Community colleges are not just valuable educational institutions but an integral part of a community, adding to the cultural life of a town. There are two Baltimore community colleges, offering a wide range of studies, and both are very respected in the academic and vocational fields.
Baltimore City Community College began life as a Junior College in 1947 and was part of the public school system to educate returning servicemen from World War II. The college re-located in 1967 and changed its name to The Community College of Baltimore and became an independent institution. The campus was expanded in the 1970s and was renamed again in 1992, when it became the Baltimore City Community College and received its funds from the state of Maryland. The three campuses for this sector of Baltimore community colleges are in the Mondawmin area of the city, the Reistertown Road Plaza and the Inner Harbor site.
The college has 31 degree courses and 28 certificate programs. Courses include healthcare, dental hygiene, nursing and physical therapy. There are also courses in telecommunication, information technology, business administration, criminal justice and hospitality. The sporting life of this representative of Baltimore community colleges includes men’s and women’s basketball teams, men’s baseball and women’s volleyball teams.
The Community College of Baltimore County offers associate Degrees and Certificate Programs. This college also has three major campuses, sited at Catonsville, Dundalk and Essex. There are also extension centers at Hunt Valley and Owings Mills. The Dundalk campus is home to the Baltimore County Police Training Academy. Courses at the college include anthropology, biology, electrical engineering and environmental science. There is also computer science and hospitality management and the arts are represented by courses in fine and applied art, dance, music and theatre. Online tutoring is available in computer studies and math.
Sport is actively pursued here too with teams in baseball, basketball, lacrosse, soccer, volleyball and softball. The Dundalk campus has a multi purpose stadium, gymnasium, baseball stadium and swimming pool. The Essex campus contains indoor marked courts, a weight training room, hard tennis courts and a multi purpose stadium. Baltimore community colleges prepare students for the world of work on campuses equipped with state of the art technology. There is an active social life and organized activities for sport and the arts. The Alumni Society at each college supports students after they have left. Both colleges have different things to offer and Baltimore is the richer for them.