Eastern Arizona College
| Motto | Let the adventure begin at EAC. |
|---|---|
| Type | Community College |
| Established | 1888 |
| President | Mark Bryce, J.D. |
| Address | 615 North Stadium Avenue, Thatcher, AZ 85552, USA, Thatcher, Arizona, USA |
| Campus | Rural |
| Colors | Purple & Gold |
| Nickname | Gila Monsters |
| Mascot | 'Gila Hank' |
| Website | http://www.eac.edu |
Eastern Arizona College (EAC), is a community college located in Graham County, Arizona. The main campus is in Thatcher, with satellite locations in Gila County, and Greenlee County. It is the oldest community college in Arizona and the only community college in Arizona with a marching band.
Eastern Arizona College was chartered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1888. Classes started in a church room in Central, Arizona in 1890 with 17 students and was called the St. Joseph Stake Academy. In 1891, classes were moved to Thatcher, Arizona, to be more centralized and due to room constraints. The school continued to expand, though it was strapped financially. In 1908, a new 21-room building was opened that would eventually be called Old Main.
In 1932, the Church stated they could no longer afford to support the college financially and would close it unless the local valley could support it. In 1933, an election was held and the valley passed an initiative funding the school. Ownership passed to the state of Arizona, dropping its religious affiliation, and changing the name to Gila Junior College of Graham County. This name was changed to Eastern Arizona Junior College in 1950, then simply Eastern Arizona College in 1966. In 1962, it was the inaugural member of Arizona's newly created Junior College system. The 1960s was a time of growth and the college purchased nearby farmland to extend their campus.
In 1972 a fine arts center was completed. In 1979, two fires within one week destroyed Old Main. The building was razed and a new administration building was constructed on the site. During the 1987–1988 school year, Eastern Arizona College celebrated its centennial.
Eastern Arizona College has changed names nine times, growing from a one-room school house to becoming a large community college serving three counties and hosting a satellite campus for a university.
In December 2012, after 10 years of lobbying, Eastern Arizona College launched its first bachelor's degree programs in a partnership with Arizona State University. The bachelor's degree programs include nursing and business.
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