MOHAVE COUNTY — The Mohave Community College (MCC) Board of Governors officially approved the decision to change the institution’s name to Mohave College, marking a significant milestone in the college’s history. The rebranding aligns with the evolution of MCC into a comprehensive institution that will include bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, expanded healthcare and career and technical education, expanded corporate education and workforce training, athletics and enhanced community education classes.
Reasons for the Name Change
“People I spoke with, when I told them everything the college does and is planning for the future, said ‘that doesn’t sound like a ‘community college’,” said Board President Dr. Diane Singer, noting that changing the name to Mohave College will better represent all the programs and services the college offers and plans to offer.
“I talked with a lot of people about this and 100% of those my generation and younger are in favor of changing the name to Mohave College,” said Ashley Pascual, MCC board member.
The College sees this as the right time to make the change, which will help better communicate the quality of education and services the college provides students and the community.
Expanding Educational Offerings
The decision comes as the State of Arizona has opened the doors for community colleges to offer four-year bachelor’s degrees. The MCC board also approved a policy change that allows the college to launch bachelor’s degree programs in the future, with several options included the college’s Academic Master Plan.
“Rebranding to Mohave College is a strategic initiative that signals our commitment to delivering a high-quality, comprehensive education that meets the needs of today’s students and tomorrow’s students,” said Dr. Stacy Klippenstein, President of Mohave College. “The name change allows us to shed outdated perceptions of community colleges and reflect the exciting changes happening here.”
Timeline for Implementation
The name change won’t happen immediately. It is planned for Fall of 2025 to align with the roll out of the first bachelor’s degree offerings, along with the opening of the college’s Advanced Manufacturing Training Center (AMTC) at the Kingman Airport Industrial Park. The timing of the bachelor’s degrees depends on approval from third party accrediting bodies, and the official name change will remain flexible.
Community Support and Research
Extensive research, including community surveys, focus groups and meetings with key stakeholders, has shown a majority support the name change. A survey of nearly 500 respondents, including community members and community leaders, students and employees, found that 72% support dropping the word “Community” from the college name.
Many noted it would enhance the college image and potentially increase enrollment and help the college “shed the inaccurate stigma associated with the community college brand,” said James Jarman, Executive Director of College Communications who also chaired the college’s Rebranding Committee.
“A lot of the feedback we received from the community centered on all the positive developments happening at the college, such as bachelor’s degrees, athletics, student housing and the AMTC, just to name a few,” said Jarman. “After reviewing all the feedback, it became clear that most feel the name Mohave College is a much larger umbrella under which all the college’s programs and services fit, compared to a ‘community college’ brand that brings with it a lot of incorrect preconceived notions.”
Commitment to Community Service
The college remains deeply committed to serving the local community and will continue to offer programs and services tailored to the needs of Mohave County, including workforce training, community education, dual enrollment and partnerships with local businesses and schools.
“The College has always responded quickly to the needs and demands of our students and communities and no matter what the name is, that will not change,” said Dr. Klippenstein. “We serve the region and provide access to high-quality education and the new name aligns perfectly with our expanding higher education services.”
Rebranding Process
As the transition to Mohave College takes place, with an official roll out tentatively planned for the Fall of 2025, the college has developed a comprehensive plan for rebranding. The community will be invited to take part in choosing a new logo for Mohave College. The college is already working to create several options for the new logo and over the next several months will seek feedback from community members, students and employees to determine the final design.
