Steven Shapiro

Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC) is one of ten Maricopa Community Colleges (MCCCD) and is the newest in the District. MCCCD is one of the largest and oldest community college districts in the United States. Since opening in 1992, EMCC has worked to create a “sense of place” that expresses the historical and cultural values of the surrounding communities while providing students with meaningful and engaging learning environments. Located in the fastest growing region of the county, EMCC enrolls approximately 15,000 students annually and is planned to be a large comprehensive learning college of more than 40,000 students. EMCC @ West-MEC Southwest Campus is located in Buckeye, south of the I-10 at Verrado Way. Guided by major industry partners, the primary goal is to strengthen the talent pipeline by providing students with career pathways into the energy and manufacturing industries. The campus serves as a technical training facility designed to provide students with hands-on learning opportunities that prepare them for the workforce. EMCC is a Hispanic Serving Institution through the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education. GateWay Community College (GCC) now operates the SouthWest Skill Center (SWSC), which is still located on the EMCC Avondale campus. The SWSC provides short-term training programs for immediate job entry into skilled professions, focusing on Industrial Skills and Healthcare professions.