Honoring Fresno City College and Fresno State’s Shared History

Fresno City College will honor its shared history with California State University, Fresno in a special unveiling ceremony on Thursday, April 12 at 4:00 p.m. in the lobby of the Historic Old Administration Building.

The ceremony will have two key elements, the unveiling of the Smittcamp Family Foundation Fresno City College-Fresno State History Wall and the return of the original 1916 Old Administration Building dedication plaque.

The Smittcamp Family Foundation Fresno City College-Fresno State History Wall recounts the rich and shared history between the first two institutions of higher education in Fresno.  Both were founded by C.L. McLane, Fresno City College in 1910 and Fresno State Normal School in 1911 (later CSUF).  The OAB was built in 1916 for the Fresno State Normal School. At one time, both colleges shared the building and eventually Fresno City College moved permanently to the site when Fresno State moved to the Cedar location.  The History Wall honors the wishes of the Smittcamp Family Foundation and Earl and Muriel Smittcamp who generously donated $100,00 to the renovation of the Old Administration Building.

When the OAB was dedicated in 1916, a plaque was placed commemorating the completion of construction.  Since 1959, that plaque was housed at Fresno State.  Fresno State President Dr. Joseph Castro is gifting the plaque to Fresno City College to be reunited with the building.  He will attend the ceremony to officially present the plaque to California’s first community college.

A reception in OAB 251 will follow and will include a presentation of proclamations by local and state elected officials and the presentation of a special historical overview by Dr. Ephraim Smith.  Additionally, poet Gary Soto will conduct tours of the Gary Soto Literary Museum which is located in OAB 137.  Gary is an alumnus of both Fresno City College and Fresno State.