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We have an asset in our community that touches thousands of lives each year. And yet, fewer than 50 years ago, it didn't even exist.
That gem is Umpqua Community College, which marked its 45th anniversary last Tuesday night with a small gathering at Jacoby Auditorium. Though the college kept the occasion fairly low-key, that didn't diminish the magnitude of what many in the audience had accomplished.
Among those taking seats in Jacoby were individuals who took up the cause of establishing an educational institution for Douglas County residents back in the early 1960s.
LaVerne Murphy of Umpqua was there. He was on the original “I Want a Community College” Committee. He was joined by one of the original board members, George Marsh. Because the evening doubled as a Spirit of Umpqua Hall of Fame Award induction, several others who were instrumental in helping the college become what it is today were also on hand.
We salute each of them for their vision — their realization that people in Douglas County needed a community college. For those who moved to Douglas County in the 1970s and more recently, it's easy to take the college for granted, to think it's always been here to educate and serve as a resource for our residents.
But those who worked to establish UCC know it took a lot of time, planning and hard work to convince county residents of its necessity and bring it to fruition.
Just think of the many ways this area would be lacking without the opportunities afforded us through Umpqua Community College. That seems particularly evident now as the college is experiencing tremendous growth. Enrollment is up about 35 percent over last fall, and an estimated 15,000 people will take one or more courses this year through the college.
“Our growth is all about hope,” President Blaine Nisson said during his remarks Tuesday. “It's hope for individuals in Douglas County to gain an education, to prepare for jobs, to transfer to four-year universities or to engage in lifelong learning.”
It can be a place where a single mom can finish her diploma so she can get a good job and be able to care for her child. It can be an affordable choice that's close to home for a first-generation college student. And it can be a refuge for a displaced worker who must search for a fresh start on life.
It's also become a center for the arts — visual, musical and theatrical — and a community gathering place for celebrations, competitions, graduations.
We can't imagine our community without Umpqua Community College. We commend everyone who worked to establish, improve and enrich this institution, and we look forward to seeing it become even stronger and more diverse in the future.
That gem is Umpqua Community College, which marked its 45th anniversary last Tuesday night with a small gathering at Jacoby Auditorium. Though the college kept the occasion fairly low-key, that didn't diminish the magnitude of what many in the audience had accomplished.
Among those taking seats in Jacoby were individuals who took up the cause of establishing an educational institution for Douglas County residents back in the early 1960s.
LaVerne Murphy of Umpqua was there. He was on the original “I Want a Community College” Committee. He was joined by one of the original board members, George Marsh. Because the evening doubled as a Spirit of Umpqua Hall of Fame Award induction, several others who were instrumental in helping the college become what it is today were also on hand.
We salute each of them for their vision — their realization that people in Douglas County needed a community college. For those who moved to Douglas County in the 1970s and more recently, it's easy to take the college for granted, to think it's always been here to educate and serve as a resource for our residents.
But those who worked to establish UCC know it took a lot of time, planning and hard work to convince county residents of its necessity and bring it to fruition.
Just think of the many ways this area would be lacking without the opportunities afforded us through Umpqua Community College. That seems particularly evident now as the college is experiencing tremendous growth. Enrollment is up about 35 percent over last fall, and an estimated 15,000 people will take one or more courses this year through the college.
“Our growth is all about hope,” President Blaine Nisson said during his remarks Tuesday. “It's hope for individuals in Douglas County to gain an education, to prepare for jobs, to transfer to four-year universities or to engage in lifelong learning.”
It can be a place where a single mom can finish her diploma so she can get a good job and be able to care for her child. It can be an affordable choice that's close to home for a first-generation college student. And it can be a refuge for a displaced worker who must search for a fresh start on life.
It's also become a center for the arts — visual, musical and theatrical — and a community gathering place for celebrations, competitions, graduations.
We can't imagine our community without Umpqua Community College. We commend everyone who worked to establish, improve and enrich this institution, and we look forward to seeing it become even stronger and more diverse in the future.
