American River College

American River College, part of the Los Rios Community College system, has been offering educational opportunities since 1942. Before the official community college system was born, it was known as Grant Junior College. By 1955 the community college concept was born, and Grant had transformed into American River College. Rapid growth has followed since, and with 38,000 students today it's one of the largest community colleges in California. Located in the state capitol of Sacramento, the college offers a horticulture complex, open-air pavilion, theatre and gymnasium in addition to numerous off-campus facilities. Sacramento, known for great weather and numerous cultural opportunities, provides the perfect location for the college, allowing the school and its students to take advantage of the city's many resources.

Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, the school recently received the highest accreditation score that's possible for a school to achieve. American offers a number of degrees and certificates for its students in a wide range of fields including Business, Social Science and Engineering. In addition, the school places an emphasis on the arts, and promotes opportunities for students to engage in scholarly pursuit of such areas as Interior Design, Journalism, Music and Theater. If a technical career is more to a student's liking, there are programs available in Automotive Technology, Welding, Electronics, Horticulture and much more. One of the areas the college is most noted for is its operation of the Sacramento Regional Public Safety Training Center. Offering training and educational programs for both beginning and experienced law enforcement and rescue personnel, the center works hand-in-hand with the college's programs of study in Criminal Justice and Fire Technology.

The athletic programs at American River College are something the school can be quite proud of. Offering both men's and women's sports in such areas as football, softball, track and field and more the programs have gained national recognition while letting some of their players realize their dreams of going pro. Known as the Beavers, the school's football team has been ranked #10 in the Junior College Preseason Rankings by leading football publications. Its baseball team is also well-respected, with former players Pete Perez and Lydell Moseby signing free-agent professional contracts. Perez signed with the Toronto Blue Jays of the Major Leagues, while Moseby signed with the Southern Illinois Miners of the Frontier League.

Students in the Sacramento area who are looking for a school that offers opportunities to grow personally and professionally need look no further than American River College. After all, it's the place where dreams come true.