Whatcom Community College turns 50 this year. Here’s how you can see what’s changed

Whatcom Community College plans to mark its 50th anniversary with an exhibit at the Whatcom Museum set to run through the spring.

The exhibit at Old City Hall, 121 Prospect St., opens March 18 and runs through May 31. General admission to the museum is $10.

The project will showcase the college’s milestones since its founding in 1967, said Mary Vermillion, a college spokeswoman. Key turning points include the formation of the campus in 1983, the inception of the college’s Running Start program for high school students, and the opening of the Health Professions Education Center in 2013.

The exhibit will tell WCC’s history through photos and artifacts, including original course catalogs and vintage classroom desks, Vermillion said. A collection of old technology, which includes some of the college’s first desktop computers, will tell the story of how WCC became known for its cybersecurity program.

Visitors will also hear directly from those who attended or worked for the college in decades past, including Stan Brunner, the last surviving member of the college’s 1969 board of trustees.

“We’re hoping people will come to learn a bit about the history of the college and take pride in where the college is today,” Vermillion said, adding that others who wish to share their own memories of the college will be able to write them into journals at the exhibit.

The college is celebrating its semicentennial with events throughout 2017. For information, visit whatcom.edu/50.

This story was originally published March 11, 2017 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Whatcom Community College turns 50 this year. Here’s how you can see what’s changed."