THE COLLEGE

Alamance Community College was established in 1958 as part of a statewide system known as industrial education centers. Through the cooperative efforts of the State Department of Trade and Industrial Education and the school systems of Alamance County and Burlington, Burlington-Alamance County Industrial Education Center was begun.

The need for and the development of the College have been centered on the principle of responsiveness to changing needs and conditions in the area. The expansion of the industrial and technological era in the state has created many new employment opportunities for technically trained personnel. In addition, the right of all individuals to have an educational opportunity to develop according to their potential has been recognized.

The initiation of a statewide system of industrial education centers was begun in 1957 by the allocation of funds by the North Carolina General Assembly. In 1959 the General Assembly officially designated this type of vocational school as an industrial education center.

Under legislation enacted in 1963, administration of the industrial education center was transferred to the North Carolina State Board of Education, Department of Community Colleges. The local control of the institution was vested in a board of trustees by the new legislation.

In continuance of the principle of responsiveness to changing needs and conditions in the area, the board of trustees applied to the State Board of Education through the State Department of Community Colleges to become a technical institute. The State Board of Education approved the change in status to a technical institute in January 1964. Along with the approval, authority was granted to award the associate in applied science degree (A.A.S.) in approved programs. In the spring of 1964, the board of trustees changed the name of the institute to Technical Institute of Alamance.

In November 1966, the board of trustees authorized an institution self-study to assist in measuring the effectiveness of the educational program of the school. As a result of this self-study and review by a visiting committee, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accredited the College in December 1969. Accreditation was reaffirmed in December 1973, December 1983, December 1993, and December 2003.

In September 1971, Governor Robert Scott and Mrs. Elizabeth Carrington announced the donation of 48 acres of land to be used for the site of a new and expanded facility. With the support of the community, a new campus was completed, and classes have been held there since January 1976.

In the summer of 1977, the college purchased the former Glenhope School from the Burlington City School Board. This facility was renovated and named the Burlington Campus of the Technical Institute of Alamance. The facility opened for classes fall 1978. Many of the adult continuing education classes were taught at this site until it closed with the opening of a new facility in Burlington August 2001.

Under legislation enacted in 1979, the board of trustees approved a name change from the Technical Institute of Alamance to Technical College of Alamance. This change of name became effective beginning fall quarter, September 6, 1979. The college became Alamance Community College January 1, 1988.

In September 1985, the college opened a new shop building on the Haw River campus, north of the main building. This 12,000-square-foot shop building housed the automotive, welding, and new industry programs. An addition of approximately 40,500 square feet to the main building opened in January 1989. This building included additional laboratories and classrooms.

In June 1996, the college opened a new 49,535-square-foot science and technology building on the main campus in Graham. The building includes multipurpose classrooms, laboratories, and offices. The building was made possible through funding from both the North Carolina Community College Construction Bonds and appropriations from the Alamance County Commissioners.

In August 2001, the college opened the 20,000 square-foot Burlington Center at the Burlington Market Shopping Center. The building replaced the Burlington campus at the old Glenhope School. The Burlington Center serves as an expanded home to ACC's growing roster of continuing education courses and its small business center. Unilateral cooperation from the city and county permitted the acquisition of the site. The college obtained a 12-year lease from the Kmart Corporation and Hull Storey Development, LLC, which owns the building. The Alamance County commissioners provided $350,000 for renovation and the Burlington City Council granted a special use permit to the college. The new facility opened for classes fall 2001.

ACC’s growing roster of continuing education courses, the cosmetology program, and the small business center found a new home in 2001 when the College opened the 20,000-square-foot Burlington Center on Maple Avenue, replacing the old Glenhope School location.

On January 13, 2004, Alamance Community College broke ground on the Graham campus for a 50,000-square-foot administrative building. The new facility, opened in November 2005, includes the Learning Resources Center, Student Development offices, business offices, administrative offices, and conference and training rooms. On December 7, 2005, the new building was dedicated as the Wallace W. Gee Building in honor of the late ACC Board of Trustees charter member who was influential in the formation of the North Carolina Community College System.

In November 2005, Alamance County voters approved a $7.5 million bond referendum which, along with funds from the 2000 bonds, have provided a larger facility for continuing education and for construction of a 35,500 square foot Allied Health and Biotechnology  building. This facility opened in fall 2007 and houses the Nursing, Nursing Assistant, Medical Assisting, Biotechnology departments and physical sicences.

In August 2007, the Alamance Community College Board of Trustees formally named the Graham campus the Carrington-Scott Campus in honor Elizabeth Scott Carrington and former Governor Robert Scott who donated the 48 acres on which the campus resides. At the same time, the trustees approved naming the new allied health and biotechnology building the Powell Building after the family that developed Carolina Biological and LabCorp, and has a generous history of support of ACC's programs and services.

Future development of Alamance Community College will, as in the past, be constantly responsive to the educational, occupational, and cultural needs of the community.