[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 18 (Thursday, January 25, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E96]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF SANTA ROSA JUNIOR COLLEGE

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                           HON. JARED HUFFMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 25, 2018

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, along with my colleague, 
Congressman Mike Thompson, in recognition of the Santa Rosa Junior 
College's centennial anniversary. Serving more than 1.7 million 
students since opening its doors, this public institution has grown 
from seven women's vision for a local junior college into a nationally 
and internationally recognized leader in removing barriers to higher 
education.
  Founded in 1918, the Santa Rosa Junior College was conceived of by 
members of the Federated Home and School Association of Santa Rosa, an 
organization of prominent women from across the City of Santa Rosa who 
came together around the idea of bringing higher education to their 
community.
  Starting with an inaugural class of 19 students, the college had 
eight faculty members and was located in the basement of Santa Rosa's 
primary high school. Within the first seven years of operation, Santa 
Rosa Junior College went through great adversity: briefly closing due 
to a severe city-wide influenza outbreak, losing its basement location 
due to a fire, and operating nomadically out of several temporary 
spaces for four years. But out of this early turmoil came remarkable 
growth and resilience.
  By 1927, the college attained the stability it needed to succeed and 
grow. Operating out of a permanent campus on over 40 acres of land, the 
college was able to begin extending its roots throughout the community, 
becoming the inaugural member of the newly created Santa Rosa Junior 
College District.
  Today, Santa Rosa Junior College has grown significantly in 
scholastic capability and quality. Now spanning a combined total of 
more than 500 acres, the college district operates two campuses, a 
public safety training center, and a nationally ranked farm laboratory, 
among other facilities. The college now employs over 3,000 faculty and 
staff to instruct the more than 28,000 students who enroll each 
semester. With these sizable gains in students, facilities, and staff, 
the district has also expanded to serving 15 major high school campuses 
and 1,600 square miles, making it one of the largest college districts 
in the nation.
  Santa Rosa Junior College, one hundred years old, offers exceptional 
academic, career technical, athletic and performing arts programs that 
have consistently garnered state, national and worldwide attention. Mr. 
Speaker, after a century of steady scholastic achievement and 
operational stability, the continuing success of Santa Rosa Junior 
College has led to immeasurable social and economic improvements for 
not only the North Bay community but the nation. It is therefore 
appropriate that we stand together in recognition of this momentous 
occasion.

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