Higher Education

Rochester Community and Technical College

By Anna Stevens

Formerly Rochester Junior College—started in 1915 on a motion by Dr. Charles Mayo—RCTC is the oldest community college in Minnesota. Classes were originally held in Rochester High School, with 17 students in RCTC’s first year. In 1923 the college’s enrollment topped 100, and from there the rest is history. Rochester Community and Technical College (RCTC)—which became the name of the college in 1996—now serves almost 6,000 students yearly. Best known for its health-related programs, the largest programs offered are Liberal Arts, Nursing, Business, Digital Arts, and Law Enforcement. Enrollment for the fall semester is up, as RCTC offers a cost-effective, high-quality education that is valued especially during hard economic times.

“Most RCTC students reside in the 10-county area [around Rochester] with the largest concentration in Olmsted County,” says Michelle Messenger, director of marketing. “Approximately 10 percent of RCTC students reside outside of Minnesota. International students attending RCTC originate from more than 30 different countries around the world.”

Students from more than 40 different high schools in the area enroll in RCTC’s Post Secondary Enrollment Options program. PSEO gives high school students the opportunity to take full- or part-time courses at RCTC for high school credit as well as college credit. Most of the students enrolled start classes at RCTC after 10th grade and participate in the program until they graduate from high school. Tuition, fees and required textbooks are provided at no cost to the students.

RCTC has a multitude of student clubs and organizations. Students can join college athletic teams, intramural sports, student government, music, theater, and the student newspaper, to name a few of the more than 20 student groups. In addition, RCTC has partnered with Winona State University’s Rochester campus in a program called “Path to Purple,” allowing students enrolled at RCTC to start on a path that will lead to an easy transfer to Winona’s Rochester programs and add a bachelor’s degree.