Pima Community College

Pima Community College (PCC) is a public community college in Tucson, Arizona, United States. It has five campuses, four education centers, and several adult education learning centers, all serving the Tucson area. The college offers more than 144 programs, including classes you can take online.

Students can choose from traditional classroom learning or online courses. PCC also provides training to help people get new jobs, classes for personal interests, and special certificates for those who have already finished college.

PCC is one of the largest community colleges in the United States, with its size usually ranking between fourth and tenth. The college is officially recognized and approved by the Higher Learning Commission, meaning it meets high standards for education quality.

History

Voters in Pima County approved the creation of a junior college district in 1966. The first classes were held in 1969 at a temporary campus in an airplane hangar at the Tucson International Airport, Tucson Medical Center, Villa Maria, and Marana. The college was originally named Pima College, but the name was changed to Pima Community College in 1972.

The college faced some difficult times in the early 2010s. In 2011, a leader of the college had to leave because of health problems after some serious issues were reported. Later, the college had problems with its leadership and needed to fix some important rules. By 2017, the college had solved these problems and was fully approved again.

Campuses and learning centers

Pima Community College started with one campus and has grown to meet the needs of students in Tucson. Today, it has six campuses and four learning centers offering many ways to learn, including regular classes, online courses, and hands-on activities.

The campuses are Community (closed in 2019), Desert Vista, Downtown, East, Northwest, and West. Learning centers include the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base Education Center, Green Valley Community Learning Center, Northeast Education Center (closed in 2011), and Southeast Education Center. These centers help students in different parts of the area access education.

In 2019, Pima Community College started a special program with the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Students can earn an associate degree from Pima and continue to a bachelor’s degree in business management from CUA. This program costs less than attending a four-year college and helps students who are first-generation or from under-represented groups.

Organization and administration

Pima Community College is led by a group of five leaders called a board of governors. These leaders are chosen by people in the area to serve for six years. Each leader comes from a different part of the county.

Governance and leadership

The Pima County Community College District is guided by a board with five members. These members are chosen by voters from different areas in Pima County. The college’s leader, called the chancellor, is the main person in charge. Each campus has its own president, and different areas of the college are managed by vice chancellors.

Academics

Pima Community College offers many programs to help people in the Tucson area. These include classes for getting a high school diploma, learning to read better, art and theater activities, programs for older adults, and summer camps. The college also has a center to help small businesses.

The college has special approval from groups that make sure schools are doing a good job. Some of its medical programs, like nursing, have extra approval from education departments in Arizona and the United States. Its aviation program is approved by the group that oversees flying in the country.

Pima Community College also runs a program called Aztec Middle College. This helps older students earn both high school and college credits at the same time.

Degrees and certificates

Pima Community College can give students several types of degrees, such as Associate of Arts, Associate of Business, and Associate of Science. It also gives certificates in many different subjects.

AGEC

In 1999, Arizona made a set of general education courses for students moving from a community college to a university. This set of courses can be used to meet basic education requirements at state universities. Pima Community College gives certificates for these courses.

Student life

Student publications

The Pima Post is the student newspaper of Pima Community College. It started in the 1970s under different names and became the Pima Post in 2021. Today, it is an online news service run by students, covering all six campuses. Before 2020, it was also printed every two weeks.

SandScript is a literary magazine that has won awards for being one of the best publications in its area.

Other programs

Students can join many activities, including:

• Army ROTC
• Performing arts like theater, music, and art
• Student government
• An honors program
• The Phi Theta Kappa honors society

Athletics

Pima Community College has fifteen sports teams for men and women, called the Aztecs.

Fall sports

• Men's cross country
• Women's cross country
• Men's soccer
• Women's soccer
• Women's volleyball

Winter sports

• Men's basketball
• Women's basketball

Spring sports

• Baseball
• Men's golf
• Women's golf
• Softball
• Men's tennis
• Women's tennis
• Men's track and field
• Women's track and field

Notable people

Pima Community College has helped many successful people in different fields. Some well-known graduates and attendees include educators, politicians, and athletes.

Athletes

Many athletes have also come from Pima Community College. These include Olympic runners, baseball and basketball players, and mixed martial artists who have competed in big leagues and tournaments around the world.

Mixed martial artists

Several mixed martial artists have trained and started their careers at Pima Community College. They have gone on to compete in major fighting organizations and have achieved notable success in their sport.