Thomas Nicholls

Southwestern Oregon Community College

Southwestern Oregon Community College is located in the heart of Oregon's scenic south coast - an area known for its miles of open public beaches, vast forests, clear lakes and rivers, immense sand dunes, abundant wildlife and boundless recreational opportunities. Our small college has served the residents and communities of our region since 1961. With campuses in Coos Bay and Brookings, Southwestern offers strong academic programs focused on technical training to provide high-skill workers for businesses in our region and two-year transfer degrees for students moving on to universities. Our college also hosts community education classes for residents who want to enjoy the benefits of lifelong learning. The Coos Campus is home to the Oregon Coast Culinary Institute, a popular recreation facility and fitness center, and well-kept student housing overlooking the beautiful Empire Lakes. Our surrounding communities are rich in culture and history with many theater groups, art galleries, libraries, and museums, as well as the nationally acclaimed Oregon Coast Music Festival in July every year. Our harbor Coos Bay is the largest natural deep-draft ocean port between San Francisco and Seattle and helps drive a thriving fisheries, trade and manufacturing economy. Also, tourism is strong here, with visitors and residents alike enjoying ocean, beach, hiking and camping focused recreation. Exploring the dunes via all-terrain vehicles or bicycling rugged coastal mountain trails and country roads offer other kinds of adventures, too.