History of RMCC

Rich Mountain Community College became a comprehensive community college in 1983 when the Arkansas Legislature, under Act 16 of 1983, approved combining Rich Mountain Vocational-Technical School and the Henderson State University off-campus program.

The current College campus was the original site of the Vo-Tech, established in 1973 to serve Polk, Scott, and Montgomery Counties as a postsecondary vocational-technical school under the Arkansas Department of Vocational Education.  The Polk County Committee for Higher Education, under the direction of Rachel Goforth as chairperson, worked for the establishment of the College in Mena.

In April, 1983, the voters of Polk County approved a 5-mill tax to establish the Polk County community college district.  Rich Mountain Community College opened on July 1, 1983 as a new institution with Dr. Mary Louise Spencer as the first President.  Spencer served from 1983 until 1987.

The original campus consisted of one building that has since been renovated and named the Maddox Building after the author of Act 16, State Representative Ode Maddox.   Other buildings on campus include the Spencer Building, named after Dr. Spencer, and the Abernathy Building, which was named after Bill Abernathy who served as the second President of RMCC from 1987 until 2000.

RMCC was granted full accreditation through North Central Association in 1990 under Abernathy, who was elected as a State Representative after retiring as President.

Dr. Janet F. Smith served as the third President of RMCC from 2000 - 2008.  In 2005, the College received full accreditation for a ten year period without a mid-cycle review visit and was noted as a model rural community college by North Central Association.  RMCC partnered with the airport and City of Mena to form the Mena aviation complex at the Mena Airport which included a training classroom, a hanger and a new terminal.

RMCC added the Machine Tool Maintenance Building as the newest building on the Mena Campus and renovated the Maddox Building in 2004.  The walking trails and ponds continue to be renovated with an amphitheatre to be constructed durnig the fall of 2008.  RMCC's Waldron facility was renovated to allow for program expansion, growth in Wickes is being pursued, and classes continue to be offered in Mt. Ida and Oden.