Allan Hancock College celebrated the 20th anniversary of its Lompoc Valley Center on Thursday.
A special ceremony was held in the center’s courtyard.
The concept of building a Lompoc campus was first introduced in the 1960s. Originally, the idea was to open a Cal Poly branch, but the funding effort failed.
Later on, a Carpinteria lawmaker proposed building a community college facility.
Funding was secured in 1995 and the facility was completed in 1999.
In 2006, voters approved funding for the public safety training complex.
“The vision was that it would grow in importance and by adding the public safety element after the bond passed that has, I think, fulfilled a part of that expectation and I think it will continue to grow,” said Ann Foxworthy Lewellen, who served as the Lompoc Campus Superintendent from 1992 to 2005.
Allan Hancock College has other satellite centers in the Santa Ynez Valley and at Vandenberg Air Force Base, in addition to its main campus in Santa Maria.
