AHC History

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The History of Allan Hancock College

Click photo above to read the biography of college namesake G. Allan Hancock.

Allan Hancock College was founded in 1920, when the Santa Maria High School District established Santa Maria Junior College. Classes were initially held in high school classrooms until 1937, when voters approved a bond measure to construct a dedicated college wing on the northwest corner of the high school campus. 

In 1954, due to growing enrollment, the college relocated to Hancock Field, a former airport site that had previously housed the Santa Maria Airport, Hancock College of Aeronautics, and later the University of Southern California’s School of Aeronautics. That same year, the college was renamed Allan Hancock College to honor Captain G. Allan Hancock, a prominent state and local leader who owned the land and facilities. 

In September 1954, voters established the Santa Maria Joint Junior College District. In 1963, the Lompoc Unified School District and Santa Ynez Union High School District were annexed, and the district became the Allan Hancock Joint Community College District. 

Today, the district serves all of northern Santa Barbara County and portions of San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties, including Santa Maria, Lompoc, Guadalupe, Cuyama, Solvang, Buellton, and Vandenberg Space Force Base. 

A Century of Access and Opportunity

In 2020 and 2021, Allan Hancock College celebrated its centennial. From six students in 1920 to tens of thousands of students served annually across multiple locations, the college has remained focused on expanding access to education, workforce training, and opportunity for the region. 

Academics and Career Training

Hancock’s academic offerings have continually evolved to meet community needs. From 12 courses aligned with University of California lower-division requirements in 1920, the college now offers more than 1,000 credit courses and a wide range of transfer, career technical, and lifelong learning opportunities. 

Innovation has long been part of Hancock’s identity. The college introduced televised instruction in 1972, video-based courses in 1989, and online learning in 1998. Today, hundreds of online and hybrid courses are offered each semester, alongside extensive evening and remote learning options. 

Community Education, established in 1973, continues to provide hundreds of noncredit and fee-based classes in areas such as English as a second language, citizenship, workforce skills, and personal enrichment. 

In 2018, Allan Hancock College expanded local access to four-year degrees through on-site bachelor’s programs offered in partnership with the University of La Verne. Building on that foundation, Hancock has continued to strengthen and expand local university pathways. Today, through partnerships with California State University campuses, students can complete select bachelor’s degrees close to home. A 2+2 partnership with Cal Poly brings CSU degrees directly to Hancock’s Santa Maria campus, with sociology already underway and business administration launching in 2026. In addition, CSU Channel Islands will offer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing beginning in fall 2026 for students who complete their associate degree at Hancock. These partnerships reflect Hancock’s ongoing commitment to expanding affordable, high quality four-year degree opportunities for place-bound students and the regional workforce. 

Student Success and Community Commitment

For decades, Hancock has invested in student support services that help learners persist and succeed. These include tutoring centers, academic support programs, veteran services, financial aid, and targeted programs for first-generation and economically disadvantaged students. 

The college’s commitment to access and affordability is also reflected in the Hancock Promise. The program provides eligible local high school graduates with free tuition for their first year at Allan Hancock College, along with early registration, personalized counseling, and academic support. Funded entirely through private donations, the Hancock Promise helps remove financial barriers and supports a successful transition from high school to college. 

The college has also expanded basic needs and wellness services, including food access, emergency assistance, mental health resources, and health services, recognizing that student success extends beyond the classroom. 

Facilities and Campus Transformation

Facilities development has played a defining role in Hancock’s history. From early campus construction in the 1950s to the opening of regional centers in Lompoc and the Santa Ynez Valley, the college has continually adapted its physical spaces to serve students where they live and work. 

In 2006, district voters approved Measure I, a $180 million general obligation bond to modernize facilities, upgrade aging infrastructure, and expand instructional capacity. Since then, Measure I has transformed the college in visible and lasting ways. 

Major Measure I projects completed through 2024 include: 

• the Student Services Center, 

• the Public Safety Training Complex, 

• the Industrial Technology and Athletic Facilities, 

• the STEM and MESA Academic Success Center, 

• the PCPA Stagecraft facility, 

• and the Fine Arts Complex, which opened in 2023 as a regional hub for creative learning and community engagement. 

In addition to new construction, Measure I funded extensive system upgrades, including electrical, HVAC, fire safety, energy, and technology infrastructure, as well as demolition of obsolete buildings to prepare the campus for future use. 

Oversight and accountability have been central to Measure I. An independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee reviews expenditures annually, and the district has received clean financial and performance audits throughout the life of the bond. 

Facilities Timeline 

1958	Voters approved a  bond issue to purchase the airfield site and finance a building program.
1962	Opened four new buildings   - Student Center, library, science building and north wing of the gymnasium - to form the nucleus of a campus designed for 2,000 students. Continued classes in buildings built for the original aeronautics college.
1964	Opened Business Education building
1965	Opened Fine Arts building
1967	Completed the Gymnasium and Industrial Technology buildings
	Opened Administration and Student Services buildings
1968	Opened Performing Arts Center, including Marian Theatre
1971	Completed the Bookstore
1974	Purchased nine acres of property and buildings from Southern California Gas Company (“South Campus”)
1977	Opened Learning Resources Center with 16,000 square-foot library addition and remodel of existing structure
1982	Opened Learning Assistance building for physically disabled students and those with learning disabilities
1989	Completed the Humanities complex
1991	Built Family & Consumer Sciences facility
1992	Completed the Severson Theatre, an addition to the Performing Arts Center Improved entry and roadways
1999	Opened the Lompoc Valley Center
2002	Opened the remodeled and expanded Student Center to include the Bookstore, café, coffee bar, and more (partial funding from Measure I)
2006	Voters passed Measure I, a $180 million general obligation bond focused on facility and technology improvements over a 10-year period.
2007	Expanded the library building to include the Academic Resource Center (ARC), and remodeled the library (partial funding from Measure I) Opened the Community Education and Science buildings (Measure I)
2013	Opened the new Early Childhood Studies building, including the Children’s Center Lab School Completed new athletic facilities for baseball, track and field, football, and soccer Renovated the Performing Arts Center, building D Opened the new Student Services and Administration buildings (Measure I)
2020	Broke ground on the Fine Arts Complex
2021	Opened the MESA and STEM Academic Success Center. Measure I funded. Completed major infrastructure and energy system upgrades across campus.
2023	Opened the Fine Arts Complex, an 88,787 square foot facility serving music, dance, drama, film, photography, multimedia arts, and community performances. Opened the PCPA Stagecraft Facility, supporting technical theater education and productions. Completed demolition of obsolete campus buildings to prepare sites for future use.
2024	Continued campuswide upgrades to electrical, HVAC, fire safety, energy, and technology systems funded by Measure I. Completed additional infrastructure projects and system improvements to support safe, modern learning environments.

Looking Ahead

Today, Allan Hancock College stands as a modern, comprehensive community college shaped by more than a century of service and a strong partnership with the community it serves. While honoring its past, the college remains focused on the future, preparing students for transfer, careers, and lifelong success. 

Guided by its mission and the belief that education can change lives, Allan Hancock College continues to help students and families across the Central Coast change the odds.