East Arkansas Community College

EACC is two-year college and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools located in Chicago, Illinois.[1] Its primary service area includes Cross, Lee, Monroe, St. Francis and Woodruff counties.

In 1968, citizens of St. Francis County created a college committee out of a desire and need for a community college. At the time, the closest schools were in Memphis, Tennessee and Jonesboro, Arkansas.

In 1969, the Crowley’s Ridge Community College Corporation received approval for its initial charter.

In 1971, Betty Jo Hodges donated $25,000 to the organization enabling it to purchase approximately 40 acres of land in Forrest City, Arkansas.[2]

1973, the Arkansas Board of Higher Education announced that St. Francis County had met the requirements necessary to form a community college district. On November 8 of the same year, voters approved the proposal to initiate a four-mill tax to finance construction of the college.

The college began holding classes on August 26, 1974. It had 684 students enrolled for its initial semester.

Presidents of EACC

• Horace E. Hartsell (1974)[3]
• Dr. Coy Grace (1998 - 2008)
• Dr. Cathie Cline (2018–Present)[4]

In 2005, the school opened an extension center in Wynne, Arkansas.[5]

In 2017, the Arkansas General Assembly passed Act 636, which laid out the process for merging EACC and the nearby Crowley’s Ridge Technical Institute (CRTI). On July 31, 2017, the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board voted for the merger, and EACC assumed the property, personnel, and funding of CRTI.[6][7]

As of the 2020 – 2021 enrollment period, the college’s student to teacher ratio is 23:1 which is higher than the state average of 21:1 and enrollment of minority students is at 40%.[8]

EACC has a performing arts center located on campus which opened in 2010. The center is a 33,000 square foot center and is designated as a ‘Class A’ performance hall is currently one of only three in the entire state of Arkansas. It features 1,100 seat auditorium, a 2,900 square foot stage, a banquet hall, kitchen, black box theater and an art gallery.[9]

Notable Performers

• Air Supply
• The Commodores
• Crystal Gayle

EACC student body participates in intramural sports against other ADLI colleges year-round in the following sports:[10]

• Basketball
• Flag Football
• Softball
• Volleyball

EACC holds an annual golf tournament and held it’s 10th annual one in 2021. Some of the sponsors included Arkansas Concrete Company, Boar’s Head, Forrest City Medical Center, and Johnson Controls. All proceeds from the annual tournament support the EACC Foundation which helps students.[11]

Under the department of Office of Student Activities, the colleges has a variety of clubs and organizations which students can become members of and participate in their activities. As of 2021, the current list of clubs and organizations is:[12]

• Baptist College Ministries
• Diverse Women
• EACC Ambassadors
• Lambda Alpha Epsilon
• Minority Male Assistance Program
• Phi Theta Kappa
• Student Government Association

• Official website