November 1974– first Board of Trustees meeting was held.
August 1975– JWCC admitted its first 668 students using the innovative “common market” method for delivery of instruction.
May 1976– twenty-six students graduated in JWCC’s first commencement ceremony.
June 1979– opened first Pittsfield Center at the Old East School.
1980 - 1989
August 1981– JWCC Agricultural Education Center opened on the U of I Orr Research Center near Perry.
December 1983– JWCC offices moved from Our Lady of Angels Seminary on North 18th to former Lincoln School at 48th and Maine.
September 1985– Uptown Adult Education Learning Center opened at 509 Maine.
May 1986– JWCC Foundation Board of Directors held its organizational meeting.
1990 - 1999
Fall 1990– Pittsfield Education Center moved to its present location, 1308 West Washington.
1991– JWCC began establishing a broad range of autonomous curricular programs to phase out the “common market” operation.
1991– General education and liberal arts faculty were added in order for the College to provide its own comprehensive baccalaureate transfer curriculum.
1991– Board of Trustees approved Trail Blazers as the College’s athletic team name/mascot.
1991– JWCC fielded its first intercollegiate athletic teams during the 1991-1992 academic year.
1996– College acquired 154 acres from the Deters family for the current site of the Quincy campus at 48th and Harrison.
1996– JWCC and Dot Foods entered into an agreement to offer a variety of classes at the Mt. Sterling Learning Center.
November 1996– Groundbreaking for the JWCC Science and Technology Center.
January 1998– Science and Technology Center opened. First building on the new Quincy campus.
2000 - 2009
December 2001– JWCC programs and services located at 48th and Maine campus in Quincy were moved into the Learning Center and Student Administrative Center
January 2002– Learning Center and Student/Administrative Center opened on the new campus.
Fall 2004– Paul Heath Community Education and Fine Arts Center (named in honor of the College’s founding president) completed the College’s long-range plan of a four-building core campus.
2004– JWCC Celebrates its 30th Anniversary.
2006– Student Activity Center opened. The SAC includes a gym that can seat 1,800 plus a weight room, classroom, locker rooms, and a team training room. The site also includes a baseball field, softball field, and additional parking.
May 2007– JWCC 32nd commencement ceremony was held in the Student Activity Center. JWCC first-ever commencement held on its own campus.
2009– JWCC 35th Anniversary and first Founder’s Day Celebration.
2009 – JWCC Workforce Development Center opened at 4220 Kochs Lane in Quincy.
2010 - 2019
Spring 2011 – New two-year Manufacturing Technology program began to meet needs identified by local manufacturers. The program focuses on how a product is manufactured, distributed, documented and supported.
June 2011- Adams County Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) offices moved to the JWCC Kinscherff Adult Education Learning Center at 122 North 5th Street, Quincy.
January 2012 – Dr. John Letts was appointed the College’s fifth president.
May 2012 – JWCC retirees establish a Retirees Association.
August 2012 – Mandarin Chinese course offered for the first time at JWCC.
May 2013 – Grand Opening of JWCC’s new Mt. Sterling Education Center at 108 N. Capitol in Mt. Sterling.
August 2013 – New JWCC Career Readiness Center opens to help students and community members more confidently identify local careers that match their skills and interests.
September 2013 – New Retired and Senior Volunteer Program offices open in Mt. Sterling and Pittsfield.
January 2014 – First JWCC homecoming January 17- February 1.
April 2014 – Michael L. Elbe becomes JWCC’s sixth president.
July 2014 – New 2×2 accelerated online programs begin to offer students opportunity to earn an associate degree by taking two classes at a time and finish in two years. Initial 2×2 programs include accounting, business, economics, psychology, history, and general studies.
January 2015 – “Woody the Trailblazer” unveiled as first JWCC Mascot in celebration of JWCC’s 40 year anniversary.
August 2016 – Quincy Mayor Kyle Moore creates the Quincy Promise pilot program subject to availability to support Quincy high school 2017-2019 graduates attend JWCC tuition free.
August 2016 – JWCC offers 12-week courses for the first time.
August 2016 – JWCC creates its Computer Network Support certificate.
August 2016 – Collaborate with Blessing-Rieman to combine resources to deliver nursing instruction for students in JWCC’s Associate Degree in Nursing program.
June 2017 – 40th anniversary of the partnership between University of Illinois Orr Agricultural Center and John Wood Community College Agricultural Education Center
July 2017 – JWCC launches College for Life program to provide post-high school educational experience for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
August 2017 – Southeast Education Center is formally dedicated.
October 2017 – First four-week winter session launched.
October 2017 – Women’s volleyball and men’s soccer programs reintroduced and women’s soccer program added to athletic offerings.
December 2017 – Sign agreement with Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing and Health Sciences to combine resources to deliver JWCC’s Surgical Technology degree.
January 2018 – Bob Rhea ’80 selected for inaugural Distinguished Alumni Award
February 2018 – Smart Start 2×2 online program launched for high achieving high school students to complete the first two years of bachelor’s degree prior to high school graduation.
May 2018 – JWCC and the Regional Office of Education #1 share resources to provide a new Pearson Testing Center at JWCC’s Southeast Education Center.
August 2018 – Launch of one-year Medical Assistant program.
August 2018 – Launch of Missouri Plus Scholarship program for high school graduates in adjacent Missouri counties.
September 2018 – Approve an articulation agreement with Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing and Health Sciences to provide and efficient path from JWCC’s Associate Degree in Nursing to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing at BRCNHS.
