The Moore County Campus just celebrated its 10-year anniversary. MCC offers opportunities for students and their families who may not have other options for college.
Planning for MCC started almost two years before the campus opened.
Moore County voters approved the campus with 70 percent in favor.
“The establishment of the MCC has been mentioned by many citizens and leaders in our county as one of the all-time significant contributions in making Moore County a better place to live,” said Larry Appel, a math instructor.
About 100 people were present at the Jan. 21 celebration. From when the campus opened on Jan. 19, 2000, to this semester, the number of students attending MCC has almost tripled. The facility itself has grown as well.
Daina Riehl, a former MCC student, started the first semester the campus was open. She became MCC’s first Most Outstanding Student, and she graduated with honors in spring 2003. Riehl has been teaching Algebra I at Dumas High School for the past four years and Geometry for the past year. When asked if she would have accomplished what she had if there were no MCC, she said, “No. Never.”
A couple of the things that help students at MCC are the Student Support Services grant program and the Quest program, said Alexa Maples, coordinator of student support services, and Vicki Swiedom, an MCC adviser. The SSS program is available to students who are first-generation college students, struggling with low income or disabled. The program helps about a third of MCC students.
Quest was designed to help students financially who graduate from DHS with good grades, attendance and behavior for a maximum of 66 hours at MCC. Those students have doubled at MCC in the past three years.
Among future projects for MCC are various construction projects.
They will include a student activity center, a covered study area, a new technical shop and a new maintenance-garage area, said Renee Vincent, MCC executive director. She said plans also include expanding the renewable energy-wind technology program to include solar energy.
Moore campus turns 10
Published: Thursday, February 18, 2010
Updated: Wednesday, February 17, 2010
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