Western Nebraska Community College was originally established as the Scottsbluff Junior College in 1926. It was an extension of the
University of Nebraska system made to reduce the over-crowding of other colleges at the time. After only one year in operation, the school board closed the school in 1927. Two years later, the college was re-established as a separate entity. In 1932, following a special election, Scottsbluff Junior College was officially made a public college. In 1968, the college officially changed its name to Nebraska Western College. Additionally, the college announced the construction of a new multi-purpose main building, which opened the following year. The college became Scottsbluff's only non-parochial institution of higher education after private
Hiram Scott College shut down in 1971. That same year, the
Nebraska State Legislature passed a bill creating eight technical community college areas. The college was added to the Western Nebraska Technical Community College Area in 1973. In 1982, the college purchased the Alliance Vocational School of Practical Nursing, located in
Alliance. In 1988, Nebraska Western College merged with Western Nebraska Technical College, located in
Sidney. The resulting organization became Western Nebraska Community College, which began operations in July of that same year. In 2017, the college began renovations of their main campus. Additionally, a new performing arts theater, learning commons, and welcome center also began construction. Construction was completed in 2019. == Academics ==