By Juan Ibarra/campus editor

The year 1968 is filled with events such as the release of The Beatles’ “White Album” and the launch of Apollo 8 mission, however it was also the same year TCC, or TCJC at the time, opened NE Campus. A ceremony was held April 10 to celebrate the special occasion as well as to look to the future of the campus.

Executive director of community education and engagement Jerry Zumwalt opened the celebration with a few words regarding the history of the campus and how far the college has come.

“It’s less of a look back and more of a look to the future,” Zumwalt said. “Onward to thinking about 2069, the next 50 years of teaching, learning and achieving.”

A moment was taken to focus on two of TCC’s faculty members, Tahita Fulkerson and Louise Appleman. Both women have played a large role in the college’s life with the former being NE Campus’ current interim president and Appleman having been on the board of trustees since her election in 1988.

On top of the brief history of the campus and TCC, a time capsule was introduced as a way to remember the school and honor its long history. The time capsule will be opened 50 years from now during NE Campus’ 100-year celebration.

Dean of technology, health and business Eli Mercer was introduced as being one of the members in charge of leading the time capsule committee.

“Ever since I was a young boy, I have always been enamored with the idea something that sits unchanged for a long period of time,” Mercer said.

Students, faculty and staff are invited to submit their own items of importance for the time capsule, and the committee will select from the submissions for what will be inserted into the time capsule.

“As we’ve been putting this together, we have learned more about the last 50 years than we would have ever imagined learning,” Mercer said. “We’re actually writing down a story to explain every single item that goes in including photographs or three-dimensional artifacts.”

The time capsule and the history of NE Campus are only two of the facets of the celebration with the third being former TCC alumni also returning for the anniversary.

“It was a great time to be able to have a lot of the people back who are still in the community, both alumni and former employees,” Zumwalt said.

Also celebrating their 50th anniversary were two alumni who attended the celebration, Linda and Cliff Steinsultz. Cliff Steinsultz used his experience at TCC to get a job at IBM directly after college, while Linda Steinsultz is now a professor at Dallas Baptist University.

“The school is very progressive and is really diverse and all inclusive,” Linda Steinsultz said. “They have updated the classes they offer to keep up with the times and overall tend to the students’ needs in the best ways.”