MAC 100 Year Anniversary.
When Flat River Junior College opened its doors on September 5, 1922, the founders could not have known what a great institution we would have 100 years later. Mineral Area College is a staple in this community, born from a dream of access to quality education for all in the small Missouri town of Flat River.
Today we celebrate the past 100 years with a vision for the future. Community colleges are one of the greatest inventions of the United States of America, starting in 1901 in Joliet, Illinois. Flat River Junior College/Mineral Area College is proud to be the second longest-serving community college in Missouri.
FRJC started as a regional community college primarily serving the Flat River School District and surrounding communities. Today Mineral Area College has an 18-county service region, serving 30 school districts spanning from Ste. Genevieve to Cape Girardeau to Houston, MO.
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Through these doors have walked tens of thousands of students. Our students come from all over the world. Our students range from those currently enrolled in dual credit in high school, to those returning to college after being away, to those seeking a career change or just to learn something new. It is often said, “college isn’t for everyone,” and this is true, but we believe COMMUNITY COLLEGE is the best avenue for workforce training, transfer education, and career and educational enhancement opportunities.
The past 100 years have not always been easy; we began at the end of a worldwide pandemic and are entering our 100th year at the end of another one. The world has seen war, depression, and civil unrest but FRJC/MAC has persevered.
MAC has gone from being one of the lowest funded community colleges in the state to one of the best. We have been fortunate to receive over $15,000,000 in the past two years in funding for the advancement of MAC initiatives and core funding increases that were invested directly into our most important commodity, our employees.
The future is bright at Mineral Area College.
As we begin our second century of providing education to this region, we are excited about the future.
New facilities are popping up on campus. Facilities that will provide training and workforce development opportunities for residents who want to expand their skills and certifications but do not want to travel out of town for a technical college.
High school students currently enrolled in any of our great area career centers will now have the opportunity to continue their training after graduation while staying local and helping our community grow.
MAC will continue to provide high-quality courses for students seeking the foundation of general education before transferring on to a four-year university. Mineral Area College instructors are highly qualified and passionate about preparing our students for the next step of their journey.
It is hard to say what MAC will look like in 100 years, but we have a vision for the near future that includes expansion of workforce development opportunities, increased partnerships with universities to create seamless transitions for students who intend on transferring and taking steps to ensure MAC is a leader among community colleges in Missouri and the nation. We strive for excellence in all we do, and we will not rest until our goal is reached.
All of us at Mineral Area College appreciate the support of the community. From the birth of Flat River Junior College 100 years ago, to the creation of the Mineral Area College taxing district in 1965, to the amazing support shown throughout our service region today.
We are looking forward to a continuation of our mission; to provide quality, affordable, accessible education to the community for the next 100 years and beyond!
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