1954
December: The Pasco School Board votes to rename the Columbia Basin Vocational-Technical School operated at the Pasco airport to "Columbia Basin College," a title deemed by directors as "less cumbersome and more meaningful" (Tri-City Herald, 17 Dec 1954).
1955
October: the first edition of the student newspaper, The Collegiate, is issued.
1955-1958
The administration building remains on the old Naval base at the Pasco airport.
1957
$1 million is approved for CBC construction. Included in the building program were a college administration building, a laboratory building, 
and a gymnasium with music facilities attached.
The school adopts a new official seal, selected from a student contest. The seal was drawn by Jim Donnell, an ex-CBC student:
CBC grew from 300 students in its first year of operations to 824 full-time students in its second year.
1958
16 May: "A corner-stone laying ceremony was held, conducted by the Masonic Lodge, in which Walter T. Higgins, Grand Master of the Washington Grand Lodge, and other dignitaries participated. On the program for this ceremony were members of the Pasco School Board, Lyle Neff, chairman; Mrs. John Nelson, vice-chairman, and the other board members comprised of Mrs. Wayne Smalley, Carl Lundgren, and Tom Bishop. Also participating were Dr. Herman Jaeger, Pasco Superintendent, Jack Cooney, Director of CBC; Assistant Director and Registrar, George Askegaard, and Venetta Stappler, Dean of Women. Student body president, Robert Wilkerson, spoke briefly, as did Architect Victor Wulff," writes Walter Oberst in his recollection of the event.
1 June: CBC's Second Annual Commencement in the Pasco High Auditorium.
19 October: The dedication of the main administration building. Superintendent Herman Jaeger introduced the various guests and the Board of Directors. Board Chairman Lyle Neff introduced U.S. Senator Henry Jackson, who gave the dedicatory address. Student body president Sully Bayless also spoke briefly.
These events have been put together using CBC student newspapers and college scrapbooks, and are by no means a complete or exhaustive list of events in CBC history.
14 November: Dr. Helmut de Terra presents a lecture at Pasco High Auditorium sponsored by CBC.
22 January: Norman Dyhrenfurth speaks to CBC students on "The Challenge of Everest."
February: Eleanor Roosevelt visits the campus and speaks at Pasco High Auditorium.
18 April: Dr. Ralph E. Lapp, a science consultant, speaks on "Science and World Affairs."
13 October: Ernest and Miles Mauney, duet pianists. Obituary for Miles Mauney.
22 October: Dr. David Dressler, sociologist and criminologist.
14 November - Harrison Salisbury, one of the nation's best-known foreign correspondents and 1954 Pulitzer Prize winner for excellence in foreign newswriting.
8 December: Ruth Freeman Coelho, violinist.
[From the Friday, Nov. 9, 1962 issue of the Collegiate – vol. 9, issue no. 7]
CBC’s Most Distinguished Guest: Dean of Women Recalls Visit of Mrs. Roosevelt
By Mrs. Venetta Stappler
It was February 1957, the very first year of the CBC-sponsored lecture series. Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt was due at the Pasco airport at 3 p.m. Jim Watts, president of the student body, was present, as was Mr. Cooney, CBC director, TV cameramen, CBN and Tri-City news reporters, Tom Burnside, Collegiate Editor, and I was there too.
To be responsible for the scheduling of a “famous person’s visit” was a brand new experience for all of us. To prepare for it was easier to do after her visit than before, but no test-run was possible. And so this woman of international fame arrived.
From the airport Mrs. Roosevelt was whisked by Mr. Cooney and President Jim for a quick view of Ice Harbor dam, which then was in its developmental stage. Her chief comment was:
“Where are your trees? You must have trees. This country reminds me of Pakistan and the Holy Land, its development—its potential.”
*
At 5:30 p.m. I called for Mrs. Roosevelt at the Pasco Motor Inn where she had reserved a room. I drove Mr. Cooney’s new Oldsmobile, (he didn’t feel my ’53 Pontiac was good enough). Vaguely, I remember helping Mrs. Roosevelt and her secretary into the back seat of the car in spite of the fact that this great lady requested a front seat.
The front seat was filled with coathangers to be used in the cloak room at the lecture that evening. She wanted to ride with me, I turned her down for a front seat full of hangers!
I drove the “Olds” as if I had a cargo of fine china. We wended our way slowly to the “manor” where dinner was served to this very distinguished guest and party.
The most revealing question during dinner was: “What is my topic tonight for the lecture?” When her secretary replied, she said, “Oh,” and went on talking. After the lecture her secretary said: “I’ve never heard this speech before!”
Our dinner was quiet – I had succeeded in losing the press, since I felt we needed to conserve Mrs. Roosevelt’s strength (she was 72 years old at the time).
*
Then from dinner we proceeded to the Pasco High Auditorium for words of wisdom which still ring in my ears. She predicted our world leadership and how reluctant we were to assume world leadership, how we would rather be the big helpful brother, liked by everyone, than assume the responsibility of leadership, but, “we have no choice,” she exclaimed.
She sincerely hoped we would mature fast enough to successfully assume the democratic leadership of the world.
“We have so little time to grow up!”
Her message rang out clearly to a filled auditorium as she majestically stood before us wearing a beautiful orchid, a gift of the college students. She so lived her message. I felt she could talk on forever; I finally signaled for the last question, an hour with greatness was over.
To add further to the evening (as if it were possible), Mr. and Mrs. Roy West, along with the college, had a short reception for Mrs. Roosevelt. I stood I the reception line next to Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt while some one hundred people met her personally.
Memories of the evening have not left me and then too I have a personally written letter expressing thanks to me for CBC hospitality from a great lady who loved people more than fame and proved it to the benefit of all.
4 March: Morris Ernst, American lawyer and prominent attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union is slated to speak but must cancel due to inclement weather.
15 April: Frank Slater, portrait painter, speaks on "The Pleasure of Painting" at Pasco High,
20 October: No-Yong Park, billed as the "[Asian] Mark Twain," speaks on "Far Eastern Affairs" at the CBC student lounge.
3 December: Travelogue Russ Potter presents his film, "Flight to the Soviet," at the Pasco High auditorium.
Senator Henry Jackson speaks at the CBC dedication ceremony.
Helen and Frank Schreider, mid-20th century explorers known for traveling by amphibious jeep.
7 February: The Gateway Singers play a dance in the Student Lounge.
16 February: Willy Ley, famous rocket scientist, discusses "Conquest of Space" at the Pasco High auditorium.
9 April: Dave Brubeck Quartet plays at Pasco High, sponsored by ASB.
17 October: Leonard Pennario, pianist.
19 October: Dr. Donald J. Hughes, one of America's top nuclear scientists.
30 November Vincent Sheean, journalist and author of Lead Kindly Light and Not Peace, But a Sword, speaks on "One Man's Appreciation of Life."
13 December: Ruth Freeman Coehlo, violinist, and Ronald Ratcliffe, harpsicordist.
509-542-4887 library@columbiabasin.edu 2600 N 20th Ave, Pasco, WA. 99301