Eugene is known as a college town, and not just because of the University of Oregon. A community college and three private religious schools round out the city’s higher education offerings.
Lane Community College
Lane Community College has the third-largest enrollment of Oregon’s 17 community colleges, according to LCC’s Web site. More than 15,000 students take credit classes at LCC each year. Director of enrollment services and registrar Helen Garrett said the combined enrollment of credit and non-credit students totals 42,000, and that 55 percent of all Lane County residents have taken at least one class at LCC.
“You could have someone your grandma’s age, someone your dad’s age and someone your little brother’s age in the same class with you learning the same thing,” Garrett said, describing the diverse backgrounds of LCC students.
The school offers certificates and degrees in professional and technical programs, as well as credits that transfer to four-year colleges or universities. Garrett said according to a 2001 survey 67 percent of LCC students planned to transfer to a four-year college or university after leaving LCC. The Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer Degree program is designed for students transferring to Oregon University System institutions and provides graduates with all lower-division general education requirements and junior registration status at OUS institutions. There is also a dual enrollment policy that allows students to be simultaneously enrolled at LCC and the University of Oregon. Garrett said some students take advantage of this for LCC’s cheaper tuition and smaller class sizes for introductory classes such as Writing 121.
“It’s a quality education where the instructors really know you,” Garrett said.
LCC’s main campus is located on East 30th Ave. near Interstate 5, but the school, which serves the whole of Lane County, has other branch locations around the county.
Gutenberg College
Gutenberg College, located just one block south of the University of Oregon campus at the corner of East 19th Avenue and University Street, instructs its 40 students in the Great Books – texts that influenced Western civilization. Authors studied include Aristotle, Galileo Galilei, Isaac Newton and Karl Marx.
“The goal is to teach students to think, reason, critically assess and interact with the Great Books,” Director of Admissions Terry Stollar said. Graduates of the four-year program receive a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts.
The school is Christian and grew out of a Christian ministry that served Eugene-area college students, although Stollar said it is not affiliated with any specific denomination.
Stollar said Gutenberg students occasionally take advantage of community events and opportunities at the University of Oregon.
“A lot of our students spend time at the library or EMU studying, but there’s no official interaction,” Stollar said. The school also requires each of its students to purchase a University of Oregon library card.
Northwest Christian
Northwest Christian College, located along the northwestern edge of the University of Oregon campus, offers Bachelor of Arts and Associate of Arts degrees in business, liberal arts, teacher education and ministry, as well as graduate programs in counseling and management. The school is affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ, according to the school’s Web site.
Eugene Bible College
Eugene Bible College on Bailey Hill Rd. in West Eugene is affiliated with the Open Bible Standard Churches. Admissions counselor Ruth Beck said the school’s programs focus on ministry, granting Bachelor of Arts degrees in pastoral studies, youth ministry, counseling, Christian education, worship arts, intercultural studies and interdisciplinary studies, as well as one-year Bible certificates.
“It’s kind of like a big family atmosphere,” Beck said, describing the 190-student school.

[email protected]