Moorpark College is a

public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...

community college A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an "open enrollment" for students who have graduated from high school (also known as senior sec ...

Moorpark, California Moorpark is a city in Ventura County in Southern California. Moorpark was founded in 1900. The town grew from just over 4,000 citizens in 1980 to over 25,000 by 1990. As of 2006, Moorpark was one of the fastest-growing cities in Ventura County.. ...

. It was established in 1967 with enrollment of 2,500 students and enrolled 14,254 students in 2014. An Exotic Animal Training and Management center houses over 200 animals on campus. It also has the highest degree completion rate among

California Community Colleges The California Community Colleges is a postsecondary education system in the U.S. state of California.California Education CodSection 70900(added to the Education Code by Chapter 973 of the California Statutes of 1988Assembly Bill No. 1725 secti ...

History

The board of the Ventura County Community College District established Moorpark College in 1967. In addition to the land already owned by the District, Moorpark College expanded into a parcel of land on Moorpark's eastern boundary, donated by a local ranching family, the Strathearns. In 1965, the citizens of

Ventura County Ventura County () is a county in the southern part of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 843,843. The largest city is Oxnard, and the county seat is the city of Ventura. Ventura County comprises the Oxnar ...

passed a bond for 8 million dollars to build the first part of the college. Construction of the administration, science, technology, gymnasium, and Maintenance buildings, and the Library and Campus Center began in 1966. Moorpark College officially opened on September 11, 1967. The college's first president, Dr. John Collins, welcomed almost 1,400 students and 50 faculty members. Dr. Robert Lombardi became the college's second president in 1971. During his tenure, enrollment doubled and the college added emphasis on preparing students to transfer to four-year schools. Dr. Ray Hearon is the longest-serving president, in office from 1974 to 1989. In 1980, the Moorpark College Foundation was formed to fund construction of an athletic stadium, amphitheater, and observatory. The 6,000-seat stadium, completed in 1985, was named after Paul Griffin Jr., a major benefactor. In 1987, the Charles Temple Observatory, the only public

observatory An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysical, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. His ...

in Ventura County, and Carlsberg Amphitheater were dedicated at the college's 20th anniversary celebration. Nearby

Oxnard College Oxnard College is a public community college in Oxnard, California. It was established in 1975 by the Ventura County Community College District. It serves the Oxnard Plain cities of Oxnard, Camarillo, and Port Hueneme. Oxnard College offers both ...

solicited Moorpark's help in establishing a Camarillo Center, located on

California State University, Channel Islands California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI, CSU Channel Islands) is a public university in Camarillo, California. It opened in 2002 as the 23rd campus in the California State University system. CSUCI is located on the Central Coast of C ...

's campus. In 2000, a high school for juniors and seniors opened on the college campus, The High School at Moorpark College (separate from Moorpark High School but part of the Moorpark Unified School District). The first class to graduate in 2001 numbered 25. In 2004 and 2005, various bond projects were completed, such as a parking lot renovation and all-weather track. For the 2007 transferring cohort of eligible students (2,252), Moorpark College transferred 130 to a universities in two years, 480 in three years, and 793 and four years. Bernard Luskin was appointed interim president of Moorpark College in September, 2013. The current president, Luis Pablo Sanchez, was appointed for a term beginning February 3, 2015. After serving as Interim President, Julius Sokenu was installed as President of the college on April 14, 2021.

Athletics

Moorpark's athletic teams are nicknamed the Raiders. The college currently sponsors eight men's and eight women's varsity teams. The college competes as a member of the

California Community College Athletic Association The California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) is a sports association of community colleges in the U.S. state of California. It oversees 108 athletic programs throughout the state. The organization was formed in 1929 as the Calif ...

(CCCAA) in the

Western State Conference The Western State Conference (WSC) is a college athletic conference that is affiliated with the California Community College Athletic Association. The conference was established in 1950, making it the oldest community college conference in Califo ...

(WSC) for all sports except football and wrestling, which competes in

Southern California Football Association Southern may refer to: Businesses * China Southern Airlines, airline based in Guangzhou, China * Southern Airways, defunct US airline * Southern Air, air cargo transportation company based in Norwalk, Connecticut, US * Southern Airways Express, ...

(SCFA) and

Southern California Wrestling Association Southern may refer to: Businesses * China Southern Airlines, airline based in Guangzhou, China * Southern Airways, defunct US airline * Southern Air, air cargo transportation company based in Norwalk, Connecticut, US * Southern Airways Express, M ...

(SCWA).

Notable alumni

Jamal Anderson Jamal Sharif Anderson (born September 30, 1972) is a former American football running back of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round of the 1994 NFL Draft. He played high school football at El ...

– professional football player * Christine van Basten-Boddin – Mayor of Beek *

Chris Beal Chris Beal (born August 6, 1985) is an American mixed martial artist who formerly competed in the Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Background Beal wrestled at Ventura High School where he placed second at the state c ...

(did not graduate) –

CIF Cif is a French brand of household cleaning products owned by the Anglo-Dutch company Unilever, known as Jif in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Middle East and the Nordic countries. Cif was launched in France in 1965 and was marketed in competit ...

State Champion wrestler; professional

Mixed Martial Artist Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incorpo ...

April Bowlby April Michelle Bowlby is an American actress and model. She is known for portraying Kandi on the CBS comedy series ''Two and a Half Men'' (2006–2015), Stacy Barrett on ''Drop Dead Diva'' (2009–2014), and Rita Farr on ''Titans'' (2018) an ...

(did not graduate) – actor *

Brandon Boyd Brandon Charles Boyd (born February 15, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, author and visual artist. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the American rock band Incubus, with whom he has recorded eight studio albums. In a ...

(did not graduate) – musician in

Incubus An incubus is a demon in male form in folklore that seeks to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women; the corresponding spirit in female form is called a succubus. In medieval Europe, union with an incubus was supposed by some to result in t ...

Colbie Caillat Colbie Marie Caillat (; born May 28, 1985) is an American singer-songwriter. She rose to fame through social networking website Myspace. At that time, she was the number one unsigned artist of her genre. After signing with Universal Republic R ...

(did not graduate) – pop singer/songwriter *

Jason Dolley Jason Scott Dolley (born July 5, 1991) is an American actor and musician, known for his roles in Disney Channel shows and movies. These include Newton "Newt" Livingston III on ''Cory in the House'', Virgil Fox in '' Minutemen'', Connor Kennedy ...

– actor and musician * Aron Eisenberg - actor and photographer * Nicole Johnson – Miss California 2010,

Michael Phelps Michael Fred Phelps II (born June 30, 1985) is an American former competitive swimmer. He is the most successful and most decorated Olympian of all time with a total of 28 medals. Phelps also holds the all-time records for Olympic gold med ...

's wife *

Alex Hoffman-Ellis Alex Hoffman-Ellis (born August 14, 1989) is a former American professional Canadian football linebacker. After playing college football for the Washington State Cougars, he was signed in 2012 by the St. Louis Rams of the National Football Leag ...

– professional football player *

Gabe Kapler Gabriel Stefan Kapler (born July 31, 1975), nicknamed "Kap", is an American former professional baseball outfielder, and current manager of the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). Kapler was a 57th-round draft pick (1,487th ove ...

– professional baseball player and manager *

Dave Laut David Lester Laut (December 21, 1956 – August 27, 2009) was an American shot putter. He was born in Findlay, Ohio, and grew up in Oxnard, California. Laut attended Art Haycox Elementary School, E. O. Green Junior High School, Santa Clara H ...

– Olympic shot-putter * Ken Lutz – professional football player *

Troy Lyndon Troy A. Lyndon (born November 29, 1964, in New York, NY) is an entrepreneur, game developer, and business coach. Early life Troy Lyndon is the son of Jacquie Edelen, a retired HR professional and David Lyndon, a former Marine, retired Aegis Prog ...

- entrepreneur, game developer and business coach *

Matt Mahurin Matthew S. Mahurin (born January 31, 1959) is an American illustrator, photographer and film director. Mahurin's illustrations appear in ''Time'', ''Newsweek'', '' Mother Jones'', ''Rolling Stone'', ''Esquire'', ''Forbes'', and ''The New York Tim ...

– illustrator and photographer * Isaiah Mustafa – professional football player and actor * Jose Pasillas (did not graduate) – musician in

Julie Scardina Julie Scardina is Animal Ambassador and Corporate Curator for SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, and Discovery Cove zoological parks. She was formerly curator of animal training for SeaWorld San Diego. Scardina is a professional animal trainer and educator ...

– Sea World Busch Gardens Animal Ambassador * Steve Wapnick - professional baseball player *

Dan Winters Dan Winters (born October 21, 1962) is an American portrait photographer, illustrator, filmmaker and writer. Early life He was born in Ventura County, California on October 21, 1962. He first studied photography and the darkroom process starting ...

– photographer *

Sam Asghari Hesam "Sam" Asghari ( fa, حسام اصغری; born March 3, 1994) is an Iranian-American model, actor, and fitness trainer. He has appeared on the television shows ''Black Monday'', ''Hacks'', '' The Family Business'', and in several music vi ...

- model and actor, husband of

Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...

*Kire Horton - actress, comedian, and shapewear model

References

External links

Official website
{{authority control Universities and colleges in Ventura County, California California Community Colleges Moorpark, California 1967 establishments in California Educational institutions established in 1967 Schools accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Buildings and structures in Moorpark, California