Howard College believes that education is the primary purpose of the institution and that the programs and services of the college should be available to all citizens who are able to benefit from them. The college is committed to excellence in carrying out its purpose of education and in the efficient and effective use of its resources in meeting the educational needs of its students and the community.

The college seeks to treat each person of the college community as a unique individual and provide a positive, encouraging, and success-oriented environment. As we make every effort to help our students reach their maximum potential, we are integrating core concepts of critical thinking into our daily business and our classrooms. We are striving to be a beacon of education and life-long learning by thinking, teaching and acting with purpose, skill and confidence.

Our service area includes 13 counties and hosts 29 independent school districts proof that we touch many lives, both young and old, in our efforts to provide a top quality higher education option in West Texas. We have varied educational opportunities available to meet the ever-changing needs of all learners through our four campuses: Big Spring, Lamesa, San Angelo and Southwest College for the Deaf (SWCD).

Our top rate faculty and staff are eager to help all learners reach their educational goals, whatever they may be. Howard College offers basic core or occupation-specific classes for students who want to begin or rekindle their higher education experience. Still other classes are available for professionals wanting to sharpen their skills or possibly make a career change.

It is the policy of Howard College to adhere to the highest ethical standards in carrying out its mission within the spirit and letter of federal law and regulations, state law and regulations, local ordinances, national and regional accrediting regulations, and the policies of the college district. Howard College accepts its responsibilities to those it serves and will meet those responsibilities with balance, fairness, accountability, and ethical integrity.

My name is Cheryl Sparks.I serve in the role of President of Howard College and it is my pleasure to welcome you to our website.Here at Howard College, we focus on student success and we promote uniqueness within our programs.As you explore your educational options, I am certain you will see that Howard College is the choice for you.

For over 70 years, Howard County Junior College District has been offering a wide range of courses in academic transfer, workforce education, risk management and workforce training instruction.We serve all learners across a 13 county district through our campuses in Big Spring, San Angelo and Lamesa.We are aware of the changing times and are committed to offering quality instruction and quality service that will meet the current and future needs of our students.

Your time in college is one of the most valuable experiences that life has to offer and Howard College has designed its curriculum, activities and atmosphere to make the most of your time spent with us.In order to give you the best in academic instruction, we have developed a varied curriculum with small classes that offer more personal attention for each student.A wide variety of academic, social and interest groups are on campus and I encourage you to take advantage of these opportunities to meet new people, participate in new activities and have fun!

The SouthWest College for the Deaf serves as our fourth campus and is also located in Big Spring.This campus is designed for both self-contained and inclusive instruction to meet the needs of deaf and hard of hearing students.Special emphasis has been given to career objectives and special placement combined with social activities to help each student reach their maximum potential.

We take pride in offering a family-like environment for all students who attend Howard College.Whether you are on our campus in Big Spring, San Angelo or Lamesa, we want you to feel comfortable and know that your success is our number one priority.I encourage you to browse through our site and become familiar with all that Howard College has to offer.I know that our excellent facilities and qualified, friendly faculty and staff will provide you with a learning environment that will help you achieve your educational goals.I look forward to meeting you as you join our learning community.Start Here, Start Now at Howard College where Education is for Learning, For Earning, for Life!

The Howard County Junior College District provides oversight for its two-year institution Howard College Big Spring campus and extension campuses in Lamesa and San Angelo as well as the Southwest College for the Deaf. The district primarily serves the communities of its local taxing district of Howard County and the twelve other Texas counties in its state-legislated service area (Dawson, Martin, Glasscock, Sterling, Coke, Tom Green, Concho, Irion, Schleicher, Sutton, Menard and Kimble) as well as the deaf and hard-of-hearing community-at-large in its state-legislated responsibility for the Southwest College for the Deaf. (Texas Education Code 130.084, 130.183 and 131). Students who choose to attend the college district from places outside of its designated responsibility are integrated into the college community. Based on Texas Education Code 130.0011 and 130.003, the role, mission and purpose of the campuses are to provide preparation for a career or for transfer to a senior college or university as follows:

Appropriate student services to include counseling and guidance are also provided. The campuses strive to enhance economic, community, cultural and personal development across the service area and to the deaf community through appropriate partnerships and services in meeting its public service mission. Although research is not a primary function as a community college, research in innovative teaching and student development practices to enhance learning, including best practices in deaf education, is encouraged and supported using appropriate resources. Excellence in all academic areas- instruction, research, and public service, as well as student success with a specialization in deaf education, is expected.

In 1972 Howard College began offering classes in Lamesa, located 45 miles north of Big Spring, at the request of its citizens. A building provided by Dawson County has been used since that time. In 1973 Dr. Thomas Salter was appointed the third president of Howard College. This same year the college acquired a 137acre site in Martin County, near Stanton, Texas, from the federal government to be used as an agricultural research and demonstration center with an additional 138.39 acres acquired in 1978. In addition, the college offered it first class in San Angelo located 87 miles south of Big Spring at Goodfellow Air Force Base. And then in 1974 Howard County Junior College was renamed Howard College and the mascot name was shortened to Hawks.

With the closure of Webb Air Force Base, local leaders strategically planned the usage of the old base which resulted in the establishment of a federal prison camp and eventually the Southwest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf (SWCID) in the new 66,000 square foot hospital unit constructed in 1974 prior to the base closure. In the spring of 1979, steps were initiated to study the feasibility of establishing a self-contained post-secondary program uniquely designed for deaf and hard of hearing students as part of the Howard County Junior College District. Due to the efforts of the trustees, Dr. Hays and other college administrators, deaf leaders such as Dr. Doug Burke who had a vision for this type of institution and Fred Maddux, local parent of a deaf child, SWCID was first created by the college and began offering classes on August 25, 1980. On May 14, 1981 the state legislature recognized SWCID for funding purposes and placed it under the direct control and management of the board of trustees of the college district as a postsecondary educational institution providing instruction for hearing-impaired students preparing for a career or for enrollment in a senior college or university. SWCID was the only self-contained community college-type educational option for students in the country. Properties deeded to the college by the federal Department of Education from the base would provide the initial administrative office/classroom (now the Douglas J. Burke Education and Administration Building), dormitory and student union building structures on a 57-acre tract of land. The rattlesnake was chosen as the mascot since it is considered to be deaf and is found in the Southwest.

In July of 1980, Howard College assumed operation of a vocational nursing program from the San Angelo Independent School District located in Tom Green County. Due to interest in real estate and law enforcement as well, classes would begin in September and be offered in a leased space on Loop 306. In 1981 a vocational building would be constructed on the Big Spring site funded in part by the Dora Roberts Foundation. During the early eighties due to the revitalization of the baseball program and rodeo program, the baseball field on campus funded in part by Jack Barber and named in his honor and a rodeo arena and livestock pens on 20 acres three miles east of Big Spring were constructed. In addition, vocational training classes would be initiated at the federal and private prisons located in the counties of Howard and Concho. In 1985 Dr. Bob Riley was appointed the fifth president of the college. Over the next few years, a major HVAC project would be completed on the Big Spring site funded by the Dora Roberts Foundation. Due to continued enrollment growth in San Angelo, the site would relocate to new leased space on Vanderventer Drive in 1987 and then again to a space on Executive Drive in 1989. In the early 90s, additional space would be leased near Executive Drive for the Allied Health program.

In 1990 the original dorms on the Big Spring site were enlarged through revenue bonds and the womens dorm was named after the late Ann Garrett Turner. The gymnasium was remodeled and named the Harold Davis Fitness Center. The following year the baseball team won the national championship and Dr. Cheryl T. Sparks was appointed the sixth president in 1992. Senate Bill 397 was passed by the Texas Legislature in 1993 resulting in service areas for the community colleges in Texas. The Howard County Junior College District service area would expand from Howard County to include the counties of Dawson, Martin, Glasscock, Sterling, Coke, Tom Green, Concho, Irion, Schleicher, Sutton, Menard and Kimble. The rural service area includes 28 independent school districts including Big Spring, Coahoma, Forsan, Sands, Dawson, Lamesa, Klondike, ODonnell, Grady, Stanton, Sands, Glasscock, Sterling City, Robert Lee, Bronte, Water Valley, Grape Creek-Pulliam, Miles, San Angelo, Veribest, Wall, Christoval, Paint Rock, Eden, Irion, Schleicher, Sonora, Menard, and Junction. Howard College courses for which students receive both high school and college credit are offered at most of these school districts. Twenty acres of land were added to the original 100 acres of land for the Big Spring site during this time period.

Funding from the state of Texas provided for the construction of a new residential complex on the SWCID campus in 1998 which would be named after former faculty member Beatrice Burke and former administrator the late Dr. Bob Mehan. That same year private funding was secured for the construction of new distance learning classrooms that would connect the Big Spring, Lamesa, San Angelo and SWCID sites and provide connectivity to school districts in the service area in a project called WINGS funded by Marie Hall. During that same time, the Virtual College of Texas (VCT), a collaboration of all Texas public two-year colleges, was created by the Texas Association of Community Colleges to facilitate sharing of distance learning courses among member colleges. Presidents of VCT member colleges developed the host-provider model upon which VCT operations rest and defined the principles of VCTs organization and management. A three-year pilot project was launched in the fall semester of 1998. Concluding a successful pilot, VCT was established as an ongoing service beginning with the 2001 fall semester. Howard College hosted and provided a large number of VCT courses each semester. Due to this technology, Howard College was able to collaborate with the University of Texas at El Paso and of the Permian Basin to provide coursework at the bachelor and master levels in Howard College facilities.

As the new century dawned in 2000, major changes would begin for the Howard County Junior College District. Howard College would be designated as a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) and be the recipient of several federal grants to enhance its technology and services to students in the region. The addition of online courses would dramatically increase and contribute to the growing enrollment. State funding would provide for the construction of an activity center and renovation of an original dorm space for a diagnostic center on the SWCID site in 2000 and the renovation of another previous military base structure for a student union building in 2002 which would be named the Maddux Student Union Building. In 2008 the SWCID Technical Training Center would be completed. The SWCID athletic program would be initiated with the establishment of a basketball program.

In 2000 the San Angelo site would expand to a new location at the West Texas Training Center (WTTC) which was the former Levi Straus building that had been donated to the city of San Angelo. Through the efforts of leaders in San Angelo, this 24,450 square feet building would provide much-needed space for Howard College. By 2007, a build-out would be completed to support the growing numbers of students and additional leased space of 16,000 square feet would be acquired at Shannon St. Johns Campus to provide classrooms for the allied health programs. In July 2009, an additional 2,406 square feet was leased, and 8,360 square feet was added in 2011. Due to rapid growth, master plans to accommodate future growth were under consideration in 2010.

In 2002 the softball field was constructed and named Foundation Field on the Big Spring site funded largely by the Dora Roberts Foundation as the softball program flourished. In December 2002, the original auditorium and first child-care center were demolished in preparation for a new fine arts facility. In 2003 Howard College would be selected to participate in the Rural Community College Initiative as one of 46 community/tribal colleges throughout the U.S. to be a part of the Ford Foundation initiative to study the impact of the community colleges in rural areas. During this same time period, Howard College brokered educational opportunity by arrangement with Lubbock Christian University for students to complete a bachelors degree while attending class at Howard College. In 2004, through the generosity of Marie Hall, the original greenhouse was renovated, and an addition was added to house a new childcare center named Howard Cottage. A new greenhouse was also constructed. The Hall Center for the Arts was then completed in 2006 again through the generous support of Marie Hall. In 2006, The Meadows Foundation provided the majority of funding for a state-of-the-art playground/outdoor classroom for Howard Cottage.