Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Elgin Community College history
Elgin Community College company history timeline
January 10, 1949: Established as part of Public School District U-46, Elgin Community College appoints Charles M. Evans as the first dean.
Elgin Community College was founded on January 10, 1949, in Elgin, Illinois.
May 1950: The college joins the American Association of Junior Colleges.
July 1950: The college appoints Gilbert I. Renner dean.
Spring 1951: ECC celebrates its first graduating class of 22 students.
December 1959: ECC dedicates its first home, Renner Hall, at 373 East Chicago Street in Elgin.
June 1965: The college’s first vocational/technical program is the state-approved two-year Nursing Program.
The Junior College Act passed by the Illinois General Assembly on July 15, 1965, resulted in the formation of Junior College District 509.
On April 12, 1966, the U-46 board approved to divest itself of ECC, allowing the college to become independent.
June 4, 1966: First District 509 Board election occurs with the election of seven trustees: Robert Hoffer, chair; John Eshelman, secretary; Harry Blizzard; Paul Bolger; Richard Gromer; Joseph McCarthy; and Frieda Simon.
The first District 509 board election, held on June 4, 1966, heralded the college's first seven elected trustees: Robert Hoffer, John Eshelman, Harry Blizzard, Paul Bolger, Richard Gromer, Joseph McCarthy, and Frieda Simon.
April 1967: Junior College District 509 purchases 100-acre Spartan Drive site from the city of Elgin for $51,050.10 to use for the new college campus.
December 24, 1968: Groundbreaking for Phase I. May 1968: Illinois Board of Higher Education approves building project for the new campus.
September 1970: The college moves into the new campus building at 1700 Spartan Drive.
December 1970: Elgin Community College opens a new gym with a basketball game against Waubonsee Community College.
May 2, 1971: ECC hosts a dedication and open house of the new campus.
September 1972: ECC establishes the first joint educational agreement between ECC's Dental Assisting Program and Waubonsee Community College's Automotive Program.
December 11, 1973: Brian Dardis becomes the first non-voting student member of the ECC board.
January 1974: ECC celebrates the 25th anniversary of the founding of the college.
June 1977: Elgin Community College receives a $1 million Advanced Institutional Development Program Grant from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.
January 10, 1979: ECC celebrates the 30th anniversary of the founding of the college.
July 1982: ECC appoints Searle F. Charles, PhD, as the fourth president of the college, beginning December 14, 1982.
August 1983: Fountain Square Campus construction is complete.
December 1983: The board of trustees votes for the first time to voluntarily recognize a union representing college faculty.
December 1983: Renner Hall, ECC's first official home at 373 East Chicago Street, is torn down.
February 1984: ECC faculty joins the Illinois Federation of Teachers for purposes of collective bargaining.
1985: The board of trustees votes to establish trustee scholarships to provide financial incentives for in-district students who demonstrate academic or leadership potential.
November 1986: Local voters approve a 6-cent increase in the tax rate for the college's education fund.
June 23, 1987: ECC names Paul R. Heath, EdD, the fifth president of the college, with duties beginning September 1, 1987.
August 1987: The college enters into a 20-year lease/purchase agreement with the Kane County Public Building Commission to buy ECC's Fountain Square Campus from the city of Elgin.
October 1989: ECC Foundation completes a $200,000 "Building a Vision" 40th-anniversary enhancement campaign.
September 1990: The college dedicates Founders Court and Alumni Court.
October 1990: Kane County Public Building Commission approves $30 million in bonds to construct a portion of the new master plan.
January 1991: Applied Business Technology Building opens for classes.
August 23, 1993: First classes meet in the Visual & Performing Arts Center.
January 1994: President Paul Heath announces his retirement, effective August 31.
July 1994: The college names Roy Flores, PhD, as the sixth president of ECC, with duties beginning August 18.
January 1995: First classes meet in the Business Conference Center.
December 1995: The ECC Foundation successfully completes its $1.5 million capital campaign, "Partners in Excellence and Opportunity."
December 1995: The board of trustees approves an intragovernmental agreement with the city of Elgin allowing the exchange of 25 acres optioned on Randall Road by the college for 45 acres of the front nine of the Spartan Meadows Golf Course.
August 1996: ECC becomes the first college in Illinois to begin offering credit classes via the internet.
August 1997: The college enters into the first of several partnerships with four-year colleges and universities to provide greater and quicker access to upper-level undergraduate offerings and baccalaureate degree completion, allowing for dual admission and/or seamless transfer to four-year schools.
September 1999: ECC introduces its first official mascot, SpartaCat.
February 2001: The Elgin Community College Faculty Association stages the first strike in the college's history.
June 2002: ECC wins the Skyway Conference All-Sports Trophy for the first time in school history.
August 13, 2002: The college celebrates the grand opening of the Industry Training Center (Building O).
August 2003: ECC celebrates the grand opening of the new Health and Business Technology Center (Building M) and the re-opening of the Advanced Technology Center (Building G).
March 21, 2006: District 509 voters reject the college's request to increase its education fund tax rate by 5 cents.
April 11, 2006: President Michael Shirley announces his retirement, effective December 31.
November 2006: The college purchases 466 Renner Drive at the northwest corner of campus for general use purposes.
January 2, 2007: ECC announces David Sam, PhD, as its eighth president, effective February 12.
Other changes to the Spartan Drive Campus included the extension of Spartan Drive to connect with Randall Road to the west, which opened on August 15, 2008.
January 2009: Formally designated by the United States Department of Education as a Hispanic Serving Institution.
April 7, 2009: Voters approve a $178 million bond referendum for the college to build a new academic library and learning center, health careers center, and regional public safety training facilities.
August 2009: The college purchases 410 Renner Drive at the northwest corner of campus for general classroom and office space.
March 11, 2010: ECC holds groundbreaking ceremonies for the health and life sciences building (Building A) and new academic library and learning resources center (Building C).
January 26, 2011: ECC hosts the new multipurpose classroom building (Building K).
First to be completed was the new multipurpose classroom building (now Building K) on January 26, 2011.
April 5, 2011: Jobe Lounge reopens following a significant renovation to create a more student-centered space.
March 15, 2012: ECC hosts a grand opening event for the health and life sciences building (Building A).
August 20, 2012: The college debuts new single-letter designations for all buildings as part of a wayfinding and signage program on the Spartan Drive campus.
July 2013: The National Association of College and University Business Officers recognizes ECC with the 2013 Innovation Award for its financial literacy program.
May 21, 2014: ECC hosts groundbreaking for the Education and Work Center in Hanover Park.
The center opened on August 21, 2014.
October 2015: Reflejos bilingual journal honors ECC with the Reflejos Reflecting Excellence Award to recognize the college's Accelerating Opportunity Program (now known as ICAPS).
June 2016: ACT® selects ECC as a National Exemplar in Career Preparedness.
September 2016: The Elgin Community College Center for Emergency Services celebrates its grand opening.
Elgin Community College completed the final project of its Facilities Master Plan, the Elgin Community College Center for Emergency Services, in September 2016.
February 2017: David Sam, PhD, JD, LLM, celebrates his tenth anniversary as president of ECC.
October 2017: For the second time, the Aspen Institute names ECC to the nation's Top 150 for Community College Excellence list its community college excellence based on student outcomes.
March 2018: ECC hosts its first Regional Workforce Development forum and establishes a Department of Workforce Development at the college.
October 2018: Hanover Park Education and Work Center received a $225,000 operations grant to help equip residents with the basic skills necessary to further their educational goals and access better jobs.
November 2019: For the third time, ECC is listed among the top 150 colleges in the United States by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program.
Rate how well Elgin Community College lives up to its initial vision.
Elgin Community College jobs
Do you work at Elgin Community College?
Is Elgin Community College's vision a big part of strategic planning?
Elgin Community College competitors
| Company name | Founded date | Revenue | Employee size | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McHenry County College | 1967 | $9.9M | 534 | 59 |
| Moraine Valley Community College | 1967 | $5.0M | 1,156 | 74 |
| Rock Valley College | 1964 | $15.6M | 500 | 80 |
| Morton College | 1924 | $6.4M | 404 | 28 |
| John A. Logan College | 1967 | $8.5M | 500 | 12 |
| Northeastern Illinois University | 1867 | $22.0M | 1,500 | 6 |
| Spoon River College | 1959 | $14.5M | 200 | 10 |
| Kankakee Community College | - | $17.0M | 387 | 20 |
| Kishwaukee College | 1967 | $9.9M | 500 | - |
| Chicago State University | 1867 | $11.0M | 350 | 30 |
Elgin Community College history FAQs
Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of Elgin Community College, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about Elgin Community College. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at Elgin Community College. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by Elgin Community College. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of Elgin Community College and its employees or that of Zippia.
Elgin Community College may also be known as or be related to ELGIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION and Elgin Community College.