History

Unique by its mandate, Guam Community College (GCC) was established in 1977 by Public Law 14-77 to serve both secondary and postsecondary student levels. The main GCC campus is located on a 22-acre site in the central part of the island in the village of Mangilao. GCC is the only community college on Guam and its primary service area is the island. The College enjoys an excellent reputation for quality career and technical education programs and serves a predominant number of Micronesian and Asian students. GCC offers 21 associate degree, or two-year programs, and 18 certificate, or one-year programs. GCC also offers a U.S. Department of Labor approved Apprenticeship program in conjunction with over 100 island employers. Over 500 apprentices are currently enrolled in the program. Additionally, GCC offers the following Adult Education programs: Adult High School, two high school equivalency tests (GED® and HiSet®), English as a Second Language, and Adult Basic Education (Basic Literacy Skills and Family Literacy).  



GCC also has a significant role in the six island public high schools in that it offers career and technical education programs in Tourism, Marketing, Visual Communications, Allied Health, Early Childhood Education, Construction Trades, Electronics, AutoCAD and Automotive Services in the high schools (programs are dependent on facilities at each school) with an average enrollment of over 2,600 students (in sophomore, junior, and senior grade levels) at any given time. GCC’s Dual Credit Articulated Programs of Study (DCAPS) offers students that are enrolled in these CTE programs sophomore through senior year and who have earned a grade of “B” or better all three years, the opportunity to earn entry level college credit in the corresponding postsecondary programs at GCC.  In effect, the DCAPS creates a direct pathway to Guam Community College for Guam’s public high school students.

 

Guam Community College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). GCC is also a member of the Pacific Postsecondary Education Council, which is a consortium of presidents and chancellors of higher education instructions in the U.S. and U.S. affiliated Pacific Islands.