From the first scholarship donated by Tulsa businessman Robert L. Davis in 1970 to serving nearly 450,000 students, a new historical exhibit traces the impact of Tulsa Junior College, now Tulsa Community College.

The story of the College that has shaped the greater Tulsa area for nearly five decades is told through a special 50th Anniversary display at the Tulsa Historical Society and Museum.

As the first public higher education institution in Tulsa, the college opened its doors September 14, 1970. With enrollment higher than anticipated that first semester, the startup had more students than classroom seats. Some students improvised and brought lawn chairs until enough seats could be ordered.

“TCC has educated generations of Tulsans. And, in doing so, the College has helped to define Tulsa itself. From our beginning to the footprint today, the College meets students where they are, working to shape and develop them as they learn,” said TCC President Leigh B. Goodson.

The beginning of the college is tied closely with American Airlines and the man who oversaw the airline’s maintenance base in Tulsa, George Warde. A founding TJC regent, he later became president of American Airlines. He is credited with moving the SABRE system to Tulsa and the college helped train the workforce to handle this new computer reservation system.

“From our visionary leaders who founded the College to the impactful programs we offer today, as well as our remarkable employees and students who bring our success to life, this exhibit showcases and celebrates our past 50 years of bringing quality, affordable, higher education to Tulsa,” Goodson said.

Five decades later, the College serves more than 24,000 students each year across a multi-campus system with four campuses including Metro, the original location, as well as Northeast, Southeast and West.

“We celebrate the success our students have achieved through education. Since 90% of TCC’s graduates live and work in the greater Tulsa area, we also celebrate the contributions they make to our community,” said Goodson.

An entire wall lists thousands of graduates who have earned an associate degree or certificate. There are old photos documenting the College’s growth, vintage educational equipment and projects created and used by students today.

“Entering the exhibit, you feel like you have stepped back in time when TCC purchased the Sinclair Oil Building downtown, now part of the Metro Campus, and stepped into the office of Alfred Philips, TCC’s first president,” Kari Shults, Interim Vice President for Advancement and President of the TCC Foundation said. “But the showstopper is the wall of graduates, when you realize that each graduate has a name, a face, a family and a dream.”

The TCC 50th Anniversary Exhibit runs through March 2020 at the Tulsa Historical Society and Museum, 2445 South Peoria. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is free to members, $5 for adults, $3 for seniors, and children and students are free.