College Profile:
Sinclair Community College

History & Background
In 2001, the American Association of Community Colleges and the approximately 1,200 schools it represents, formally celebrated the centennial of two-year community, technical, and junior colleges. Sinclair Community College traces its roots to 1887 with the founding of the Dayton YMCA's Evening Educational Program. Its first students, 55 men, took classes in mechanical drawing and bookkeeping.

Sinclair gets its name from David Ainslie Sinclair, a Canadian of Scottish descent, who was the secretary of the YMCA. Although Sinclair was the originator of the idea, he had no concept of what an evening school should be. He did know, however, that at the time only three percent of the young men in the U.S. went to high school, and only one percent went on to college.

For two months in the summer of 1888, Sinclair and his colleague, Edwin L. Shuey, spent every afternoon talking to managers, foremen, and workers in dozens of Dayton businesses to determine what courses would most benefit company owners and their employees. Their efforts paid off and laid the foundation for a philosophy coined by Sinclair and followed to this day: "Find the need and endeavor to meet it."

Sinclair Today
From those humble beginnings at the YMCA, Sinclair has grown to a credit enrollment of 23,000 students and serves a non-credit student population twice that number. From just one building at the turn of the 20th century, Sinclair now has nearly two-dozen buildings on more than 50 acres in downtown Dayton and a workforce of more than 2,000.

"A high school diploma is no longer sufficient to make a decent wage and support a family," says Sinclair President, Ned J. Sifferlen. "Part of our mission is to take thousands of $7 per hour service economy wage earners and turn them into $17 an hour employees with secure futures in a knowledge-based economy."

Sinclair is one of only 19 member colleges of the prestigious League for Innovation in the Community College and one of only twelve Vanguard Learning Colleges in the nation. Sinclair's Automotive Technology program, with close ties to General Motors, DaimlerChrysler, Ford, and Honda, has been a winner of the American Vocational Association/American Automobile Manufacturer's Association Industry Planning Council's Award for Excellence in Automotive Service Programs.

Sinclair's main campus is adjacent to Interstate 75, at the Third Street exit on the western edge of downtown Dayton. The campus is a delightful blend of modern architecture and green space. Traversing the compact campus is easy thanks to underground corridors and enclosed walkways that connect most buildings. Although Sinclair is not a residential campus, commuting students find parking to be plentiful, well-lit, and secure. The Student Activities Office can provide information on affordable housing and apartments within the Dayton area.

Admissions
Sinclair has an open admissions policy. International students on the F-1 visa, however, have additional requirements for admission. Some academic majors also have additional requirements that must be completed prior to actually beginning the program. Many admission and registration services are available to applicants on Sinclair's website.

Education
Sinclair's university-parallel courses are designed for transfer to 4-year baccalaureate programs. Sinclair students can earn the Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Associate of Applied Science, and Associate of Technical Studies degrees. In addition to a variety of one-year certificate programs, Sinclair offers degree related programs including Cooperative Education, Credit for Lifelong Learning, College Without Walls, or continuing education at other colleges in the Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education for Sinclair credit.

Athletics
Sinclair sponsors seven men and women's intercollegiate athletics teams in basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, tennis, and golf that compete in the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference. The Tartan Pride teams are very competitive at the state, regional, and national levels of the National Junior College Athletic Association. Many intramural sports and related clubs are also available.

Extracurricular Activities
Sinclair encourages participation in extracurricular activities and organizations. Honor societies include Phi Theta Kappa and Psi Beta. The college also has an active Student Government Association. The Sinclair Ohio Fellows Leadership Program is designed to develop the leadership skills of students who demonstrate initiative, maturity, intellectual curiosity, social concern, and a genuine desire to grow and lead.

Sinclair offers nearly four-dozen student clubs and organizations from accounting and badminton to women in engineering and technology education. Writing, editing, graphic design, sales, and distribution opportunities are open to all students at the Clarion, the Sinclair student newspaper.

Facilities
Sinclair has excellent, modern facilities throughout its campus. Among these are two large, open-access computer Teleports, first-rate and affordable dining facilities (including the Tartan Marketplace), a well-equipped Physical Activities Center, and a recently remodeled Student Activities Center.

If fine and performing arts are among your interests, then opportunities abound at Sinclair. The college is home to five galleries and has a wide variety of performing groups open to students and community members in theatre, music, and dance. The 450-seat Blair Hall Theatre is home to many student and community performances, most available for free.

At Sinclair Community College, Community is our middle and most important name. Sinclair is on YOUR side!

Editorial provided by Sinclair Community College.