Kilgore College
Motto | Your Future Starts Here! |
---|---|
Type | Community college |
Established | 1935 |
Endowment | $16 million |
President | Dr. Brenda Kays |
Students | 5000+ credit hour; 3700+ non-credit |
Location | Kilgore , Texas , U.S. 32°22′37″N 94°52′21″W / 32.377056°N 94.872600°WCoordinates: 32°22′37″N 94°52′21″W / 32.377056°N 94.872600°W |
Colors | Blue and Gray |
Nickname | Rangers |
Affiliations | Southwest Junior College Football Conference (SWJCFC) |
Website | Kilgore College |
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Kilgore College (KC) is a community college in Kilgore, Texas. It has an annual enrollment in excess of 5,000 students, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award the Associate's Degree.[1][2] The school was established in 1935 at the height of the East Texas oil boom,[3] and as such, is home to the East Texas Oil Museum which houses a large collection of memorabilia documenting this period of Texas history.
Kilgore College has one of the lowest costs per credit hour of any college or university in Texas.[4][5] In addition to preparing students for undergraduate degrees that are completed at 4-year colleges and universities, KC's programs also include continuing education and workforce training. The college offers Associate in Arts and Associate in Applied Science degrees, and tech prep and certificate programs including welding, corrosion technology, and process operations.
In addition to academics, the school has programs that include various musical ensembles, The Flare newspaper and men's and women's athletics. KC is also known for their athletic programs, including a football team that has more wins than any other NJCAA team in Texas, including an outright NJCAA championship in 1966, and a national poll championship in 1978.
The group most people associate with the college are the Kilgore College Rangerettes, the first precision dance team in the world, created in 1940 by Gussie Nell Davis. The Rangerettes have performed internationally, including annually at the pregame and half-time of the Cotton Bowl Classic, several Dallas Cowboys games, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and more than a few U.S. Presidential inaugurations.
The college has an exceptional band which numbers between 100 and 125 members each year. Organized in 1936, the Ranger Band has performed in Venezuela, France, Hong Kong, Macao, Korea and Romania, as well as the Cotton Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Shrine East-West Game, Kiwanis Bowl (Norfolk, VA), American All-Star Game (Tampa, FL) six Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parades, and the inaugural parade for President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Jr.
In June 1986, the Texas Shakespeare Festival opened its inaugural season at Kilgore College; the festival has called KC home for what will be 34 consecutive summers in 2019. The college provides financial support and facilities for the festival, which is a vital cultural asset for all of East Texas.[6]
College service area[]
As defined by the Texas Legislature, the official service area of KC includes territory within the following school districts:[7]
- Big Sandy Independent School District
- Carlisle Independent School District
- Gilmer Independent School District
- Gladewater Independent School District
- Hallsville Independent School District
- Henderson Independent School District
- Kilgore Independent School District
- Laneville Independent School District
- Leverett's Chapel Independent School District
- Longview Independent School District
- Mount Enterprise Independent School District
- New Diana Independent School District
- Overton Independent School District
- Pine Tree Independent School District
- Sabine Independent School District
- Spring Hill Independent School District
- Tatum Independent School District (except the part of the district that is located in Panola County)
- Union Grove Independent School District
- West Rusk Independent School District
- White Oak Independent School District
Notable alumni[]
- Lyle Alzado, former professional All Pro NFL football player[8]
- Rodney Carrington, comedian[9]
- Ricardo Colclough, former professional American football player
- Ricky Collins, current CFL wide receiver
- Jorge Diaz, former professional American football player
- Francisco Elson, professional basketball player
- Kevin Everett, former professional American football player
- John Hill, former Attorney General, Secretary of State, and Chief Justice, Texas Supreme Court of Texas
- Lane Johnson; current professional American football player; Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL
- Derrick Lewis, former American football player; professional mixed martial artist, currently competing in the UFC[10]
- Dwayne Stovall; Cleveland, Texas business man and 2014 Republican primary candidate for the United States Senate against incumbent John Cornyn.[11]
- Marcus Thornton, professional basketball player, Houston Rockets of the NBA
- Marvin White, professional American football player
- Demorrio Williams, professional American football player
- Jason Williams, current professional basketball player for Chorale Roanne Basket of the LNB Pro B
- Darren Woodard, former professional American football player
- LeJuandro 'Kai' Zeiglar an American football player in the now defunct Arena Football League.
Kilgore College gallery[]
Welcome Sign
Old Main
Student Center
Randolph C. Watson Library
Masters Gymnasium
Gussie Nell Davis Rangerette Residence
East Texas Oil Museum (established 1979) is located on the Kilgore College campus.
Kilgore College operates a branch campus in nearby Longview.
References[]
- ^ "Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges". Retrieved 10 December 2017.
- ^ "Kilgore College Reaffirmation of Accreditation". Retrieved 4 March 2017.
- ^ "A brief history of Kilgore College". Retrieved 4 March 2017.
- ^ KC: An Exceptional Value, Kilgore College, 24 July 2009.
- ^ Community College Costs, 2008–2009, CollegeForTexans.com (archived at waybackmachine.org), Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. accessed 19 December 2009.
- ^ "Texas Shakespeare Festival History". Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- ^ Texas Education Code, Section 130.184, "Kilgore Junior College District Service Area".
- ^ "ESPN Classic – Not the size of the dog in the fight". go.com. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
- ^ Penrose, Kathryn (October 28, 2005). "Caldwell observing 'Rodney'" (PDF). The Flare. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 3, 2010. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
- ^ "Derrick Lewis UFC Bio". Retrieved 2014-01-01.
- ^ "Proud to Be Texan". texansforstovall.com. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kilgore College. |
- Official website
- Kilgore College from the Handbook of Texas Online
- Kilgore Rangerettes from the Handbook of Texas Online
- Davis, Gussie Nell from the Handbook of Texas Online
- Two-year colleges in the United States
- Universities and colleges in Texas
- Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- Community colleges in Texas
- Education in Gregg County, Texas
- Education in Rusk County, Texas
- Buildings and structures in Gregg County, Texas
- Tourist attractions in Gregg County, Texas
- Educational institutions established in 1935
- 1935 establishments in Texas
- NJCAA athletics