Northshore Technical Community College is celebrating its 85th anniversary this year, and the faculty and students are excited about the historic milestone.

The history of NTCC began in 1930, when funds were collected in memory of William H. Sullivan, Bogalusa’s first mayor, with the goal of opening a trade school, the first of its kind in Louisiana.

“Colonel William Henry Sullivan was our own Teddy Roosevelt,” said Bogalusa writer/historian John Gallaspy, member of the board of trustees, Sullivan Vocational Foundation. “He was enthusiastic, dynamic, intelligent and unstoppable.”

Gallaspy added that Sullivan was known for encouraging individuals to better themselves and their community.

In November of 1930, Sullivan Memorial Trade School opened its doors and its first students began training in woodworking and auto mechanics. Eighty-five years later, Northshore Technical Community College’s (NTCC) Sullivan Campus offers 11 different areas of occupational training, transfer general education courses. The campus continues to be noted for its community partnerships, programs and leadership.

The school partners with area high schools and assists high school dropouts through focused education and job training. It also partners with the Washington Economic Development Foundation, as well as other campuses throughout the college. The Sullivan campus was one of the first to offer a practical nursing program in the 1950s, and has graduated over 1,500 students since its inception.

NTCC was recently recognized by the Brookings Institute as top in the nation in earnings potential for graduates of two-year institutions, in addition to recognition by ACT as the State Exemplar for College and Career Readiness.

The college’s mission states that NTCC is, “committed to providing quality workforce training and transfer opportunities by awarding associate degrees, technical diplomas and certificates to students seeking a competitive edge in today’s global economy.”