Prince William Sound Community College
Encyclopedia
Founded in 1978, Prince William Sound Community College (also known as PWSCC or P-Dub) is a community college located in Valdez
, a town in south central Alaska.
PWSCC comprises three campuses, one in Valdez, another is the Copper Basin campus that can be found in Glennallen
, Alaska located along the Richardson Highway
, and the other Prince William Sound
campus is located in Cordova
, Alaska.
PWSCC is part of the University of Alaska Anchorage
which is part of the University of Alaska System
.
There is no out-of-state tuition, which is a major draw for its 1400 out-of-state students.
P-Dub services approximately 44,000 sq mi which is relative to the size of Ohio.
The buildings that make up the dormitory complex were the first buildings constructed on the new Valdez town site after the 1964 Alaska earthquake. Originally, they were Army barracks and after, low income housing until they were acquired by the college in 1977 for the price of one dollar.The current dorm buildings were fully renovated in 2010. Eventually, the college moved to its current location at 303 Lowe Street. The structure where the college is currently located was originally used as Growden Harrison Elementary School. In the 1980’s the school was closed and later purchased for one dollar by the college. The building has since undergone a handful of renovations.
PWSCC also began the Last Frontier Theatre Conference in 1993, see section below for more information.
In 1998, Maxine Whitney donated a large collection of native artifacts to the college. The collection now resides in the aptly named Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum, located on the PWSCC campus. See section on Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum below for more information.
called Whispering Giant. (see Whispering Giant and Bears section).
The residence halls were completely renovated in 2010 and can house up to 44 students. The rooms are apartment style and are comprised of 3-bedrooms, 2-bedrooms, 1-bedroom, and studio. In the dormitory complex there is a student lounge and a computer lab; each building also has its own laundry room. The residence halls also have hard-line and wireless internet connections. As an added bonus, the residence halls are located right across from the local grocery store.
The Student Wellness Alliance Network (SWAN) contributes to a program that allows the Wellness Center to loan out X-Country Skis and Snowshoes which can be used on the various trails and back country in Valdez.
The online library catalog contains the combined holdings of the Valdez Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage libraries and Anchorage Public Libraries. Services provided by the Valdez Consortium Library includes Public internet access with wireless, Inter Library Loan, access to database and articles, reference assistance, Listen Alaska (digital e-books and audio book collection), Mango Languages and more.
All students, staff, and faculty are eligible to receive library cards from the Valdez Consortium Library. PWSCC ID cards also serve as library cards, and can be activated at the library. More information about the Valdez Consortium Library can be found on the Library’s web site and the PWSCC Library Services page.
and was completed in October 1981. This work was carved from a mammoth Sitka Spruce
and stands 30 feet high by 10 feet wide, weighing in at approximately 85,000 pounds. There are two bears, both standing at 12 feet tall located on the main campus that were also carved by Mr. Toth.
Peter “Wolf” Toth
is a humanitarian who travels creating sculptures honoring the American Indian. His work can be found in all 50 states, Canada, and his native homeland, Hungary. To date, Mr. Toth has completed 67 Whispering Giant works venerating the American Indian. Exemplifying his commitment to this cause, he returned to Valdez in 2007 and completed a restoration project of the Whispering Giant and Bears for conservation and to extend the longevity of the works.
The college is also host to various concerts and fundraisers.
The theatre department produces a couple of plays a year; the actors are made up of students and the local community.
is an annual event started in 1993 hosted by PWSCC in Valdez, Alaska. The two week event centers around American Theatre with an emphasis on playwriting. The conference involves theatrical productions, panel discussions, symposia, and workshops.
The three basic parts of the Last Frontier Theatre Conference are the Play Lab, various workshops and panel discussions, and lastly, the evening performances. The evening shows are comprised of works from attendants both past and present and are performed by imported and Alaskan theatre companies.
Plays are submitted from playwrights, then selected plays are read by actors to audiences. After the reading, the play is critiqued by academics, theatre professionals and the viewers, thus allowing development and growth for those involved. Participants are given the opportunity to work and study under award winning members of the theatre community.
Along with the Play Lab, some of the events include: The Fringe Festival, The Ten-Minute Play Slam, The Monologue Workshop, and Acting for Singers (co-produced with Anchorage Opera). On the closing day there is a gala dinner.
The Last Frontier Theatre Conference has received the Jerry Harper Service Award and The Sue Nims Distinguished Playwriting Award.
Coming to Alaska in 1947, Maxine opened a gift shop. She traveled around the state to Native villages purchasing works directly from artists, basket weavers and furriers, to later be sold in her store; she continued to gather items into the 1980s. The Eskimo Museum in Fairbanks came under ownership of Maxine in 1969. Ms. Whitney donated her collection of art and artifacts to PWSCC in 1998, and it now resides on the main campus.
Exhibits include masks, dolls, fur garments, various sizes of ivory and baleen with scrimshaw work. There are also Alaska wildlife mounts, including a moose and a polar bear; along with other exhibits on Alaska and its rich history. The Whitney Museum is open year round.
Valdez, Alaska
Valdez is a city in Valdez-Cordova Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 4,020. The city is one of the most important ports in Alaska. The port of Valdez was named in 1790 after the Spanish naval officer Antonio Valdés y...
, a town in south central Alaska.
PWSCC comprises three campuses, one in Valdez, another is the Copper Basin campus that can be found in Glennallen
Glennallen, Alaska
Glennallen is a census-designated place in the Valdez-Cordova Census Area in the Unorganized Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2000 census, the population of the CDP was 554.- Location :...
, Alaska located along the Richardson Highway
Richardson Highway
The Richardson Highway is a highway in the U.S. state of Alaska, running 368 miles from Valdez to Fairbanks. It is marked as Alaska Route 4 from Valdez to Delta Junction and as Alaska Route 2 from there to Fairbanks. It is also connects segments of Alaska Route 1 between the Glenn Highway and the...
, and the other Prince William Sound
Prince William Sound
Prince William Sound is a sound off the Gulf of Alaska on the south coast of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is located on the east side of the Kenai Peninsula. Its largest port is Valdez, at the southern terminus of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System...
campus is located in Cordova
Cordova, Alaska
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,454 people, 958 households, and 597 families residing in the city. The population density was 40.0 per square mile . There are 1,099 housing units at an average density of 17.9 per square mile...
, Alaska.
PWSCC is part of the University of Alaska Anchorage
University of Alaska Anchorage
The University of Alaska Anchorage is the largest school of the University of Alaska System, with about 16,500 students, about 14,000 of whom attend classes at Goose Lake, its main campus in Anchorage....
which is part of the University of Alaska System
University of Alaska System
The University of Alaska is a land-grant university founded in 1917 in Fairbanks in the State of Alaska. However, its largest campus by number of students was established in the much-more populous Anchorage area....
.
There is no out-of-state tuition, which is a major draw for its 1400 out-of-state students.
P-Dub services approximately 44,000 sq mi which is relative to the size of Ohio.
History
Dr. John Devens founded the college in 1978. It was John’s dream to start a school, he went to the city of Valdez and asked for money. The original endowment was about $50,000 and now the city of Valdez gives about $700,000.The buildings that make up the dormitory complex were the first buildings constructed on the new Valdez town site after the 1964 Alaska earthquake. Originally, they were Army barracks and after, low income housing until they were acquired by the college in 1977 for the price of one dollar.The current dorm buildings were fully renovated in 2010. Eventually, the college moved to its current location at 303 Lowe Street. The structure where the college is currently located was originally used as Growden Harrison Elementary School. In the 1980’s the school was closed and later purchased for one dollar by the college. The building has since undergone a handful of renovations.
PWSCC also began the Last Frontier Theatre Conference in 1993, see section below for more information.
In 1998, Maxine Whitney donated a large collection of native artifacts to the college. The collection now resides in the aptly named Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum, located on the PWSCC campus. See section on Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum below for more information.
Baccalaureate Degrees
- Bachelor of Science in Natural Science*
- Bachelor of Art in Psychology*
- Bachelor of Science in Psychology*
- Bachelor of Business Administration**
- Bachelor of Art in Elementary Education**
- Bachelor of Human Services*
- Bachelor of Liberal Arts**
- Bachelor of Science, Technology, with Business Option*
- *Offered in partnership with University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) via distance
- **Offered in partnership with University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) via distance
Associate Degrees
- Associate of Arts (General Studies), AA
- Associate of Fine Arts in Playwriting, AFA
- Business Administration, AAS***
- Computer Information and Office Systems, AAS
- Disability Services
- Community Support Emphasis, AAS*
- Educational Support Emphasis, AAS*
- Speech-Language Support Emphasis, AAS*
- Fisheries Technology, AAS***
- Health Sciences, AAS***
- Human Services, AAS*
- Industrial Technology
- Millwright, AAS
- Oil Spill Response, AAS
- Safety Management, AAS
- Nursing, AAS* (requires additional clinical sequence)
- Outdoor Leadership, AAS**
- *Offered in partnership with University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) via distance
- **Offered in partnership with Kenai Peninsula College (KPC) via distance
- ***Offered in partnership with University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) via distance
Campus
The main campus is located at 303 Lowe Street where there are numerous classrooms and staff, a wellness center, student lounge with a 12 ft video screen, and a computer lab. The main campus is also home to a collection of various native Alaskan artifacts donated by Maxine Whitney. Historical photographs from the original Valdez town site taken by P.S. Hunt, who was a photographer working throughout Alaska in the early 1900s, are also on the main campus. Also, to be found at the main campus is two of the wooden bear sculptures carved by Peter Toth. (see Whispering Giant and Bears section).Residence Halls
The residential complex is comprised of three historical buildings called Copper Basin Hall, Cordova Hall, and Valdez Hall. Each building is named after one of the Prince William Sound campuses. Of particular interest is the large wooden carving by Peter “Wolf” TothPéter Tóth
Péter Tóth was a Hungarian sabre and foil fencer.-Olympics:Tóth won gold medals in team sabre at the 1908 Olympics in London, and at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm....
called Whispering Giant. (see Whispering Giant and Bears section).
The residence halls were completely renovated in 2010 and can house up to 44 students. The rooms are apartment style and are comprised of 3-bedrooms, 2-bedrooms, 1-bedroom, and studio. In the dormitory complex there is a student lounge and a computer lab; each building also has its own laundry room. The residence halls also have hard-line and wireless internet connections. As an added bonus, the residence halls are located right across from the local grocery store.
Wellness Center
The Wellness Center has a variety of cardio and resistance equipment, free weights, and a variety of fitness classes. There is also other various pieces of equipment: stairs, body balls, jumping ropes, punching bag and boxing pads. The facility also has showers, lockers and towel service. The cardio areas also have cable TV.The Student Wellness Alliance Network (SWAN) contributes to a program that allows the Wellness Center to loan out X-Country Skis and Snowshoes which can be used on the various trails and back country in Valdez.
Library
The Valdez Consortium Library serves both the Prince William Sound Community College and the community of Valdez. The library is located at 212 Fairbanks St. The library has three levels, with elevator access available to the downstairs. The main level is home to two Alaskan murals painted by local artists.The online library catalog contains the combined holdings of the Valdez Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage libraries and Anchorage Public Libraries. Services provided by the Valdez Consortium Library includes Public internet access with wireless, Inter Library Loan, access to database and articles, reference assistance, Listen Alaska (digital e-books and audio book collection), Mango Languages and more.
All students, staff, and faculty are eligible to receive library cards from the Valdez Consortium Library. PWSCC ID cards also serve as library cards, and can be activated at the library. More information about the Valdez Consortium Library can be found on the Library’s web site and the PWSCC Library Services page.
The Whispering Giant and Bears
Located at the dormitory, the Whispering Giant (Indian Head) is the 40th statue created by Peter “Wolf” TothPéter Tóth
Péter Tóth was a Hungarian sabre and foil fencer.-Olympics:Tóth won gold medals in team sabre at the 1908 Olympics in London, and at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm....
and was completed in October 1981. This work was carved from a mammoth Sitka Spruce
Sitka Spruce
Picea sitchensis, the Sitka Spruce, is a large coniferous evergreen tree growing to 50–70 m tall, exceptionally to 95 m tall, and with a trunk diameter of up to 5 m, exceptionally to 6–7 m diameter...
and stands 30 feet high by 10 feet wide, weighing in at approximately 85,000 pounds. There are two bears, both standing at 12 feet tall located on the main campus that were also carved by Mr. Toth.
Peter “Wolf” Toth
Péter Tóth
Péter Tóth was a Hungarian sabre and foil fencer.-Olympics:Tóth won gold medals in team sabre at the 1908 Olympics in London, and at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm....
is a humanitarian who travels creating sculptures honoring the American Indian. His work can be found in all 50 states, Canada, and his native homeland, Hungary. To date, Mr. Toth has completed 67 Whispering Giant works venerating the American Indian. Exemplifying his commitment to this cause, he returned to Valdez in 2007 and completed a restoration project of the Whispering Giant and Bears for conservation and to extend the longevity of the works.
Student Life
As of November 2011, there is a handful of clubs at Prince William Sound Community College: PWSCC Game Club, Phi Theta Kappa, PWSCC Student Association, PWSCC Film Club, Archery Club, and the Multicultural Club.The college is also host to various concerts and fundraisers.
The theatre department produces a couple of plays a year; the actors are made up of students and the local community.
Last Frontier Theatre Conference
The Last Frontier Theatre ConferenceLast Frontier Theatre Conference
The Last Frontier Theatre Conference is an annual conference on American Theatre held in Valdez, Alaska that focuses on playwrighting. Continually held each year since 1993, the conference puts out a call for play submissions, requesting playwrights from around the country to send one-act plays and...
is an annual event started in 1993 hosted by PWSCC in Valdez, Alaska. The two week event centers around American Theatre with an emphasis on playwriting. The conference involves theatrical productions, panel discussions, symposia, and workshops.
The three basic parts of the Last Frontier Theatre Conference are the Play Lab, various workshops and panel discussions, and lastly, the evening performances. The evening shows are comprised of works from attendants both past and present and are performed by imported and Alaskan theatre companies.
Plays are submitted from playwrights, then selected plays are read by actors to audiences. After the reading, the play is critiqued by academics, theatre professionals and the viewers, thus allowing development and growth for those involved. Participants are given the opportunity to work and study under award winning members of the theatre community.
Along with the Play Lab, some of the events include: The Fringe Festival, The Ten-Minute Play Slam, The Monologue Workshop, and Acting for Singers (co-produced with Anchorage Opera). On the closing day there is a gala dinner.
The Last Frontier Theatre Conference has received the Jerry Harper Service Award and The Sue Nims Distinguished Playwriting Award.
Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum
Prince William Sound Community College is home to the Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum. The museum houses one of the largest collections of Native Alaskan art and artifacts in the world.Coming to Alaska in 1947, Maxine opened a gift shop. She traveled around the state to Native villages purchasing works directly from artists, basket weavers and furriers, to later be sold in her store; she continued to gather items into the 1980s. The Eskimo Museum in Fairbanks came under ownership of Maxine in 1969. Ms. Whitney donated her collection of art and artifacts to PWSCC in 1998, and it now resides on the main campus.
Exhibits include masks, dolls, fur garments, various sizes of ivory and baleen with scrimshaw work. There are also Alaska wildlife mounts, including a moose and a polar bear; along with other exhibits on Alaska and its rich history. The Whitney Museum is open year round.