A STEPPING STONE: THE HISTORY OF ANNE ARUNDEL COMMUNITY COLLEGE

In most respects, the history of Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) parallels the pattern of national community college development. Although AACC experienced countless changes as it evolved, the College's commitment to educational opportunity emerged as the most significant hallmark of its history. With accessibility as the fundamental characteristic of educational opportunity, AACC enabled thousands of individuals to pursue higher education because it served as a stepping stone which led to new experiences and opportunities which would have been denied them had AACC not been established. The study opens with a section which highlights the emergence and development of the national and Maryland community college movements within the context of America's historical dream to provide universal educational opportunity. The history of the College begins with the early initiatives of local citizens who persuaded the county board of education to establish a college. While tracing the institution's development from September 1961 to June 1980, this history chronicles the College's developmental stages and describes how each of the four presidents responded to the unique opportunities and challenges during his tenure. This, coupled with presidential leadership styles, modified AACC's institutional identity and produced characteristic themes for each developmental period. In addition to recording the who, what, when, where, and how of events, this history pursues the more fundamental question of why. Events and individual's behaviors are examined and provide a more meaningful understanding of Anne Arundel Community College's history.