Olympic College
| Motto | "Cogita, Aspira, Aude, Perade" |
|---|---|
| Type | Community College |
| Established | 1946 |
| President | Dr. David Mitchell |
| Students | 12,825 |
| Location | , , |
| Colors | Red and White |
| Nickname | OC |
| Mascot | Rangers |
| Website | Olympic.edu |
Olympic College is an urban-based, but rural- and urban-serving, 2-year public institution in Bremerton, in the U.S. state of Washington.
Olympic College opened its doors as Olympic Junior College on September 5, 1946. The main building was located in Bremerton, Washington. They had 575 students (423 men and 152 women) and the tuition was $35 per quarter or students had the option to pay for three quarters in advanced for $75.
Olympic College serves Kitsap and Mason counties in Washington. The college's service area contains two major naval installations: Naval Base Kitsap and Naval Hospital Bremerton.
The college's main campus is a 33-acre (13 ha) site located in Bremerton, Washington, and its two satellite campuses are located in Poulsbo and Shelton, Washington. The Poulsbo campus is a 20-acre (8.1 ha) site and is 15.9 miles (25.6 km) from the main campus, while the 27-acre (11 ha) Shelton campus is located 38.4 miles (61.8 km) from the main campus. These three campuses serve more than 12,000 students a year mainly from the 281,374 residents of Kitsap and Mason counties spread over 1,617 square miles (4,190 km2) of wooded and lowland mountain terrain (Census 2000). The student body is predominantly full-time (59%), between the ages of 20–29 (37.7%), and slightly more female than male (56% female). At 73% white, the student body is more diverse than the two counties in which its campuses are located (Kitsap 84% white, Mason 89%), and is more like Seattle (70% white) in King County, which is an hour's ferry ride from Bremerton across the waters of Puget Sound.
The land for both the Shelton and Poulsbo campuses was donated. The 27 acres of land that is now the Shelton campus was donated by Simpson Timber in 1991 and the 20 acres of land that is now the Poulsbo campus was donated by the Olhava Family in 1993.
The school motto is, "Cogita, Aspira, Aude, Perade (think, aspire, dare, achieve)."
Olympic College has attracted dignitaries and well-known performers during its history. Harry S Truman, the 33rd President of the United States, visited Bremerton and Olympic College (then known as Olympic Junior College) in 1948. He received the first honorary degree from the college that year.
The college offers bachelor's degrees in Nursing, Information Systems, and Organizational Leadership and Technical Management. Through partnerships with local universities like Washington State University and Western Washington University, students can complete and associate degree with Olympic College then transfer into a partner program to earn a bachelor's degree without having to leave Kitsap County.
In 2015, Olympic College was named as one of ten finalists for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s preeminent recognition of high achievement and performance in America’s community colleges.
For their inaugural season in 2012, the Kitsap Admirals used the Bremer Student Center as their home venue. The team has since relocated to more suburban Silverdale at Olympic High School.
References
- Bremerton, Washington
- Universities and colleges in Washington (state)
- Universities and colleges accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
- Educational institutions established in 1946
- Education in Kitsap County, Washington
- Buildings and structures in Kitsap County, Washington
- 1946 establishments in Washington (state)