EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — El Paso Community College celebrated the 50th anniversary of its Rio Grande Campus in Downtown during a ceremony on Friday, Nov. 7.
For five decades, the Downtown El Paso campus on Rio Grande Avenue has been a cornerstone of education and excellence, serving the El Paso community with pride and dedication, EPCC said.
From humble beginnings to now, hundreds of thousands of students have attended class at the Downtown campus over the years.
The event featured remarks from EPCC President William Serrata, EPCC Vice President of Instruction and Workforce Education Steven Smith, EPCC Board of Trustees Chair Brian Haggerty and Rio Grande campus Dean of Health, Career and Technical Education, Math, and Science Souraya Hajjar. The event, which also included the EPCC Retiree Network for their annual fall gathering, featured a celebration video, reception, refreshments and presentations of EPCC programs and services.
“What started with 200 students in nursing and EMT programs has grown into one of the most respected health science education centers in the region,” Serrata said. “The Rio Grande Campus has prepared generations of nurses, radiology technicians, dental hygienists, paramedics, and graduates in many other fields whose skills are vital to El Paso’s well-being.”
“Today, the Rio Grande Campus stands at the forefront of innovation,” said Smith, EPCC vice president of instruction and workforce education. “Its advanced simulation labs allow students to experience real-life health care scenarios so they will be career-ready upon graduation. Classrooms are designed for collaboration and problem-solving. Programs integrate the latest technologies, whether that’s digital imaging, telehealth applications, or other modern approaches to patient care.”
In 1975, EPCC’s President Alfredo de los Santos Jr. purchased the building from El Paso Independent School District (EPISD). The building was also home to the El Paso Vocational School prior to EPISD.
The purchase was made possible by Project HOPE with a donation of funds and equipment, EPCC said. Project HOPE’s goal was to assist EPCC and to help ease the burden of health care in the El Paso area and provide students with training needed for them to have successful careers in the medical field, the college said.
Renovation and expansion of the campus came in 1995 with the addition of classrooms, a new library, and paved student parking lots. The new Health and Science Laboratory building opened in fall 2003, and the multi-level parking garage opened the following year.
The Rio Grande campus is EPCC’s hub for health science programs and students. The new J Building, which was built in 2022, offers cutting-edge laboratory, simulation labs and classrooms with the latest medical technology.
Students participate in hands-on experiences preparing them to become EMT’s, phlebotomists, and radiographers. The J Building is home to the new Associate of Applied Science Program in Echocardiography and has also allowed for the expansion of other programs.
The campus also houses the Rio Grande Border Health Clinic, a non-profit, low-cost clinic.
“The success of this campus, and of EPCC as a whole, reflects the dedication of so many: our faculty who inspire learning, our staff who make daily operations seamless, our students who bring energy and hope, and our partners who believe in our vision,” Haggerty said.
For more on the EPCC Rio Grande campus and its health programs, click here.
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