Craven Community College was created as an extension of Lenoir Community College by the 1965 North Carolina General Assembly and will celebrate its 60th anniversary on July 1, 2025. Granted independent status as Craven Technical Institute in 1967, the College was served by Dr. Thurman Brock as President in the historic Harvey House in downtown New Bern. In 1971, the college moved its operations to its present 100-acre location, and in 1973 the Institute was granted community college status. That same year, the College opened an office on the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point. In January 2004, the 24-acre Havelock location, including the Institute of Aeronautical Technology, opened for classes.
The College's most recent addition, entitled the Volt Center, opened in 2019 as a workforce training facility near downtown New Bern. Looking ahead, the College plans to open a new Corporate Training Center in the spring of 2026 on the New Bern campus. Development is also underway for a new Public Safety Training Center that will be located on a 30-acre lot near the Craven County Industrial Park.
The College has been served by five Presidents over its 60-year history, including: Dr. Thurman Brock, Dr. Steve Redd, Dr. Scott Ralls, Dr. Catherine Chew, and, currently, Dr. Raymond Staats.
Community colleges have their own local Boards of Trustees. Eight members are appointed by the General Assembly and four members are appointed by the Craven County Board of Commissioners. In addition, the Student Government Association president and Craven CC Foundation chairperson serve as nonvoting ex officio trustees.