Haywood Community College is a community college located in the town of Clyde, North Carolina, in the western part of the state. Established in 1965, the college offers associate's degree programs and online courses in programs such as forestry, fish and wildlife management, and professional crafts. The college's 83-acre (340,000Â m2) campus includes an arboretum, a mill pond, and a working gristmill constructed by students.
History
Haywood Community College opened in August 1965 as Haywood Industrial Education Center with one curriculum program and 39 students. Today, HCC offers over 50 curriculum programs to over 3500 students. Approximately 6,000 more students attend classes through its continuing education division, including adult basic education, GED preparation, occupational courses, and community service programs.
In 1975, the Haywood Community College Foundation was created to aid, strengthen, and further the work and service of Haywood Community College. The HCC Board of Trustees approved the start of the campus arboretum in October 1977 and John Palmer was appointed as the founding director in November.
Haywood Early College High School
Haywood Early College High School is an autonomous public high school located on the campus of HCC. Haywood Early College High School (HECHS) enrolls students in grades 9 through 13 as non-degree seeking students according to GS 115C-238.50 (e): Ninth and tenth grade students take college courses in a similar format as concurrent enrollment (Huskin’s Bill courses) and eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth grade students take courses through a similar format as dual enrollment. HECHS students are eligible to take additional courses through waivers/exemptions approved by HCC, HCC Board of Trustees, Haywood County Schools and Board of Education, the North Carolina State Board of Education and the North Carolina Community College System Office.
Arboretum
The Haywood Community College Arboretum (83 acres) is an arboretum located across the campus of Haywood Community College. It is open daily without charge.
The arboretum was laid out by Asheville landscape architect Doan Ogden for industrialist A. L. Freedlander, who donated the college's initial funding provided that the site's oak forest be preserved. An early inventory recorded 880 trees including 22 native species, many averaging 100 years old. Since then the arboretum staff has added a further 87 species of trees, shrubs, and ground covers.
Arboretum features include a 1-acre rhododendron garden containing 75 varieties of rhododendron, conifers, dahlia garden featuring over 250 varieties, fruit tree orchard, greenhouse, herb garden, rose garden, nature trail, and perennials.
Distance Learning
Haywood Community College also provides instructional support for students, faculty and staff participating in e-learning through online courses, hybrid and web-assisted courses, video-conferencing, virtual training, professional development, educational media creation, and instructional course design.
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