1946

July 1—Dr. George Bell becomes Mt. SAC’s first President
September 16—Mt. SAC opens for the first day of classes with 635 students and 23 full-time faculty. Today, the College has a combined enrollment of nearly 40,000 credit and noncredit students, and 400 full-time faculty members.

1947

June 14—Mt. SAC convenes first Commencement ceremony with 73 graduates. In 2006, a record 1,913 degrees were awarded

1956

July 1— Oscar H. Edinger becomes Mt. SAC’s second President.

1959

April 24— The first Mt. SAC Relays welcomes 850 athletes. Today it is the world’s largest track and field invitational, attracting some 16,000 athletes of all ages as well as Olympic hopefuls.

1966

Spring—Wildlife Sanctuary becomes 10-acre “open-air classroom” for biology students.

1967

March 24—The Mt. SAC Foundation is incorporated. Today the Foundation awards numerous scholarships and has established an endowment to support the College’s unfunded needs.

Fall—The Planetarium’s 35-foot-diameter dome opens as the second largest among California community colleges.

1969

July 1—Marie Taylor Mills becomes Mt. SAC’s third President.

1972

July 1—Eldon Pearce is named Mt. SAC’s fourth President.

1977

August 1—Dr. John D. Randall becomes Mt. SAC’s fifth President.

1987

Fall—Mt. SAC’s Flying Team is reestablished and soars to national prominence. That year, Mt. SAC won the Loening Trophy, awarded to the nation’s top aviation program. Mt. SAC reclaimed the award in 2005, while the Flying Team ascended to first position among the nation’s community colleges.

1991

September 16— Dr. William H. Feddersen becomes Mt. SAC’s sixth President.

1994

October 19— The Student Services Center is dedicated. Today it provides a vast array of matriculation, counseling and support services for over 25,000 students annually.

1996

Fall/Spring—Mt. SAC celebrates its Golden Anniversary—50 years of excellence—with ceremonies, faculty convocation,performances and a gala dinner.

September 4—The magnificent Performing Arts Center is dedicated, with the main theater named after major donor, Sophia B. Clarke. The Center was rededicated in 2006,
marking its 10th anniversary— a decade of artistic excellence.

2001

November 6—Voters passed Measure R, the $221-million facilities bond, which sparked an unprecedented construction boom on campus, including new and renovated facilities.

2002

September 3— Dr. Christopher C. O’Hearn becomes Mt. SAC’s seventh President.

2005

Spring—Mt. SAC’s accreditation is reaffirmed for the maximum of six years without any significant recommendation for change . . . Honors students Kathryn Bosia and Jeffrey Chung are among 20 students nationwide to be named to the distinguished All-USA Academic First Team, marking only the second time that two scholars were selected from the same college in the same year.

Fall/Spring—Mt. SAC dedicates 10 state-of-the-art facilities for health careers, student health, language, welding/air conditioning repair, central plant, and athletics . . . Alex Wu is admitted as the 1 millionth credit student.
September—Ten faculty and staff members travel to Gulf states to help with medical, rescue, recovery and relocation efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Students and employees raise $10,000 for relief efforts.

2006

Spring—Forensics Team captures its sixth national title . . . Women’s Basketball Team wins second state championship in three years . . . For the fifth time, Singcopation is named the nation’s top community college vocal jazz group by Downbeat.
Summer— Mt. SAC opens state-of-the- art, $28-million Science Lab Building, featuring 23 labs and over 70,000 square feet of instructional and office space.

Mt. SAC launches year-long 60th Anniversary with a Commencement reception, a campus birthday party, and a Gala event at Nixon Presidential Library.