Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) is a public community college in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. With four campuses and four centers, the college offers associate degrees, certificates, and diplomas.
History
The Pennsylvania legislature passed the Community College Act in 1963 and officials in Allegheny County began the process of creating a local community college. Residents of the county voted in favor of funding the project in May 1965 and the first 15-member board of trustees was sworn in that December. The college opened Boyce Campus, in Monroeville, and Allegheny Campus, on Pittsburgh's North Side, in 1966. The following year, South Campus was opened; North Campus opened in 1972. The college also has centers, beyond the main campuses, that offer classes.
Academics
CCAC's academic programs lead to an associate degree, a certificate, or transfer to a four-year institution through more than 150 programs, as well as lifelong learning, community education, continuing education and workforce training courses. During the 2012-2013 academic year, it had more than 32,000 credit and 28,000 non-credit students. Through articulation agreements, students are guaranteed admission, and the recognition of courses, at a number of institutions offering four-year degrees.
Student life and athletics
Volunteer students operate a college-wide newspaper, The Voice. The newspaper and its staff have received several recognitions and awards in recent years, including Keystone Student Press Awards from the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association and the Associated Collegiate Press. In spring 2020, The Voice was recognized as one of the few community college student newspapers to continue to publish regularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
CCAC athletics are affiliated with the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). The team name and mascot, Wild Cats, was chosen by a student vote in 2019. Intercollegiate sports include men's and women's basketball, women's volleyball, men's baseball, men's and women's golf and bowling.
Campuses
The Community College of Allegheny County has a campus or center within ten miles (16 km) of more than 95% of Allegheny County residents.
Allegheny Campus
In Pittsburgh's Allegheny West neighborhood and surrounded by Heinz Field, PNC Park, the Carnegie Science Center, and other notable landmarks, CCAC's Allegheny Campus is the largest and only urban campus of the college.
Allegheny Campus features a blend of modern and historic architecture set on in a neighborhood once known as Pittsburgh's Millionaires' Row and extending to the once posh "Monument Hill" area (that rises above and behind modern day Acrisure Stadium) so named for a Civil War monument dedicated on May 30, 1871, by General George G. Meade and Governor John W. Geary. The centerpiece of the campus is the Student Services center, a hub housing the enrollment and financial aid offices, classrooms, a student lounge, dining facilities and a 300-seat theatre/auditorium.
The campus also features a library, physical education facilities and Milton Hall, the main campus classroom building. Along scenic Ridge Avenue and Galveston Street are the following: West Hall, Jones Hall, the general administration building; Byers Hall, housing the offices of the President; and the Visual Arts Center. In March 2013, the K. Leroy Irvis Science Center was dedicated. The 65,000-square foot building was constructed using green building technology, earning the highly coveted LEED Silver Energy rating. The building supports the course work in Biotechnology, Biology, Microbiology, Anatomy and Physiology, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics, Geology, Astronomy and Physical Science.
Boyce Campus
The Boyce Campus, named after William D. Boyce who founded the Boy Scouts of America, is on a plot in suburban Monroeville, Pennsylvania and can be accessed by the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Routes 48 and Business 22. Adjacent to Boyce Park, the single-building campus features a park-like setting and commanding views of the countryside.
The first of the four campuses to officially commence classes on September 19, 1966, Boyce moved to its current location in time for the start of fall classes in 1969. With all of its programs under one roof, the multi-purpose building houses a gymnasium, cafeteria, theater, library, medical instruction facilities and a child development center. Boyce also provides the community, students, faculty and staff with parking, an exercise room, an outdoor fitness trail and baseball and soccer fields. A Pennsylvania State Historical Marker in the parking lot recognizes Boyce's contributions to Scouting.