Brazosport College

Last updated

Brazosport College
Brazosport College seal.svg
Former names
Brazosport Junior College (1968–1970)
MottoThe College of Choice
Type Public community college
Established1968 (1968)
President Dr. Vincent R. Solis [1]
Academic staff
166
Students3,829 (Fall 2021) [2]
Location
Lake Jackson
,
Texas
,
United States
CampusSuburban, 156 acres (.63 km2) [3]
Colors Black, Blue, and White
    [4]
Nickname Gators
Affiliations SACS
Website brazosport.edu
Brazosport College Official logo.jpg

Brazosport College (BC) is a public community college in Lake Jackson, Texas. The college opened in 1968 and offers primarily associate degrees and some bachelor's degrees. The campus features The Clarion, a regional musical performance venue, in addition to the Brazosport Center for the Arts and Sciences which houses the Brazosport Museum of Natural Science, the Brazosport Planetarium and other institutions.

Contents

As defined by the Texas Legislature, the official service area of Brazosport College is the Brazosport, Columbia-Brazoria, Damon, and Sweeny school districts, and the Angleton Independent School District excluding that portion annexed by Alvin Community College prior to September 1, 1995. [5] The service area includes most of Lake Jackson, Clute, Freeport, Jones Creek, Oyster Creek, Quintana, Richwood, and Surfside Beach. [6]

History

In 1948, voters of the Brazosport Independent School District voted to create the Brazosport Junior College District. However, not until the summer of 1967, after a tax was authorized by voters to maintain the college, was the college actually built. In the fall of 1968, the college opened as Brazosport Junior College, and the first semester of classes began with an enrollment of 868 students. [7] Classes were held at the Brazosport Education Extension Center in Freeport, Texas.

In 1970, Brazosport Junior College graduated its first 25 students. That same year, Brazosport Junior College was renamed to Brazosport College to represent a broader vision for the school. [7]

On June 20, 2003, then-Texas Governor Rick Perry signed Senate Bill 286 into law, which allowed the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to choose Brazosport College, Midland College, and South Texas College to offer baccalaureate degrees. [8] In December 2004, Brazosport College received accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools as a baccalaureate-level institution. In fall of 2005, Brazosport College began offering classes for its Bachelor of Applied Technology degree program for the first time.

In 2011, Brazosport College, along with Frank Phillips College in Borger, Ranger College in Ranger, and Odessa College in Odessa, were proposed for closure by the State of Texas. The Texas Association of Community Colleges rallied successfully to keep the four institutions open. [9]

In July 2014, Brazosport College expanded its baccalaureate programs by adding the Health Management Services major to its Bachelor of Applied Technology degree program.

In July 2021, Brazosport College received a $3 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott in recognition to their service to minority communities. [10]

List of Brazosport College presidents

Academics

There are several divisions that comprise the college as follows:

The Byron & Sandra Sadler Health Professions/Science Complex Byron & Sandra Sadler Health Professions-Science Complex.jpg
The Byron & Sandra Sadler Health Professions/Science Complex

Associate degrees and transfer programs

Students at BC have the option to pursue several educational paths. Historically, most students have opted to attend classes at Brazosport College as a stepping stone to other colleges and universities that offer bachelor's degrees. BC participates in the Texas Common Course Numbering System, or TCCNS, a voluntary cooperative effort by many Texas colleges and universities to create a standard set of course designations for transfer students at the freshman and sophomore level. This allows students who wish to transfer courses taken at Brazosport College to take a relevant curriculum for their destination school.

Another option for students at BC is to pursue an associate degree. Brazosport College generally graduates around 200 students annually. [3]

Bachelor's degree

Dow Academic Center Dow Academic Center.jpg
Dow Academic Center

A third option for students at BC is to pursue a Bachelor's degree in the school's Bachelor of Applied Technology program. Students in this program must be admitted through a separate application process. [4]

Campus

The Clarion The Clarion.jpg
The Clarion

Brazosport College as a campus is nearly 160 acres (0.65 km2) in size. It is a fully commuter-based campus, as there are no housing facilities for students. Most classes are held in a central complex.

Facilities

Brazosport College is home to The Clarion — a 29,000-square-foot (2,700 m2) performance hall that seats 600 people. [11] The $7.36 million facility opened in October 2005. [12] Notable artists that have performed at The Clarion include singer-songwriters Don McLean, Lyle Lovett, David Sanborn, Aaron Neville, Christopher Cross, Vince Gill, Rick Springfield, and Los Lonely Boys. [13] [14] The Clarion has had only one administrator since its construction, Vorin Dornan. [15]

The Brazosport Center for the Arts and Sciences, a 45,000-square-foot (4,200 m2) facility, is located directly in front of Brazosport College. Hosted by the college, the Brazosport Center for the Arts and Sciences is an independent nonprofit corporation. The center houses Brazosport Center Stages, an art studio and gallery, The Brazosport Museum of Natural Science along with a nature center and planetarium. [16]

BC has a student activity center known as "The Swamp". Students can play pool, table tennis, and participate in other activities. The college also has a central dining facility that serves meals throughout the day to visitors, students, and staff and faculty.

Student life

Brazosport College's Student Senate are elected and represent the student body's interests. Other activities for students include a fencing club and a performing drama group.

Notable alumni

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clute, Texas</span> City in Texas, United States

Clute is a city in Brazoria County, Texas, United States, within the Houston metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 10,604. The city gained some fame with the discovery of a fossilized mammoth named Asiel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freeport, Texas</span> City in Texas, United States

Freeport is a city in Brazoria County, Texas, United States, located on the Gulf of Mexico. According to the 2020 census, the city population was 10,696, down from 12,049 in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Jackson, Texas</span> City in Texas, United States

Lake Jackson is a city in Brazoria County, Texas, United States, within the Greater Houston metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 28,177.

A bachelor's degree or baccalaureate is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years. The two most common bachelor's degrees are the Bachelor of Arts (BA) and the Bachelor of Science. In some institutions and educational systems, certain bachelor's degrees can only be taken as graduate or postgraduate educations after a first degree has been completed, although more commonly the successful completion of a bachelor's degree is a prerequisite for further courses such as a master's or a doctorate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Undergraduate education</span> Academic programs up to the level of a bachelors degree

Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education, usually in a college or university. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, in the United States, a student pursuing an associate or bachelor's degree is known as an undergraduate student while a student pursuing a master's or doctoral degree is a graduate student. Upon completion of courses and other requirements of an undergraduate program, the student would earn the corresponding degree. In some other educational systems, undergraduate education is postsecondary education up to and including the level of a master's degree; this is the case for some science courses in Britain and some medicine courses in Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thompson Rivers University</span> Public university in British Columbia, Canada

Thompson Rivers University is a public teaching and research university offering undergraduate and graduate degrees and vocational training. Its main campus is in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada, and its name comes from the two rivers which converge in Kamloops, the North Thompson and South Thompson. The university has a satellite campus in Williams Lake, BC and a distance education division called TRU-Open Learning. It also has several international partnerships through its TRU World division. TRU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) at the associate, baccalaureate and master's degree levels.

Lone Star College (LSC) is a public community college system serving the northern portions of the Greater Houston, Texas, area. In 2017 it enrolled about 95,000 students. The headquarters of the Lone Star College System are located in The Woodlands and in unincorporated Montgomery County, Texas.

Peninsula College is a public community college in Port Angeles, Washington, on the Olympic Peninsula. It is part of the Washington Community and Technical Colleges system and offers Bachelor of Applied Science in Management and Behavioral Healthcare degrees, transfer Associate degree programs, professional-technical degrees and certificates, community education courses, and pre-college courses. It also has distance education and online learning options.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louisiana State University of Alexandria</span> Public college in Alexandria, Louisiana, U.S.

Louisiana State University of Alexandria is a public college in Alexandria, Louisiana. It offers undergraduate degrees in numerous disciplines. The university is a unit of the LSU System and operates under the auspices of the Louisiana Board of Regents. As of spring 2024, LSUA had an enrollment of 5,405 students which is recorded as the highest in the university's history. The institution is located eight miles south of downtown Alexandria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daytona State College</span> Public college in Daytona Beach, Florida, US

Daytona State College (DSC) is a public college with its main campus in Daytona Beach, Florida. DSC also has 6 smaller regional campuses throughout Volusia and Flagler counties. It is part of the Florida College System.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rush University</span> Private university in Chicago, Illinois, US

Rush University is a private university in Chicago, Illinois. The university, founded in 1972, is the academic arm of Rush University Medical Center.

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University, formerly Our Lady of the Lake College, is a private Catholic university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was founded in 1923 and is sponsored by the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady, North American Province. The university has an enrollment of approximately 1700 students. It offers associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northeast Texas Community College</span> College near Mount Pleasant, Texas, U.S.

Northeast Texas Community College (NTCC) is a public community college near Mount Pleasant, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angelina College</span> Community college in Lufkin, Texas, US

Angelina College is a public community college with its main campus in Lufkin, Texas. It has nine off-campus centers in Crockett, Hemphill, Jasper, Livingston, Nacogdoches, Pineland, San Augustine, Trinity, and Woodville. The college enrolls more than 4,000 students in its undergraduate degree programs. In addition to its academic/vocational programs, the college has a community services division that oversees the college's Adult Education Consortium, Continuing Education Units, and Career Development initiatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midland College</span> Public college in Midland, Texas, U.S.

Midland College (MC) is a public community college in Midland, Texas. It was established as an independent junior college in 1972 and held its first classes on campus in 1975. Since that time, the campus has expanded to a 704,752-square-foot (65,473.6 m2) main campus on 224 acres (0.91 km2) in Midland. It also has numerous locations in other parts of Midland and in Fort Stockton, the Pecos County seat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barstow Community College</span> College in California, U.S.

Barstow Community College is a public community college in Barstow, California. It is an open-admission college serving more than 3,700 students in degree and certificate programs with approximately 120 faculty. It provides the first two years of college or university study as part of the California Community Colleges. The college's educational program includes lower-division course work, general education offerings, and vocational courses for transfer to baccalaureate degree institutions. The college offers occupational programs designed to prepare students for entry into the workforce. Service learning and self-enrichment classes are also offered to the community.

Rosharon, is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located entirely in Brazoria County, Texas, United States, at the intersection of Farm to Market Road 521 and Farm to Market Road 1462. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 1,152. There are areas outside of the CDP, with Rosharon postal addresses, in Fort Bend County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I-Shou University</span> University in Kaohsiung, Taiwan

I-Shou University is a private university in Dashu District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Formerly known as Kaohsiung Polytechnic Institute, ISU was established in 1986 by I-Shou Lin, the founder of E United Group, to commemorate his mother as well as to benefit the villages and towns where he started his business. KPI was officially renamed I-Shou University on August 1, 1997.

Dennis Higgins Bonnen is an American businessman and politician. Bonnen served as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives from 2019 to 2021. A Republican, Bonnen represented District 25 of the Texas House from 1997 to 2021. In 2013, then-Speaker Joe Straus appointed Bonnen as Speaker Pro Tempore, presiding over the House in the Speaker's absence. In January 2019, Bonnen was elected Speaker. He did not seek re-election in 2020.

References

  1. ↑ Wuebker, Raven (October 19, 2021). "Vincent Solis named sole finalist for Brazosport College presidency". The Facts.
  2. ↑ "2021 Texas Public Higher Education Almanac". Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  3. 1 2 "About Brazosport College". Brazosport College. Archived from the original on June 9, 2011. Retrieved June 11, 2010.
  4. 1 2 Student Guide & Calendar Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine , Brazosport College, Retrieved August 12, 2007.
  5. ↑ Texas Education Code, Section 130.170, "Brazosport College District Service Area".
  6. ↑ "Brazosport College Map" (PDF). Brazoria County Appraisal District. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  7. 1 2 Gillenwaters, Karen. "Brazosport College". Handbook of Texas . Texas State Historical Association . Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  8. ↑ Wright, Michael (July 1, 2003). "BC can offer 4-year degree". Brazosport Facts . Retrieved June 11, 2010.
  9. ↑ "Letter to the Honorable Joe Straus" (PDF). tacc.org. January 24, 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  10. ↑ Loveless, Billy (June 15, 2021). "Brazosport College receives $3 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott". Brazosport College.
  11. ↑ About the Clarion Archived August 14, 2007, at the Wayback Machine . Brazosport College. Retrieved October 12, 2007.
  12. ↑ "Clarion music performance hall holds first concert". Archived February 6, 2007, at the Wayback Machine The Navigator. Retrieved October 12, 2007.
  13. ↑ Past Performances by Guest Artists Archived August 19, 2008, at the Wayback Machine . Brazosport College. Retrieved October 12, 2007.
  14. ↑ Loveless, Billy (October 1, 2010). "Los Lonely Boys kicks off Clarion's fifth season". Brazosport College. Archived from the original on December 12, 2012. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
  15. ↑ "Dornan, Vorin". 09-Staff-Page. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  16. ↑ BCFAS.org. The Brazosport Center for the Arts and Sciences. Retrieved October 12, 2007.

29°02′41″N95°24′28″W / 29.044786°N 95.407907°W / 29.044786; -95.407907

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.