Founded in 1966 as a branch campus of Manchester Community College, Middlesex Community College became an independent member of the Community College System in 1968. At the outset, the college operated principally in space rented from Middletown Public Schools and loaned by Connecticut Valley Hospital. In 1973, the college moved to its present 35-acre campus, which overlooks the scenic Connecticut River and the city of Middletown. MxCC is conveniently located in central Connecticut and is easily accessible via major interstates.
Our college and our community are partners in a tradition of shaping the future, one person at a time. We believe our success depends upon our ability to treat others with respect, educate the whole person, recognize that each individual is vital to our mission, and develop programs and services responsive to the current and changing needs of our community.
MxCC believes that a college education should be available to everyone and is committed to providing excellence in teaching as well as personal support in developing the genius of each student. An open admissions college, MxCC awards associate degrees and certificates in more than 70 programs which lead to further study, employment, and active citizenship. In addition, the college shares its resources and addresses community needs through numerous credit and non-credit courses, business programs, cultural activities, and special events. Faculty and staff are dedicated to helping students achieve their academic, professional, and career potentials. This support is a continual process that recognizes student diversity in both background and learning ability. The educational goal of the college is to promote understanding, learning, ethics, and self-discipline by encouraging critical thinking.
To fulfill its mission, MxCC has established the following objectives in its advancement of the principle of lifelong learning:
- General Education To provide a range of courses enabling students to achieve occupational, educational, philosophical, recreational, and personal goals for more satisfying lives.
- College Transfer Education To provide appropriate programs and courses for those desiring to continue their education at baccalaureate institutions.
- Technical and Career Education To offer associate degree and certificate programs of study for specific occupations.
- Student Services To provide personal, career, and job support services that help students reach their academic potential; to serve students with special needs; and to create an environment supportive of students from all cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
- Fast Track Health Careers and Non-Credit Programming To provide non-credit courses, workshops and conferences for skill development, career enhancement and personal enrichment.
Enrollment at Middlesex, one of 12 two-year community colleges in Connecticut, has grown from an original class of 320 to more than 3,000 full- and part-time students. Since 1968, more than 8,300 students have graduated from Middlesex. The majority of MxCC graduates, upon receiving a two-year associates degree, transfer to baccalaureate granting colleges and universities throughout the state and nation. Recent transfers include: Albertus Magnus College, Central Connecticut State University, Eastern Connecticut State University, Emerson College, Fairfield University, Quinnipiac University, Smith College, Trinity College, University of Connecticut, University of Saint Joseph, Wesleyan University, and Yale University. MxCC alumni are employed by many of the state’s major businesses, industries, and government agencies including Aetna, Bristol Hospital, Comcast Corporation, CuraGen Corporation, Eversource, Middlesex Health, Raytheon Technologies, Pratt & Whitney, and Travelers.
In the 1990s, MxCC opened a satellite campus in the city of Meriden. Beginning in the Fall 2017 semester, the Meriden center moved to Platt High School, now known as “MxCC @Platt.” Students have the option of enrolling in credit, non-credit, afternoon, evening, and weekend courses each semester.
One of Middlesex’s most valued resources is its faculty. Recognized for their service to the local and wider geographic community, MxCC faculty have received major awards, fellowships, and grants. Members of the faculty are distinguished authors and writers, artists, communicators, Emmy-award winning broadcast designers, educators, researchers, entrepreneurs, business leaders, consultants, counselors, law enforcement and medical professionals, engineers and technicians. The goal of the faculty is to prepare students with marketable skills and fluency in verbal and mathematical languages as well as to graduate individuals who respect themselves, others and their environment, and who have learned to act with courage, conviction, and dignity in their private and civic lives.
The four main air-conditioned and handicapped accessible buildings—Snow, Wheaton, Founders, and Chapman halls—are located on the scenic Middletown campus just minutes from the center of town. Within this complex are general purpose classrooms, a computer center and computer classrooms, art studios, the cutting-edge Center for New Media, special purpose chemistry and biology laboratories, a learning laboratory for reading and writing, an ophthalmic design and dispensing laboratory, faculty and administrative offices, cafeteria, bookstore, multi-purpose rooms, and a library. There is ample free student parking and a municipal bus stopping twice hourly at the Middletown campus. Because MxCC is a commuter college, there are no dormitories or housing agencies.
