Has anyone heard of old military bases being converted into community colleges? This idea struck me and now I'm curious if it's been done before. Any stories or facts to share?
You're right that military bases have been repurposed for various uses, including for educational institutions. I know of two examples where this has been done:
1. The Fort Ord military base in California was closed in 1994 and subsequently repurposed. A portion of this base has become the California State University, Monterey Bay. Though it's not a community college, the mission of CSU Monterey Bay is to serve the diverse, working class population of California, much like a community college would.
2. Orange Coast College, a community college in California, was also built on the ground that was previously the Santa Ana Army Air Base during World War II. The land was deeded to the City of Costa Mesa, and the college was established in 1947 to serve veterans under the G.I. Bill.
So, while it's not overwhelmingly common, it has certainly been done before! The conversion often depends on the needs of the community and the specifics of the decommissioned military base.
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