Miles Community College
Community college in Miles City, Montana, U.S.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Miles Community College is a public community college in Miles City, Montana. It is a two-year college offering a variety of credentials: Certificate, Certificate of Applied Science, and Associate of Applied Science.[3] They also have courses for credit in Commercial Driver's License and Certified Nursing Assistant.[3]
| |
| Motto | Start Here – Go Anywhere! |
|---|---|
| Type | Public community college |
| Established | 1939 |
| Accreditation | NCCU[1] |
Academic affiliations | Space-grant |
| President | Ron Slinger[2] |
| Students | 383 |
| Location | , , United States 46°24′20″N 105°49′35″W |
| Campus | 46 acres (19 ha) |
| Nickname | Pioneers |
| Website | milescc.edu |
  Location in Montana | |
History
The college was founded in 1939 as Custer County Junior College.[4] For almost 20 years it operated out of a few rooms in the local public high school. In 1957, MCC moved into the former Milwaukee Railroad Depot building.[4]
In 1966 the name was changed to Miles Community College.[4] Then in 1967, they moved into a new building which is on the current campus location.[4] It was constructed after passage of a bond issued by county voters.[5] On April 4, 1970, the first independent board of trustees was elected.[5] In 1971, Miles Community College was granted accreditation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.[1]
During academic year 1971-72, a new student center was constructed.[4] A grant of $1.5 million from the Montana Coal Board in 1977 enabled the college to construct a new vocational building and a library learning resource center classroom addition. Construction of a physical education complex was completed in November 1980.[4] In August 1997, four new dormitory buildings were added to the student housing complex.[4] Six years later, in October 2003, the college completed a new $2.3 million dormitory.[4]
The distance-learning program began in 1992 utilizing interactive television.[5] In 2002 distance learning also included on-line classes and sending mobile classrooms into rural high schools.[5]
Robin Gerber, the History and Social Sciences Instructor, was awarded the 2006 Professor of the Year for the state of Montana.[6]
Athletics
Miles Community College is known as the Pioneers and the school colors are blue and white. In the 2025-2026 school year, they competed in Men's baseball, basketball, and rodeo and Women's basketball, rodeo, volleyball, and softball.[7]
MCC competes in Region 13 of the National Junior College Athletic Association[8] in the Mon-Dak Conference.[9] They are in Division I for basketball and Division II for baseball, softball, and volleyball.[8] For rodeo they are part of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association in the Big Sky Region.[10]
Baseball Coach Rob Bishop earned NJCAA Region IX Coach of the Year four years in a row from 2007 to 2010.[11] During his ten seasons the baseball team won 10 conference championships, five consecutive regional championships (2006-2010) and qualified for the NJCAA College World Series in 2007.[11] He also was named Mon-Dak Athletic Conference Coach of the Year all ten years at MCC.[11]
In 2008 the women’s basketball team, led by Coach Dwight Gunnare, won the Mon-Dak Conference and ranked 12th in the nation.[5]
The men's basketball team won Region IX North Championship in the 2011-12 season.[5]
Patrycja Jaworska was named to the 2019 WBCA Two-Year College Coaches' All-American Team.[12] She led the basketball team to their first undefeated regular season.[12]
Athletic director Jerry Olson announced he will retire after the 2025–26 Pioneer athletic season.[13] Chase Tait, head coach for men's basketball and assistant athletic director, will become the new athletic director on June 1, 2026.[14]
Leadership
- 1939 - George Gloege, Dean of Students[5]
- 1949 to 1970 - Kenneth Smith, Dean[5]
- 1970 to 1979 - Vern Kailey, President[5]
- 1979 Jud Flower, President[5]
- 1995 Frank Williams, President[5]
- 2001 to 2006 - Darrell Hammon, President[5]
- 2006 - Stefani Gray Hicswa, President[5]
- 2014 - Stacy Klippenstein, President[5]
- 2020 - Ron Slinger, President[15]