Kennebec Valley Community College Your path to success

Kennebec Valley Community College Your path to success for 40 years

Kennebec Valley Vocational Technical Institute (KVVTI) – 1969 -1989 Kennebec Valley was the sixth vocational technical institute to be established in Maine. The name was meant to reflect its primary mission of providing a high level of education for the working people of the greater Waterville area.

Waterville High School The original site of KVVTI 1970 - 1983 For the first years of its existence, KVVTI shared space with the Waterville Regional Vocational Center and Waterville High School, which housed all three entities. With limited space, KV could only offer courses after the close of the high school schedule.

Carpentry was one of the original programs offered by KVVTI

Gilman Campus A. K. A. Gilman St. School 1978 - 1986 In 1978, KVVTI was able to lease the recently vacated Waterville Junior High School building on Gilman Street. The institution was now in a better position to establish its own identity. Unfortunately, for logistical reasons, two programs – Heavy Equipment Maintenance and Carpentry – could not be moved to the new campus. KV continued to operate at two separate locations in Waterville until 1983.

Exterior views of Gilman Street Campus

Finding your path to Gilman Campus

Construction of a new parking lot at Gilman Street Providing adequate parking for an ever increasing student body has always been an issue of concern

Interior views of Gilman Street Campus

Gilman Street Campus Auditorium

Fairfield Campus “Sheridan Property” 1983 - Present The Fairfield campus, at the time referred to as the “Sheridan Property”, was purchased in 1980. This time around it was the Trades and Technology programs that were the first to be relocated. Between 1982 and 1983 the first programs were established at the Institutions current location. It was not until 1986 that all programs and offices were able to move to Fairfield.

The original building that became known as Frye was the former headquarters of the Sheridan Corporation. It was named after long-time supporter and Advisory Board member Muriel Frye and serves to this day as administrative offices. The building was renovated and expanded in order to house the Trades & Technology programs. The new wing was named for the Institutes first Director, Frederick Whitney.

Student Lounge in the Whitney Wing of Frye

The Construction of King Hall

King Hall was the first building on campus to be erected from the ground up. With the completion of King in 1986, the move from Waterville was complete. The institute now existed on one campus. King Memorial Arch

Aerial view of campus shortly after King Hall was built

The library’s new home in King Hall

Kennebec Valley Technical College (KVTC) 1989 – 2003 In the summer of 1989 a bill passed by the 114 th legislature authorized the state VTI system to change its name. Upon Governor Mc. Kernan’s signing on June 22 nd all vocational technical institutes became technical colleges. The change was intended to indicate the growing role that the system was playing in both higher education and the state’s economy. Part of this was demonstrated by an increased focus on Associate degree programs. By the time the bill had passed and been sign roughly half of all VTI students were enrolled in a two year degree program.

Electrical Line Worker Program

Health Occupations Program Licensed Practical Nursing Program

Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant Program

Happy Holidays Halloween 1990 Children’s Christmas Party 1992

Ground breaking for Carter Hall

Carter construction and landscaping

Aerial view of Carter Hall

The Russians are Coming! And Saudis too. KVCC has attracted not only students and staff from around the state but also from around the globe. Instructors and students have visited from among other nations Russia and Saudi Arabia.

Having fun even as we say goodbye Rodney Redding’s Retirement Party May 12, 1994

Lunder Library

It’s Official … We’re a Community College!

Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC) 2003 – Present The state legislature once again acknowledged the importance higher education in Maine by passing a bill in March 2003 that allowed for a further name change. As with the previous change it mirrored the expanding mission and impact of the system. The diversity of programs, especially in the arts and sciences, had grown by leaps and bounds.