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Olney Central College will host its 60th Anniversary Celebration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, September 6 on the Student Union Patio.
Guest speakers will include OCC’s newly installed President and Vice Chancellor for Business Operations Chris Simpson, Illinois Eastern Community Colleges Retired CEO Terry Bruce and Olney Mayor Mark Lambird.
Refreshments will include Dairy Dee ice cream, Ginger Ale’s drinks, and OCC Knight Kafe cookies. Giveaways, raffles and games will be available. Campus tours will be offered from noon to 1 p.m., with golf carts available for transportation. In the event of inclement weather, activities will be moved inside the Student Union.
“OCC has a legacy of educational excellence and helping to put students on a path to success,” Simpson said. “If one looks at the leaders in Olney, Richland County, or throughout our region and beyond that began their post-secondary education at OCC, it is an impressive list. There is no question that OCC has made a positive difference in the lives of students for 60 years.”
Olney Community College — as it was known at the time — opened its doors to 154 students on Sept. 3, 1963, and more than 1,000 people attended a dedication ceremony on Oct. 6, 1963.
OCC officially became a Class I College on July 1, 1968, and was renamed Olney Central College. The following year, OCC joined with Lincoln Trail and Wabash Valley to form what would become the Illinois Eastern Community Colleges District. Today the district also includes Frontier Community College.
