Mission College is a community college located in Santa Clara, California, in Silicon Valley, and is part of the West Valleyâ€"Mission Community College District. It was founded in 1975. Mission College's course offerings are broad-based and include computer technology, hospitality management, health occupations, and fire prevention, as well as a large number of transfer degrees.
History
The college opened in 1975.
During Super Bowl 50 Mission College hosted rock group Heart.
In recent years the college has hosted a number of speakers, including Pulitzer Prize winning author Sonia Nazario, Civil Rights activist Cornel West, Tuskegee Airman Les Williams, and former Santa Clara Assistant District Attorney Rolanda Pierre Dixon.
The college's art department also hosts exhibits at its Vargas Gallery in the Gillmor Center. The Mission College Symphony is celebrating its 10th season in 2016-17.
In May 2014 the Gillmor Center opened, named after former Santa Clara mayor Gary Gillmor. The building houses 50 percent of the college's class room and is a LEED Gold Building. Gillmor was the City's first elected mayor and helped facilitate the land sale that eventually became Mission College.
The Hospitality Management program runs lunch service on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Formerly called the Owl Cove, it is now called the Mission Bistro. The restaurant was renovated between 2009 and 2012.
In its parking lot it hosts 2,640 high-efficiency SunPower solar panels, saving the college $9 million over the next 25 years.
In January 2011 the school opened its new Child Development Center preschool.
Organization and administration
Mission College is part of Silicon Valley's West Valleyâ€"Mission Community College District, which also administers West Valley College in nearby Saratoga, California. It is part of the California Community Colleges System. The district serves the cities of Campbell, Los Gatos, Morgan Hill, Monte Sereno, Santa Clara, and San Jose. The district's headquarters are on the campus of West Valley College.
Campus
The college originally was focused on a single large structure where most of the classes took place. In 2014, the Gillmor Family Center opened, with classrooms and labs on three floors. The library, cafeteria, and bookstore are in nearby buildings. A separate building houses the science departments. The Hospitality Management building includes the "Mission Bistro", which serves lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the Fall and Spring semesters.
The campus is immediately north of the Mercado shopping center and west of facilities of EMC and McAfee.
Transportation
Mission College is reached from the California's Great America exit of U.S. Route 101. There are shuttles that are reachable with walks of a few blocks that connect to the Old Ironsides station of the Santa Clara VTA Light-rail, the Great America station of the Altamont Commuter Express, and the Lawrence station of Caltrain. VTA bus lines 57 and 60 stop in the college's front loop.
Student demographics
- Asian 36%
- Hispanic 21%
- White 20%
- Filipino 9%
- Unknown 6%
- African American 4%
- Two or more races 3%
- Pacific Islander 1%
- American Indian/Alaskan Native 0%
Clubs
Mission College has a variety of clubs: Alpha Gamma Sigma, Associated Student Government, Fire Tech Student Association, The Florets, Future Accountants of America, Kinesiology Club, MC Dance Company, MC Health Occupations Association, Mission Inter-Connect, Muslim Student Association, Puente Club, Umoja Community Club, Veterans with Associates.
Sports
Mission College has men's and women's tennis, women's basketball, softball, women's badminton, baseball. It began a new website in February 2017 at missionsaints.com.
Notable alumni
- Gary Matthews, Jr. â€" MLB OF Anaheim Angels
- Joseph Hernandez â€" YouTube food critic "JoeysWorldTour"
- Matt Stonie â€" YouTuber and competitive eater ranked number two in Major League Eating
See also
- West Valley College
References
External links
- Mission College official website
- West Valleyâ€"Mission Community College District website