Independence Community College was established in 1925 as grades 13 and 14 of the Independence public school system. In 1967, Independence Community College legally separated from the school district. Construction of the new community college on a campus, formerly the Independence Country Club, began in 1969. Classes at the new site began in September 1970. The ICC campus is now home to the Academic Building, Fine Arts Building, Student Union, Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Field House, Administration Building, William Inge Center for the Arts, fitness center, athletic practice fields, disc golf course, 96-bed multi-structure living complex, a 200-bed residence hall, and a 135-bed suite-style residence hall. In 2010, a former large retail space was donated at a location next to the local Wal-Mart. The College renovated the new West Campus, increasing the College's visibility in the community and adding much-needed space for technical programs. A capital campaign was conducted, raising $760,000 for renovation of the facility. The College has also contributed approximately $350,000 to the renovation of that building. This campus is located on the west side of Independence and is home to Allied Health, Cosmetology, Veterinary Technology, and Culinary. ICC also maintains a presence downtown through the ICC Foundation office, which is a separate organization from the College. It is the featured college in the third and fourth seasons of the Netflix series Last Chance U.
Academics
Independence Community College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and offers several associate degrees along with more than 20 certificate programs in vocational occupations. For students who qualify, there is a student support service known as Trio. The Trio lab employs a handful of student tutors as well as a math/science specialist and an English specialist. Cultural activities are also offered by Trio and include trips to various local events/attractions as well as campus visits to surrounding universities. The Trio staff offers a guiding hand through the college experience and will often help with the transfer process to a 4-year institution.
Athletics
The ICC athletic teams are called the Pirates and the official team colors are Navy Blue and Vegas Gold. The college is affiliated with the National Junior College Athletic Association and is a member of the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference. As of Fall of 2018, there will be nine athletic programs on campus: football, volleyball, cheer and dance, men's and women's basketball, women's softball, golf, Throughout the course of the academic year, students have the opportunity to cheer on their Pirates at over 100 home games.
Student groups
Independence Community College offers a handful of different activities for students to participate in outside of sports. There is a book club that meets once a week and decides together what books to read and discuss. The Buccaneer is the campus newspaper that is composed of articles written by students and staff alike. Open Mic Nights allow students, employees, and community members to read or perform their original or favorite literary or musical works. ICC also has a multi-cultural student organization whose purpose is to bring together students of different cultural backgrounds and foster an attitude of acceptance. Phi Theta Kappa is an honor society for junior colleges and ICC's chapter was ranked in the top 100 out of 1,100 active chapters. Every few months the campus also sponsors some sort of intramural tournament that generally lasts about two days.
William Inge Center for the Arts
ICC is also home to the William Inge Center for the Arts, named after famous playwright, William Inge, an alumnus of the college. The center is home to the Inge Festival which is a four-day festival in which community members and students alike can participate in workshops, attend plays, and tour the historical sites around town that were part of Inge's childhood. The campus library is also home to a collection of original manuscripts, William Inge's personal book collection and his personal record collection.
In 2014, Fab Lab ICC was constructed in the Cessna Learning Center on ICC main campus. Fab Lab houses tools for digital fabrication, small business development, graphic design, computer aided manufacturing, and rapid prototyping. Public memberships are available, and ICC students, faculty, and staff receive a Fab Lab membership for free.
