About Walla Walla Community College
Walla Walla Community College (WWCC) has achieved local, state, and national recognition for student achievement and economic development. Locally, the Walla Walla Valley Chamber of Commerce selected the College for its Community Catalyst Award, recognizing the College’s leadership and role in leading the transformation of the regional economy. In 2006, WWCC’s Enology and Viticulture Program received the Award for Governor’s Best Practices by former Washington State Governor Chris Gregoire. In 2013, WWCC was awarded the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.
WWCC is a dynamic, comprehensive, and highly respected institution established in 1967 to meet the higher education and workforce needs of the region’s population. Located in rural, southeast Washington State, WWCC serves students via two campus and two corrections facilities with locations in Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield, and Asotin Counties (total population of approximately 89,000) as well as bordering counties in Oregon and Idaho. The college served 7531 students in the 2019-20 academic year, including 4841 in fall quarter, of whom 2955 attended either the Walla Walla or Clarkston campuses, 307 attended primarily online, 1274 were at one of two Department of Corrections sites, and the rest at various, smaller community locations. Our WWCC Quick Facts page offers a quick snapshot of our student population.
The College currently offers 65 degree and 52 certificate programs across four sites: the Walla Walla Campus, the Clarkston Campus, the Washington State Penitentiary (Walla Walla, WA), and Coyote Ridge Corrections Center (Connell, WA). Walla Walla Community College offers a comprehensive curriculum of academic and workforce training programs. The major areas of study include Arts and Sciences Transfer, Workforce Education, and Transitional Studies, all of which are also currently available at our two Corrections Education locations.
WWCC has a robust academic transfer degree program and is widely recognized for aligning its workforce education programs with current and emerging economic needs of the region. Notable workforce education programs such as Nursing and Allied Health Professions, Agriculture, Energy Systems Technology, Business Administration, Enology and Viticulture, Automotive and Diesel Trades, Cosmetology, Culinary, Collision Repair and a long-standing partnership with the John Deere Corporation to train agricultural technicians. WWCC is home to College Cellars, the first campus-based, student run, commercial winery established in the United States. The Clarkston Campus also includes several workforce education programs designed to meet the needs of a dynamic and diverse healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, and business sectors in the Lewis-Clark Valley.
WWCC has recently added two highly successful Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) degrees into its course offerings to meet student and regional needs including a Management and Entrepreneurship and Agricultural Systems. A third BAS track with an emphasis in Criminal Justice is anticipated to begin in fall 2021. In addition, WWCC offers courses through extended learning; dual-credit and alternative high school programs; workplace learning centers; outreach learning programs; and lifelong learning opportunities. This includes the fun and educational Kids’ College in the summer and Quest, a program that offers short courses to retired citizens.
Walla Walla Community College places an extremely high value on external partnerships and community engagement. The College has built enduring partnerships with K-12 and our neighboring institutions, Lewis Clark State College, Whitman College, and Walla Walla University, as well as with several other baccalaureate institutions in the Pacific Northwest. Basic Skills and English Language Acquisition classes are offered on campus, at workplace learning centers, and in the community. The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation are key partners in addressing the region’s water issues and restoring fish habitat. They are co-located in the William A. Grant Water and Environmental Center on the Walla Walla campus.
Walla Walla Community College remains learner centered and committed to community needs. WWCC’s mission is to inspire all students to discover their potential and achieve their goals by providing relevant, equitable, and innovative learning opportunities and services. WWCC strives to utilize an equity-minded lens as we evolve our policies, procedures, institutional values and practices. The College is committed to the continued growth, implementation and success of our strategic plan for equity and inclusion at all our campuses and throughout the communities we serve.
In addition, the College has a strong commitment to resource stewardship and sustainability as we work toward securing and supporting a vibrant economy and a healthy environment. A growing share of the College’s energy is powered by solar and wind, and the campus has made substantial strides in reducing water consumption. Our current Sustainability Plan for 2018-2021 speaks to these values and goals.
The College is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) and several program-specific governing entities. More information on the College and its current strategic plan can be found by visiting About WWCC.
Clarkston Campus
The Clarkston Campus, located 99 miles east of Walla Walla and half a mile from Lewiston, Idaho, Clarkston is an integral piece of the Lewis-Clark Valley. The population of the greater Clarkston area is approximately 23,000 while the greater Lewis-Clark Valley population is reaching 70,000. Clarkston and Asotin County are currently experiencing a 5.1% unemployment rate (September 2020), one of the lowest unemployment rates in the State of Washington.
Located in the far southeast corner of the state, Clarkston is considered the gateway to Hells Canyon Recreation Area. Outdoor recreation is one of the attractive features of the Clarkston area. Jet boat rides, golfing year-round, hunting, fishing and hiking are among the favorite activities of the valley. The Blue Mountains are just 30 minutes travel from Clarkston. The Nez Perce Tribe has a vital presence in the region and partners with local institutions in supporting educational endeavors. The Lewis-Clark Valley is diverse in economic development, including multiple types of manufacturing, forestry, and agriculture. The Clarkston region is also experiencing a growth in the enology and viticulture industry as well.
In combination with northern Idaho, Clarkston is located in an education rich region. The Clarkston Campus service reach includes Asotin, Garfield, Whitman, and several counties in Idaho and offers vital educational opportunities designed to meet the needs of busy work, family, and life schedules for students in this region. Clarkston curricular offerings prepare students for transfer to a baccalaureate granting college or university and also select workforce programs as well as short programs and certificates. The Clarkston Campus also offers flexible learning options in Transfer and Workforce education, Adult Basic education, preparation for the General Equivalency Diploma (GED), English as a Second Language, Running Start, and high school completion with convenient morning, afternoon, and evening sessions.
Clarkston’s educational commitment is enhanced by strong partnerships with the region’s baccalaureate granting colleges and universities, Washington State University (Pullman, WA.), University of Idaho (Moscow, Idaho) and Lewis Clark State College (Lewiston, Idaho), are all located within a 35-mile radius of Clarkston. These institutional relationships serve to enhance student and regional success and are trademark of the Walla Walla and Clarkston Campuses.
Coyote Ridge Corrections Center & Washington State Penitentiary
The Department of Corrections contracts with the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges to provide education to incarcerated individuals. Walla Walla Community College has two corrections education contracts, Coyote Ridge Corrections Center and Washington State Penitentiary. Coyote Ridge Corrections Center (CRCC) is located approximately 32 miles north of the Tri-Cities in Connell. Washington State Penitentiary (WSP) is located on 540 acres of farmland near the city of Walla Walla. Students are provided foundational education, English as a Second Language instruction, GED and High School Diploma programs, Vocational certificates, Associate Workforce Degrees, and Bachelor of Applied Science degrees. This provides our students a guided pathway towards student success into careers that provide family-wage jobs in the community and the ability to continue their education upon release.