McLennan Community College
Encyclopedia
McLennan Community College (MCC) 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...

 partially funded by the taxpayers of McLennan County, Texas
McLennan County, Texas
McLennan County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas. In 2000, its population was 213,517; in 2008 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated its population to be 230,213. Its seat is Waco. The county is named for Neil McLennan, an early settler....

. Located in Waco, Texas
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....

, it opened in 1965. MCC now serves about 9,000 students and has more than 700 employees. It is governed by a Board of Trustees elected from single-member districts in the county.

Area

It is one of three colleges in Waco along with Baylor University
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...

 and Texas State Technical College
McLennan Community College is located on 200 acre (0.809372 km²) on the north side of town near the Bosque River
Bosque River
The Bosque River is a long river in Central Texas fed by four primary branches. The longest branch, the North Bosque, forms near Stephenville, and flows toward Waco through Hamilton, Bosque and McLennan counties. It is subsequently joined by the East Bosque in Bosque County and the Middle and...

 and Cameron Park. The College also owns Highlander Ranch, a 200 acre (0.809372 km²) farm about 5 miles (8 km) from the main campus.

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

, the official service area of McLennan Community College consists of the following:
  • all of McLennan
    McLennan County, Texas
    McLennan County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas. In 2000, its population was 213,517; in 2008 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated its population to be 230,213. Its seat is Waco. The county is named for Neil McLennan, an early settler....

     and Falls
    Falls County, Texas
    Falls County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 18,576. In 2003, the population of the county was estimated to be 17,926. It is named for the waterfalls on the Brazos River, which can be found at the Falls On The Brazos Park, a campsite located only a few...

     Counties, and
  • the Calvert
    Calvert Independent School District
    Calvert Independent School District is a public school district based in Calvert, Texas .In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.-Schools:*Calvert High...

     and Bremond
    Bremond Independent School District
    Bremond Independent School District is a public school district based in Bremond, Texas .In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency....

     school districts.

Athletics

The school boasts several student organizations and athletic teams. The mascot is a Scottish Highlander; the men's athletic teams are referred as the Highlanders, and the women's teams are the Highlassies. MCC's athletics program includes men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, and men's and women's golf. There is also a nationally recognized dance team.

Facilities

The campus was recently expanded to include three new buildings, which were built with funding from a bond passed by voters in November 2006. The Michaelis Academic Center, New Science Building and Emergency Services Education Center are state-of-the-art buildings constructed to gain LEED certification.

MCC’s campus also includes the Bosque River Stage, a 530-seat amphitheater located along the banks of the Bosque River. This outdoor venue was renovated in 2001 to expand the stage and update the lighting, sound and concessions area. The Bosque River Stage hosts a variety of nationally known musical acts at reasonable prices and the ever-popular River Sounds, a free summer concert series.

Degrees

MCC offers two-year associate degrees in arts and sciences for students who want to transfer to four-year schools. The school also has training programs—-two-year associate degrees in applied science and one-year certificates—-for students who want to enter the workforce. The school also offers a diverse choice of continuing education courses for all community members.

The University Center at MCC is a unique partnership with four-year state universities that offer degree programs on MCC’s campus. It offers students the opportunity to earn affordable bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees without leaving Central Texas.

Partner universities are Midwestern State University, Tarleton State University, the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, the University of Texas at Brownsville, and Texas Tech University.

Speakers

Through the McLennan Distinguished Lecture Series MCC brings nationally known figures to Waco to give free lectures to the community. Started in 2004, the program has attracted such notable speakers as author Tamim Ansary
Tamim Ansary
Mir Tamim Ansary is an Afghan-American author and public speaker. He is the author of West of Kabul, East of New York, a book published shortly after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and is a columnist for the encyclopedia website Encarta.- Early life and education :Ansary was born in...

, Nobel prize-winner James Watson
James D. Watson
James Dewey Watson is an American molecular biologist, geneticist, and zoologist, best known as one of the co-discoverers of the structure of DNA in 1953 with Francis Crick...

, Bill Nye
Bill Nye
William Sanford "Bill" Nye , popularly known as Bill Nye the Science Guy, is an American science educator, comedian, television host, actor, mechanical engineer, and scientist...

 “The Science Guy” and former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich
Robert Reich
Robert Bernard Reich is an American political economist, professor, author, and political commentator. He served in the administrations of Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter and was Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997....

.

Alumni

Notable alumni of McLennan Community College include the late 1990s country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...

 group Sons of the Desert
Sons of the Desert (band)
Sons of the Desert was an American country music band founded in 1989 in Waco, Texas by brothers Drew Womack and Tim Womack , along with Scott Saunders , Doug Virden and Brian Westrum...

, NBA player Vinnie Johnson
Vinnie Johnson
Vincent "Vinnie" Johnson is a retired American professional basketball player and a key player as sixth man for the Detroit Pistons during the team's NBA championships of 1989 and 1990.-College basketball career:...

, and former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 player Jay Buhner
Jay Buhner
Jay Campbell Buhner , nicknamed "Bone", is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He was among the most recognizable players of his day, noted for his shaved head, thick goatee, and patch of pine tar on the right hip of his uniform...

.

External links

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