Pierpont Community & Technical College, located in Fairmont, WV, is a comprehensive community college serving thirteen counties in north central West Virginia. Sharing a 120-acre main campus with its partner institution Fairmont State University, Pierpont offers students the responsiveness of a community college with the amenities of a university. With an enrollment of more than 2,600 students, Pierpont offers more than 50 associate degree programs, skill sets and certificates, as well as a variety of courses at more than 15 sites throughout our region. Through its Center for Workforce Education, Pierpont provides workforce training and community educational opportunities. Pierpont's Robert C. Byrd National Aerospace Education Center offers programs in flight and aviation maintenance.
Brief History:
The institution now known as Pierpont Community & Technical College was founded in 1974 as Fairmont State Community & Technical College, a component of Fairmont State College. FSC&TC received independent accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission in 2003. In April 2004 Governor Bob Wise signed a historic bill that made Blair Montgomery FSCT&C's first president. The West Virginia Legislature approved a bill during the 2006 Regular Session to allow FSU and FSC&TC to once again share one accreditation. On July 1, 2006, FSC&TC became a Division of FSU and was renamed Pierpont Community & Technical College. The name "Pierpont" is historically and symbolically significant. Francis H. Pierpont, a Fairmont native, served as Governor of the Restored State of Virginia during the Civil War and played a key role in the birth of West Virginia. He also serves as an example of a successful "non-traditional" student, working his way through school as a tanner and brick layer. On July 1, 2007, the state Legislature again required separate accreditation for FSU and Pierpont Community & Technical College. Although FSU and Pierpont Community & Technical College are now separate institutions with separate governing boards and separate missions, they continue to share a main campus and services. The mission of Pierpont Community & Technical College is to provide opportunities for learning, training, and further education that enrich the lives of individuals and promote the economic growth of our service region and state.
