East Arkansas Community College

East Arkansas Community College(EACC) is apubliccommunity collegeinForrest City, Arkansas. EACC provides higher education at its main campus in Forrest City as well as one satellite location inWynne.

EACC isaccreditedby theHigher Learning Commission.^[1]Its primary service area includes Cross, Lee, Monroe, St. Francis, and Woodruff counties.

In 1968, citizens ofSt. Francis Countycreated a college committee out of a desire and need for a community college. At the time, the closest schools were inMemphis, Tennessee, andJonesboro, Arkansas. TheCrowley's Ridge Community College Corporationreceived approval for its initial charter the following year.

In 1971,Betty Jo Hodgesdonated $25,000 to the organization enabling it to purchase approximately 40 acres of land inForrest City, Arkansas.^[2]Two years later, theArkansas Board of Higher Educationannounced that St. Francis County had met the requirements necessary to form a community college district. On November 8 of the same year, voters approved the proposal to initiate a four-mill tax to finance construction of the college.

The college began holding classes on August 26, 1974. It had 684 students enrolled for its initial semester.

In 2005, the school opened an extension center inWynne, Arkansas.^[3]

In 2017, theArkansas General Assemblypassed Act 636, which laid out the process for merging EACC and the nearbyCrowley's Ridge Technical Institute(CRTI). On July 31, 2017, theArkansas Higher Education Coordinating Boardvoted for the merger, and EACC assumed the property, personnel, and funding of CRTI.^[4][5]

• Horace E. Hartsell (1974)^[6]
• Coy Grace (1998 - 2008)
• Cathie Cline (2018–Present)^[7]

EACC has a performing arts center located on campus which opened in 2010. The center is a 33,000 square foot center and is designated as a 'Class A' performance hall, one of only three in the entire state of Arkansas. It features a 1,100-seat auditorium, 2,900 square foot stage, banquet hall, kitchen, black box theater, and art gallery.^[8]

Notable performers at EACC have included:

• Air Supply
• The Commodores
• Crystal Gayle

Under the department of Office of Student Activities, the colleges has a variety of clubs and organizations which students can become members of and participate in their activities.^[9]

EACC students participate in intramural sports against other ADLI colleges year-round in the following sports:^[10]

• Basketball
• Flag Football
• Softball
• Volleyball

EACC holds an annual golf tournament and held its 10th annual one in 2021. Some of the sponsors includedArkansas Concrete Company, Boar's Head,Forrest City Medical Center, andJohnson Controls. All proceeds from the annual tournament support the EACC Foundation which helps students.^[11]

• Official website

35°02′31″N90°46′05″W / 35.04197°N 90.76799°W /35.04197; -90.76799