Wilbarger County Junior College District was created by a
majority of the electorate of Wilbarger County on January 20, 1970.
On April 9, 1970, the Board of Trustees elected Dr. David
L. Norton as the first college president. Campus construction was
begun in May, 1971, including an Academic Science Center,
Administration-Fine Arts Center, Applied Arts Center, Library, and
Student Center. On September 5, 1972 classes met for the first time on the VRJC campus with
a total of 608 students.
On August 1, 1974, the Board of Trustees appointed Dr. Jim
M. Williams as the second president of the College. In the fall
semester, 1974, a combined on- and off-campus enrollment exceeded
800 students.
During the 1975-76 school year, VRJC expanded its services
to include a learning center on Sheppard Air Force Base. During
this year, enrollment in credit courses, both on- and off-campus,
rose to a level of 1,199.
The scope of the Vocational Nursing Program was enlarged
during the 1976-77 school year with the assumption of the Bethania
School of Vocational Nursing in Wichita Falls. In August of 1976,
the sixth major building, a Physical Education Center, was
dedicated in honor of Dr. and Mrs. Thomas A. King.
In August of 1980, the seventh major building, a Student
Residence Center designed to house 128 students, was opened for
occupancy. Further expansion of program offerings in the Wichita
Falls area was accomplished through assumption of an existing
proprietary school that was renamed the VRJC Technical Center and
the assumption of the nursing program from the Wichita Falls
Independent School District.
On March 22, 1982, the Board of Trustees appointed Dr. Joe
Mills as the third president of the college. In the fall of 1982,
VRJC fielded its first team for intercollegiate rodeo competition.
During 1983-84, the Department of Cosmetology Center and
the Career Development Center (previously known as the North Texas
Skills Center) were established in Wichita Falls. On the Vernon
campus, the Chaparral Center was completed and the Pease River
farm was purchased through a State land trade.
During 1984-85, VRJC reached a record credit enrollment of
1,863 and a record continuing education enrollment of 7,056
registrations. A Vocational Nursing Program was opened in Seymour,
and the Board of Trustees established a college foundation and
approved an agreement to allow the Red River Valley Museum to be
built on the Vernon campus.
In February 1987, VRJC played its first intercollegiate
baseball game on the Vernon campus. During May 1987, the VRJC
Natatorium was opened in the King Physical Education Center.
A newly constructed Athletic Dormitory/North was opened to
house 28 athletes in August 1988. In October 1988, Trustees voted
to add women's volleyball as a varsity sport, effective with the
fall 1989 semester. In May 1989, VRJC moved all Wichita Falls
programs to one centralized location and named the center VRJC at
Wichita Falls.
During 1989-90, three campus buildings were renamed. The
Library was changed to the Wright Library in memory of Leroy and
Una Lee Wright, founders of Wright Brand Foods. The Administration
Building was renamed to the Osborne Administration Building in
honor of Lloyd and Madelyn Osborne. The Arts and Sciences Center
was renamed to the Electra Waggoner Biggs Arts and Sciences Center
in honor of Electra Waggoner Biggs.
On September 5, 1990, the Board of Trustees appointed Dr.
Wade Kirk as the fourth president of VRJC.
In February 1996, VRJC fielded its first intercollegiate
women's fast pitch softball team. In the spring of 1996, the
College completed the installation of the infrastructure
necessary for computer networking and accessing the Internet.
Providing training for area
industries, the Skills Training Center opened in Wichita Falls in January 1997.
Fall 1998 saw the College expand the
use of technology throughout its operations. Instruction offered a full range of distance
learning courses via interactive video, Internet, and video tape. Students were provided
Internet access in libraries and resource rooms ar every major instructional location.
A mid-range computer system and an integrated software package were installed at VRJC
to serve administrative computing functions.
During 1999, two campus buildings were
renamed. The Student Center was changed to the Colley Student Center in honor of the
Colley family. The Applied Arts Center was renamed Sumner Applied Arts Center in memory
of Joe C. and Mary Anderson Sumner. VRJC achieved a record credit
enrollment of 2,104 during the fall 1999 semester.
On June 5, 2000, the softball facility was named Wade Kirk Softball Field
in honor of the retiring VRJC President. On the same day, Dr. Steve
Thomas was named by the Board of Trustees as the College's fifth president.
On May 23, 2001, the VRJC Board of Trustees unanimously voted to change the
name of Vernon Regional Junior College to Vernon College.
On July 13, 2004, VC purchased Century City Center complex as a permanent
Wichita Falls location. The facility has 138,158 square feet, which will provide
VC with space to continue to expand its workforce and academic programs as the
need arises. Th $6.5 million facility, located at 4105 Maplewood Avenue across
from the mall, is in a prime location to be easily accessible for students.
VC achieved a record credit enrollment of 2,803 during the fall 2005 semester.
