Catawba Valley Community College is Part of North Carolina's Community College System

Brief HistoryPrograms Offered
Established in April 3 rd, 1958, the name of the collegeSpecialty programs offered by the college include
was changed to Catawba Valley Community Collegehomegrown teaching scholars' initiative that provides
on December 1 st 1987 from the then existing name ofloans for prospective candidates for teaching from
Catawba Valley Technical Institute and which wasCatawba and Alexander Counties in exchange for an
also known as Catawba Valley Technical College. Itagreement to teach 4-7 years in the home county of
was the concerted efforts of Catawba Countythe candidate. Degrees, career preparations, and
citizens and educational leaders in North Carolina thatcorporate training programs are offered besides short
brought up the college by the Department of Publicterm training programs and online degrees through
Instruction as the 9th school of its kind in the state. Initialdistance learning. Academics, education, fine arts,
enrollment in the college was 77.business, industry, health services, public safety, and
technology are some of the major courses offered.
In 1963 the establishment of North Carolina system ofAccreditation
community colleges was complete and CatawbaCatawba Valley Community College is accredited by
College was included in the system in 1964 andNorth Carolina State Approving Agency for Veteran
offered its first associate degree. Name of the collegeEducation. It is also a member of the American
was changed to Catawba Valley Technical College inAssociation of Community Colleges. Special programs
1979 and transfer programs were approved in 1987.have been accredited by the National League for
CampusNursing, Commission on Dental Accreditation, and
With an area of 120 acres the campus has tenCommission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education
buildings. A college art center on Startown Highway, anPrograms in collaboration with the Joint Review
education center in downtown Newton, Balls CreekCommittee on Educational Programs for EMT
Center, East campus, and Alexander Country CenterParamedic and various other approving authorities.
are other extensions.