North Central Missouri College history

1957 – Community leaders form a steering committee to gauge public interest in supporting a community college in Petoskey.

1959 – Classes begin on September 14 in the old Sheridan School building.

1960 – The college’s Board of Control starts the development of the new 207-acre campus located within Petoskey’s city limits.

1963 – The first three buildings on the new campus open for use.

The College shared facilities, administration and staff with the high school in that building, but in 1967 the College moved to the former Central School Building on Main Street near downtown Trenton.

By 1968, the college had moved to a 207-acre campus at the end of Howard Street and opened a 150-student Residence Hall.

Extension centers in nearby Cheboygan and Gaylord opened in 1973.

Doctor Vicki Wheeler was hired in August 1976.

Hoffman Hall, named in honor of members of the Hoffman family integral in the founding of Trenton Junior College, was the first new building constructed for use by the College. It was opened in the mid-1980’s.

October 1984 – The new Library and Conference Center, a 22,000 square-foot, $2+ million facility, opens.

Trenton Junior College officially became an independent entity by action of the voters at a municipal election in April 1986, and its first Board of Trustees was sworn in and seated in July 1986.

The Lloyd and Margaret Ketcham Community Center, completed in the spring of 1998, holds a collegiate gymnasium, cardio room, up-to-date exercise equipment, walking track, locker rooms, a training room, coaches’ offices, and meeting rooms.

February 2002 – The 71,000-square foot Student and Community Resource Center (SCRC) opens.

October 2003 – A University Center partnership is formed by North Central and six four-year institutions: Central Michigan University, Ferris State University, Lake Superior State University, Lawrence Technological University, Michigan State University and Spring Arbor University.

In May 2006, the breakfast was named in honor of Professor Emeritus Doctor Vicki Wheeler.

June 2007 – With a $50,000 start-up grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, North Central joins a national initiative called “Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count” to improve student success.

Doctor Albert & Vera Cross Hall was dedicated in 2009 and is located on the northwest corner of the Main Campus.

July 27, 2011 – Ground is broken on the Petoskey campus for a new $10.4 million Health Education and Science Center.

September 2012 – North Central opens the Straits Area Education Center, located at 504 Division Street in Cheboygan, offering eight classrooms, a science lab and a computer lab.

August 2013 - North Central Michigan College is selected as one of eight Achieving the Dream Institutions that have earned Leader College distinction for showing evidence of measurable improvements in student achievements.

March 2014 – North Central Michigan College launches the new Mobile Digital Fabrication Lab – the Fab Lab.

September 2015 -- A new stationary CNC lab opens on the Petoskey campus as part of the $1.5 million SEEDS grant from the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians.

August 2016 – North Central hosts the first annual Garden Party raising $65,000 for scholarships for CNC students.

April 2021 – North Central's Board of Trustees unanimously adopts the mascot that students say best represents the college: The North Central Timberwolf.