{{Short description|Community college in Dallas, Texas, U.S.}} {{Use American English|date=July 2016}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2016}} {{Infobox university | name = Dallas College El Centro Campus | established = 1966 | city = [[Dallas]] | state = [[Texas]] | country = United States | coordinates = {{coord|32|46|48|N|96|48|18|W|type:edu_region:US-TX|display=inline,title}} | type = [[Public college|Public]] [[community college]] | president = Bradford Williams | parent = [[Dallas College]] | chancellor = Justin H. Lonon | campus = [[Urban area|Urban]] | colours = Blue and black | mascot = Eagles | website = {{URL|www.dallascollege.edu}} | image = Dallas January 2016 10 (El Centro College).jpg | caption = Dallas College El Centro Campus in the [[West End Historic District (Dallas)|West End]] | logo = el-centro-college-logo.jpg }}
'''Dallas College El Centro Campus''' ('''El Centro''' or '''ECC''') is a [[Public college|public]] [[community college]] in [[Dallas]], [[Texas]]. It is part of [[Dallas College]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dcccd.edu/about/ecc/pages/default.aspx |title=Dallas College El Centro Campus|access-date=July 8, 2016}}</ref>
The campus is located at 801 [[Main Street, Dallas|Main Street]] in [[downtown Dallas]], in the former [[Sanger Harris department store building]] listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dallaslibrary2.org/texas/archives/08318.html |title=Dallas Public Library - Site Map |website=dallaslibrary2.org|access-date=September 27, 2018}}</ref> Dallas College El Centro Campus became the flagship campus of Dallas College in 1966, when it first opened.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dcccd.edu/about/history/pages/default.aspx |title=History of Dallas College|access-date=October 1, 2020}}</ref> Its Spanish name reflects the center of the downtown area and it is a [[Hispanic-Serving Institution]] (HSI) and a member of the [[Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities]] (HACU).
El Centro's location allows students from all parts of [[Dallas County, Texas|Dallas County]] to take advantage of core educational courses transferable to four-year institutions, as well as career training in more than 50 fields and a variety of continuing education and workforce education courses. Many of the degree plans offered at El Centro specialize in the medical and technological fields including nursing,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dcccd.edu/cd/credit/nursing/pages/default.aspx |title=nursing|access-date=October 1, 2020}}</ref> culinary/pastry/hospitality,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.elcentrocollege.edu/cd/credit/food-hospitality/pages/default.aspx |title=Culinary, Pastry, Hospitality |website=Dallas College College |access-date=September 27, 2018 |archive-date=November 17, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117024224/https://www.elcentrocollege.edu/cd/credit/food-hospitality/pages/default.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> and fashion design and marketing.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dcccd.edu/cd/credit/marketing/pages/default.aspx |title=marketing |website=Dallas College|access-date=September 27, 2018}}</ref>
== Campuses == El Centro has grown from just one campus in downtown Dallas to three campuses in the central section of the city: El Centro main downtown campus, Bill J. Priest campus and West Dallas campus. Two additional buildings are now part of the downtown campus – the R building, which once was home to DCCCD district offices, and the Paramount building, where El Centro's Center for Allied Health and Nursing is located. The Paramount building is located in the [[West End Historic District (Dallas)|West End]].
The Downtown campus also houses the [[Dr. Wright L. Lassiter Jr. Early College High School]].<ref>[http://www.dallasisd.org/cms/lib/TX01001475/Centricity/Domain/652/2014brochure_english_updated.pdf Lassiter Brochure in English] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20150427123725/http://dallasisd.org/cms/lib/TX01001475/Centricity/Domain/652/2014brochure_english_updated.pdf Archive]). [[Dr. Wright L. Lassiter Jr. Early College High School]]. Retrieved on December 13, 2015. "701 Elm Street (street)[...]Dallas, X 75202"</ref>
In 2016, El Centro leased over 50,000 square feet on the 10th and 11th floors of nearby [[One Main Place (Dallas)]] for the college's growing architecture, digital art, engineering, fashion design, fashion marketing, and interior design programs.<ref>{{cite web |author=Steve Brown/Real Estate Editor |url=http://bizbeatblog.dallasnews.com/2016/04/one-main-place-tower-in-downtown-dallas-signs-major-office-lease-with-el-centro-college.html/ |title=One Main Place tower in downtown Dallas signs major office lease with El Centro College | | Dallas Morning News |publisher=Bizbeatblog.dallasnews.com |date=2016-04-19 |access-date=2016-07-16 |archive-date=June 25, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625014452/http://bizbeatblog.dallasnews.com/2016/04/one-main-place-tower-in-downtown-dallas-signs-major-office-lease-with-el-centro-college.html/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
The West Dallas Campus is a one-stop location close to home to register for classes. Students can meet with an adviser, register for classes, and speak to a financial-aid adviser all at the West Campus. El Centro's West Campus is the only college presence in West Dallas.
The Bill J. Priest campus offers a variety of programs, such as welding courses, workplace skills, job search assistance, career exploration, and industrial maintenance.
== 2016 shooting == {{main|2016 shooting of Dallas police officers}} On July 7–8, 2016, the college was affected by a [[mass shooting]] targeting police officers. The gunman, Micah Xavier Johnson, who by that point had killed four officers, fled inside the college. Two police officers working with the school were wounded while Johnson attempted to make entry inside a school building. After gaining entry through another route, Johnson stationed himself in an elevated position and was able to kill a fifth officer standing outside the college. After evacuating the building, police officers engaged Johnson in an hours-long standoff. Johnson was eventually killed by a robot-delivered bomb, which also damaged the school's servers.<ref name=DallasNewsHacker>{{cite web |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/headlines/20160711-el-centro-college-officials-trace-footsteps-of-dallas-police-killer.ece |title=El Centro College officials trace footsteps of Dallas police killer |work=[[Dallas News]] |first=Holly K. |last=Hacker |date=July 12, 2016 |access-date=July 15, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/headlines/20160710-2-el-centro-college-officers-wounded-when-sniper-shot-through-glass-doors.ece |title=2 El Centro College officers wounded when sniper shot through glass doors |publisher=Dallas Morning News |date=July 10, 2016 |access-date=July 16, 2016 |first=Claire Z. |last=Cardona}}</ref><ref name=DallasObserver.Details>{{cite web |url=https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/police-provide-details-of-shootout-at-el-centro-8504326 |title=Police Provide Details of Shootout at El Centro |work=Dallas Observer |date=July 20, 2016|access-date=July 20, 2016 |first=Stephen |last=Young}}</ref><ref name=DallasNews.Street>{{cite web |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/headlines/20160714-dallas-police-shooter-killed-4-officers-on-the-street-1-through-a-second-floor-window.ece |title=Dallas police shooter killed 4 officers on the street, 1 through a second-floor window |work=The Dallas Morning News |date=July 14, 2016|access-date=July 15, 2016 |first1=Jennifer |last1=Emily |first2=Tasha |last2=Tsiaperas}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Thomas |first1=Joel |title=New Details On Robot That Killed Ambush Suspect |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/dfw/news/details-on-robot-that-killed-ambush-suspect/|access-date=July 11, 2016 |agency=CBS DFW |date=July 11, 2016}}</ref> The college cancelled all classes on July 8 and became a crime scene for investigators until July 20 and 21, when it partially reopened to faculty and students.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/dfw/news/teachers-return-to-el-centro-college-after-dallas-attack/ |title=Teachers Return To El Centro College After Dallas Attack |work=CBS DFW |date=July 20, 2016|access-date=July 20, 2016 |first=Yona |last=Gavino}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{official website|https://www.dcccd.edu/}}
{{Downtown Dallas}}
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[[Category:Universities and colleges in Dallas]] [[Category:Downtown Dallas]] [[Category:Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools]] [[Category:Dallas College]] [[Category:Community colleges in Texas]] [[Category:Two-year colleges in the United States]] [[Category:1966 establishments in Texas]] [[Category:Universities and colleges established in 1966]] [[Category:Locations_of_mass_shootings]]