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Arizona's first community college!
Arizona’s first community college, the Phoenix Junior College (now Phoenix College), was established. The system has grown to ten colleges, two skill centers and multiple satellite locations. While Phoenix College has been in existence since 1920, the Maricopa County Community College District was not formed until 1962, when the Junior College Citizens’ Advisory Committee voted to create a junior college district in Maricopa County. -
Maricopa County Junior College District begins!
In 1962, Maricopa Community Colleges began as the Maricopa County Junior College District. In the early 1960s, the Arizona Legislature and Maricopa County voters established and approved our college system, known then as the Maricopa County Junior College District. -
Growth!
Branch campuses were established in Glendale and Mesa, eventually becoming independent junior colleges, with Estrella Mountain Community College and more to follow. Over the years, we have continued to evolve and innovate to support your success. -
Maricopa Skill Center
In addition, the Maricopa Skill Center became a division of GateWay Community College after being a division of Rio Salado College for nearly 20 years. The Maricopa Skill Center offered several clock hour programs that provided students with training for quick entry into the workforce. -
Maricopa Technical College becomes Gateway Community College
Maricopa Technical College began to build a name for itself in 1968. In 1987, the Maricopa Technical College changed its name to, "GateWay Community College" to better convey the comprehensive curricular offerings of the College and to reflect the physical location change to 40th and Washington streets in the GateWay corridor. -
Maricopa Community College (new official name)
We updated our name to “Maricopa Community” to emphasize the general public and to best reflect the constituencies we serve. -
Creation of The Maricopa County Community College District Foundation
The Maricopa County Community College District Foundation was created on January 18, 1977 as a domestic, nonprofit corporation for scientific, charitable, educational, and research purposes. The original incorporators of the Foundation were employees of the Maricopa County Community College District: Al Flowers, Marvin Lassila, and Janice McIlroy. They constituted the first Board of Directors that approved the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws and applied for tax exempt status. -
Gateway Community College and Maricopa Skill Center
By 2016, GateWay Community College and Maricopa Skill Center fully aligned operations, Maricopa Skill Center adopted the GateWay Community College name and created a unit called Workforce Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, with the instructional pieces of the former Maricopa Skill Center renamed to Trade and Technical Training. Under this new affiliation, GateWay now has four campuses: -
Gateway re-adopts Southwest Skill Center!
Originally part of Gateway Community College, then Estrella Mountain . . . as of December 2017, The SouthWest Skill Center is once again part of GateWay Community College! Programs are being offered includes: Medical Assisting, Medical Billing and Coding, Spanish Medical Interpreter, EMT, EMS Fire Prep Academy, and Phlebotomy.
