Community Care College is a nonprofit private career college in Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States. The college is the main campus of two branches, Clary Sage College and Oklahoma Technical College. Founded by Teresa Knox in 1995 under the name "Dental Directions: The School of Dental Assisting," the college eventually expanded its curriculum to other include career oriented programs. The colleges are licensed by the Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools and accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS.)
The college is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) and licensed by the Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools (OBPVS).
Forty-six diploma and degree programs at the college have earned approvals by the Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools (OBPVS), Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, Department of Education, Vocational Rehabilitation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Workforce Oklahoma, Veteran's Administration, The Accrediting Bureau of Heath Education Schools (ABHES) and the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). Its current president is Dr. Raye Mahlberg.
History
Cosmetology Program Overview Video - Learn more: http://clarysagecollege.com Clary Sage College located at 3131 S Sheridan Ave, Tulsa, OK 74145 is a branch campus of Community Care College located at 4242 S Sheridan Ave, Tulsa,...
In 1995, Teresa Knox founded "Dental Directions: The School of Dental Assisting". During its first year of business, Dental Directions graduated twelve students. In 1996, the college initiated application for accreditation with the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). By mid-1998, more than 300 students had graduated from the Dental Assisting program. After this initial success, Dental Directions, Inc. began doing business under the name Community Care College (CCC), and ABHES accreditation was granted.
Teresa Knox, entrepreneur and investor, was born and currently lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma with husband and business partner Ivan Acosta.
In 2003, the college moved to its current location at 4242 S. Sheridan Road after purchasing the building from QuikTrip. In 2004, CCC began offering Associate of Applied Science degrees, which was changed to an Associate of Occupational Science Business and Industry Management degree in 2017.
Teresa Knox serves on the executive board of Community HigherEd but is no longer CEO. She remains a passionate advocate for career and technical education. She serves on the Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools and consults and advises other career institutions. Ms. Knox also mentors start-up businesses and is a real estate investor and developer. In 2016; she and her husband; Ivan Acosta, purchased the historic The Church Studio made famous by the legendary musician and Grammy award-winning Leon Russell.
Clary Sage College
Clary Sage College (CSC) is a cosmetology college based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Clary Sage College was established by Teresa Knox in 2005 as a branch campus of Community Care College. The College is a degree-granting institution; students are eligible to earn an Associate of Occupational Science degrees in several of the programs offered by taking additional courses at the main campus, Community Care College.
The success of Community Care College (CCC) led to a decision by CEO and founder Teresa Knox to expand the career-based college by creating a second campus. Clary Sage College (CSC) was developed to provide an advanced education in the field of cosmetology, operating simultaneously as a cosmetology college and functioning spa so students could practice their skills and build clientele in a professional, real-world setting. In 2010, CSC expanded to include programs in Fashion and Interior Design. Summer of 2015, the college converted from for-profit to nonprofit status in order to expand educational opportunities to those that need it the most through increased scholarships and reduced tuition.
The school is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) and licensed by the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and the Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools. Clary Sage College and/or employees have current affiliations with the National Cosmetology Association, America Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS) and the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities (APSCU). Clary Sage College is approved by the U.S. Department of Education and for Veterans Education.
Campus
In 2006, construction began on the current campus located at 3131 S Sheridan Road Tulsa, OK. The property sits on six acres and is one of the largest schools of its kind in the United States. The first floor was designed to resemble an upscale spa and includes a salon floor, barber shop, massage and esthetician clinics, pedicure and manicuring rooms, and a dispensary, all of which are used for the "hands-on" components of the curriculum of each program. The second floor hosts classrooms, computer lab and library. In 2006, it began its expansion into a multi-campus college, starting with the establishment and construction of Clary Sage College (CSC). CSC was developed to provide an advanced education in the field of cosmetology, operating simultaneously as a cosmetology college and functioning spa so students could practice their skills in a professional setting. In 2010 the college expanded to include programs in Fashion and Interior Design.
Oklahoma Technical College
The success of Clary Sage College led to a decision to establish Oklahoma Technical College (OTC), offering programs in automotive technology, diesel technology, welding technology, and heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) and refrigeration. OTC opened in 2009.
The colleges operated under a for-profit corporation for 20 years, and on June 30, the assets of the colleges were acquired by a newly formed 501(c)(3) public charity, Community HigherEd.
Career colleges play a critical role in the nation's economic growth and development. With the U.S. ranking 14th in people between the ages of 25-34 with a college degree, career-focused training of specialized skills will continue being instrumental in improving that metric so that the country improves international standing.
Although tax status with the IRS has changed, Founder Teresa Knox states that the company currently operates similar to a non-profit on many counts: it is socially wired, has a transparent culture, and is committed to being a contributing force to the community. The college wants to continue being evaluated, as all higher education institutions should be, on student outcomes….graduation rates, job placement rates, and student loan default rates.
"‘For Profit’ is periphery to our primary mission and purpose and minimizes our long-term goal," states CEO Teresa Knox, "Our strategy is to increase the number and amount of scholarships offered to students in order to reduce student loan debt and expand educational and career opportunities to those that need it most."
Programs and accreditation
Campus
In 2003, Community Care College moved its campus to the current location at 4242 S Sheridan Rd Tulsa, OK. This building was previously known as the QuikTrip building.
Notable administration and staff
- Teresa Knox, Founder
- Teresa Knox, CEO 1995 - 2015
- Dr. Kevin Kirk, President 2003â€"2017
- Dr. Raye Mahlberg, Present 2017-Present
References
External links
- Community Care College
- Clary Sage College
- Oklahoma Technical College
- Community HigherEd
