The Advantages of a Community College

Ventura College offers students some very special opportunities not found at four-year colleges and universities. We put students and teaching first, with smaller classes and more individual attention from staff, counselors, and instructors.

We are the convenient equivalent to lower division university studies and provide smooth and secure transfer to four-year schools.

We welcome all students, whether just out of high school or returning to school after a period of work or home responsibilities. Any student who can benefit from our classes is welcome to attend. We are the obvious “best-buy” in higher education—fees are low, quality is high.

College and the Community

Though Ventura College draws students from other California regions, as well as other states and foreign countries, there is a particularly strong bond between our campus and the communities which surround it. For decades, Ventura College stood alone as the only postsecondary institution in the county, and as a result, the College counts as friends, supporters, and alumni, thousands of people from across the Oxnard plain and the Santa Clara, Ojai, Conejo and Simi Valleys. In many of these areas, but particularly in the west county, Ventura College is known simply as “the College.’’

Today, Ventura College maintains the same strong commitments with its community. The performances of College drama, music, dance, and athletic groups and teams draw enthusiastic support from the community, as do professional and student artists who exhibit in the two College galleries. In addition to these curricular activities, special events, performances, and excursions keep the community focused on the College as an exciting cultural and recreational center.

Established in 1983, the Ventura College Foundation is one of the most successful community college foundations in California, having raised more than nearly $48 million for Ventura College and its students. Through this support, the Ventura College Foundation assists the College in facilitating student success and grows the impact and legacy of Ventura College as a vital community asset.

The Foundation’s signature programs include the VC Promise, scholarships and textbook support through the Lending Library and Reserve Collection. If you would like to be among the students we support each school year, please contact the Foundation at (805) 289-6461 or visit VenturaCollegeFoundation.org for more information.

Alumni Engagement

At Ventura College, alumni are one of our greatest assets. As the college looks toward our 100th Anniversary in 2025, we aim to provide opportunities for networking, collegiate seminars, lectures, theatrical productions, concerts, art festivals, sporting events and scholarships. We aim to foster a spirit of friendship and philanthropy among alumni and friends of the campus through newsletters, reunions, and other social activities. The Foundation is seeking to reach as many former Ventura College students as possible.

We invite you to connect with us to receive information about our Centennial Celebration activities, as well as provide you with an opportunity to share your "Ventura College" story with us. Please visit VenturaCollegeFoundation.org/venturacollege100th/ for more information or call the Ventura College Foundation at (805) 289-6461.

Ventura College Student Profile