After 76 years of serving Madras and Jefferson County, Central Oregon Community College's local campus has transformed into a workforce development hub that community leaders say could reshape healthcare and childcare access across the region.

The $22 million, 24,000-square-foot building — more than double the campus's original footprint — was officially celebrated at an opening event on April 30. The 26 acres of land was donated to the college by the Bean Foundation. And now, with students filling the pristine classrooms and simulation labs, the building is doing exactly what it was designed to do.

New Programs Now Enrolling

Five new educational pathways are now available at the Madras campus:

  • Nursing — in partnership with St. Charles Health System
  • Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
  • Medical Assistant
  • Early Childhood Education — offered in both English and Spanish, in partnership with The Children's Learning Center
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing — the first bachelor's degree ever offered at the Madras campus, available to students who already hold an associate's degree in nursing; applications open June 1

In total, 58 new healthcare students and 30 early childhood education students are enrolled in these inaugural programs. Nursing students are currently doing clinical rotations at St. Charles in Madras, while CNA students are completing practicums at East Cascade Retirement Center on 16th Street.

Addressing a Critical Gap

The expansion comes at a pivotal time. A 2025 Oregon Office of Rural Health report ranked Warm Springs second-worst in the state for unmet healthcare needs, scoring just 26 on a scale where zero is the worst. Madras itself scored 48 — also well below the state median — underscoring the urgency of building a local healthcare workforce pipeline.

Madras High School students are also benefiting through a Career and Technical Education partnership. Once they complete the program in June, students will be eligible to test for their CNA certification — potentially entering the workforce before they've graduated.

"It's something our community needs," said Meghan Drew, the CTE health sciences teacher at Madras High School and a registered nurse. "We have all of the supplies so that we can teach and make sure they're doing it correctly before we send them into the workforce."

Economic Impact

A COCC economic impact study released last month found the college generates $349 million annually for Central Oregon and supports one in every 41 regional jobs. Students who earn an associate's degree earn an average of $10,000 more per year than those with a high school diploma alone.

For campus director James Rodriguez, the project was built on listening. "We are providing healthcare careers and opportunities for students to go right into the workforce," he said.

College president Greg Pereira said the waitlists that have already formed for these programs speak for themselves. "It says that we are serving communities as effectively as possible," he said. "This is a major stretch where people drive from Portland to Bend and beyond. We want to have qualified healthcare workers in this area."

Students interested in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at the Madras campus can begin applying June 1. For information on other programs, visit cocc.edu or contact the Madras campus directly.