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History

  • 1942

    Calhoun’s first president, Dr. Carlton Kelley, serves as head of the Decatur Trade school.

  • 1946

    The institution moved to its present location near Pryor Field and served as a war surplus project for training WWII vets.

  • 1947

    The College was created as the result of the consolidation of the Tennessee Valley State Technical School and John C. Calhoun State Junior College.

  • 1953

    Tennessee Valley State Technical received 1st appropriation funding from the state of Alabama for $1 million dollars.

  • 1965

    The school became a comprehensive institution and was renamed John C. Calhoun State Technical Junior College and Technical School.

  • 1969

    Under the leadership of Dr. Wernher von Braun, Calhoun is invited to offer classes in Huntsville for NASA and the U.S. Army at Redstone Arsenal.

  • 1974

    Construction on the Student Center (Decatur campus) was completed; the building would later be named the Chasteen Student Center in honor of the College’s second president, Dr. James Chasteen.

  • 1977

    Dr. James Chasteen becomes the College’s second president, serving the institution for 14 years. The Fine Arts Building opens.

  • 1981

    Calhoun has an enrollment of 5720 students

  • 1983

    Interest in Calhoun computer classes rises 40% from the previous year with the introduction of personal computers.

  • 1989

    Calhoun student Todd Fentress is named the first American Association of Community and Junior College/Phi Theta Kappa National Student Scholar. At the time of Fentress’ honor, only one student in the entire nation was recognized.

  • 1992

    Dr. Richard Carpenter is named Calhoun’s third president, serving for close to 10 years.

  • 1996

    Calhoun secures its permanent location in Huntsville at Cummings Research Park. The college’s first website “goes live.”

  • 1997

    The College begins offering courses online via the Internet.

  • 2003

    Dr. Marilyn C. Beck becomes the College’s fourth president and makes history as the institution’s first woman president. Beck rebuilds the entire college campus with the largest brick and mortar infrastructure campaigns in history. Enrollment tops 10,000 students.

  • 2007

    Math/Science/Administration Building opens.

  • 2010

    Groundbreaking event held for Phase I of the Alabama Center for the Arts.

  • 2015

    Calhoun welcomes Dr. James Klauber, Sr. as its fifth president.

  • 2016

    Grand opening held for Alabama Center for the Arts, Phase II

  • 2018

    Alabama Governor Kay Ivey presents $1M check to Calhoun and Huntsville Hospital to support creation of a new Nursing simulation lab at the Huntsville campus.

  • 2022

    Dr. Jimmy Hodges is named sixth President of Calhoun Community College.

  • 2023

    Groundbreaking event held for on a new $30-million, 52,200 square foot Advanced Technology Center to enhance workforce training.

  • 2024

    Ribbon Cutting-Grand Opening for the new Alabama Center for the Arts Residence Hall. The $15-million dollar student housing development is in partnership with Athens State University.