The college derives its name from Maximiliano Luna, who was Speaker of the House of Representatives for the Territory of New Mexico in 1899. Luna was also a Captain of the Rough Riders, U.S. Voluntary Cavalry, and a First Lieutenant of the 34th U.S. Volunteer Infantry. Many of the Rough Riders, a mounted cavalry unit that fought in Cuba during the Spanish American War, were recruited in Las Vegas. In 1929, the popular training site for the New Mexico National Guard on the outskirts of Las Vegas was renamed Camp Luna after the leader who died in the Philippines in 1899.
In 1967 an Act of the Legislature of the State of New Mexico authorized the establishment of a vocational training facility at Las Vegas, New Mexico. When LCC was founded in 1969, the new board of trustees honored Captain Maximiliano Luna by naming the school, Luna Area Vocational Technical School.
In 1970, the first 5-mill levy election to fund LCC, which at the time was called Luna Vocational Technical Institute (LVTI), was held and overwhelmingly approved by the citizenry to voluntarily tax themselves in support of vocational-technical education. This provided an occupational training opportunity for the people of the following school districts: West Las Vegas Municipal Schools, Las Vegas City Schools, Santa Rosa Consolidated Schools, and Mora Independent Schools. These school districts lie within San Miguel, Guadalupe, and Mora Counties. Later, the Springer Municipal Schools, Maxwell Municipal Schools and most recently, Wagon Mound Public Schools joined the mill levy. Since its inception, the college has continued to grow and develop its ability to meet the occupational needs throughout northeastern New Mexico.
Luna Memorial - In June 1987, a final tribute was paid to Captain Maximiliano Luna on the LCC campus. A memorial stone monument to Luna was rededicated and now stands in front of the Technologies Building. It faces the school campus and former training grounds of the New Mexico National Guard and World War II recruits. The monument remains a lone sentinel and witness to the progress and many developments that continue to unfold at LCC.
On December 18, 2000, the Board of Directors approved the adoption of the current name, Luna Community College, to signify that the college was a comprehensive community college. LCC continues to offer a broad range of vocational, technical, and professional education programs.
Luna Community College (LCC) is the only community college in northeastern New Mexico. LCC is located in the lower slopes of the majestic Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range overlooking the city of Las Vegas, New Mexico. LCC enjoys an outstanding reputation for its caliber of facilities, teaching methods, curricula, and dedication to excellence.