Chemeketa Community College is a community college

Community college

A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...

 located in Salem, Oregon

Salem, Oregon

Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...

, with smaller campuses in McMinnville

McMinnville, Oregon

McMinnville is the county seat and largest city of Yamhill County, Oregon, United States. According to Oregon Geographic Names, it was named by its founder, William T. Newby , an early immigrant on the Oregon Trail, for his hometown of McMinnville, Tennessee...

, Dallas

Dallas, Oregon

The city of Dallas is the county seat of Polk County, Oregon, United States. The population was 14,583 at the 2010 census.Dallas is located on Rickreall Creek, approximately 15 miles west of Salem, at an altitude of 325 feet above sea level...

, Brooks

Brooks, Oregon

Brooks is an unincorporated community in Marion County, Oregon, United States. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Brooks as a census-designated place . The census definition of the area may not precisely correspond to local understanding of the area with the same...

, and Woodburn

Woodburn, Oregon

Woodburn is a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States. Incorporated in 1889, the community had been platted in 1871 after the arrival of the railroad. The city is located in the northern end of the Willamette Valley along Interstate 5 between Portland and Salem...

, and the Northwest Viticulture Center in Eola

Eola, Oregon

Eola is an unincorporated community in Polk County, Oregon, United States four miles west of Salem on Oregon Route 22 at the confluence of Rickreall Creek and the Willamette River....

. Chemeketa serves more than 63,000 students each year in a district that covers 2600 square miles (6,734 km²) in Marion

Marion County, Oregon

Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was originally named the Champooick District, after Champoeg, a meeting place on the Willamette River. On September 3, 1849, the territorial legislature renamed it in honor of Francis Marion, a Continental Army general of the...

, Polk

Polk County, Oregon

Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county is named for James Knox Polk, the 11th president of the United States. In 2010, its population was 75,403. The seat of the county is Dallas....

, most of Yamhill

Yamhill County, Oregon

-National protected areas:*Siuslaw National Forest *Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 84,992 people, 28,732 households, and 21,376 families residing in the county. The population density was 119 people per square mile . There were 30,270...

, and part of Linn

Linn County, Oregon

Linn County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is named in honor of Lewis F. Linn, a U.S. Senator from Missouri who advocated the American occupation of the Oregon Country. By the 2010 US census the population of Linn county was 116,672 showing a 13.2% growth since the 2000 census...

 counties.

History

Chemeketa's history began in 1952, when the Salem School District started the Salem Technical-Vocational School to provide training for the unemployed. In 1969 the college district was formed, and a competition was held to name the new college. The winning entry came from dental assisting student Susan Blum, who wrote in her submission that the term "Chemeketa" means "a peaceful gathering place." In December 1969, the Board of Education approved the name Chemeketa Community College.

Programs

In addition to the campuses and centers listed above, the college's Center for Business and Industry in downtown Salem houses the Small Business Development Center and operates classes and programs benefiting area businesses. The college also operates the Eola Viticulture Center which includes a working vineyard and houses its winemaking and vineyard management programs. This viticulture

Viticulture

Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...

 program was the first of its kind in Oregon.

Chemeketa offers Associate of Applied Science degrees in more than 40 professional-technical programs, as well as an Associate of Arts—Oregon Transfer and a General Education degree. Chemeketa Community College is well-known for its nursing, fire science, viticulture, and electronics programs.

Due to budget cuts, the Santiam Campus in Sublimity was closed in 2009. The paramedic program is currently based out of the Santiam Campus after being displaced from Building 8 during on campus construction.
Due to low enrollment and budget cuts the Theatre program was cut after the 2011 School year.

Notable alumni

• Grayson Boucher
  Grayson Boucher
  Grayson The Professor Boucher is an American Streetball player. He is most known for playing on the highly stylized, international AND1 Mixtape Tour; he has also appeared in several movies...
  
  , better known by his nickname "The Professor", is a professional streetball basketball player

External links

• Chemeketa Community College (official website)