Oakland Community College: A Stepping Stone to Success

Oakland Community College (OCC), established in 1964, has served as a launchpad for numerous individuals who have achieved prominence in diverse fields. From athletes and actors to politicians and business leaders, OCC has provided a foundation for success for many. This article explores the stories of notable alumni and the impact OCC has had on their journeys.

Historical Context of Oakland Community College

In August 1960, an advisory council consisting of citizens from Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, Washtenaw, and Wayne counties advocated for the establishment of five community colleges across the six-county region. A similar commission of Oakland County residents echoed this need in a June 1962 report, recommending the construction of three campuses across the county, funded by a millage.

Although voters approved referendums to establish OCC and a board of trustees in June 1963, the tax to fund the college was not. With revenue secured, the newly established Board of Trustees acquired three campus sites and hired John Tirrell, of the St. Louis Junior College District, as OCC's first president.

The first site was a disused Nike missile base in Pontiac Township (now Auburn Hills), purchased from the National Bank of Detroit for $247,000. The Board then purchased a second site, the disused Oakland County Tuberculosis Sanitarium in Waterford, and promptly began renovations. Following two days of orientations, classes commenced at both campuses, dubbed Auburn Hills and Highland Lakes, on September 11, 1965. That December, ground was broken on OCC's third campus, named Orchard Ridge, in Farmington Township.

Notable Alumni

Athletics

Aaron Rodgers: Although he attended Butte College in California, the story of Aaron Rodgers highlights how community colleges can be pivotal in athletic careers. It was at Butte College where NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers caught the attention of the California Golden Bears - the University of California, Berkeley's Division I football program.

Read also: Exploring Oakland Community College
Jackie Robinson: Baseball Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson attended what is now Pasadena City College in California - their baseball field has since been named after him - before enrolling at UCLA. Robinson, a Georgia native who was raised in Pasadena, was the first athlete at UCLA to earn varsity letters in four sports: football, basketball, track and field, and baseball, according to the Jackie Robinson Museum in New York City.

Arts and Entertainment

Annette Bening: Actress Annette Bening - known for her roles on Broadway and in films such as "American Beauty," "The Grifters" and "The Kids Are Alright" - credits former professors at San Diego Mesa College in California for giving her the foundation for a successful career. They “taught me that the essence of theater is teamwork," she said at a 2018 gala.
Billy Crystal: Actor and comedian Billy Crystal first got bitten by the theater bug at Nassau Community College in New York. “I fell in love with it. I directed there for the first time,” Crystal said in a 2019 interview with emmy Magazine.
Jessica Chastain: Actress Jessica Chastain is known for her roles in film and television, including "The Tree Of Life," "The Help," "Zero Dark Thirty" and "Law and Order." Off screen, she advocates for women's rights in Hollywood. Before rising to fame, she attended Sacramento City College in California - where she got involved with the drama program and was a member of the debate team - and later finished at the American Academy of Theatre Arts.
Jim Belushi: Before officially enrolling in the College of DuPage in Illinois, comedian and actor Jim Belushi spent several summers in the school's theater program.

Read also: Academics at Lincoln University Oakland
Morgan Freeman: Before joining the U.S. Air Force, Morgan Freeman - actor, producer and narrator - simultaneously worked at and attended Los Angeles City College in California.
Queen Latifah: Queen Latifah - whose birth name is Dana Elaine Owens - enrolled at CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College while simultaneously rapping as a member of Flavor Unit, a gro…

Literature

Amy Tan: Before writing her 1989 bestselling novel "The Joy Luck Club," Amy Tan took classes at five colleges, including San Jose City College, a community college in California.
Beverly Cleary: Author Beverly Cleary - who lived to be 104 - got her start in the literary world at Chaffey College.

Politics and Public Service

Anna G. Eshoo: Former congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo - who represented California's 16th Congressional District until 2025 - graduated from Canada College in California.

Read also: Meet the OCC Trustee Candidates
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen: Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen - who represented South Florida for nearly three decades - obtained multiple academic degrees within the state, including an associate degree from Miami Dade College, bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Florida International University and a doctorate from the University of Miami.
James C. Ramos: Before earning his bachelor's and master's degrees, California assembly member James C. Ramos - a member of the Serrano/Cahuilla tribe - started his education at community college. He received an associate of arts degree in business at Victor Valley College and later earned a bachelor of science degree in business with a concentration in accounting, and an MBA at California State University, San Bernardino and the University of Redlands in California, respectively.

Science and Technology

Eileen Collins: Before Col. Eileen Collins became the first woman to pilot a space shuttle and command a mission, she was a student at Corning Community College in New York.
George Lucas: Before creating the "Star Wars" franchise, George Lucas was a student at Modesto Junior College in California.

Business

Jim Sinegal: Before co-founding Costco Wholesale Corp. - a members-only warehouse chain known for its steady pricing on food court hotdogs and rotisserie chickens - Jim Sinegal was a student at San Diego City College, known then as San Diego Junior College.

Culinary Arts

Guy Fieri: Before rising to stardom on the Food Network and taking his viewers to "Flavortown," celebrity chef Guy Fieri attended two California community colleges - College of the Redwoods in Eureka and American River College in Sacramento.

Other Notable Figures

Arnold Schwarzenegger: From Austria in his early 20s, Arnold Schwarzenegger - bodybuilder turned actor turned politician - started taking English as a Second Language classes at Santa Monica College in California.
Gabrielle Union: After graduating from high school, actress Gabrielle Union enrolled at the University of Nebraska. But with her family based in California, she decided to move back and attend Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo.
George Stanich: Before transferring to UCLA and earning bachelor's and master's degrees, Olympian George Stanich took classes for a year at Sacramento City College in California.

Oakland Community College Today

OCC's athletic teams were previously known as the Raiders, but starting February 2024 they became the Owls. They compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and the Michigan Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA). Men's varsity sports include basketball, cross-country, and golf; women's varsity sports include basketball, cross-country, and softball.

In November 2022, OCC, citing declining enrollment and a changing job market, announced a three-year plan to fundamentally restructure and consolidate operations. The plan will see the complete closure of the Highland Lakes campus in the fall of 2026, as well as the closure and sale of the Bee Administration Center, with administrative offices relocating to the campuses.

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