College History

PCC History

Established in 1938 as Pratt Junior College, the institution was initially situated on the current Pratt High School campus. Construction of the current Benson Education Center commenced in 1966. On July 1, 1967, operational control transitioned to the newly elected Board of Trustees and college president Jess Cooper, marking the college’s transition to an independent, self-contained institution. The dedication of the Benson Education Center took place in September 1968, and that same year, the primary campus infrastructure was finalized, consisting of the Benson Education Center and Novotny Residence Hall.

Porter Residence Hall was added in 1982, followed by Gwaltney Hall in 1983. Beck Residence Hall was constructed in 1985, an indoor rodeo facility was added in 1986, and an auto/diesel facility followed in 1987. The Student Conference Center was established in 1989. In 1991, the Electrical Powerline Technology (EPT) building was added to the campus and later underwent enhancements in 2005. An updated EPT building now stands on the west side of campus.

Further expansion continued with the completion of North Residence Hall in 1998. In 2002, Dudrey Scholarship Hall and Chandler Hall were added to accommodate growing class sizes and increased student housing needs. The Dr. William Wojciechowski Hall Apartments, the most recent addition to the main campus, opened in the Fall of 2010.

The campus also features outdoor rodeo facilities, the Dennis Lesh Sports Arena, and the recently renovated Stanion Baseball Field. In 2022, the PCC Welding Technology Program was relocated to a newly remodeled facility at the Pratt Regional Airport Industrial Park.