Victoria College (VC) 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 ...

Victoria, Texas Victoria is a city and the county seat of Victoria County, Texas, United States. The population was 65,534 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The three counties of the Victoria, Texas metropolitan area, Victoria Metropolitan Statis ...

. The college first began classes in the Patti Welder High School on February 4, 1925. After

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, because of the growth of the surrounding area and the college population from returning GIs, the college built its own campus and changed its name from the Victoria Junior College to Victoria College. The college shares some facilities with the

University of Houston–Victoria The University of Houston–Victoria (UHV) is a public university in Victoria, Texas, United States. It is part of the University of Houston System. Its campus spans in Victoria with a satellite location in Katy, Texas. Founded in 1971, UHV ...

. Victoria College now serves approximately 6,200 students each year through education and training. It is designated by the US Department of Education as a

Hispanic-Serving Institution A Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) is defined in U.S. federal law as an accredited, degree-granting, public or private nonprofit institution of higher education with 25% or higher total undergraduate Hispanic or Latino full-time equivalent (FTE ...

(HSI).

Service area

As defined by the

Texas Legislature The Texas State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. It is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The state legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin. It is a p ...

, the official service area of Victoria College includes: * Calhoun, DeWitt,

Gonzales Gonzales may refer to: Places * Gonzales, California, U.S. * Gonzales, Louisiana, U.S. * Gonzales, Texas, U.S. * Gonzales County, Texas Other uses * Battle of Gonzales, 1835 * Gonzales (horse) (1977 – after 1996), an American-bred Thoroughbr ...

, Lavaca, and Victoria Counties * Jackson County, except the territory within the Ganado Independent School District * Refugio County, except the territory within the Woodsboro Independent School District

Student life

Victoria College offers more than 20 student clubs and organizations. The VC Pirates men's basketball and women's volleyball teams compete at the NJCAA Division I level.

History

Victoria College was established as a part of the Victoria Independent School District in 1925, making it one of the oldest community colleges in Texas. Classes were initially held on the third floor of the Patti Welder High School with 51 students enrolling that first semester. In Sept. 1949, Victoria College moved to its present-day Main Campus on Red River Street and constructed four buildings that year. Nearly a century later, VC has expanded to include 16 buildings on its 60-acre Main Campus, the Zelda L. Allen School of Nursing in Hallettsville (1984), the Museum of the Coastal Bend located on the Main Campus (2003); the Gonzales Center in Gonzales (2006), the Leo J. Welder Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Victoria (2012), and the Emerging Technology Complex on Lone Tree Road (2015). Over the years, Victoria College has opened new locations; underwent several name changes; expanded its workforce training, adult education, and dual enrollment offerings; and evolved into a community college that now serves approximately 6,200 students each year through education and training.

Notable alumni

* Joseph L. Galloway, newspaper correspondent and columnist *

Jim Lehrer James Charles Lehrer ( ; May 19, 1934 – January 23, 2020) was an American journalist, novelist, screenwriter, and playwright. He was the executive editor and a news anchor for the ''PBS News Hour'' on PBS and was known for his role as a debate ...

, journalist * Geanie Morrison, member of the

Texas House of Representatives The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms. There are no Term limits in the United States, term limits. The ...

from District 30 since 1999; includes Victoria County

References

External links

* Education in Victoria County, Texas University of Houston–Victoria Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Community colleges in Texas 1925 establishments in Texas Universities and colleges established in 1925 {{Texas-university-stub