Oakland Community College celebrates 60 years of educational excellence
Oakland County residents George and Doris Mosher became involved in the effort to
establish Oakland Community College in the 1960s. Doris chaired the citizens' committee
that initiated a study for the formation of a community college through the Citizens'
Advisory Council in 1962. This study concluded that Oakland County urgently needed
a community college to provide college courses, technical-vocational programs, traditional
college transfer programs and extensive student services. In 1964, voters passed proposals
to establish Oakland Community College (OCC) and also approved a millage levy to underwrite
construction and operations.
1960s | Oakland Community College established and opens
Citizens Advisory Council recommends five college campuses in Oakland County and the
work begins to establish and open Oakland Comunity College. The Auburn Hills and Highland
Lakes campuses both refurbish existing structures and open the College in 1965. After
the purchase of land in Farmington Hills, the College begins a ten-building construction
project, which opens as the Orchard Ridge Campus in 1967.
1964
Dr. John Tirrell hired as OCC's first president
- Voters approve establishment of OCC and millage
- Board elected and chaired by George R. Mosher
- OCC purchases three campus sites: Auburn Hills, Highland Lakes and Orchard Ridge.
Auburn Hills Campus was the site of a former Army Nike Missile Base and Highland Lakes
Campus was a former tuberculosis sanitarium
1965
OCC logo 1965 to 1969
- Faculty develops revolutionary audio-tutorial teaching method
- 15 acres of property is purchased in Bloomfield Hills for the District Office
1966
- Faculty forms OCC Faculty Association (OCCFA)
- Athletics program begins
1967
- First buildings open at Orchard Ridge Campus and receive excellence in design award
from the American Association of Architects
- Dr. Joseph Hill named OCC’s second president
- Educational sciences system begins
- College Academic Senate established
1969
OCC logo 1969 to 1994
- The student-led Association of Black Students is created at OCC with the assistance of Faculty Advisors. Membership is open to any person willing to work toward the
advancement and representation of Black students at OCC
1970s | Major expansion of facilities and students
- Growing demand spurs the College to lease properties in Royal Oak and Oak Park
- The College makes a commitment to empowering women by establishing the Womencenter,
offering educational and supportive programs
1971
- Bombs explode at Orchard Ridge
- OCC accredited by North Central Association
- Southeast Campus System opens in Our Lady of Fatima School
1973
- Southeast Campus System opens classrooms in renovated Royal Oak buildings
1975
- Board approves major $13.75 million college-wide building plan
1976
- OCC offers 557 college transfer, general education and developmental programs
1978
Robert Roelofs becomes OCC’s third president
1979
1980s | Growth, change and increased commitment to vocational education and training
OCC enjoys another decade of growth and change. The College increases its commitment
to vocational education and training resulting in federal funding of more than 84
percent of allied health and vocational-technical programs
- OCC opens Michigan’s first “earth-integrated” campus in Southfield. Three outside
walls and the building’s roof are constructed of cement. The soil roof, covered with
living groundcover plants, and cement walls reduce heating and cooling costs
1981
OCC students reconstructing Elmer the mastodon's skeleton - 1981
1982
Royal Oak campus opens (aerial view)
- New buildings rise at Auburn Hills, Highland Lakes and Orchard Ridge
1985
Dr. R. Stephen Nicholson becomes OCC’s fourth president, a title that is changed to
chancellor going forward
1989
- OCC begins Touch Tone class registration
- Expand services for learning disabled students and cooperative programs with area
schools
1990s | Student enrollment escalates
By the mid-1990s, OCC enrolls more students annually than Harvard or the University
of Pennsylvania, making it the largest of Michigan’s community colleges
1990
- OCC celebrates silver anniversary
1991
Dr. Patsy Fulton-Calkins becomes OCC’s fifth chancellor and first female chancellor
at OCC.
- College’s premier services – Advanced Technology Center, Workforce Development and
Advanced Technology Program – to serve business, industry and the community
1995
- Inception of OCC Alumni Association
1996
Richard T. Thompson named OCC’s sixth chancellor
- OCC’s first all-female Board elected. In 1996, Jeanne Towar, who had served on the OCC Foundation Board for a decade, captured
one of the two six-year seats in the election. A recount returned incumbent Sandra
Ritter to her seat on the Board. In 1998, three incumbent trustees won re-election
to six-year terms on the Board: Judith Wiser, Janice Simmons and Anne Scott. In 2000,
former incumbent Trustee Pamala Davis returned to the Board for a six-year term, a
position she holds today
1997
The Mace, used to lead commencement, was designed and built by Mickey L. Glover,
a retired craftsman from Oakland Community College.
- Formation of Business and Community Alliance
1998
- Community College Weekly ranks OCC among the nation’s top 100 community colleges in
several categories
1999
- State of Michigan awards OCC $5 million grant to begin construction of Michigan Technical
Education Center (M-TEC)
2000s | Innovative programs support student success
OCC launches several innovative programs that support the College’s three goals to
support student success: college readiness, transfer readiness and employment readiness:
- Oakland Early College launches in 2007 at the Orchard Ridge Campus
- A similar early college partnership with the Pontiac School District kicks off in
2007
- Oakland Accelerated College Experience for at-risk high school students begins in
2014
- OCC and Oakland University introduce 'Oakland-2-Oakland' where students enroll at
both schools and enjoy collective resources
- The Michigan Advanced Technician Training Program (MAT2) rolls out in 2014 to train
students in high tech jobs while attending OCC. Participating companies have access
to a pipeline of specifically trained talent
2000
2003
Dr. Mary Spangler named OCC’s seventh chancellor in 2003
2004
2008
Dr. Timothy Meyer is named the College’s eighth chancellor
2009
- A $25 million expansion of the Southfield Campus’ health facilities begins
2010s | Incorporating new technologies
OCC establishes office of Admissions and Recruiting and upgrades its software to effectively
grow student enrollment and improve communications with existing and prospective students
2017
- Office of Admissions and Recruiting established. Admissions incorporates CRM software
into recruitment and admissions work. CRM establishes communication workflows based
on the status of prospective student’s application or inquiry to college. Software
enabled tracking of conversions from prospective students to applications
- Digitized recruitment process. Recruitment coordinators bring tablets to recruitment
events. Prospective students need only complete five fields to be included in inquiry
communications workflow designed to encourage prospective students to convert to admitted
status
- Peter Provenzano, became Interim Chancellor
2018
OCC Logo 2018
Peter Provenzano's Chancellor Inauguration (center) with Deans Robert Spann and Cindy
Carbone
- NASA astronaut Dr. Andrew Feustel, an OCC alumnus and Lake Orion native, connects with students and former faculty
for live Q&A from the International Space Station and OCC’s Auburn Hills campus
2019
- OCC rolls out the Accessibility Compliance Center & Education Support Services (ACCESS) program. The program provides accommodations and services to students with a documented disability
- Members of College community are encouraged to participate in Title IX training to
prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs, activities and
employment practices
- Voters overwhelmingly approve 10-year millage renewal for OCC
George R. Mosher, Jr., OCC’s charter Board Chair
2020s | Pandemic shift and future planning for continued success
The 2020s enjoy significant growth in spite of a global pandemic kicking off the decade.
OCC administrators, staff and professors quickly work to offer online classes for
students and remote work for most employees. Committed front-line workers report in-person
to keep facilities and other critical services operational.
2020
- State and local governments commit to increasing per-student funding for public two-year
community colleges. In addition, lawmakers create many new free community college
programs and scholarships for low-income and students of color to help close equity
gaps. (source: Hechinger report 2022)
Empty hallway during COVID - 2020
COVID-19: Outbreak of a novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the U.S. in January of 2020
leads to declaration of a worldwide pandemic by the World Health Organization in March.
- OCC suspends face to face classes on March 11, 2020, and pivots to remote teaching
and online services week of March 23
- Frontline employees begin phased-in return to in-person work July 6, 2021
- Students begin in-person classes in late August 2021, with remote services available
- OCC commits in February 2021 to greater investment in diversity, equity, inclusion
and justice (DEIJ) with the hiring of Andre Poplar as Vice Chancellor of HR and Diversity,
Equity and Inclusion
- The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act provides more than $3
million in direct student funds to OCC to distribute to eligible students to help
with expenses related to the disruption of campus operations
- OCC offers up to 3,500 Dell laptops to eligible students who register for 12 or more credits. Laptop program is funded by the Coronavirus
aid dollars received by OCC from the federal CARES act
2021
New B building at Auburn Hills campus - 2021
- First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona and U.S.
Congressman Andy Levin visit the college’s Royal Oak campus on Sept. 24 to discuss
the vital role community colleges play in training the future workforce and transforming
the lives of everyday people
- Culinary Institute reopens restaurants and plans culinary events on Orchard Ridge
campus after year-long closure due to COVID-19
- Women’s basketball team qualifies for National Junior College Athletic Association Division II tournament
OCC graduate in car parade commencement - 2021
2022
OCC graduates participating in commencement ceremony - 2022
- Live commencement ceremonies reinstated after two-year hiatus because of COVID-19
2023
New culinary institute beam signing at Royal Oak campus - 2023
- OCC announces partnership with Northwestern Michigan College’s Great Lakes Maritime
Academy. Partnership creates a pathway toward a Bachelor of Science in Marine Technology
- Engineering Officer program
- Chancellor Peter Provenzano, named One of Crain’s Detroit Business Notable Leaders in Higher
Education
- OCC moves administrative District Office in December from George A. Bee Administration
Center in Bloomfield Hills to OCC Campuses. Move continues investment in academic
programs and services
- March 2020: Oakland Community College donates much-needed Personal Protective Equipment and ventilators to area health systems
- Aug 30, 2021, return to in-person classes
- Winter 2021 students taking 12 or more credits can get free Dell laptop computer on
first-serve basis. OCC one of the only comm colleges in MI to use portion of Coronavirus
Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act
2024
OCC's new mascot, Talon the Owl - 2024
- OCC Owls announce new mascot, Talon, conceptualized and designed by OCC students. Talon is a wise owl with a commanding
gaze and replaces Rudy the Raider, who retired as OCC’s mascot after 60 years
- OCC names Gjon Djokaj as new men’s basketball coach and Robert Belf, Jr., as new women’s
basketball coach
- A partnership between OCC and Oakland University allows OCC students to live on Oakland University’s campus to learn more about one
of OCC’s top transfer institutions
- Waterford Township purchases southern portion of OCC’s Highland Lakes campus. Health
Sciences programs to move to Orchard Ridge Campus in 2026 in a new Health Sciences
disciplines building
- OCC and MSU College of Human Medicine sign early admission agreement
