid for a refurbishing. The original sculpture was a gift of the class of 1968 and was installed in MCC's original library. -
Coming Up Roses, Grant bestowed for garden updates.
The Rose Garden at MCC received a grant from the Stanley Smith Horticulture Trust resulting in up to $40,000 for a variety of garden projects including bridges so students can safely cross the retention area near the corner of Southern & Dobson, rose arbors, benches, a trellis, and other artistically designed enhancements. -
Mesa Counts on College, Grant draws to a close with impressive results.
The Mesa Counts on College grant, funded through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, drew to a close. Along with partners Mesa Public Schools and the City of Mesa, MCC implemented several new initiatives, such as the Pathways to Completion Project, GED to MCC, the Mesa Community Outreach Center, and Explore What's In Store. -
National Recognition, A spotlight on success.
Bob Samson of MCC's Network Academy was recognized as one of the top 20 Cisco Trainers in the U.S. -
Thrilling Victory, A home run for men's baseball.
Men’s baseball claims the national championship with a thrilling 9–7 win in 11 innings over Hinds (Miss.). The championship caps a season with a 52–13 record and adds a fourth baseball championship in school history. The 1970–72 teams all won NJCAA crowns. -
Performing Arts Pledge, A gift for the musicians.
Dr. Ruth Tan Lim pledged $1 million for the naming rights of the Performance Hall in the new Performing Arts Center (PAC) at MCC. The gift will be deposited with the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation (MCCF) for exclusive use of the Music Program at MCC. Income from the interest will be used for scholarship awards and to support the music program. -
Community Engagement, Students serve 530,088 hours.
MCC is one of only 16 community colleges nationwide to receive the Community Engagement Classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Since 2002, MCC’s Center for Community & Civic Engagement has formally tracked service-learning students and their hours. To date, 17,346 students have served a total of 530,088 hours. -
National Recognition, Presidential visit prompts governor's applause.
President George W. Bush visited Mesa Community College to discuss his proposal for a $250 million federal grant for job training programs in community colleges across the nation. The next day, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano recognized MCC for achieving national recognition at the East Valley Breakfast with the Governor. -
Slam Dunk, Women's basketball team shoots and scores.
The Mesa women's basketball team captured the NJCAA Division II national championship with an 82-72 win in overtime over second-seeded Highland (Kan.). The victory capped a fantastic career for the MCC sophomores, who posted a 55-12 record over their two years, won two Region I titles, took second place nationally in 2013, and capped it all with a national title in 2014.