Allan Hancock College history

In 1929, the Hancock College of Aeronautics opened, and for more than 20 years, Hancock Field produced many of America’s top pilots and mechanics.

Classes were held in high school rooms until 1937, when a bond issue passed and a college wing was built on the northwest corner of the high school campus.

Since the first classes taught in 1952 at the Camp Cooke Army barracks (now Vandenberg Space Force Base), the college has offered extensive courses in the community and remains committed to serving the Lompoc and Santa Ynez valleys.

In September 1954, the community voted to establish the Santa Maria Joint Junior College District.

The college opened its Vandenberg Air Force Base Center (now Vandenberg Space Force Base Center) in 1957.

In 1958 another bond was passed that allowed the college to buy the site they were on, and start a building program.

A building boom took place the 1960’s, which brought the college its first buildings constructed specifically for the school, including the student center, library and science complex.

In 1963, the Lompoc Unified School District and Santa Ynez Union High School District were annexed to the community college district, and the district was renamed the Allan Hancock Joint Community College District.

From its beginning in 1964, Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) has offered more than 500 plays and musicals, maintained a resident company of artists, and trained more than 10,000 actors and technicians.

In 1974, the college opened its Financial Aid and Job Placement offices.

The resulting search for more effective teaching methods led to the opening of the Writing Center in 1975.

The Math Center was established in 1996.

In 1998, online classes were incorporated into the curriculum, with more than 200 now offered each semester.

The college completed construction of a permanent Lompoc Valley Center in spring 1999.

In June 2006 a $180-million bond measure was passed, allowing additional new facilities to be completed over a period of 10 years.

A community education building was opened in 2007, which currently contains modern computers and offices, along with a new two-story science building.

College Achievement Now, a TRIO program funded by the Department of Education, was launched in 2010.

The Small Business Entrepreneurship Center opened in spring 2012.

The college opened the Veteran Success Center, a space dedicated to provide services for United States military veterans and their dependents, in spring 2015.

In 2018, Hancock launched a program to begin offering bachelor’s degrees.