College History

On June 8, 1964, Oakland County voters overwhelmingly established funding for the Oakland Community College District. For more than sixty years, our community has consistently supported the College's mission ensuring student success and advancing our community.

Oakland Community College (OCC) opened in September 1965, with a record community college initial enrollment of 3,860 students on two campuses - Highland Lakes, a renovated hospital in Union Lake, and Auburn Hills, a former Army Nike missile site in Auburn Hills. The historic opening received widespread attention in national media, reflecting growing interest in community college development across the U.S.

The Orchard Ridge Campus, with its award-winning architectural design, opened in Farmington Hills in September 1967, and was followed by a Southeast Campus System based in leased facilities in Oak Park. That system quickly expanded through the remodeling and purchase of buildings in Royal Oak Campus, and the Oak Park location was replaced by a new campus facility in Southfield Campus in 1980. A new campus complex was built in Royal Oak in 1982. In the late 2010s, a new "virtual campus" was launched with online programs, courses and full range of services found on "brick-and-mortar" campuses.

Across its multi campus system, OCC has served one million students and become a source for community development and engagement since opening its doors.

Oakland Community College celebrates 60 years of educational excellence

Oakland County residents George and Doris Mosher became involved in the effort to establish Oakland Community College in the 1960s. Doris chaired the citizens' committee that initiated a study for the formation of a community college through the Citizens' Advisory Council in 1962. This study concluded that Oakland County urgently needed a community college to provide college courses, technical-vocational programs, traditional college transfer programs and extensive student services. In 1964, voters passed proposals to establish Oakland Community College (OCC) and also approved a millage levy to underwrite construction and operations.

1960s | Oakland Community College established and opens

Citizens Advisory Council recommends five college campuses in Oakland County and the work begins to establish and open Oakland Comunity College. The Auburn Hills and Highland Lakes campuses both refurbish existing structures and open the College in 1965. After the purchase of land in Farmington Hills, the College begins a ten-building construction project, which opens as the Orchard Ridge Campus in 1967.

1964

Dr. John Tirrell hired as OCC's first president

Voters approve establishment of OCC and millage
Board elected and chaired by George R. Mosher
OCC purchases three campus sites: Auburn Hills, Highland Lakes and Orchard Ridge. Auburn Hills Campus was the site of a former Army Nike Missile Base and Highland Lakes Campus was a former tuberculosis sanitarium

1965

OCC logo 1965 to 1969

Faculty develops revolutionary audio-tutorial teaching method
15 acres of property is purchased in Bloomfield Hills for the District Office

1966

Faculty forms OCC Faculty Association (OCCFA)
Athletics program begins

1967

First buildings open at Orchard Ridge Campus and receive excellence in design award from the American Association of Architects
Dr. Joseph Hill named OCC’s second president
Educational sciences system begins
College Academic Senate established

1969

OCC logo 1969 to 1994

The student-led Association of Black Students is created at OCC with the assistance of Faculty Advisors. Membership is open to any person willing to work toward the advancement and representation of Black students at OCC

1970s | Major expansion of facilities and students

Growing demand spurs the College to lease properties in Royal Oak and Oak Park

The College makes a commitment to empowering women by establishing the Womencenter, offering educational and supportive programs

1971

Bombs explode at Orchard Ridge
OCC accredited by North Central Association
Southeast Campus System opens in Our Lady of Fatima School

OCC faculty strikes

1973

Southeast Campus System opens classrooms in renovated Royal Oak buildings

1975

Board approves major $13.75 million college-wide building plan

1976

OCC offers 557 college transfer, general education and developmental programs

1978

Robert Roelofs becomes OCC’s third president

1979

College establishes OCC Foundation

1980s | Growth, change and increased commitment to vocational education and training

OCC enjoys another decade of growth and change. The College increases its commitment to vocational education and training resulting in federal funding of more than 84 percent of allied health and vocational-technical programs

OCC opens Michigan’s first “earth-integrated” campus in Southfield. Three outside walls and the building’s roof are constructed of cement. The soil roof, covered with living groundcover plants, and cement walls reduce heating and cooling costs

1981

OCC students reconstructing Elmer the mastodon's skeleton - 1981

OCC students begin reconstructing bones of “Elmer,” a 10,000 year old American mastodon found in 1968 by a construction crew on M-59 between Elizabeth Lake and Williams Lake roads. While only 1/3 of Elmer’s bones were found, OCC students, under the direction of Wayne State University professor Jeheskel Shoshani, recreated the remaining skeleton over a 10-month period. Elmer resides in Levinson Hall at OCC’s Highland Lakes campus.

1982

Royal Oak campus opens (aerial view)

New buildings rise at Auburn Hills, Highland Lakes and Orchard Ridge

1985

Dr. R. Stephen Nicholson becomes OCC’s fourth president, a title that is changed to chancellor going forward

1989

OCC begins Touch Tone class registration
Expand services for learning disabled students and cooperative programs with area schools

1990s | Student enrollment escalates

By the mid-1990s, OCC enrolls more students annually than Harvard or the University of Pennsylvania, making it the largest of Michigan’s community colleges

1990

OCC celebrates silver anniversary

1991

Dr. Patsy Fulton-Calkins becomes OCC’s fifth chancellor and first female chancellor at OCC.

College’s premier services – Advanced Technology Center, Workforce Development and Advanced Technology Program – to serve business, industry and the community

1995

Inception of OCC Alumni Association

1996

Richard T. Thompson named OCC’s sixth chancellor

OCC’s first all-female Board elected. In 1996, Jeanne Towar, who had served on the OCC Foundation Board for a decade, captured one of the two six-year seats in the election. A recount returned incumbent Sandra Ritter to her seat on the Board. In 1998, three incumbent trustees won re-election to six-year terms on the Board: Judith Wiser, Janice Simmons and Anne Scott. In 2000, former incumbent Trustee Pamala Davis returned to the Board for a six-year term, a position she holds today

1997

The Mace, used to lead commencement, was designed and built by Mickey L. Glover, a retired craftsman from Oakland Community College.

Formation of Business and Community Alliance

1998

Community College Weekly ranks OCC among the nation’s top 100 community colleges in several categories

1999

State of Michigan awards OCC $5 million grant to begin construction of Michigan Technical Education Center (M-TEC)

2000s | Innovative programs support student success

OCC launches several innovative programs that support the College’s three goals to support student success: college readiness, transfer readiness and employment readiness:

Oakland Early College launches in 2007 at the Orchard Ridge Campus
A similar early college partnership with the Pontiac School District kicks off in 2007
Oakland Accelerated College Experience for at-risk high school students begins in 2014
OCC and Oakland University introduce 'Oakland-2-Oakland' where students enroll at both schools and enjoy collective resources
The Michigan Advanced Technician Training Program (MAT2) rolls out in 2014 to train students in high tech jobs while attending OCC. Participating companies have access to a pipeline of specifically trained talent

2000

OCC, the 12th largest community college in the nation, has served more than 400,000 students in its first 35 years
George Mosher and his wife Doris establish the George & Doris Mosher Endowed Scholarship, the OCC Foundation’s largest, to help students in financial need
Presidential candidate George W. Bush visited the college's Orchard Ridge campus in October and spoke to more than 5,000 supporters

2003

Dr. Mary Spangler named OCC’s seventh chancellor in 2003

2004

Construction is completed on the Combined Regional Emergency Services Training (CREST) facility on the Auburn Hills Campus. CREST is a national model for emergency services and anti-terrorist training

2008

Dr. Timothy Meyer is named the College’s eighth chancellor

2009

A $25 million expansion of the Southfield Campus’ health facilities begins

2010s | Incorporating new technologies

OCC establishes office of Admissions and Recruiting and upgrades its software to effectively grow student enrollment and improve communications with existing and prospective students

2017

Office of Admissions and Recruiting established. Admissions incorporates CRM software into recruitment and admissions work. CRM establishes communication workflows based on the status of prospective student’s application or inquiry to college. Software enabled tracking of conversions from prospective students to applications
Digitized recruitment process. Recruitment coordinators bring tablets to recruitment events. Prospective students need only complete five fields to be included in inquiry communications workflow designed to encourage prospective students to convert to admitted status
Peter Provenzano, became Interim Chancellor

2018

OCC Logo 2018

Peter's Inauguration as 9th OCC Chancellor

Peter Provenzano's Chancellor Inauguration (center) with Deans Robert Spann and Cindy Carbone

Peter Provenzano, named OCC’s 9th Chancellor on Jan. 1

NASA astronaut Dr. Andrew Feustel, an OCC alumnus and Lake Orion native, connects with students and former faculty for live Q&A from the International Space Station and OCC’s Auburn Hills campus

2019

OCC rolls out the Accessibility Compliance Center & Education Support Services (ACCESS) program. The program provides accommodations and services to students with a documented disability
Members of College community are encouraged to participate in Title IX training to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs, activities and employment practices
Voters overwhelmingly approve 10-year millage renewal for OCC

George R. Mosher, Jr., OCC’s charter Board Chair

George R. Mosher, Jr., OCC’s charter Board Chair, passes away at age 98

2020s | Pandemic shift and future planning for continued success

The 2020s enjoy significant growth in spite of a global pandemic kicking off the decade. OCC administrators, staff and professors quickly work to offer online classes for students and remote work for most employees. Committed front-line workers report in-person to keep facilities and other critical services operational.

2020

State and local governments commit to increasing per-student funding for public two-year community colleges. In addition, lawmakers create many new free community college programs and scholarships for low-income and students of color to help close equity gaps. (source: Hechinger report 2022)

Empty hallway during COVID - 2020

COVID-19: Outbreak of a novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the U.S. in January of 2020 leads to declaration of a worldwide pandemic by the World Health Organization in March.

OCC suspends face to face classes on March 11, 2020, and pivots to remote teaching and online services week of March 23
Frontline employees begin phased-in return to in-person work July 6, 2021
Students begin in-person classes in late August 2021, with remote services available

OCC commits in February 2021 to greater investment in diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) with the hiring of Andre Poplar as Vice Chancellor of HR and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act provides more than $3 million in direct student funds to OCC to distribute to eligible students to help with expenses related to the disruption of campus operations
OCC offers up to 3,500 Dell laptops to eligible students who register for 12 or more credits. Laptop program is funded by the Coronavirus aid dollars received by OCC from the federal CARES act

2021

New B building at Auburn Hills campus - 2021

New Science and Computer Science building opens on Auburn Hills Campus

First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona and U.S. Congressman Andy Levin visit the college’s Royal Oak campus on Sept. 24 to discuss the vital role community colleges play in training the future workforce and transforming the lives of everyday people
Culinary Institute reopens restaurants and plans culinary events on Orchard Ridge campus after year-long closure due to COVID-19
Women’s basketball team qualifies for National Junior College Athletic Association Division II tournament

OCC graduate in car parade commencement - 2021

OCC graduates are celebrated remotely and through a live car parade

2022

OCC graduates participating in commencement ceremony - 2022

Live commencement ceremonies reinstated after two-year hiatus because of COVID-19

Feb 2022 – Masks mandatory in all classrooms and labs and optional in all other areas of College
New digital navigation platform, MazeMap, helps students and visitors with wayfinding
OCC breaks ground on new Culinary Arts Institute building on Royal Oak campus. The three-story expansion features demonstration kitchens and a restaurant

2023

New culinary institute beam signing at Royal Oak campus - 2023

Students, employees and community invited to beam signing for new Culinary Studies Institute expansion at Royal Oak Campus

OCC announces partnership with Northwestern Michigan College’s Great Lakes Maritime Academy. Partnership creates a pathway toward a Bachelor of Science in Marine Technology - Engineering Officer program
Chancellor Peter Provenzano, named One of Crain’s Detroit Business Notable Leaders in Higher Education
OCC moves administrative District Office in December from George A. Bee Administration Center in Bloomfield Hills to OCC Campuses. Move continues investment in academic programs and services
March 2020: Oakland Community College donates much-needed Personal Protective Equipment and ventilators to area health systems
Aug 30, 2021, return to in-person classes
Winter 2021 students taking 12 or more credits can get free Dell laptop computer on first-serve basis. OCC one of the only comm colleges in MI to use portion of Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act

2024

OCC's new mascot, Talon the Owl - 2024

OCC Owls announce new mascot, Talon, conceptualized and designed by OCC students. Talon is a wise owl with a commanding gaze and replaces Rudy the Raider, who retired as OCC’s mascot after 60 years

OCC names Gjon Djokaj as new men’s basketball coach and Robert Belf, Jr., as new women’s basketball coach
A partnership between OCC and Oakland University allows OCC students to live on Oakland University’s campus to learn more about one of OCC’s top transfer institutions
Waterford Township purchases southern portion of OCC’s Highland Lakes campus. Health Sciences programs to move to Orchard Ridge Campus in 2026 in a new Health Sciences disciplines building
OCC and MSU College of Human Medicine sign early admission agreement