Monroe Community College (MCC) is a
public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...
community college
A community college is a type of undergraduate higher education institution, generally leading to an associate degree, certificate, or diploma. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an open enr ...
in
Monroe County, New York
Monroe County is a county in the U.S. state of New York, located along Lake Ontario's southern shore. As of 2022, the population was 752,035, according to Census Bureau estimates. Its county seat and largest city is Rochester. The county is ...
. It is part of the
State University of New York
The State University of New York (SUNY ) is a system of Public education, public colleges and universities in the New York (state), State of New York. It is one of the List of largest universities and university networks by enrollment, larges ...
. The college has two campuses; the main campus in the
town of Brighton, and the Downtown Campus in the
City of Rochester. The college also has off-site learning at the Applied Technologies Center, Monroe County Public Safety Training Facility, and offers
online classes. , MCC has enrolled more than a half a million students.
History
In 1961, community leaders, led by local physician Samuel J. Stabins, established the college to prepare students to work in healthcare.
That same year, MCC became part of the
SUNY system,
and its program offerings were expanded to prepare graduates for employment, or transfer to a four-year institution. Initially, the college was lodged in East High School located at 410 Alexander Street. The location was condemned by the city as a fire hazard, forcing the school to make renovations. On September 9, 1962, the original campus re-opened with the first class of 720 students.
In June 1965, MCC became the first college in the nation to receive accreditation within three years of its founding.
Due to increasing enrollment, the college overflowed its first location's capacity. In 1968, the college moved to its main campus on East Henrietta Road in Brighton. In 1991, the college announced plans for a second campus. The Damon City Campus, named in honor of longtime Trustee E. Kent Damon, opened its doors the following year in downtown Rochester.
In 2003, MCC opened the Alice Holloway Young Commons, its on-campus housing.
Presidents
Campuses
MCC occupies two campuses: the main campus on 1000 East Henrietta Road in the Town of
Brighton, New York and the Downtown Campus on 321 State Street near
Frontier Field and
Kodak Tower
Kodak Tower is a 19-story skyscraper in the High Falls District of Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in and the county seat, seat of government of Monroe County, New York, United States. It is the List of municipalities in New York, ...
. MCC also offers classes at the Applied Technologies Center on West Henrietta Road which includes automotive technologies, heating/cooling ventilation, and precision tooling and machinery. In addition, the college trains law enforcement, fire safety, and emergency medical services personnel at the county Public Safety Training Facility.
File:Monroe Community College Brighton Campus Main.jpg, MCC Brighton Campus
File:MCC Downtown Campus in September 2017.jpg, MCC Downtown Campus
File:MCC Applied Technologies Center.JPG, The Applied Technologies Center
File:Monroe County Public Safety Training Facility.JPG, Aviation accident training area at the Monroe County Public Safety Training Facility
Academics

Monroe Community College offers 100+ degree and certification programs.
Of the approximately 25,000+ students who take classes through Monroe Community College annually, 65 percent are under 25 years old, and more than half are women. The majority of students are enrolled in certificate and degree programs. In addition, the college trains the area's workforce through open enrollment and corporate training programs, serving small to mid-size employers.
MCC offers a "2+2" transfer program, in which students enroll in a program to earn their
associate degree
An associate degree or associate's degree is an undergraduate degree awarded after a course of post-secondary study lasting two to three years. It is a level of academic qualification above a high school diploma and below a bachelor's degree ...
in two years with the intent of transferring to a college or university — such as the
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private university, private research university in Rochester, New York, United States. It was founded in 1850 and moved into its current campus, next to the Genesee River in 1930. With approximately 30,000 full ...
,
Rochester Institute of Technology
The Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is a private university, private research university in Henrietta, New York, a suburb of Rochester, New York, Rochester. It was founded in 1829. It is one of only two institute of technology, institut ...
,
Saint John Fisher College,
Roberts Wesleyan College,
SUNY Geneseo
The State University of New York College at Geneseo (SUNY Geneseo, Geneseo State College or, colloquially, "Geneseo") is a public liberal arts college in Geneseo (village), New York, Geneseo, New York (state), New York. It is New York's public ho ...
,
SUNY Brockport,
Nazareth College, or the
Eastman School of Music
The Eastman School of Music is the music school of the University of Rochester, a private research university in Rochester, New York, United States. Established in 1921 by celebrated industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman, it was the ...
— to complete a
bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...
.
Student life

MCC is home to over 60 chartered clubs and organizations, including an online
radio
Radio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 3 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitter connec ...
station (WMCC) and a regular
newspaper
A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...
, The Monroe Doctrine. The newspaper includes both a print version and an online version.
The Student Association, of which all currently enrolled students are members, is governed by the Brighton Campus Student Government Association (SGA) and the Downtown Campus Student Events and Governance Association (SEGA).
The Campus Activities Board (CAB) is the events organization at MCC. The CAB sponsors on-campus activities such as Freestyle Fridays, Fall Fest and Spring Fling. CAB also brings in Guest Speakers to present on various current issues of interest to students.
Phi Theta Kappa, the international
honor society
In the United States, an honor society is an organization that recognizes individuals who rank above a set standard in various domains such as academics, leadership, and other personal achievements, not all of which are based on ranking systems. ...
of two-year colleges and academic programs, has a chapter on the MCC campus. The chapter also participates in the Honors in Action Study Topic and the College Project to remain a 5-star chapter.
MCC offers smart classrooms, interactive
videoconferencing
Videotelephony (also known as videoconferencing or video calling) is the use of audio signal, audio and video for simultaneous two-way communication. Today, videotelephony is widespread. There are many terms to refer to videotelephony. ''Vide ...
capabilities, eight electronic learning centers, the Warshof Conference Center, dental clinic, fitness and dance studios, a
synthetic turf field, and a variety of dining and restaurant options. The Brighton Campus, along with the Applied Technologies Center on West Henrietta Road and the Downtown Campus is completely wireless. A . athletics facility – the PAC Center – is also located on the Brighton Campus.

MCC provides
residence halls
A dormitory (originated from the Latin word ''dormitorium'', often abbreviated to dorm), also known as a hall of residence, a residence hall (often abbreviated to halls), or a hostel, is a building primarily providing sleeping and residential qu ...
for on-campus living. The Alice Holloway Young Residence Halls opened on the Brighton Campus in 2003, in honor of
Alice Holloway Young, a
trustee
Trustee (or the holding of a trusteeship) is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, refers to anyone in a position of trust and so can refer to any individual who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the ...
of the college.
There are four residence halls: Alexander Hall, Canal Hall, Pioneer Hall, and Tribune Hall.
Athletics
The Monroe Community College athletics program, commonly known as the MCC Tribunes, competes in the
National Junior College Athletic Association
The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) is the governing association of community college, state college, and junior college athletics throughout the United States. Currently the NJCAA holds 24 separate regions across 24 states ...
(NJCAA) in Region 3. MCC's athletics program began in 1962 with a men's basketball team coached by George C. Monagan, the school's athletic director from 1962 to 1988. Men's soccer and baseball teams were added the following year. the Tribunes' website lists 12 active programs (5 men's teams, 6 women's teams, and a
co-ed
Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to t ...
esports
Esports (), short for electronic sports, is a form of competition using video games. Esports often takes the form of organized, multiplayer video game competitions, particularly between professional players, played individually or as teams. ...
team).
The school's athletic facilities include an indoor recreational center with a turf field and running track, an aquatic center, a basketball court, and outdoor fields for baseball, softball, and soccer/lacrosse. John L. DiMarco Field, a 1,500-seat outdoor venue used by MCC's soccer and lacrosse teams, also served as the home of professional soccer team
Rochester New York FC in 2022. The team folded afterwards.
Title IX
On April 27, 2016, the U.S. Department of Education opened a federal Investigation to investigate if MCC had violated Title IX.
Notable people
Alumni
*
Hadji Barry, soccer player
*
Kelly Brannigan, model (
''Deal or No Deal'')
* Alyssa Lane (2012), professional wrestler performing in WWE as
Kayden Carter.
*
Robert Duffy (1975, 1988), Mayor of the City of Rochester,
Lieutenant Governor of New York
The lieutenant governor of New York is a Constitution of New York, constitutional office in the executive branch of the Government of the State of New York. It is the second highest-ranking official in state government. The lieutenant governo ...
*
Marcus Feagin, professional basketball player
*
Kimika Forbes,
association football
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
goalkeeper for
Trinidad and Tobago women's national football team
*
Lou Gramm
Louis Andrew Grammatico (born May 2, 1950), known professionally as Lou Gramm, is an American singer and songwriter. He is best known as co-founder and original frontman of the rock band Foreigner from 1976 to 1990 and again from 1992 to 2003, ...
(1971), original lead singer of
Foreigner
*
Travis McCoy, lead singer of
Gym Class Heroes
Gym Class Heroes was an American rap rock band from Geneva, New York. The group formed in 1997 when Travie McCoy met drummer Matt McGinley during their high school gym class. The band's music displays a wide variety of influences, including h ...
*
Tim Redding, former Major League Baseball pitcher
*
Dave Sarachan
Dave Sarachan (born June 7, 1954) is an American former soccer player and coach. Sarachan spent two seasons as a player in the North American Soccer League and four in Major Indoor Soccer League before retiring in 1982. Since then, he has coa ...
, assistant coach, LA Galaxy; former head coach,
Chicago Fire, and U.S. soccer player
*
Jeff Sluman
Jeffrey George Sluman (born September 11, 1957) is an American professional golfer who has won numerous professional golf tournaments including six PGA Tour victories.
Early life and amateur career
Sluman was born and reared in Rochester, New Yo ...
(1977), professional golfer
*
Cathy Turner (1984), Olympic gold medalist
Faculty
*
Otis Young, first black actor to star in a television western,
The Outcasts; former assistant professor of Communications and head of the Drama Department at MCC from 1989 to 1999. Professor Young died in 2001.
References
External links
Official website
{{authority control
Education in Rochester, New York
Educational institutions established in 1964
Two-year colleges in the United States
Universities and colleges in Monroe County, New York
1964 establishments in New York (state)
NJCAA schools
Community colleges in New York (state)