About WVC - Wenatchee Valley College

1300 Fifth Street Wenatchee, WA 98801 | (509) 682-6440 | wvc.edu
Wenatchee Valley College
• At A Glance •
Wenatchee Valley College
Wenatchee Valley College (WVC) is a comprehensive community college serving North
Central Washington students and international students seeking a two-year liberal arts
and sciences degree for transfer; those seeking a degree or specific job skills in a
variety of technical and professional areas; those seeking to improve basic skills in
reading, mathematics, writing and English-as-a-second-language; and those seeking to
improve professional or personal skills through continuing education. As a district, over
7,000 students are served each year (including part-time students).
The WVC college district is the size of Massachusetts and Rhode Island combined, covering more than
10,000 square miles, and includes two campuses. The 56-acre Wenatchee campus is located near the
eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains, midway between Seattle and Spokane, and includes classrooms
and laboratories, a student center, a music and art center, bookstore, library, café, theater, two galleries and
administrative offices. Central Washington University and Heritage University have centers located on the
Wenatchee campus and offer a number of programs that fully articulate with WVC. The WVC at Omak
campus is located near the Canadian border in Omak, about 100 miles north of Wenatchee, and includes
part of the reservation of the Colville Confederated Tribes.
WVC is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
Our Mission
Wenatchee Valley College enriches North Central Washington by serving educational and cultural needs of
communities and residents throughout the service area. The college provides high-quality transfer, liberal arts,
professional/technical, basic skills and continuing education for students of diverse ethnic and economic
backgrounds.
History
Wenatchee Valley College opened as a private institution in Wenatchee in 1939 as a result of donations from
51 local citizens. Two years later, it became part of the state’s public education system. Classes were held on
the third floor of the Wenatchee High School building on the corner of King and Idaho streets until the
donation of the A. Z. Wells home in 1949.
Wells House, a large house on a five-acre tract on Fifth Street, was built of hand-hewn stone from the
Columbia River and graced with castle-like turrets. It housed offices and classrooms, then later became a
dormitory after the construction of additional buildings. Adjoining landowners agreed to sell acreage to the
college at cost, expanding the campus to its current 56 acres. Wells House (located on college property) is
now owned by the Wells House Committee, which restored and maintains the historic mansion.
In 1967, Community College District #15 was formed, expanding WVC’s district to include all of Chelan,
Douglas and Okanogan counties. Classes were first held in Okanogan County in a former Omak hospital
building until the Omak campus was established in the mid-1970s on the site of a former Catholic school (on
a half block near downtown Omak.)
Music and Art Center
Through support of local funders and the Washington State Legislature, construction of the new WVC Music
and Art Center was completed in the span of 12 months, opening in fall 2012. The project fostered
partnerships for improving the quality of art and music education in the Wenatchee Valley. The facility serves
as a practice and rehearsal venue for community musical groups including the Wenatchee Valley Symphony
and the Columbia Chorale. WVC and local employer Alcoa Wenatchee Works partnered to begin the
digital design program, which combines industrial technology and art to create a training program for
students interested in careers in entertainment design and advanced manufacturing.
Degrees
Wenatchee Valley College provides a variety of courses and programs, including:
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Associate of arts and sciences degree
Associate of science-transfer degree
Associate in business-direct transfer agreement
Associate of technical science degree
Associate in applied sciences-transfer degree
WVC also offers professional/technical programs for workforce development, and continuing education
classes for personal enrichment on campus, in the community and online. Basic education offerings include
GED preparation, adult basic education, developmental (pre-college) education, English as a second language
and citizenship classes.
Professional / Technical Degree & Certificates
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Accounting*
Aerospace Electronics*
Agriculture
Automotive Technology
Business Computer Technology (BCT)*
Business*
Chemical Dependency Studies*
Computer Technology
Criminal Justice
Digital Design
Drafting Technology
Early Childhood Education*
Environmental Systems and Refrigeration
Technology (ESRT)
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Industrial Electronics
Machining
Medical Assistant
Medical Laboratory Technology*
Multi-Occupational Trades
Natural Resources
Nursing*
Outdoor Recreation Management
Radiologic Technology
Retail Management
Tribal Gaming Management*~
Welding Technology and Fabrication
All programs are offered on the Wenatchee campus unless otherwise indicated.
*Offered on the Omak campus
~Omak campus only
Canada
Omak
Bellingham
Wenatchee
Seattle
Spokane
Olympia
Washington
Pullman
TRAVEL DISTANCES
Vancouver
Portland
Oregon
Wenatchee to Omak: 96.1 Miles
Wenatchee to Seattle: 147.8 Miles
Omak to Seattle: 236.8 Miles
Wenatchee to Spokane: 169.7 Miles
Omak to Spokane: 139.7 Miles
North Central Washington Highlights
The area’s diverse geography provides the setting for one of the world’s greatest fruit-growing regions and
treasured national forests. The Wenatchee Valley is fondly referred to as the Apple Capital of the World. The
Apple Capital Loop Trail on the beautiful Columbia River offers activities for walking, jogging, biking, events
and more. In winter, Mission Ridge Ski Area, located on the ridge south of Wenatchee, is a great spot to enjoy
skiing and snowboarding.
The town of Leavenworth, approximately 23 miles from Wenatchee, is a Bavarian Village. Leavenworth holds
various special events throughout the year including Christmas lighting ceremonies, and numerous festivals
and activities.
Approximately 40 minutes north of Wenatchee is the gorgeous Lake Chelan Valley, surrounded by steep
beautiful mountains and national forest. If you enjoy water sports or just relaxing by the shore, visit the 55mile long Lake Chelan.
Rich in cultural diversity and history, the Okanogan Valley offers many recreational activities, from camping
to fishing, skiing, snowmobiling, and annual events such as the Pow Wow and Omak Stampede.
For more information visit our area chambers of commerce:
• wenatchee.org
• leavenworth.org
• lakechelan.com
• omakchamber.com
WVC 2013-14 Facts & Figures
Service district: Chelan, Douglas and Okanogan
counties
Population:
2013 estimate – 154,380
Total enrollment:
• 7,135 students
• 5,726 in credit and basic skills programs
• 1,409 in noncredit training and continuing
education
• 3,425 full-time equivalents (FTEs)
Graduates: • Associate of arts and sciences: 395
• Associate of arts and sciences-business: 17
• Associate of science: 17
• Associate of applied science-transfer: 35
• Associate of general studies: 5
• Associate of technical science: 235
• One-year technical certificate: 158
• Short-term technical certificate: 267
• Full-time students: 78%
• Part-time students: 22%
• Wenatchee campus: 86%
• Omak campus: 14%
• Female: 57%
• Male: 43%
• Latino students: 42%
• Native American students: 5.3%
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Liberal arts/sciences: 54%
Professional/technical: 38%
Pre-college: 31%
Basic skills: 8%
• Average age: 24
Total operating budget: $27,512,92
Capital budget: $1,514,569
Grand total: $29,027,497
Highest enrollment programs:
• Transfer programs
• Medical Assistant
• Nursing
• Criminal Justice
• Early Childhood
• Radiologic
Education
Technology
Faculty and staff (as of spring quarter 2015):
WVC employs 77 full-time faculty, 161 parttime faculty, 81 classified staff and 53 exempt
employees.
Hispanic-Serving
Institution
Wenatchee Valley College meets the criteria for
designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution.
42 percent of its full-time equivalent
undergraduate students identify as
Hispanic/Latino. The college serves its diverse
student body through academic inititatives,
student services and student clubs.
The U.S. Department of Education College
Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) provides
students from migrant and/or seasonal
farmworker backgrounds with educational and
support services to succeed in their first year of
college. WVC CAMP works in conjunction with
college instructors, student services and
community-based organizations to improve
educational opportunities for students. Last year,
75 percent of CAMP students completed their
first year of college in good academic standing.
The fall-to-fall retention rate was 83 percent.