Many individuals and organizations in Selma and Dallas County were active in obtaining Selma as a site for a technical institute. E. S. Watts donated 20 acres of land in North Selma, just inside the city limits, to be used for the location of the technical institute. The title of this institution was decided to be William Rufus King State Vocational Technical School in honor of a famous Alabamian who served 29 years as a United States senator, was elected vice president in 1852 under President Franklin Pierce and was responsible for naming Selma.

The initial technical institute consisted of an administration building, cafeteria, seven shops and laboratory buildings, and a warehouse. All classrooms were provided with central air-conditioning and equipped with modern facilities.

The Alabama Trade School and Junior College Authority approved a resolution under advisement of Governor Albert P. Brewer on February 16, 1970, to establish a junior college in Selma on the same or adjacent site of the William Rufus King State Technical Institute. The State Board of Education gave its approval the same day. Prior to the groundbreaking ceremonies, the name of the institution was changed to George C. Wallace State Junior College and Technical Institute in honor of the incoming governor. Charles L. Byrd, who had been the director of the technical institute, was appointed president.

The State Board of Education changed the institution's name to George Corley Wallace State Community College on October 1, 1973. Stan Frasier served as interim president from January until May 1989, at which time Dr. Julius R. Brown became president of the college. At this time, average student credit enrollment is 1,800; the college has another 1,600 students involved in courses for non-credit or for training for business and industry.

The Technical Division consists of 15 classroom/shop areas located within eight different buildings. Each building is of masonry construction and contains classrooms and laboratories designed to provide an excellent learning atmosphere for students.

The Academic Division consists of a general classroom building containing 25,600 square feet; 20,000 square feet are devoted to classrooms and learning areas. Included in the building are the offices of the vice president for instruction and the instructional coordinator; eight conventional classrooms; computer, communication skills, and mathematics laboratories; and the offices of several of the Academic Division instructors.

The Library-HPR Complex contains a library-learning resources center, gymnasium and 12 classrooms. This building is of the same type construction as the other buildings.

The Science-Nursing Building, occupied winter quarter 1980, houses biology, chemistry, and physics laboratories; associate's degree nursing laboratories; four classrooms; and eight instructors' offices. In 1995 the Practical Nursing staff was relocated to space connected with this building.

The Student Center houses the offices for the Student Services staff, a bookstore, a student lounge area, a student canteen, Student Support Services, Talent Search and Financial Aid.

The Related Studies Building, occupied summer quarter 1988, is shared by Academic Division and Technical Division personnel and houses both classrooms and faculty offices.

WCCS celebrated the opening of the new Fine Arts Center in May 1990. This complex has a theater, classrooms, private practice facilities, a rehearsal room, a piano lab, makeup and dressing rooms, and faculty offices.

The mission of Wallace Community College Selma is to provide high-quality educational opportunities and services that are responsive to individual, community, and state needs. The college is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and has extensive linkages to area secondary school districts through many outreach programs, such as Talent Search, Tech Prep, and Academic Challenge of Excellence.