Mission

Highland Community College, the first college in Kansas, provides lifelong learning opportunities and contributes to economic development to enhance the quality of life in the communities we serve. Highland Community College began as Highland University in 1858, making it the first college in Kansas.  After eight name changes, the college has now provided higher education opportunities to the people of Northeast Kansas for more than 165 years. The college has traditionally prepared students to continue their studies at baccalaureate institutions. Studies conducted at the Regents universities in Kansas show that students who begin their college careers at HCC and then transfer do as well or better academically as all other students who transfer to those universities and those who start there.