Vision
Our Community, Our College: Improving Lives, Strengthening Communities
- Empowering each student to achieve excellence in an environment that cultivates personal relationships among students, faculty, and staff.
- Being the catalyst for educational attainment, economic growth, and cultural enrichment in partnership with business, industry, community groups, and all levels of education.
Mission
Victoria College is a public, open‐admission college. Our mission is to provide educational opportunities and services for our students and the communities we serve. Victoria College provides:
Associate Degrees and Certificates – Programs leading to the Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Associate of Applied Science, and Certificates that meet the needs of the students and communities within our service area.
University Transfer – Academic courses that apply to baccalaureate degrees and meet the educational needs of students planning to transfer to a university.
Career & Technical Education – Credit courses and programs designed to satisfy local and regional employer demands and meet individuals’ workforce training needs.
Developmental Education – Compensatory education courses consistent with open-admission policies designed to prepare students effectively for success in college‐level studies.
Continuing Education – Noncredit courses and programs that meet the immediate technical and occupational skills needs of employers and the individual, and fulfill the personal enrichment and cultural needs of the individual and the community.
Adult Education – Adult education, basic skills, and English as a second language instructional programs that meet the specific educational needs of our adult constituency.
Student Support – Services and activities that support student success, including academic guidance and counseling services.
Cultural and Intellectual Outreach – Educational activities and events that enhance our community’s quality of life.
Values
Victoria College's commitment to its mission is guided by the following values:
We value integrity. Victoria College will foster an environment of respect, honesty, openness, and fairness and will promote responsible stewardship of resources and public trust.
We value respect for the unique characteristics and abilities of individuals. Victoria College will welcome and promote diversity among students, faculty, staff, and our community, while cultivating a respectful, collegial, and accessible working and learning environment.
We value student achievement and student success. Victoria College will create learning opportunities that challenge our students and help them meet their educational goals.
We value excellence. Victoria College will strive to achieve the highest standards of performance in teaching and in the services we offer students, colleagues, and our community.
History of Victoria College
Victoria College was established as a part of the Victoria Independent School District in 1925, making it one of the oldest community colleges in Texas. Classes were initially held on the third floor of the Patti Welder High School with 51 students enrolling that first semester.
In Sept. 1949, VC moved to our present-day Main Campus on Red River Street and constructed four buildings that year.
Nearly a century later, VC has grown to include 16 buildings on our 60-acre Main Campus and has expanded operations to include the Zelda L. Allen School of Nursing in Hallettsville in 1984; the Museum of the Coastal Bend in 2003; the Gonzales Center in 2006; the Leo J. Welder Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Victoria in 2012; the Liberty Street Industrial Training Center in 2012; and the Emerging Technology Complex on Lone Tree Road in 2015.
Over the years, VC has underwent several name changes; expanded our workforce training, adult education, and dual enrollment offerings; and evolved into a thriving community college that now serves approximately 6,200 students each year.
In 2025, we will commemorate 100 years of providing quality education and training to all who live and work in the Crossroads of South Texas.