Eastern Arizona College

Eastern Arizona College was chartered by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1888. Classes started in a church room in Central, Arizona in 1890 with 17 students and was called the St. Joseph Stake Academy. In 1891, classes were moved to Thatcher, Arizona, to be more centralized and due to room constraints. The school continued to expand, though it was strapped financially. In 1908, a new 21-room building was opened that would eventually be called Old Main.

In 1932, the Church stated they could no longer afford to support the college financially and would close it unless the local valley could support it. In 1933, the residents of Graham County passed an initiative funding the school. The state of Arizona took over the school, changing the name to Gila Junior College of Graham County. This name was changed to Eastern Arizona Junior College in 1950, then simply Eastern Arizona College in 1966. In 1962, it was the inaugural member of Arizona's newly created Junior College system.{{cite web | title=Brief EAC History | work=Fact Book | publisher=Eastern Arizona College | url=http://www.eac.edu/About_EAC/Get_to_Know_Us/Fact_Book/History_and_Profile/History.shtm | access-date=2015-03-24}} The 1960s was a time of growth and the college purchased nearby farmland to extend their campus.

In 1972 a fine arts center was completed. In 1979, two fires within one week destroyed Old Main. The building was razed and a new administration building was constructed on the site. During the 1987–88 school year, Eastern Arizona College celebrated its centennial.

Eastern Arizona College has changed names nine times, growing from a one-room school house to becoming a large community college serving three counties and hosting a satellite campus for a university.{{cite web|url=http://www.eac.edu/About_EAC/Get_to_Know_Us/Fact_Book/History_and_Profile/Facilities/default.shtm|title=History of EAC Facilities|work=eac.edu|access-date=26 November 2015}}

In December 2012, after 10 years of lobbying, Eastern Arizona College launched its first bachelor's degree programs in a partnership with Arizona State University.{{cite web |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/11/eastern-arizona-college-bachelors-degree_n_2273138.html |title=Eastern Arizona College Launches Bachelor's Degree Programs After Decade-Long Fight |author=Sarah Pavlus |work=Huffington Post |date=December 11, 2012 |access-date=May 22, 2013}} The bachelor's degree programs include nursing and business.

EAC is a state-sponsored community college and comes under the guidance and control of the state of Arizona.

The main campus {{coord|32.8419|-109.7620|type:edu_region:US-AZ|format=dms|display=inline,title}}{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}} sits in the center of the Upper Gila River Valley with Mt. Graham towering to the south and the Gila River to the north. The buildings on the campus are plain, while the grass, trees, and flower beds on EAC's campus are impeccably maintained year-round.Thatcher, Arizona

On September 15, 2007, Eastern Arizona College dedicated their Bell Tower. The tower is adjacent to the administration building, between the north and south campuses.{{cite web|url=http://www.eac.edu/Utilities/News_and_Events/detailSQL.asp?Item=195|title=News Releases Details|work=eac.edu|access-date=26 November 2015}}

Eastern Arizona College provides dormitories for single students. EAC has the following houses:

• Mark Allen
• Wesley Taylor
• Nellie Lee
• Residence towers (three towers)

Married student housing is not available on-campus. Most married couples are able to find off-campus apartments.

In addition to on-campus housing, there are many off-campus places available for rent. EAC has a housing office with information for on- and off-campus living.{{cite web|url=http://www.eac.edu/Campus%5FLife/Housing/|title=Housing|work=eac.edu|access-date=26 November 2015}}

Eastern Arizona College has nine academic divisions:

• Business{{cite web|url=http://www.eac.edu/Academics/Majors_and_Curricula/Divisions/business.shtm|title=Business Division|work=eac.edu|access-date=26 November 2015}}
• Communicative Arts{{cite web|url=http://www.eac.edu/Academics/Majors_and_Curricula/Divisions/commart.shtm|title=Communicative Arts Division|work=eac.edu|access-date=26 November 2015}}
• Fine Arts{{cite web|url=http://www.eac.edu/Academics/Majors_and_Curricula/Divisions/finearts.shtm|title=Fine Arts Division|work=eac.edu|access-date=26 November 2015}}
• Health and Physical Education{{cite web|url=http://www.eac.edu/Academics/Majors_and_Curricula/Divisions/healpe.shtm|title=Health and Physical Education Division|work=eac.edu|access-date=26 November 2015}}
• Industrial Technology Education{{cite web|url=http://www.eac.edu/Academics/Majors_and_Curricula/Divisions/indutec.shtm|title=Industrial Technology Education Division|work=eac.edu|access-date=26 November 2015}}
• Liberal Studies{{cite web|url=http://www.eac.edu/Academics/Majors_and_Curricula/Divisions/libstd.shtm|title=Liberal Studies Division|work=eac.edu|access-date=26 November 2015}}
• Mathematics{{cite web|url=http://www.eac.edu/Academics/Majors_and_Curricula/Divisions/mat.shtm|title=Mathematics Division|work=eac.edu|access-date=26 November 2015}}
• Science and Allied Health{{cite web|url=http://www.eac.edu/Academics/Majors_and_Curricula/Divisions/sci.shtm|title=Science and Allied Health Division|work=eac.edu|access-date=26 November 2015}}
• Social Sciences{{cite web|url=http://www.eac.edu/Academics/Majors_and_Curricula/Divisions/socsci.shtm|title=Social Science Division|work=eac.edu|access-date=26 November 2015}}

Eastern Arizona College is the home of the Mills Collection, the life-work of avocational archaeologists Jack and Vera Mills. The Mills conducted extensive excavations on archaeological sites in Southeastern Arizona and Western New Mexico from the 1940s through the 1970s. They restored numerous pottery vessels and amassed more than 600 whole and restored pots, as well as over 5,000 other artifacts. Most of their work was carried out on private land in southeastern Arizona and western New Mexico. They donated their collection of some 600 whole vessels to EAC, on condition that their collection be placed on permanent public display.[https://www.eac.edu/About_EAC/Mills_Collection/ The Mills Collection] at Eastern Arizona College. Accessed 5/12/2020

The college's mascot is "Gila Hank"—the Gila monster is a species indigenous to the region.{{citation |url= http://www.eac.edu/Utilities/News_and_Events/detailSQL.asp?Item=986 |title= Celebrate EAC's 125th Anniversary and Gila Hank |work= News and Events: News Release |publisher= Eastern Arizona College |first1= Britney |last1= Meece |first2= Lori |last2= Dugan |date= June 20, 2013 }}

• H. Verlan Andersen, LDS general authority
• Mike Bellamy, CFL player
• Christo Bilukidi, NFL player
• Del M. Clawson, politician
• Henry Eyring, chemist
• Mark Gastineau, NFL player
• Adarius Glanton, NFL player
• Tay Glover-Wright, NFL player
• Michael Haynes, NFL player
• Mitch Hoopes, NFL player
• Orlando Huff, NFL Player
• Mike James, NBA player
• Walter S. Johnson, businessman and philanthropist
• Spencer W. Kimball, religious leader
• Bronzell Miller, NFL player and actor
• John Mitchell, NFL assistant coach
• Jeremy Nelson, visual effects artist
• Nick Nolte, actor
• Spencer J. Palmer, religious scholar
• Nolan Richardson, college basketball coach
• Seton Sobolewski, college basketball coach
• Brandon Stewart, CFL player
• James Tolkan, actor
• Frank R. Zapata, United States District judge

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://www.eac.edu/}}

{{Colleges and Universities in Arizona}}

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Category:Education in Graham County, Arizona

Category:School districts in Graham County, Arizona

Category:Universities and colleges established in 1888

Category:Universities and colleges formerly affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Category:Community colleges in Arizona

Category:1888 establishments in Arizona Territory

Category:Two-year colleges in the United States