Community Care College

Community Care College

Established	1995 (1995)
President	Dr. Kevin Kirk
Address	4242 S Sheridan Rd Tulsa, OK 74145, Tulsa, OK, USA
Campus	Suburban
Website	www.communitycarecollege.edu

Community Care College is a nonprofit ^[1]private career college in Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States. The college is the main campus of two branches, Clary Sage College and Oklahoma Technical College. Founded by Teresa Knox in 1995 under the name "Dental Directions: The School of Dental Assisting," the college eventually expanded its curriculum to other include career oriented programs. The colleges are licensed by the Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools and accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS.)

The college is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) and licensed by the Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools (OBPVS).^[2]

Forty-six diploma and degree programs ^[3]at the college have earned approvals by the Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools (OBPVS), Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, Department of Education, Vocational Rehabilitation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Workforce Oklahoma, Veteran’s Administration, The Accrediting Bureau of Heath Education Schools (ABHES) and the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS).^[4] Its current president is Dr. Kevin Kirk.^[5]

History

In 1995, Teresa Knox founded “Dental Directions: The School of Dental Assisting”. During its first year of business, Dental Directions graduated twelve students.^[6] In 1996, the college initiated application for accreditation with the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). By mid-1998, more than 300 students had graduated from the Dental Assisting program. After this initial success, Dental Directions, Inc. began doing business under the name Community Care College (CCC), and ABHES accreditation was granted.

In 2003, the college moved to its current location at 4242 S. Sheridan Road after purchasing the building from QuikTrip.^[7] In 2004, CCC began offering Associate of Applied Science degrees.

Clary Sage College

Clary Sage College (CSC) is a cosmetology college based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Clary Sage College was established by Teresa Knox in 2005 as a branch campus of Community Care College.^[8] The College is a degree-granting institution; students are eligible to earn an Associate of Occupational Science degrees in several of the programs offered by taking additional courses at the main campus, Community Care College.

The success of Community Care College (CCC) led to a decision by CEO and founder Teresa Knox to expand the career-based college by creating a second campus. Clary Sage College (CSC) was developed to provide an advanced education in the field of cosmetology, operating simultaneously as a cosmetology college and functioning spa so students could practice their skills and build clientele in a professional, real-world setting.^[9] In 2010, CSC expanded to include programs in Fashion and Interior Design.^[10] Summer of 2015, the college converted from for-profit to nonprofit status in order to expand educational opportunities to those that need it the most through increased scholarships and reduced tuition. ^[11]

The school is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) and licensed by the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and the Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools.^[12] Clary Sage College and/or employees have current affiliations with the National Cosmetology Association, America Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS) and the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities (APSCU). Clary Sage College is approved by the U.S. Department of Education and for Veterans Education.^[13]

Programs

Clary Sage College offers degree and diploma programs in the following disciplines:

• Cosmetology
• Barbering
• Hair Braiding
• Esthetics
• Fashion Design
• Interior Design
• Makeup Artistry
• Nail Technology
• Massage Therapy, in conjunction with Community Care College (CCC). Students who complete their studies at CCC come to Clary Sage College to participate in an externship with the massage clinic at Clary Sage College where studeents are able to practice their skills on clients from the community.

Campus

In 2006, construction began on the current campus located at 3131 S Sheridan Road Tulsa, OK. The property sits on six acres and is one of the largest schools of its kind in the United States.^[12] The first floor was designed to resemble an upscale spa and includes a retail store and coffee shop in addition to the salon floor, massage and esthetician clinics, pedicure and manicuring rooms, and a dispensary, all of which are used for the "hands-on" components of the curriculum of each program. The second floor hosts classrooms, computer lab and library. In 2006, it began its expansion into a multi-campus college, starting with the establishment and construction of Clary Sage College (CSC). CSC was developed to provide an advanced education in the field of cosmetology, operating simultaneously as a cosmetology college and functioning spa so students could practice their skills in a professional ^[14] In 2010 the college expanded to include programs in Fashion and Interior Design.

Oklahoma Technical College

The success of Clary Sage College led to a decision to establish Oklahoma Technical College (OTC), offering programs in automotive and diesel technology, welding, barbering, and heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) and refrigeration. OTC opened in 2009.^[15]

The colleges operated under a for-profit corporation for 20 years, and on June 30th, the assets of the colleges were acquired by a newly formed 501(c)(3) public charity, Community HigherEd.

Career colleges play a critical role in the nation’s economic growth and development. With the U.S. ranking 14th in people between the ages of 25-34 with a college degree, career-focused training of specialized skills will continue being instrumental in improving that metric so that the country improves international standing.

Although tax status with the IRS has changed, Ms. Knox states that the company currently operates similar to a non-profit on many counts: it is socially wired, has a transparent culture, and is committed to being a contributing force to the community. The college wants to continue being evaluated, as all higher education institutions should be, on student outcomes….graduation rates, job placement rates, and student loan default rates.

“‘For Profit’ is periphery to our primary mission and purpose and minimizes our long-term goal,” states CEO Teresa Knox, “Our strategy is to increase the number and amount of scholarships offered to students in order to reduce student loan debt and expand educational and career opportunities to those that need it most.” ^[16]

Programs and accreditation

Campus

In 2003, Community Care College moved its campus to the current location at 4242 S Sheridan Rd Tulsa, OK. This building was previously known as the QuikTrip building.^[17]

Notable administration and staff

• Teresa Knox, Founder/Chief Executive Officer 1995–Present
• Dr. Kevin Kirk, President 2003–Present

References

http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/community-care-college-converting-to-a-nonprofit-college/article_343be3bf-8a3b-5975-91df-9d89742664e2.html>

External links

• Community Care College
• Clary Sage College
• Oklahoma Technical College
• Community HigherEd

Coordinates: 36°06′06″N 95°54′19″W / 36.1017°N 95.9053°W / 36.1017; -95.9053