In 1974, Ventura College began offering classes in Fillmore to serve the Santa Clara River Valley’s predominantly Hispanic population. In 1980, the East Campus (then known as the Santa Paula Vocational Center), opened on Dean Drive in Santa Paula. In 2011, the satellite campus moved to its current location on Faulkner Road. In addition to the East Campus, Ventura College schedules college classes at six local high schools, and occasionally uses facilities at other community locations.
Off-Campus programs serves over 800 students per semester through enrollment in off-campus classes, and assisting students through the East Campus Student Services Office and Library and Learning Resource Center.
Ventura College Off-Campus Programs bridges access to higher education for the underrepresented areas of the Santa Clara River Communities. Over 75 percent of students enrolled in off-campus classes are from Fillmore, Piru, and Santa Paula.
Committed to diversity, Ventura College has been designated a Hispanic Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education. Ventura College's campus ethnicity is 55 percent Hispanic/Latino. Students enrolled in Ventura College off-campus classes are over 85 percent Hispanic/Latino.
In 2016, the East Campus partnered with the Ventura College Foundation to create an Annual Scholarship for Ventura College students who are residents of Fillmore, Piru, and Santa Paula. An annual $1,000 award will be given to a local student with a 3.5 GPA or higher.
In 2019, Ventura College began offering two Associate Degrees at Ventura College East Campus. Students may earn an Associate Degree in Arts and Humanities and/or in Social and Behavioral Sciences.