MGCCC began as the Harrison County Agricultural High School on September 17, 1912. Four years later, north Harrison County became Stone County, and both counties continued to support the school. On September 14, 1925, with the support of Jackson County, Harrison-Stone-Jackson Agricultural High School and Junior College began offering its first year of Junior College work. George County then added its support in 1942, and the institution took the name of Perkinston Junior College. In 1962, the Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College District was formed, and three years later, Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College added the Jefferson Davis and Jackson County campuses. Between 1965 and 1985, 4 new centers were opened. The college name was changed to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College on October 1, 1987. In 1996, the Community Campus, a campus without walls, was added as a fourth campus. In 2006, President George W. Bush became the first sitting President to speak at a community college graduation, when he spoke at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.

Gulf Coast State College holds students and community of central importance. The college provides many opportunities for learning and offers a range of programs and services to help students become well-educated, productive citizens. The college is equally dedicated to collaborating with the community to help create or improve economic well-being and to offer the space of the college for social dialog, events of art and culture, and other moments that enhance our quality of life.

Name Class year Notability Reference(s) Boyce Holleman 1940s Attorney, politician, and actor Fred Haise 1950s American engineer and former NASA astronaut Jonathan Aldridge 1996 (Perk) Professional Athlete & Celebrity Entertainer Tom Johnson 2003-2004 Professional Athlete Defensive Tackle Minnesota Vikings Dantrell Savage 2005 American football running back Brittney Reese 2006 American long jumper/Olympian Terrence Cody 2007 American football nose tackle Eltoro Freeman 2008 American football linebacker Demond Washington 2008 American football defensive back John Jenkins 2009 (Perk) American football nose tackle Chris White 2009 American football middle linebacker Don Jones 2010 American football defensive back

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