Welcome to BMCC

 

Blue Mountain Community College (BMCC) is a comprehensive community college committed to providing a premier learning environment and support for student success. Program areas include career and technical certificates and degrees, college transfer degrees, college preparatory and adult basic skills training, workforce development programs, continuing education, and community education.  BMCC offers students high-quality instruction, affordable tuition, small class sizes, and student support services such as tutoring, computer labs, academic advising, and disability accommodations.  
 
BMCC serves five counties in northeastern Oregon—Baker, Grant, Morrow, Umatilla, and Wallowa—through its locations in Pendleton, Hermiston, Baker City, Milton-Freewater, Boardman, John Day, and Enterprise. In addition, BMCC provides selected on-site services to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. BMCC uses distance education learning modalities to serve residents of the region as well as a small number of students from around the world.
 
On average, BMCC employs 350 full-time and part-time persons, with an annual payroll of over $7,000,000.

In 2009-10, BMCC enrolled 10,873 students, of which 3,345 were seeking a certificate or associate’s degree. A total of 3,814 students received $11.4 million in financial assistance in the form of federal and state assistance, scholarships, grants, tuition waivers, other assistance, and work/study jobs. More than 845 BMCC students and 1,262 prison inmates enrolled in ESL, GED preparation, or adult basic education classes. Both dual credit courses and expanded option classes are offered to area high school students; 903 students earned college credits for advanced classes taken in their high schools and more than 150 different college courses were taken by high school students at BMCC locations or via distance learning. The growth and sophistication of technology have expanded the number of courses offered via distance learning to over 200; 2,476 students took at least one distance learning course in 2009-10.

Typical of community college student populations, the average age of all BMCC students is 35, whereas degree-seeking students average 30 years of age. Student demographic data rely on self-reporting: 2,226 students identified themselves as belonging to minority populations and 539 identified themselves as veterans. Class size is generally fewer than 30 students.

Our History

Blue Mountain Community College was established on July 1, 1962, after winning an overwhelming five-to-one vote of confidence by the residents of Umatilla and Morrow counties.

The college opened its doors in September of that same year. Vocational-technical courses were initially taught at Pendleton’s John Murray Junior High School; college transfer programs were added a year later. In 1965, BMCC moved the campus to the north hill overlooking Pendleton. Within ten years, the original construction plans for the college were completed. In September 1992, the college purchased Columbia Hall in Hermiston to accommodate a growing student population in western Umatilla County. In October 1993, the college created a center in Milton-Freewater by leasing the former US Bank Building. In 1994, the Milton-Freewater Continuing Education Office and Basic Skills Center moved to the same location.

Fall term 1995 marked the beginning of BMCC’s distance education program. While the college had offered telecourses for a number of years, newer media such as videotapes, the Internet, and ED-NET expanded the options of potential students who were bound by constraints of time or location. Now nearly 100 courses are offered via distance education. Distance education delivery is now primarily Web-based with links to faculty instructors and other classmates.

In November 1998, the voters in Morrow and Umatilla counties passed a bond measure for facility expansion in district growth areas. The bond financed expansion of the centers in Hermiston and Milton-Freewater and the opening of the BMCC Morrow County center in Boardman. The Pendleton campus expansion included new technical agriculture buildings, a new science and technology building, and the remodeling and upgrading of older facilities.  

A ballot measure in March 2000 annexed Baker County into the BMCC district. Classes at BMCC Baker County began in the fall of 2000.

 

Blue Mountain Community College looks forward to celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2012. Activities will honor the leaders—board of education members, presidents, faculty, staff, alumni, and community—whose vision made our college grow.

Living in Eastern Oregon

The communities of northeastern Oregon offer many cultural and historical attractions. Pendleton hosts two symphonies that attract musicians from throughout the region. Hermiston’s Desert Arts Council sponsors numerous concerts and cultural events. The Arts Center of Pendleton, the first regional arts center in eastern Oregon, offers gallery exhibits and emphasizes arts education. The Tamástslikt Cultural Institute of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation highlights a living history exhibit of regional Native American customs and culture. County museums preserve and present local histories, and the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center near Baker City commemorates our place on the Oregon Trail.

Many communities in the five counties served by the college have unique seasonal festivals and historic architecture that reflect the spirit and history of the region. The world-famous Pendleton Round-Up celebrates the heritage of the West every September with rodeo competitions, community events, and pageants. This cowboy sport is also enjoyed at county fairs and other festivals throughout the region. The Hermiston FunFest, Baker City’s Miners’ Jubilee, and Milton-Freewater’s Muddy Frogwater Festival are a few of the many popular events that showcase local products and community pride.
 
Bordered by the Blue Mountains, the Columbia River, and rolling crop land, our district abounds in recreational attractions. The local area offers an abundance of year-round recreational sites, including state and national parks. The Umatilla National Forest, under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service, provides more than a million acres of wilderness recreation opportunities. Skiing, snowboarding, fishing, hiking, rafting, and hunting are outdoor activities available to BMCC students, local residents, and visitors.
 
Eastern Oregon has four distinct seasons with a very livable climate. Sun-filled summers see temperatures ranging from 73 to over 100 degrees, while winters average 33 degrees. Humidity is low, averaging 45 to 50 percent. Our dry climate produces about 13 inches of rain each year. Snow is close at hand for winter fun.

Locations

BMCC Region

Typical of many community colleges, Blue Mountain Community College has a main campus, six centers, two contract-out-of-district (COD) locations, and a distance learning delivery sustem to better serve students in the region. Students have access to the following services at all BMCC locations:

  • Information on obtaining financial assistance (grants, loans, scholarships)
  • Academic advising and degree planning
  • Placement assessments in math, writing, reading and computer literacy
  • Courses, workshops, and other educational offerings
  • Textbook purchases
  • Disability accomodations.

Each site offers additional unique services, which are highlighted in the links below.

BMCC Pendleton

2411 N.W. Carden Avenue
Pendleton, OR 97801
Phone: 541-276-1260
Fax: 541-278-5871
Email: getinfo@bluecc.edu

Blue Mountain Community College’s main camus is located on a scenic 160-acre hilltop site, which includes a 100-acre farm, overlooking Pendleton, a city of 16,600 residents, located 200 miles east of Portland and nearly equidistant from Seattle, Spokane, and Boise.

Programs and classes include:

  • College credit classes/A.A.O.T. degree
  • Career-technical programs (certificate and associate of applied science degrees)
  • College preparatory classes including adult basic education, general education development (GED) preparation, and English as a second language (ESL)
  • Customized training for business and industry
  • Continuing education classes
  • Community education/personal enrichment courses
  • Small Business Development Center

The Pendleton campus houses both cultural and recreational venues. The Betty Feves Memorial Gallery, located in Pioneer Hall, exhibits a wide variety of art and functions as an educational tool to encourage creativity and to foster an appreciation of the visual arts. The Bob Clapp Theater, also in Pioneer Hall, hosts a variety of activities including concerts, lectures, and workshops and is home to the College Community Theatre, which produces three plays a year. The college also hosts an Arts & Culture Festival in April, with a focus on diversity. The McCrae Activity Center, houses handball and racquetball courts, a weight room, a total fitness room, a gymnasium, and a 25-meter heated swimming pool.

Varieties of co-curricular activities augment the education offered on campus and are an important component of the Blue Mountain Community College experience. For the serious athlete, BMCC has a well-rounded athletic program for both men and women. The college fields intercollegiate teams in basketball, volleyball, softball, baseball, and rodeo. Students have an opportunity to become involved in the Associated Student Government (ASG), work as a student ambassador, or join a variety of student clubs, all of which provide educational, recreational, social, and leadership opportunities for interested students.

Student support servicesa include a TRiO program (for qualified students), a Student Learning Center, a full-service library, computer labs, tutoring, and faculty advisors. 

Tours of the BMCC Pendleton campus may be arranged by contacting the outreach coordinator at 541-278-5936 or by emailing: getinfo@bluecc.edu.

BMCC Hermiston

975 S.E. Columbia Drive
Hermiston, OR 97838
Phone: 541-567-1800
Fax: 541-567-1020
Email: bmcchermiston@bluecc.edu

BMCC Hermiston serves western Umatilla County and North Morrow County. Offerings include:

  • College credit classes/A.A.O.T. degree
  • Job skills workshops
  • College preparatory classes, including ABE, GED preparation and testing, and ESL in English and Spanish
  • Customized training for business and industry
  • Emergency medical training, first aid, and occupational certifications
  • Personal enrichment courses
  • Citizenship classes
  • Welding classes
  • Business Technology (Business Lab)

With the fall 2011 opening of the Eastern Oregon Higher Education Center, BMCC Hermiston offers students increased  access to postsecondary education and related student services, in partnership with Eastern Oregon University (EOU). BMCC offerings include courses leading to the A.A.O.T. degree, as well as other degrees and certificates, and expanded course offerings throughout the day and evening.  EOU offers new on-site courses in business, education, and liberal studies, as well as the continued availability of online programs.  

The Oregon JOBS program (a welfare-reform contract with the Oregon Community Human Services Department) and the Small Business Development Center have services available at BMCC Hermiston. For additional information or to schedule a tour, please contact the BMCC Hermiston office. An EOU representative is also on-site full time.

BMCC Milton-Freewater

311 N. Columbia
Milton-Freewater, OR 97862
Phone: 541-938-7176
Fax: 541-938-3763
Email: bmccmiltonfreewater@bluecc.edu

Service Center Hours

This growing center, located five miles south of the Oregon-Washington state line on State Highway 11, offers classes on-site in a variety of delivery formats including traditional, condensed, and weekend classes, as well as a wide offering of courses delivered via ITV. By combining on-site and distance courses, students may complete a variety of degrees and certificates. In addition, Milton-Freewater offers:

  • College credit classes/A.A.O.T. degree
  • Business technology labs
  • Job skills workshops
  • College preparatory classes, including ABE, GED preparation and testing, and ESL
  • Customized training for business and industry
  • Personal enrichment courses
  • Welding classes
  • First Aid/CPR courses
  • Citizenship classes

The Oregon JOBS program is available at Milton-Freewater. For additional information or to schedule a tour, please contact the BMCC Milton-Freewater office.

BMCC Baker County

3275 Baker Street
Baker City, OR 97814
Phone: 541-523-9127
Fax: 541-523-9128
Email: bmccbaker@bluecc.edu

With two sites in Baker City, on Baker Street and in the National Guard Armory, BMCC Baker County offers a variety of:

  • College credit classes/A.A.O.T. degree
  • Job skills workshops
  • College preparatory classes including ABE, GED preparation and testing, and ESL
  • Customized training for business and industry
  • Emergency medical training, certified nursing assistant (CNA), pharmacy technician, phlebotomy, first aid, and certain occupational certifications
  • Personal enrichment courses

BMCC Baker count offers the entire A.A.O.T. degree with tranditional class offerings. Students can also combine distance learning classes with traditional day/evening classes for more flexibility. The A.A.O.T. degree transfers to any Oregon University System institution towards a Baccalaureate degree.

The Small Business Development Center also has a representative at BMCC Baker County. For additional information or to schedule a tour, please contact the BMCC Baker County office.

BMCC Grant County

835-B S. Canyon Boulevard
John Day, OR 97845
Phone: 541-575-1550
Fax: 541-575-2920
Email: getinfo@bluecc.edu

Established in 1987, and located in John Day, BMCC Grant County provides learning opportunities to the residents of Grant County, including:

  • College credit classes
  • Community enrichment classes
  • Job training courses/workshops
  • Certified nursing assistance certificate program
  • College preparatory classes including, ABE, GED preparation, and ESL

BMCC Grant County focuses on building relationships with community organizations, local businesses, and area schools to serve the citizens of Grant County.  This site provides support services for students to access BMCC distance learning courses. For additional information or to schedule a tour, please contact the BMCC Grant County office.

BMCC North Morrow County

300 N.E. Front Street
Boardman, OR 97818
Phone: 541-481-2099
Fax: 541-481-3990
Email: bmccnorthmorrow@bluecc.edu

BMCC North Morrow County serves the westernmost region of the college district. The center offers a variety of:

  • Job skills workshops
  • College preparatory classes including ABE, GED preparation, and ESL
  • Customized training for business and industry

Students have the opportunity to take classes at the local site, or they may choose to take advantage of the distance education classes, which allow students to complete their classes using the Internet, videotapes, independent study, ITV, or workbooks. Using a combination of on-site and distance education, students may complete their A.A.O.T. degree at BMCC North Morrow County.  Classes are offered at BMCC North Morrow County during both day and evening hours.

BMCC South Morrow County

P.O. Box 21
Ione, OR 97843
Phone: 541-422-7040
Fax: 541-422-7015
Email: bmccsouthmorrow@bluecc.edu

BMCC South Morrow County provides support services for students in the Heppner, Lexington, and Ione areas and offers the following services:

  • BMCC distance education classes
  • Job skills workshops
  • Personal enrichment classes

For additional information or assistance, please contact the BMCC Morrow County office.

BMCC Wallowa County

107 S.W. 1st
Enterprise, OR 97828
Phone: 541-426-4109
Fax: 541-426-6059
Email: getinfo@bluecc.edu

Established in 1989 and located in Enterprise, BMCC Wallowa County provides learning opportunities to the residents of Wallowa county, including:

  • College credit classes
  • Job skills workshops
  • College preparatory classes including ABE, GED preparation, and ESL
  • Customized training for business and industry
  • Personal enrichment courses

Students have the opportunity to take classes at the local site. The site provides support services for students to access BMCC distance education courses.  For additional information or assistance, please contact the BMCC Wallowa County office.