Community College of Philadelphia

Community College of Philadelphia is a public, open-admission institution of higher education located in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in the 1960s, it is a key component of the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges and the broader Pennsylvania Department of Education system. The college serves over 13,000 credit students annually, providing associate degrees, certificate programs, and workforce development training aimed at transfer to four-year institutions or direct career entry.

History

The institution was established in 1964 following the passage of the Community College Act of 1963 by the Pennsylvania General Assembly, which authorized the creation of such colleges across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Its first classes were held in 1965 at the former Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art building. A significant early development was the 1973 opening of its main campus on Spring Garden Street in the Spring Garden neighborhood, a project supported by then-Mayor Frank Rizzo and city council. Throughout the late 20th century, it expanded its reach with the establishment of several regional centers across the city, including facilities in West Philadelphia and the Northeast. Key leadership figures in its development have included presidents like Samuel D. Proctor and Stephen M. Curtis.

Academics

The college is organized into four main academic divisions: Business and Technology; Liberal Studies; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); and Nursing and Allied Health. It offers over 70 associate degree and certificate programs, with popular fields including Nursing, Business Administration, Liberal Arts, and Criminal justice. The curriculum is designed to facilitate seamless transfer to four-year colleges, with strong articulation agreements with institutions like Temple University, Drexel University, and the Pennsylvania State University system. It also houses specialized centers such as the Center for Business and Industry for workforce training and participates in federal programs like TRIO to support student success.

Campus

The main campus is a multi-building complex centered at 1700 Spring Garden Street in Center City. Major facilities include the Winnet Student Life Building, the Mint Building, and the West Building, which house classrooms, laboratories, and administrative offices. The college operates three regional centers: the Northwest Regional Center in West Philadelphia, the Northeast Regional Center, and the Career and Advanced Technology Center in the West Parkside area. These sites provide additional classroom space and specialized training facilities in areas like advanced manufacturing and healthcare. The main campus is served by the Spring Garden station on the SEPTA Broad Street Line and numerous bus routes.

Student life

Student life is supported by the Office of Student Engagement and includes over 50 recognized student clubs and organizations, ranging from the Student Government Association to groups like the Phi Theta Kappa honor society. The college fields intercollegiate athletic teams known as the CCP Colonials, which compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and the Eastern Pennsylvania Athletic Conference. Cultural and educational events are regularly held, often in collaboration with Philadelphia institutions like the Free Library of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Support services are extensive, including the Counseling Center, Veterans Resource Center, and Single Stop program connecting students to community resources.

Notable people

Notable alumni include John F. Street, former Mayor of Philadelphia; C. Vivian Stringer, Hall of Fame women's basketball coach at Rutgers University; and Kevin Eubanks, former bandleader for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Faculty and administrative figures of note have included Lorene Cary, author and founder of the Art Sanctuary project, who taught creative writing, and Molefi Kete Asante, a foundational scholar in African-American studies who served as a professor early in his career. The college's alumni also include numerous leaders in local city government, state politics, and the regional arts scene.

Category:Community colleges in Pennsylvania Category:Universities and colleges in Philadelphia Category:Educational institutions established in 1964