Central Lakes College is a two-year community and technical college in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System with campuses in Brainerd and Staples.
itle="Maps, aerial photos, and other data for this location">46.345808°N 94.215585°W / 46.345808; -94.215585 Central Lakes College in Brainerd includes courses in the liberal arts and sciences with an Associate in Arts degree and Minnesota Transfer Curriculum for transfers to a four-year college. It also offers Associate in Science degrees, and technical programs that have Associate in Applied Science degrees, diplomas and certificates to get you out in the work world in a short amount of time. The college also includes many unique degrees such as Underwater Diving along with an assortment of "green" environmental and ecological courses.
Central Lakes College is home of the Raiders. There is NJCAA Volleyball, Football, Basketball, Baseball, Softball, and Golf. There are also different clubs and organizations on campus.
46.386051°N 94.799775°W / 46.386051; -94.799775 Staples community college is mostly technical programs with Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degrees, Diplomas and Certifications including robotics, heavy equipment operation, photographic technology, and automotive technology as well as a smaller liberal arts program Associate in Arts (AA).
Formerly Part of 3 different colleges: Brainerd Community College (Brainerd Junior College), Brainerd Technical College (Brainerd Technical Institute), and Staples Technical College (Staples Technical Institute).
History
Central Lakes College combines both Brainerd Community College and Brainerd Staples Technical Colleges. The two were combined to create CLC on July 1, 1995. The colleges share a long history. Brainerd Community College was established in 1938 as Brainerd Junior College. Around that time, enrollment was about 50 students in both technical career programs and a college transfer program. Years later, as part of the local school district, the College became part of the Minnesota State Junior College System in 1963 and was separated into Brainerd Junior College and Brainerd Technical Institute. At that time Brainerd Junior College, the first building in Minnesota to be built specifically as a junior college, was completed. Thirty-five years of enrollment growth necessitated building projects in 1969 (gym), 1971 (art studios), 1974 (student center), 1989, and 1991. By 1992 the campus had grown to an enrollment of 1800 students.
A complete remodeling of Central Lakes College has taken place in 2002, with many new classroom technologies and a remodeling of certain areas such as the library. Brainerd Technical College was at that time called a technical institute and remained part of the school district until the merger in 1995.
Brainerd Technical Institute and its sister institution, Staples Technical Institute, located 30 miles away in the historic railroad town of Staples, developed programs designed to meet the changing needs of business and industry.
In 1991 the State Technical College Board combined the administration of both schools creating Brainerd Staples Technical College. With technological programs such as the Staples program in robotics, the secretarial and business programs at Brainerd and the unique heavy equipment program.
As both colleges continued to attract more students, and the legislature began encouraging community and technical colleges to cooperate, the first discussions of consolidation were held. Both colleges volunteered to become one of the first merged colleges in the state, and Central Lakes College was created.
The Staples campus with a newly designed building addition in 1985 remains the center for training in heavy equipment, machine tool technology, media and communications and a unique robotics and automated systems technology program. Started in 1950, the campus outgrew the original building and a complete new campus was built on the north edge of Staples near the Crow Wing River in 1971. All three colleges are connected by interactive television and courses are offered from campus to campus with students at all sites.
A new $24 million complex was completed in 1996 on the Brainerd Community College campus. This building is on the cutting edge of educational technology with a central core offering several interactive television classroom. This technology allows courses to be brought in from state universities as well as private colleges and worldwide satellite downlinks. "Smart classrooms" with multi-media capabilities offer both faculty and students more options to create a learning situation tailored to specific learning styles and teaching needs.
Central Lakes College has two campuses, one in Staples and one in Brainerd.
Academics
Programs Offered: Liberal Arts and Sciences Transfer Program - Associate in Arts Degree Career Programs Associate in Science Degree, Associate in Applied Science Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs
Central Lakes College offers over 70 programs, including Associate in Arts Honors degree. They have also expanded partnerships with area school districts and the business community.
Central Lakes College(CLC) in Brainerd collaborated with Southwest Minnesota State University to establish a 2 + 2 articulation agreement in Theatre Arts.
Central Lakes College has been granted national accreditation for their concurrent enrollment programs from The National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP). NACEP accreditation validates the quality of college courses offered in high schools and ensures that the course content and student expectations match the standards of the sponsoring post-secondary institution.
References
External links
- Central Lakes College
