Dr. Robert Hannelly was the first president of MCCCD. The Governing Board voted to develop additional facilities in Mesa, Glendale and Scottsdale.

Mesa operated as an extension campus of Phoenix College at 809 W. Main Street in Mesa (Mesa Extension). This building, built in 1911, was used by MCC until 1965. The main room was the library and classrooms were in the basement. Today this site is a wedding venue.

330 students registered for classes the first semester at the Mesa Extension on Sept. 11. The full time teachers that first semester were: Bob Reid, Division Chair of Science and Math; Joe Shirley, Division Chair, Social Science; Leon Kearney, Business Division Chair; Margaret Allison Watkins, Language Arts Division Chair; Jeanette DePriest, Library Division Chair; Lot Christensen, Division of Health and P.E. Chair; John Morris, Social Science; Sherry Little, English and Business; Bill Kendall, German and English; Lee Wallis, French and English; Marsha Head, Women's Physical Education.

The student newspaper changed its name from The Cub Reporter to Hokam Legend on March 20.

Mesa Extension enrollment was 814 students. 

The Mesa Extension hosted its first homecoming. 

First dramatic presentation, The Night is my Enemy, a murder mystery, was presented Jan. 20-22 in the Irving School Auditorium in Mesa. 

Mesa Extension's first graduating class of 27 students held their commencement ceremony on June 10th at Phoenix College Athletic Field. 

Mesa Extension enrollment jumped to 1,369 students. Six different locations in Mesa were identified to facilitate classes. The the site that is now Aldea Weddings at the Landmark desperately needed more parking and the city graveled a ¼ acre field to accommodate the students and faculty who had to travel to attend classes.

The fall semester curriculum included: practical nursing, a clerical program, electronics, and drafting technology.

Mesa Community College's ground breaking ceremony on October 15th was conducted by Student Body President “Jeep” Anderson.

Shirley Luhtala became the first MCC softball coach.

First MCC annual Fine Arts Week was held April 25.  The MCC A Capella Choir and the Stagedoor players performed at the Mesa High School Auditorium.

The Phoenix College tradition of Bear Day at Encanto Park is replaced by MCC's annual Hokam Day at Rendezvous Park, held on May 6. The day of class competition featured swimming, shuffleboard, football, horseshoes, badminton, croquet, softball and volleyball, along with a picnic.

MCC publishes its first student literary magazine, Potpourri.

Mesa Community College opened at its new site on the corner of Dobson and Southern. The buildings: the student center, the science building, the maintenance building and 26 portable classrooms - giving MCC the nickname “portable university.”

The first graduating class for the MCC Practical Nursing program had 16 graduates at the Sept. 9 ceremony.

Maricopa County Junior College District governing board approved $3.4 million budget for six new buildings at Mesa Community College.  The facilities planned for MCC were: a gymnasium, technology, business education, classrooms, physical science and library buildings.

North Central Association arrived at Mesa Community College for the two-day accreditation evaluation visit on February 13th and 14th. Fred Keyworth, president of the college faculty association, organized the writing of the College Profile.

MCC's student literary magazine changed its name from Potpourri to Ocotillo.

MCC enrollment was 2,717 headcount for day students, far exceeding the projected enrollment of 2,400.

Jim Brock started the MCC baseball program with a 163-80 record in 6 years.

The MCC library and classroom building was completed.  With 36,000 square feet, the new building housed the library collection and operations, 6 classrooms, a media center, a learning/tutoring center and a copy center.

Mesa Community College graduated its first class on its new campus in ceremonies May 29, at 8 p.m. 253 students graduated. The 1966 and 1967 Commencement Ceremonies were held at Rendezvous Park in Mesa.

MCC became a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), enabling our athletic programs to compete on the national level. Eighteen National Championships and more than 83 Conference Titles have been won since 1968.

On Aug. 20, the Association for Women's Active Return to Education (AWARE) hosted The Time of Your Life, a panel program that discussed the challenges for women returning to education.

A successful $9.8 million bond issue for the Maricopa Community College District on October 24th provided $440,000 in funds for the MCC music building.

Mesa Community College baseball team, the Hokams, won state and regional championships from 1969-1973.

MCC enrollment was 3,973 day students, 2,538 headcount for night students.

The Tibshraeny Construction Company completed the MCC building project.  It included: new $600,000 technology building, a social science building, a faculty office building, a $325,000 business education building and a gymnasium.

MCC baseball team, the Hokams, won the national baseball championship for 3 successive years - 1970, 1971 and 1972. Jim Brock becomes MCC's first baseball coach, followed by Jim Frye with a 334-172 record in 11 seasons. Jim Frye was inducted into the NJCAA Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996 for his work in community college baseball. 

Laboratory process technology and manufacturing process technology were added to the curriculum at Mesa Community College. The nursing program at Mesa had received reasonable assurance of accreditation from the National League of Nurses.

MCC enrollment was 4,424 day students, 2,905 evening students.

Mesa Community College had a record enrollment of 4,475 day students and 3,132 evening students.

Mesa Community College and Glendale Community College worked with Luke and Williams Air Force Bases to provide on-base counseling to assist servicemen.

Coach Penny Powell led MCC women's tennis program with 14 conference championships and 12 regional titles. As of her 24th year of service in 1997, her team had a 250-155 record.

Sun Valley Chorale was formed with 50 members under the directorship of James Hendricks.

MCC’s mascot changes from Hokam to Thunderbird.

MCC won the national championship in men’s indoor track and field.

Helena Howe was appointed MCC President and remained in the position until 1978.

MCC began hosting Career Fairs to assist students in seeking employment.

Volleyball brings home the national championship. In 7 years the team compiled a 199-11 record and six conference titles under the leadership of coach Lynn Bedford. 

Erected in 1978, the stained glass Thunderbird monument at the corner of Southern and Dobson was presented to the college as a gift from the Evening College Student Government Association.

Theo J. Heap was appointed MCC President.

Men's Outdoor Track and Field won the national championship.

Completed construction of the Health Improvement Center. A weight room was added in 1983. Dedication ceremonies and an Open House were held Oct. 12. The Health Improvement Center was built by MCC coaches and employees on evenings and weekends; it was built without tax or government dollars.

MCC enrolled a record 15,451 students for the Spring semester.

New construction and remodeling plans for $8.75 million in projects at MCC became part of the district's revised five-year Capital Development Plan.

MCC's new Technology Building opened.  It included laboratories for agriculture, electronics, and automotive classes along with areas for drafting and home economics.  The architect firm was Hickman, Schafer and Turley.

Career Services became a separate office from Counseling.

MCC offered telephone registration for the first time, limited to one course that did not require advising or testing.

Chandler-Gilbert Education Center began its first year of operation as an extension of Mesa Community College.

Projecting continuing higher enrollments, MCC requested a $19.6 million operating budget for 1986-87, an 8 percent increase.

Mesa Community College at Fall registration had a total of 19,116 students, a 10 percent increase. The College was the largest in the state in enrollment.

The MCC east gymnasium was named after Theo Heap, former President, Athletic Director, and Coach, during Dedication Ceremonies on December 19.

Jinnett B. Kirk, MCC’s first Dean of Students, was honored with the Don Carlos Humanitarian Award on February 20.

MCC’s telephone number changed with the advent of an upgraded telephone system that encompassed all of the Maricopa Community Colleges. The older (827)-3000 number was changed to (461)-7000, which remains to the present day. The Red Mountain campus brought a new prefix of (654)-7000.  Over the years, phone booths that were dispersed around campus were gradually removed, with one of the last being removed from the front of the AD building in the 2000s.

Enrollments at MCC and across the Maricopa Community Colleges broke new records for the Fall Semester. MCC's headcount was 18,851.

MCC was approved for construction and remodeling projects that include a new administration building and the remodeling of the old social science building.

Larry K. Christiansen served as Mesa Community College's President for nineteen years - leaving in 2007.

MCC basketball team scored a perfect 22-0 record in league play.

T-Bird Corner at Southern and Dobson received a facelift for the 25th anniversary. Erected in 1978, the Thunderbird monument was presented to the college as a gift from the Evening College Student Government Association.

MCC returned to its roots in downtown Mesa with the opening of an extension center on Centennial Way used to train 30,000 non-credit Motorola employees.

The Nursing Program received the maximum 8-year accreditation from the National League for Nursing. MCC's Associate degree nursing program began in 1969.

MCC’s Clock Tower, designed to be a focal point on campus, received conceptual approval from the district's governing board. At the time, the 60-foot high structure was valued at $90,000. The Alumni Clock Tower dedication was held on October 18th.

The Maricopa Community College District received $385.5 million in the bond election.

MCC basketball Coach Tom Bennett was elected to the National Basketball Hall of Fame.  During his tenure at MCC his team posted more than 400 wins.

MCC's first Annual Assessment Week. Faculty members assessed student performance in the areas of numeracy, problem solving, critical thinking, scientific inquiry, information literacy, cultural diversity and workplace skills. Data was analyzed by the Office of Research and Planning and an annual report was prepared. 

MCC East Campus at Mckellips and Power Roads opened its doors to 700 students in temporary facilities.

The word “MESA” was added to the Alumni Clock tower.

Groundbreaking ceremony for the Paul A. Elsner Library was held on January 15th.  Construction was in 2 phases: Phase I--new Library and Math/Science Complex; Phase II--remodeling of the old library and construction of the connector.

MCC sponsored its first High School Model UN Conference. The high school students posed as UN delegates and discussed issues such as terrorism, AIDS/HIV, and human rights. Distinguished delegates received a $1,000 MCC scholarship. 

The district governing board approved the Master Plan for the Red Mountain Campus, with phase 1 set to open in 2001.

Phase I construction began for Red Mountain Campus, which included four buildings: the Desert Willow Bldg. (library & commons), Mesquite Bldg. (student & administrative services), Palo Verde Bldg. (classrooms & laboratories), and the Ironwood Bldg. (central plant). A groundbreaking ceremony was held in April.

Mesa Community College developed its wireless technology with a WEBCAM at the Red Mountain Campus. The MCC Southern and Dobson campus Social Cultural Building, Physical Science Building and the Diesel/Welding and Physical Education portables all had wireless technology to support classroom laptops.

The installation of six colorful ceramic mural pieces added visual interest to the southeast corner of the AC Building at MCC's Southern and Dobson Campus.  Created by artist Sam Hodges, she said the pieces will serve as a teaching aid for art students in years to come.

MCC reached an enrollment of 44,000 students with classes offered at Southern & Dobson, Red Mountain, MCC Downtown Center, ASU Research Park, Mesa Public School's Country Club-Brown Facility, and Williams Education Center.

First Red Mountain Campus Career Fair.

MCC became an authorized center for Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS) Certification. 

More than 27,000 students were in credit courses college-wide at Mesa Community College; the new Red Mountain campus, located in northeast Mesa, welcomed 3,700 of those students.

Grand opening of the Cyber Café in the Academic Support Building was held on November 20th.  The Cyber Café provides students wireless access to the Internet and email.

MCC partnered with Mesa Senior Services and the Mesa Public Library to receive a $15,000 grant from the Virginia G. Piper Trust to develop a "Life Options" center in Mesa.  The Center sought to increase the quality of life for citizens 45-70 years of age.

Chinese artist Xiaoping Luo's The Hands sculpture is 12 feet long and symbolizes the nurturing of the student body. It also offers a unique and inspiring seating area outside the Theatre Outback.

MCCCD Governing Board and Mesa City Council began the planning for an expanded MCC downtown campus on August 10.  The digital campus has four divisions: government, business, education and entertainment.

Open house for the new student lounge in Acacia Village at MCC Red Mountain campus.

MCC received 10-year accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association.

The Federal Aviation Administration certified MCC as an official Airway Facilities-Collegiate Training Initiative Partner School, the only such designated program in Arizona and one of just 38 in the country.

The Commission of the Council for Interior Design Accreditation accredited MCC's Interior Design Program. MCC became one of only six community colleges in the U.S. with CIDA accreditation.

MCC inducted 20 athletes, coaches, administrators, and community leaders into its inaugural MCC Sports Hall of Fame. The 20, selected by the MCC Athletic Association, were honored at a banquet.

Mesa Community College alumnus Mark Milliron received the 2007 National Leadership Award from the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).  

All 17 graduates of MCC's first Dental Hygiene class passed the Dental Hygiene National Board.

The District Governing Board approved the purchase of 4.99 acres that housed a Harkins Theatre and Fuddruckers restaurant for MCC's new Performing Arts Center.

A newly redesigned Thunderbird athletic mascot logo made its debut at Homecoming. The football team was first to don the insignia on their helmets for their game against Scottsdale CC. The new bird, designed by Shachi Kale, is represented by Mesa's colors: scarlet, white, and southwest blue.

Completed construction and opened the 43,000 square-foot Saguaro building at MCC’s Red Mountain Campus. The Saguaro building supports life science and performing arts programs.

Employees faculty and students broke ground on the Children's Garden at the Southern & Dobson Campus. Creation of the garden was a partnership between the Maintenance & Operations and Horticulture departments, the City of Mesa, Singh Farms, and others.

MCC and Grand Canyon University announced a new cohort for Elementary Education leading to a Bachelor's Degree and teacher certification that uses a mix of internet and in-person classes. The new cohort began in January 2010.

MCC's Downtown Center held a grand opening for the Virtual Incident Command Center for Fire Science professionals. The 3,500-square-foot facility project was funded with $2.1 million in Maricopa County Community College District bond funds and was designed to be a regional fire service training facility for young recruits as well as continuing education for working captains.

MCC's Red Mountain Campus celebrated its 10th anniversary. At the Downtown Center, the Virtual Incident Command Center opened and offers state-of-the-art customizable simulations.

The new Veteran Center for Student Success Opened, and MCC was named the 2014 Military Friendly Schools list.

MCC received a $1.9 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education for The Teachers of Language Learners Learning Community (TL³C) Project. Grant monies will be allocated over five years.

The Rose Garden at MCC received a grant from the Stanley Smith Horticulture Trust resulting in up to $40,000 for a variety of garden projects including bridges so students can safely cross the retention area near the corner of Southern & Dobson, rose arbors, benches, a trellis, and other artistically designed enhancements.

MCC, in collaboration with Northern Arizona University, received a prestigious National Science Foundation grant to support career and educational pathways in geospatial technologies.

Bob Samson of MCC's Network Academy was recognized as one of the top 20 Cisco Trainers in the U.S.

The MCC Shared Governance Council (SGC) was formed, based on the initial Dialogs with the Cabinet beginning in December 2013.

The Connect for Success (C4S) Mentoring Program, launched in 2010-11, completes its third year as one of several mentoring programs at MCC, with sustained students and employee mentors' participation. In fall 2014, the first C4S Scholarship was awarded.

Drs. Kenneth and Rebecca Boren pledged $250,000 to the Endowed Teaching Chair program at MCC. The ETC program will provide approximately $30,000 in direct additional compensation to honored faculty over a three year recognition period.

Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society named MCC student Michelle Kemeny a member of its 2014 All-USA Community College Academic Team, an honor bestowed on only 20 two-year college students from more than 1,700 across the USA, who display an outstanding combination of academic achievement and community service. Her recognition includes a $2,500 scholarship.

Dr. Ruth Tan Lim pledged $1 million for the naming rights of the Performance Hall in the new Performing Arts Center (PAC) at MCC. The gift will be deposited with the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation (MCCF) for exclusive use of the Music Program at MCC. Income from the interest will be used for scholarship awards and to support the music program.

Nursing instructor Karin J. Sherrill was inducted into the Academy of Nursing Education. The National League for Nursing established the Academy of Nursing Education in 2007 to foster excellence in nursing education by recognizing individuals who have made enduring and substantial contributions to nursing education.

MCC at Red Mountain received the North American Native Plant Society’s (NANPS) 2014 Founders Conservation Award.

MCC is one of only 16 community colleges nationwide to receive the Community Engagement Classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.  Since 2002, MCC’s Center for Community & Civic Engagement has formally tracked service-learning students and their hours. To date, 17,346 students have served a total of 530,088 hours. 

The Performing Arts Center won the RED Award for Best Redevelopment Project.

MCC’s 50^th Anniversary Fundraiser and Gala, a first of its kind event for MCC, exceeded the fundraising goal of $250,000 and netted over $290,000 for student scholarships that help provide access.

MCC received a special recognition for 50 years of Excellence in Education by the Mesa Chamber of Commerce during the Annual Leadership Awards. 

MCC's accreditation status with the Higher Learning Commission was renewed until 2024-2025.

MCC launches inaugural Hall of Fame as part of MCC’s 50^th Anniversary Celebration. Inductees include Lyn Dutson, Duane Oakes, Tony Cirelli, Robert Jacks, Ronald Powell, Diana Occhiuzzi, Deborah Bateman, Hermenigilda “Hilda” Luna, Jennifer Duff, Keith Ballard, and Terence Azbill. The induction ceremony was held on November 5^th.  

The Manufacturing Technology program, a vital component of the Arizona Advanced Manufacturing Institute (AzAMI), received accreditation from the National Institute for Metalworking Skills, Inc. (NIMS Accreditation), the highest benchmark for metalworking training in the U.S.

Ranked best online 2-year school in Arizona by Accredited Schools Online.

The National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) awards MCC a bronze award for the 50^th Anniversary Celebration in the Special Event Promotion category.

Craig Peterson performed on Rachmaninoff: All-night Vigil, which was recognized with a GRAMMY® Award with top honor for "Best Choral Performance.”

The Children’s Center received the highest rating of five stars from Quality First Arizona.

Athletic trainer Kelly Boyce was selected as the Arizona Diamondbacks First Head Female Athletic Trainer.

Men’s and Women’s Tennis Region I champions.

Professor Andrew Holycross was presented with the Professor of the Year award by the Mesa Chamber of Commerce.

Former MCC Head Men’s Basketball Coach, Royce Youree, was inducted into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame.

• Mesa Community College and its Theatre and Film Arts Department won 11 ariZoni Awards. Awardees include:
  • Students
    Actress in a Major Role in a Play – Ausette Anderies, Three Sisters
    Actress in a Major Role in a Play – Samantha Hanna, Three Sisters
  • Department
    Overall Production in a Play - Three Sisters
  • Faculty
    Scenic Design – Kara E. Thomson, Alice in Wonderland
    Hair & Make Design – Mallory Maria Prucha, Alice in Wonderland
    Artistic Specialization / Puppet Design - Mallory Maria Prucha, Alice in Wonderland
    Costume Design - Mallory Maria Prucha, Three Sisters
  • Guest Artists
    Director of a Play - Matthew Wiener, Three Sisters
    Artistic Specialization / Media Design – Daniel Fine, Alice in Wonderland
    Property Design – Mary Rooney, Three Sisters
    Lighting Design - Dallas Nichols, Three Sisters

The second annual Hall of Fame induction was held on November 3^rd. Inductees included Bland Burchett, Timothy Dorn, John Giles, Emmet Ronan, Peter Fennell, Ken Phelps, Derek Price, Selmer Olson, Penny Powell, Dr. Shereen Lerner, Dr. Karen Hardin, Matt Ashcraft, and Sonia Filan.

Affordable Colleges Online ranked MCC third among the best 50 online colleges in Arizona for 2016-17.

Men’s and women’s cross country, volleyball, and football were ranked in the NJCAA top 20 nationally this fall.

MCC was awarded the MCCCD United Way Chancellor’s Cup in 2016 for employee giving.

Lydia Perez received the Steve Holeman Award during the Western Association of Educational Opportunity Personnel’s (WESTOP) annual conference.

Paul Harasha named Professor of the Year by the Mesa Chamber of Commerce.

Men’s Golf earns first national championship in NJCAA Division II. Head Coach Guerrero was also honored as NJCAA Coach of the Year.

The Rose Garden at MCC, the largest in the desert Southwest, was one of only two locations in the United States selected to sponsor an international rose trial.

Emergency Medical Services Paramedic Program earned accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.

MCC named one of 150 community colleges eligible to compete for the 2019 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance in America's community colleges.

MCC partnered with Subaru of America to train the next generation of Subaru technicians.

MCC began offering an innovative Blockchain Technology Certificate of Completion to address the community’s needs for a highly skilled workforce.

With the Mesa Chamber of Commerce, the college established Green Flag Mesa, a business development center to bolster development of small businesses operated by MCC students.

The men’s tennis team won the Region I, Division I Championship and has not lost a conference match in five years.

Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation provided a $10,000 grant to the college to encourage low-income, underrepresented students to pursue degrees and careers in STEM fields.

A partnership with Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine expanded experiences for MCC veterinary technology students.

The Theatre & Film Arts and Music departments partnered with the Act One Culture Pass Program to expand the community’s access to MCC performing arts.

Thirty-four student athletes and four teams earned All-Academic awards from the National Junior College Athletic Association during the 2018-19 academic year.

MCC launched the Virtual Student Life Center to enhance the collegiate atmosphere and serve as a meeting place and resource for information about events, clubs and services.

Due to pandemic restrictions, a drive-through graduation celebration honored 2,645, 2019-2020 graduates and more than 100 recent alumni as they passed through a reception line at the Southern and Dobson Campus.

MCC was the first college in Arizona offering the AppleCare Technician certificate program, training students to provide IT support for Apple products.

Mesa College Promise, providing financial support to students who have not received enough Free Application for Federal Student Aid funds or other scholarships, began accepting applications from Mesa residents graduating high school.

First Year Experience, a supportive year-long engagement with first-year college students, was recognized as a Program of Promise by the National Organization for Student Success.

Cross country teams finished their historic and record-breaking season at the National Cross Country Championships in Virginia, the first time in program history both the men’s and women’s teams reached the top five in national rankings.

An Arizona Lottery Gives Back Grant provided funds to engage MCC students, nurture a butterfly initiative and launch native plant programs to benefit students, wildlife and the community.

MCC received a five-year, $4.3 million federally funded Hispanic Serving Institution STEM grant to increase enrollment, retention and completion rates of Hispanic and low-income students pursuing degrees in STEM fields.

The college’s American Indian Institute celebrated 35 years of service to indigenous students.

Theatre and Film Arts students received the 2022 National Awards of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival for their production of Antigone.

The Associate in Applied Science in Early Childhood Education program was granted first-time accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children in Washington, D.C.

For achieving standards of professional practices for arboreta and botanic gardens, the MCC Arboretum was upgraded to Level II accreditation by the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation program and The Morton Arboretum.

MCC was named a silver winner of the Terry O’Banion Award by the National Council on Student Development for the iBelong Student Success Initiative, a platform for teaching and learning using an iPad, keyboard and Apple Pencil, to close the gap for students with technology needs.

With instructors having real-world, diversified experience, the nationally accredited paramedicine program maintained one of the highest pass/success rates in the state of Arizona.

Jamf (NASDAQ: JAMF), the standard in managing and securing Apple at Work, partnered with MCC to bring Jamf training to students and aspiring IT professionals by adding it to the Enterprise IT Professional for Apple Technology course series.

First Lady Dr. Jill Biden delivered remarks as special guest speaker at the May 11 commencement ceremony.

Six Thunderbird teams and 45 athletes earned All-Academic honors from the National Junior College Athletic Association by qualifying with a 3.60-3.79 GPA during the previous year.