Howard College is a community college with its main campus in Big Spring, Texas as well as several branch campuses and learning centers. The Big Spring campus is located on 120 acres. Students at this campus also use a 20 acre rodeo and livestock facility 3 miles east of town.
The Lamesa campus is 45 miles north of Big Spring. It features both academic transfer and workforce education courses. The San Angelo campus is located on Goodfellow Air Force Base and features technical and occupational training, compensatory programs for adult learners, and continuing education courses. In addition to these campuses, Howard operates classroom centers at the Eden Detention Center, the Cornell Correctional Centers, and the Big Spring Federal Correctional Institute. These facilities offer vocational courses, Adult Basic Education, and English as a Second Language.
In addition, the Howard College board of trustees established the SouthWest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf in 1980 and have operated it as a branch of the college ever since. Students at the Institute may select from developmental/preparatory studies, college transfer programs, or vocational training.
Howard College
Academics
Transfer Programs
Howard has several articulation agreements with four-year colleges and universities to allow their students to move seamlessly from their associate degree to earning their bachelor’s. Popular partnership schools include Angelo State University, Park University, and the University of Texas system.
Online Learning
The distance learning program at Howard College (known as the WINGS network) offers online classes, interactive video classes, and face-to-face classes at remote locations. Howard belongs to a number of educational consortia that help one another to deliver online education, including Regional Electronic Academic Communication Highway (REACH), the Virtual College of Texas, Midland College, Odessa College, Texas Consortium for Education Telecommunication, and the Southwest Consortium for the Advancement of Technological Education (SCATE).
High School Academics
Dual Credit classes allow high school students to earn college credit at reduced prices. Successful completion of the dual credit program can lead to beginning college at the sophomore level. Students may take up to two college classes per semester of their junior and senior year of high school. The program is open to homeschooled students as well as public and private school enrollees. Many students enrolled in dual credit choose to take online classes to best suit their high school schedules, although they may also take classes on campus.
Tech Prep is similar to Dual Credit in many respects, with an emphasis in the following areas of study: Business Administration Accounting, Business Administration Management, Business Administration Marketing, Business Technology, Child Development and Education, Criminal Justice, Drafting, Emergency Medical Services, Graphic Design, Web Design, Health Information Management, Network Systems Technology, and Nursing.
Most Popular Fields of Study
The top 5 fields of study completed at Howard College.
In keeping with its mission to offer technical education and higher education opportunities to any adult who wishes to pursue them, Howard College offers open admissions. Some health and technical programs may have further requirements, and some have limited registration, so be sure to inquire in the department of your choice prior to enrolling.
Financial Aid
In addition to the wide range of state and federal financial aid options available to college and university students in Texas, Howard offers several of its own need- and merit-based scholarships. These scholarships include:
The Adam Andrews Memorial Scholarship, awarded to a Forsan High School graduate who demonstrates good moral character and outstanding leadership
The ATMOS scholarship for students from Howard, Glasscock, Martin, Scurry, Dawson, Gaines, Terry, Yoakum, Midland, or Ector counties who are pursuing careers in culinary of fine arts, agriculture, geology, engineering, business, or drafting
The Tatia Colvin Memorial Scholarship for a student from Big Spring High School attending Howard to study theatre; the Howard College Cheerleaders Scholarship, which is based on grades and a cheerleading audition
The Johnny Johansen Memorial Scholarship, awarded to an Agriculture/Plant Science major by the Big Spring Council of Garden Clubs
Student Financial Aid Details
How many students use Financial Aid, and how much do they use?
Howard College 4931st for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best Texas scholarships and financial aid
All students on the Big Spring campus are required to live in the residence halls. Exceptions are made for students who are married, live with relatives, are 21 years of age or older, or have completed at least 30 semester hours of post-secondary education.
There are two residence halls on campus. The Men’s Residence Hall accommodates 150 male students, while Turner Hall accomodates 98 residents. All rooms in the Men’s Residence Hall and in the north wing of Turner Hall are double occupancy rooms with suite bathrooms. Rooms in the south wing of Turner Hall are quadruple occupancy with private bathrooms. Each residence offers study rooms, computer labs, laundry facilities, television lounges, and meeting space. Telephone service and cable television are furnished in every room.
Students living in the dormitories purchase a meal plan as part of the housing fee which includes 3 meals a day Monday to Friday and two meals a day on the weekends.
Clubs and Organizations
There are dozens of student organizations on the Howard campuses to meet the personal and professional interests of a wide range of students. These groups include the Mexican American Student Association (MASA), Baptist Student Ministries, and several organizations for student cosmetologists. The Student Government Association is the voice of the student body in administrative and other public matters.
Student Testing
The Texas Success Initiative (TSI) is an assessment testing program mandated by state law for any student entering a public college or university. Approved tests include the Quick THEA, Accuplacer, and Asset. Students for whom English is not a first language are also required to take the Compass Test and the Lindholm Test.
Student Services
The Student Services office offers a wide range of support services to assist students in academic success. These services include academic counselling, career counselling, employment placement services, personal counselling, testing services, and disability services.
The athletic department at Howard is known as the Hawks. The Hawks compete in the NJCAA and the Western Junior College Athletic Conference. Men’s sports include baseball, rodeo, and basketball. Women’s sports include rodeo, basketball, and cheerleading.
Bibliography
Fiske, Edward B. Fiske Guide to Colleges 2011. Chicago: Sourcebooks, 2010. Print.
Living on Campus. Howard College. Web. 15 Sept 2011.
Pope, Loren. Looking Beyond the Ivy League: Finding the College That’s Right for You. New York: Penguin. 2007. Print.
Student Catalog. Howard College. Web. 15 Sept 2011.
Demographics – Main Campus and Surrounding Areas
Reported area around or near Big Spring, TX 79720
Surrounding community
Remote town (over 35 mi. away from an urban cluster)
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Big Spring, TX 79720
p. 432-264-5000
w. www.howardcollege.edu