Portland Community College (or PCC) is the largest community college in the U.S. state of Oregon. Located in Portland, it serves 1.9 million residents in the five-county area of Multnomah, Washington, Yamhill, Clackamas, and Columbia counties. PCC enrolls over 83,000 (55% female, 45% male) students annually in this area of 1,500 square miles (3,900 km2) in northwest Oregon. The college was founded in 1961 as an adult education program for the local public school system, operating out of the former Failing Elementary School since 1959 and renamed Portland Community College in 1961. Voters approved the establishment of an independent district for the college in 1968. The Cascade Campus opened in Northeast Portland in 1971. Portland Community College advances the region’s long-term vitality by delivering accessible, quality education to support the academic, professional, and personal development of the diverse students and communities we serve.