MPC History Highlights
- September 5, 1947 - MPC’s first classes begin at Monterey High School
- September 10, 1948 - Classes begin at MPC’s Fremont Street campus
- June 9, 1949 - Thirty-four students receive their degrees at MPC’s first graduation ceremony
- May 23, 1959 - MPC track star Jackie Williams runs the 100-yard dash in 9.7 seconds, a school record that still stands today
- January 16, 1960 - Former First Lady and Civil Rights activist Eleanor Roosevelt speaks at MPC
- March 24, 1961 - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spends the day on the MPC campus and gives a speech in the armory that evening
- June 16 - 18, 1967 - Over 20,000 people camp on the football field at MPC during the Monterey Pop Festival
- March 24 - 28, 1970 - Ansel Adams gives a photography workshop at MPC
- August 30, 1982 - Classes begin at MPC’s Maurine Church Coburn School of Nursing
- February 16, 1990 - Civil Rights pioneer Rosa Parks speaks at MPC
- September 4, 2003 - MPC’s Library and Technology Center opens
Detailed History
MPC opened its doors in September of 1947 on the campus of Monterey High School, holding classes from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily. During this first year, 97 acres of land were purchased on Fremont Street, giving MPC its own home in the heart of Monterey. The following September, classes opened in converted barracks buildings at the new campus with 280 students and 20 faculty members.
By 1957 enrollment was approaching the campus’ original capacity of 1,000 students. New buildings were necessary. The engineering building was constructed in 1958, the library in 1960, and the art and music center and swimming pool in 1962.
In 1961, a separate junior college district was created for MPC, empowering residents of Monterey, Carmel, and Pacific Grove to elect representatives to the governing district board.
The student population continued to grow, as did the need for more classroom space. In 1965, the “temporary” 1948 barracks conversions were replaced with new buildings for business, humanities, life sciences, physical education, physical sciences, and social sciences. The Lecture Forum, the College Theater, and the Student Center were part of this campus renewal.
In 1971, MPC opened an education center at Fort Ord to meet the growing needs of U.S. Army personnel and their families and other residents of the Seaside and Marina areas.
When the base closed in 1993, the Fort Ord Re-Use Authority distributed former military properties to various state, county and local agencies, including MPC. The properties allotted to MPC include:
Additional properties allotted to MPC from Fort Ord provide a footprint for future expansion once munitions cleanup is complete.
In 1982-83, Monterey Peninsula College was selected as the site for the Maurine Church Coburn School of Nursing, established with a grant from the Maurine Church Coburn Charitable Trust. The school is operated, in part, with support from the Community Hospital Foundation. The engineering building and International Center were remodeled to provide dedicated space for the nursing school.
Residents have supported MPC throughout its history by approving bond measures to support construction of new facilities and infrastructure. Most recently, in 2002, local voters approved a $145 million bond for facilities, infrastructure, and equipment, including development of the Marina campus, construction of a new Library and Technology Center, and a new Facilities building.
MPC took the global pandemic of 2020 in stride, and now offers more 100% online classes and degrees than ever to improve access and provide flexibility for students with diverse needs.
In November 2020, MPC district voters approved Measure V, funding $230 million for facility improvements across all three campus locations in Monterey, Seaside, and Marina. This transformative bond measure provides the largest district-wide facilities and technology upgrade in MPC's 75-year history.
In 2022, MPC marked its 75th anniversary with “Diamond Jubilee” celebrations commemorating the college’s remarkable journey.