Wharton County Junior College will celebrate its 80th anniversary this year with a host of special events geared toward both employees and the community as a whole. A special committee was tasked with organizing these events. Pictured, left to right, are committee members Lacy Guill, Manager of Institutional Effectiveness; Amber Barbee, Director of Counseling and Disability Services; Jessica Falcon, TRiO SSS Project Director; Armando Palomino McClure, Coordinator of Recruitment; Dr. Mike Wilkinson, Chief of Staff; and Jonathan Jeter, Director of the WCJC Foundation. Not pictured are Georgeann Calzada, Director of Fort Bend Campuses; Jesi Ramirez, Instructor of Developmental Mathematics; and Ben Sharp, Director of Marketing and Communications.
WHARTON, TEXAS — From humble beginnings, Wharton County Junior College has grown over the years into one of the top two-year educational institutions in the state. This year, the college marks its 80th Anniversary, a milestone that solidifies the institution’s role as a beacon of opportunity and hope for generations of students and the community as a whole.
WCJC President Dr. Amanda Allen, the college’s seventh president, said the college is poised to build upon its great heritage as it looks to a promising future.
“For eight decades, WCJC has been a place of opportunity, access and transformation, shaped by the dedication of our faculty and staff, who care deeply about students and the communities we serve,” Allen said. “As we honor that legacy, we also look ahead to the next chapter of growth, innovation and impact.”
In celebration of the 80th Anniversary, the college will host a number of special events throughout the coming year. Some activities are geared toward faculty and staff while others are open to the community. Events include an employee banquet in February, a baseball game and tailgate party in March, a band concert and community reception in April, commencement exercises in May, a special volleyball game in September, and National Night Out and Trunk or Treat events in October.
The college held its inaugural classes in September of 1946, utilizing five Wharton Fairground buildings. Approximately 200 students attended those first sessions. Two years later, county voters approved a tax bond to construct permanent facilities. A 20-acre site was donated at Boling Highway and Alabama Road in Wharton, where WCJC’s current Wharton campus now sits. Various expansions and building construction projects occurred over the next few decades, leading to the establishment of permanent facilities in Richmond, Bay City and Sugar Land. The college currently offers 40 plus programs of study to a student population of roughly 7,000.
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